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Introduction to Programming Concepts & Logic

COP1000Professor: Dr. Meg McManus

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Introduction• Course Outline• Open Lab• Asthma & Allergies• Food• Course Website• Tests• Assignments

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Puzzles, anyone?

Do you Suduku?

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Why Programming?• We encounter problems every day.• Programs are simply solutions to

problems.• Puzzles are simply a

solution to a problem• To create programs• We have to learn to think

a different way…• The way computers think.McManus

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General Problem-Solving Concepts

Lesson 1

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6 Steps in Problem Solving

1. Identify the problem– If you don’t know what the problem is,

you can’t create a solution for it.– Ex. Calculate Payroll for 10 Employees– Ex. Provide directions

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6 Steps in Problem Solving

2. Understand the problem– Clients rarely completely

understand what they want let alone how to tell you.

– Perform • Research - to form your own

knowledge base• Observations by

– Watching current activity– Reviewing past activities

• Ex. Giving instructions to someone on how to find an address.McManus

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6 Steps in Problem Solving

3. Identify alternative ways to solve the problem.– Rarely does a problem have only one

solution. – Look at

• Efficiency• Speed• Accuracy• Acceptability

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Don’t just find one solution and stop there. Rarely is it the best solution…especially

for novice programmers…

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6 Steps in Problem Solving

4. Select the best way to solve the problem from the list of alternative solutions.– Establish criteria to help when

performing evaluations on each alternative

– Include pros and cons for each solution – Select the best solution based

on the researchMcManus

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6 Steps in Problem Solving

5. List instructions that enable you to solve the problem using the selected solution.

1. Create a numbered, step-by-step set of instructions

2. Instructions must be included in the knowledge base…So, what’s a knowledge base?McManus

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6 Steps in Problem Solving

6. Evaluate the solution.– Test the solution

• Are the results accurate?• Does it satisfy the needs of the client?• Is it acceptable to the client?• Does the solution solve the original

problem?

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2 Types of Problems• Algorithmic Solutions

– Steps involved in following a set of instructions.• Ex. Calculating your checkbook

balance– The solution will be the same

each time the algorithm is followed.

– Most computers use algorithmic types of problems.

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2 Types of Problems• Heuristic Solutions

– Solutions that can’t be reached by following a direct set of steps.• Created by using reasoning built upon

knowledge and experience…and by trial and error.

• Ex. Determining which stock is the best value

– The results may not produce the same results each time the algorithm is executed.

– Artificial intelligence deals with heuristic types of problems.

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Solutions• The instructions that will result in the

best solution. – Again, the result may

• Be more Efficient• Be Faster• Be more Understandable• Be more Maintainable• Be Reusable

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Results• The outcome of the program

– Or the completed computer-assisted answer…

• May take any form:– Printout– Updated files– Output to monitor,

speakers, etc.

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The Program• The set of instructions that make up

the solution after they have been coded into a particular computer language.

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Although we won’t be actually writing programs, at least not in

any specific language, this is what we will be working toward

throughout this course!

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Steps in Building a Program

• Understanding the problem (What does it mean?)• Developing an algorithm (what is the solution to

the problem)• Writing the program (by the programmer,

including internal commenting)• Documenting (external) the program (for the

user/system administrator)• Testing and debugging the program

– Testing - by anyone other than the programmer– Debugging - by the programmer

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So? What are the Problems?

Humans!

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Difficulties in Problem Solving?

• Humans must– Change the way we think– Work through the problem

completely– Follow a logical sequence of

steps– Not make hasty decisions– Not make haphazard

evaluations of potential solutions

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Next?