1 / 18

Class 1: What this course is about

Class 1: What this course is about. Assignments. Reading: Chapter 1, pp 1-33 Do in Class 1: Exercises on pages 13, 14, 22, 28 To hand in in Class 2: Exercises on p 33. In a nutshell. This course is about writing computer programs which solve problems

marisol-castro
Download Presentation

Class 1: What this course is about

An Image/Link below is provided (as is) to download presentation Download Policy: Content on the Website is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use and may not be sold / licensed / shared on other websites without getting consent from its author. Content is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use only. Download presentation by click this link. While downloading, if for some reason you are not able to download a presentation, the publisher may have deleted the file from their server. During download, if you can't get a presentation, the file might be deleted by the publisher.

E N D

Presentation Transcript

  1. Class 1: What this course is about

  2. Assignments • Reading: Chapter 1, pp 1-33 • Do in Class 1: • Exercises on pages 13, 14, 22, 28 • To hand in in Class 2: • Exercises on p 33

  3. In a nutshell • This course is about writing computer programs which solve problems • First step: ‘grok’ the problem. (Look up the meaning and origin of ‘grok’.) • Second step: write the program • Third step: make sure the program correctly solves the problem

  4. What is an algorithm? • An algorithm is an unambiguous, step-by-step procedure for solving a problem • A recipe is an example of an algorithm • An algorithm provides the design for a computer program

  5. What is a computer language? • A computer language is a notation for writing down algorithms • ‘High level’ languages are readable, like natural human languages • Computer languages are precise enough to be executed by (unthinking) machines • All computer languages are fundamentally equivalent in their expressive power

  6. What is a program? • A program is a set of instructions written in a computer language • A program implements an algorithm • A program written in a high-level language may be translated into a low level language (the natural language of a computer)

  7. What is a computer? • A computer is a machine that executes programs (unlike a lawn mower) • A computer can execute any program (unlike a CD-player) • Since computers are Universal Machines, they are all fundamentally equivalent in computing power

  8. How do you write a program? • A computer can execute programs that are tools for creating programs • The programmer’s everyday tools are: • editor • interpreter or compiler • debugger • A suite of such tools is called an integrated development environment (IDE) • We are using the Idle IDE for Python

  9. The editor • An editor is used to write programs • Programs are written in plain text • The file containing the program in a high-level language is called the source file • A Python source file has the extension ‘.py’

  10. The interpreter • An interpreter translates from a high-level language to the computer’s language (instruction set) • The Python shell interprets line by line. • A line of computer code can not be translated and executes unless it is syntactically (grammatically) correct

  11. Debugging • Just because you’ve written some code doesn’t mean you’ve solved your problem. • Testing is the process of trying to discover errors in your program. • Debugging is the process of fixing errors you discover. • (The sentence ‘Colorless green ideas sleep furiously’ is grammatically correct, but what does it mean? Look in up on the Web.)

  12. Panic abatement advice • Expect to spend lots of time • Programmer wisdom: it always takes longer than you think • Expect things to go wrong • Murphy’s law of computers: anything that can’t go wrong, will • Don’t panic: every bug has a fix

  13. Tips for success • Start every assignment early • Don’t fall behind • Ask if you don’t know • Do your own work

  14. Getting help • Use the online help system • Every CA and instructor has office hours • Sign up for one of the study/homework sessions (hint: best right after class) • Learn to work with a partner or team as well as to tackle problems on your own.

  15. Grading • Homework (almost every class) 15% • Roadmap projects 15% • Midterm 1 20% • Midterm 2 20% • Final 25% • Misc 5% • All sections have same work and tests • Course is graded on a curve

  16. Attendance • Lecture attendance is mandatory (you are asked to sign in). Five absences will lead to withdrawal

  17. Homework • HWs are handed in paper (hard copy) and electronically • No late HWs will be accepted • Every HW hard copy must be neatly printed and stapled • Every HW must have student name and ID, date, HW # and section #

  18. Honesty • Cheating on an exam will result in failing the course • You may discuss HW problems with each other • You may not take credit for something you did not do

More Related