Computer Programming I

Comp 150
Fall Semester 2008

Course Information

Moodle
Check grades and solutions

Useful Resources

Happy Living
Advice for successful learning experiences

Dates

Topics

Related Readings

Announcements

Week 1
8/25 - 8/29

Comp 150 Introduction
Simple Programs

- Welcome to Comp 150! I hope you find it a rewarding learning experience.
- Be sure you look through this site. It contains important information.

M

- Class procedures

- Computer Science at Wittenberg - Slides
- Computer Science Career Trends
Courtesy Dr. Todd Neller of Gettysburg College
- Technology: It's Where the Jobs Are
- IT Talent Shortage
- Top 10 Reasons to Major in Computing

- Computers and Programs - Slides

Zelle 1.1 - 1.4

W

- Writing Simple Programs

chaos.py

Zelle 1.5 - 1.9

If you have a home computer you'd like to program in Python with, download Python here and install it now(!) so you have time to get help from me if you need it.

F

Zelle 2.3 - 2.6

Week 2
9/1 - 9/5

Computing with Numbers

M

- For-loops, range, and accumulation

factorial.py

Zelle 2.6, 3.3

W

Zelle 2.1 - 2.2, 2.7
Zelle 3.1 - 3.2, 3.4 - 3.6

- Lab 1 due at 12:30 PM
- Begin Lab 2

F

- Numerical types
- Computer representation of numbers

Zelle 3 (Finish)
Number Systems and Base Conversions

Week 3
9/8 - 9/12

Computing with Strings

M

- Computer representation of numbers

Number Systems and Base Conversions

W

- Computer representation of numbers
- The string data type

Some additional practice on number systems, thanks to Dr. Shelburne.
Zelle 4.1 - 4.4

F

- Simple string processing
username.py
month.py
stringPrac.py

Zelle 4.1 - 4.4

Week 4
9/15 - 9/19

Computing with Strings

Everything you need to work with graphics in Python should already be installed on university computers.  If, however, you want to work on graphics in Python on a *home* computer, you'll need to get the graphics.py file.  There is a link to it at the top of the course web page.  graphics.py is not standard Python - it was written by the textbook author to make some basic graphics programming easier for us.

Once you have the graphics.py file, you need to know where to put it on your computer so that Python can find it when you type "import graphics" or "from graphics import *".  The simplest way is to just keep it in the same directory as any .py file you ever write yourself.

But there's a nicer way to make it always available to any .py file you ever write on your computer.  You'll need to find where you installed Python, then go to the Lib folder.  You should see a long list of .py and .pyc files, include familiar ones like string.py.  Copy the graphics.py file into there.  Now, whenever you import the graphics library, Python should be able to find it with no problem.

Let me know if you have any trouble!

M

Zelle 4.1 - 4.4

W

Zelle 4.5 - 4.7

F

Zelle 5.1 - 5.4

Week 5
9/22 - 9/26

Objects and Graphics

Information for the programming portion of the test (these rules mirror typical online programming contest rules):
- You will use Python on the computer to work on the given programming problems.  They will be submitted to me at the end of class.  (Means of submission TBA.)
- You may bring whatever printed material you want - book, notes, printed labs, printed internet information, printed programs demonstrated in class, etc.
- You may not use the internet or email at all.
- You may not view any personal files (.py files, etc.) on your computer.  Only what you have printed out can be used.

Information for the written portion of the test:
- You may use a calculator.
- No other material of any kind.  No book, notes, labs, computer, internet, any other electronic device, etc.

If you have any questions, ask me long before the test!

M

- Objects
- Graphics programming
graphicsEx1.py

Last day of material on Test #1.

W

- Graphics exercises
- Object diagrams, mutators, and clones

F

Test #1 (programming portion)

Week 6
9/29 - 10/3

Graphics
Defining Functions

M

Test #1 (written portion)

W

F

Week 7
10/6 - 10/10

Functions
Decision Structures

M

W

F

Week 8
10/13 - 10/17

Decision Structures
Loop Structures

M

- If statements
minMax.py
gameScores.py

Zelle 7 (Finish)
8.4

W

F

- Loops
circles.py
coords.txt

Zelle 8.1 - 8.3, 8.5

Week 9
10/20 - 10/24

Simulation and Design

M

Fall break (no class)

W

F

Week 10
10/27 - 10/31

Simulation and Design
Defining Classes

Test 2 will be cumulative, but will focus on the material covered since test 1.

Information for the programming portion of the test:
- You will use Python on the computer to work on the given programming problems.  They will be submitted to me at the end of class.
- You may bring whatever printed material you want - book, notes, printed labs, printed internet information, printed programs demonstrated in class, etc.
- You may not use the internet or email at all.
- You may not view any personal files (.py files, etc.) on your computer.  Only what you have printed out can be used.

Information for the written portion of the test:
- You may *not* use a calculator.  You won't need it.  (Note difference from test #1.)
- No other material of any kind.  No book, notes, labs, computer, internet, any other electronic device, etc.

M

W

F

Week 11
11/3 - 11/7

Classes

M

W

F

Class canceled

Week 12
11/10 - 11/14

Data Collections

On your own, review and prepare any remaining questions for all of chapter 10.  This includes:
cball1.py, cball2.py, cball3.py, cball4.py
gpa.py
projectile.py
button.py

M

W

F

Week 13
11/17 - 11/21

Object-Oriented Design

M

W

F

Week 14
11/24 - 11/28

Algorithm Design and Recursion

M

W

Thanksgiving break

F

Thanksgiving break

Week 15
12/1 - 12/5

Algorithm Design and Recursion

Test 3 will be cumulative, but will focus on the material covered since test 2.

Information for the programming portion of the test (over the weekend):
- It will be a "take-home" test.
- You will use Python on a computer to work on the given programming problems.
- On your honor, you will be allowed a maximum of one hour for the take-home portion of the test.
- You may use whatever printed material you want - book, notes, printed labs, printed internet information, printed programs demonstrated in class, etc.
- You may not use the internet or email at all.
- You may not view any personal files (.py files, etc.) on your computer.  Only what you have printed out can be used.

Information for the written portion of the test (Monday):
- You may *not* use a calculator.  You won't need it.
- No other material of any kind.  No book, notes, labs, computer, internet, any other electronic device, etc.

M

W

F

Week 16
12/8 - 12/12

M

W

F

- Decidability
decidability.py
- Course evaluations

Zelle 13.4.2

Finals Week

T 12/16

12:00 PM - 3:00 PM Final