12

Computer Science

None

None. Course notes on CMU CS Academy and the website.

A technical introduction to the fundamentals of programming with an emphasis on producing clear, robust, and reasonably efficient code using top-down design, informal analysis, and effective testing and debugging. Starting from first principles, we will cover a large subset of the Python programming language, including its standard libraries and programming paradigms.

This course assumes no prior programming experience. Even so, it is a fast-paced and rigorous preparation for 15-122. Students seeking a more gentle introduction to computer science should consider first taking 15-110.

NOTE: Undergraduate students must achieve a C or better in order to use this course to satisfy the pre-requisite for any subsequent Computer Science course.

Mike Taylor (mdtaylor@andrew.cmu.edu)
Pat Virtue (pvirtue@andrew.cmu.edu

At the end of the course, students should be able to:

• Computationally solve problems in Python using:
  • sequential, conditional, and loop statements
  • strings, lists, tuples, sets, and dictionaries
  • objects and classes
  • recursion
  • interactive graphics
• Analyze code through code tracing to deduce the output of small programs
• Recognize patterns to identify possible solutions to a given problem
• Construct code using top-down design by breaking problems into smaller steps
• Apply debugging techniques to find and fix errors
• Design and implement a substantial program in Python with minimal guidance