What is Computer Programming

By: razi.smartcomputing123@gmail.com


What is Computer Programming?

Computer Programming is …

the activities of writing set of instructions that will be executed by a computer machine.

A person who writes computer program is called …

a programmer.



Programming Activities

Programming activities involves:

Analyze user requirement

Design the program

Code the program

Test the program

Operate the program



1.Analyze User Requirement

Finding out:

What is the problem to be solved?

What are the constraints associated with the program?

What is the input/output that the program should get/produce?

Set the program objectives






INPUT

PROCESS

OUTPUT

integer1,

integer2

LET integer3 =sum of integer1 and integer2

integer3

A simple Input-Process-Output box showing the user requirement




2. Design The Program

Narrative Format (Pseudo-Code)

BEGIN

READ integer1, integer2

LET integer3=integer1 + integer2

PRINT integer3

END




Visual Format (Flow Chart)



BEGIN

READ integer1, integer2

LET integer3=integer1 + integer2

PRINT integer3

END

3. Code The Program

#include «iostream»

Using namespace std;

Int main(void){

int integer1,integer2,integer3;

cout««“Enter two integers:”;

cin»»integer1;

cin»»integer2;

integer3=integer1+integer2;

cout««“The sum is:”;

cout««integer3;

system(“PAUSE”);

return 0;

}

Enter two integers:

1

2

The sum is:

3



C++ Source Code Sample




C++ Console Output Sample




4. Test The Program

Test Case is …

a list of input values to be given to the program during runtime together with the expected outcome from the computer.

This helps to …

check whether a program is running according to its specified objectives.



(Test Cases for the program design in the previous slides)




5. Operate The Program

Install to the targeted platform

Training and support

Maintenance



Many types of programming languages

Programming languages…

Language used to construct the program codes

Various types exist…

To support different needs, focus and orientation of programming works

Popular ones are …

C, C++, Java, Visual Basic etc.



Programming Paradigm

The way programmer looks at problem-solving using computers

Procedure-oriented

Program is build from combination of code blocks (procedures)

Object-oriented

Problem-solving involves interaction between entities (objects) that incorporate data and functions.



Commonly Used Paradigm

Procedure-oriented programming

Why?

Simple

Easy to learn and apply

Practical

Available as…

Standalone (C++)

Script (VBA)



Which Language To Start?

It could be …

C++

It provides a starting point before moving to other languages such as Java, PHP etc.

Visual Basic

It provides a starting point for windows-based platform

Or whatever language that you may have found suitable reference and instructor to begin with :-)

Microsoft released a Visual Basic for kids called “Small Basic”

It is so ‘basic’ that a person could easily learn programming



Program Control Structures

Defines how program codes/statements should be executed by computer.

Generally…

Sequential

Execute from top to bottom (default)

Selection

Selectively Execute certain statements

Loop

Repeatedly Execute certain statements



Sequential Control Structure

Statements are executed one after another in a top-down direction.



Selection Control Structure

When the program control reaches a CHOICE point(diamond symbol), it must decide which branch to execute next.

Decision is based on the conditional statement (logic value, i.e TRUE or FALSE) that is placed at CHOICE point.






Loop Control Structure

When a program control reaches a CHOICE point, it must repeatedly execute certain instructions until a loop terminating condition is met.

The terminating condition can be determined either during programming or runtime.



Next?

Let’s start the coding!