Lecture Slide 1 Introduction

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Module

Fundamentals of ProgrammingInstructor: Fred. Yeboah

Email:[email protected]


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@2011 AITI-KACE All Rights Reserved - Fundamentals of Programming 2

Course Objectives

Understand basics of programming

Analyse problem

Design solution algorithms using flow chart andpseudo-code

Prove correctness of developed algorithms


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Session 1What is programming ?


4/19@2011 AITI-KACE All Rights Reserved - Fundamentals of Programming 4

What is programming?

is the act of writing instructions using a

particular programming technology or languagefor a computing device to execute them

Note: for any special computing device to provide a

functionality to its user implies a program has beenwritten by someone for that device.

Think of the following computing devices:

mobile phones, personal computers, servers, calculators,scientific calculators, etc...


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What you need to know

Computing devices do what we tell them to do

and NOT what we want them to do!

Computing devices do not have the capacity to

think and make judgment on their own

Computing devices have different capacity in

terms of volume of instructions to execute andspace to store information or data


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What is a programming language?

A programming language gives the programmer

the ability to express him / her intention bywriting them as instructions for the computingdevice.

Its also referred to asprogramming technology

Programming languages are synonymous towritten languages. Think of this:

C programming (C) - French

Java programming - English

Visual Basic (V.B) - German

Note: they all have rules & sentence structure


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Types of programming languages

Programming languages allow programmers to

code software.

The three major families of languages are:

Machine languages

Assembly languages

High-Level languages


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Machine Languages

Comprised of 1s and 0s

The native language of a computer

Difficult to program one misplaced 1 or 0 will

cause the program to fail.

Example of code:

1110100010101 111010101110

10111010110100 10100011110111


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Assembly Languages

Assembly languages are a step towards easier

programming. Assembly languages comprised of a set of

elemental commands which are tied to aspecific processor.

Assembly language code needs to betranslated to machine language before thecomputer processes it.

Example:

ADD 1001010, 1011010


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High_level Languages

High-level languages represent a giant leap

towards easier programming.

The syntax of HL languages is similar toEnglish.

Historically, we divide HL languages into twogroups:

Procedural languages

Object-Oriented languages (OOP)


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Compiling / Interpretation

Regardless of the HL Language

all HL programs need to be translated to machine

code so that a computer can process the program.

Some programs are translated using a compiler.During compilation all source code are translated all

at once.

Some programs are translated using an interpreter.Such programs are translated line-by-line instead of allat once (like compiled programs).


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Examples of the syntax

Written languages

English : I love you

German: ich libe dish

French : Je t'aime

Programming languages

Java : System.out.println(Hello, World);

C : printf(Hello, World ); VB : PRINT "Hello, World"


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Some programming technologies


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Interacting with a computing device

Speakerencodes

information

Listener

decodes

information

Listener returns

feedback to speaker

Communication cycle

One complete unit ofcommunication includes:

An idea to be sent.

An encoder.

A sender.

A medium.

A receiver.

A decoder.

A response.


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Interacting with a computing device (2)

Substituting a

computer for one ofthe people in thecommunicationprocess.

Process is basicallythe same.

Response may be

symbols on themonitor.

User

encodesinformation Computer decodes

information

Computerreturns results

to user


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Where do they differ?

While communication between individuals use the

same language, computing devices and individuals donot.

The following areas are where they differ

Semantics

Syntax

S i f i


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Semantics: Refer to meaning

Human language:

Refers to the meaning ofwhat is being said.

Words often pick up multiplemeanings.

Phrases sometimes haveidiomatic meanings:

let sleeping dogs lie

Computer language:

Refers to the specificcommand you wish thecomputer to perform.

Input, Output, Print

Each command has avery specific meaning.

Computers associate onemeaning with onecomputer command.

S R f f


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Syntax: Refers to form or structure

Human language: Refers to rules

governing grammaticalstructure.

Pluralization, tense,agreement of subjectand verb,pronunciation, andgender.

Computer language: Refers to rules governing

exact spelling andpunctuation, plus:

Formatting, repetition,

subdivision of tasks,identification of variables,definition of memoryspaces.

S t R f t f t t (2)


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Syntax: Refers to form or structure (2)

Human language: Humans tolerate the

use of language.

How many ways can

you say no? Do theyhave the samemeaning?

Computer language: Computers do not

tolerate syntax errors.

Documents

Lecture Slide 1 Introduction