Introduction to Programming

Catalog description

This course introduces the fundamental concepts and processes of solving computational problems through the design, implementation, testing, and evaluation of basic computer programs. The concepts include basic computational constructs such as calculation, iteration, conditions, functions, and data types. These provide the basic building blocks found in virtually all programming languages. The processes include the step-by-step refinement of a problem description into individual components that can be implemented, tested, and integrated into an effective solution. As a general education course, the central theme to the course is computational thinking which includes a wide range of approaches to solving problems and designing systems that draw upon concepts fundamental to computer science. Computational thinking includes thinking about various types and sources of data, and the correctness, efficiency, elegance, and simplicity of various potential solutions. Computational thinking is applying principles of abstraction at multiple levels to focus on important details; it is applying problem decomposition to identify small problems that can be individually solved then combined to form a solution to the original problem. Upon completion of this course, the student will be able to conceptualize and implement computational solutions to problems; to utilize the imperative model of computation to solve problems; to reason about problems at multiple levels of abstraction; and to analyze code for its behavior, efficiency, and correctness. A student may receive credit for only one of the following courses: CMPSC 101 , CMPSC 121 , CMPSC 131 , CMPSC 200 , CMPSC 201