Introduction to Programming

Mehul Jain
 Mumbai
darshan again
on
16 july
th
 Overview
• Computer Systems: The Basics
• Algorithms
• Flowcharts
• Programs
Computer Systems
• Dumb machines that only
process instructions
(programs)
• Follow Garbage In
Garbage Out (GIGO)
principle
• Can’t differentiate into
correct/incorrect logic
• Problem solving tool
Under the hood
• Input: e.g.., Keyboard
and Mouse
• Processor: Central
Processing Unit
• Output: Monitor or a
Printer
 Algorithms
• An Algorithm is a solution to a problem that is
independent of any programming language.
• Steps are essentially sequential in nature
• All Inputs and Outputs have to be specified
explicitly
• Have a start state and an end state (explicit
start and end points)
• For each input, a result should be generated
and that too in finite time
 Use of algorithms
• Facilitates easy development of programs
• Iterative refinement
• Easy to convert it to a program
• Review is easier
Q Write an Algorithm to solve quadratic
equation (ax2 + bx +c =0) for Real Roots
• 0. START
• Read a, b and c //(non zero constants) (Input)
• Disc=b2-4ac //Calc. Discriminant (Process)
• If Disc>=0 Then Goto step 5 Else Goto step 7 //For Real Roots (Decision)
• X1= (-b+√Disc)/2a, X2= (-b-√Disc)/2a //Calculating Roots (Process)
• Write X1 and X2
• STOP
FLOWCHARTS: A PICTURE IS
WORTH A THOUSAND WORDS
• A flowchart is a
diagrammatic
representation of an
algorithm
• Normally the “flow” of
control is from top to
bottom
Q Draw a flowchart for the algorithm of the prev. example (quad. eqn)
 START

Read a, b & c

Disc=b2-4ac

No
Disc>=0

Yes
X1= (-b+√Disc)/2a, X2= (-b-√Disc)/2a

Write X1 and X2

STOP
 PROGRAM
• A program is an algorithm expressed in a
programming language
• Each language has a certain syntax and
has a variety of programming constructs
available for easier problem solving
• “Perfectly Optimal Code” is a Holy Grail
that has not many takers (abstraction v/s
user friendliness)
CONSTANTS & VARIABLES
• A constant is a constant
is a constant
• 23, 44, “NMIMS”, 65,
“Hello”, a.
• A Variable is a
Container for Constants
• Variables can change
2007
values during the
NMIMS
execution of the program
• e.g. a, num1,x
 Arrays
• An array is a set of
identical variables
n
that contain similar
data
• Arrays have a fixed
size
• Index numbers are
A(1)
used to access the
A(n)
Array variables