Programming

Objectives
● After viewing this presentation, the
learner will be able to…
• Given a task, create pseudocode
• Given pseudocode, create a flowchart
• Define/describe these terms: program,
compile vs. interpret, loop, variable, function,
syntax, code, debug, IF THEN ELSE
What is programming?
● Series of instructions to a computer to
accomplish a task
● Instructions must be written in a way the
computer can understand
● Programming languages are used to
write programs
What is programming?
● Once the code (language) of a program
has been written, it must be executed
(run, started).
● You may need to type the name of the
program to start it, or use a word like
RUN and the name of the program (in
the old days, anyway).
What is programming?
● Some programming languages (like Java
or C++) require the code to be compiled
(translated to binary) before it can be
started.
● Others (like JavaScript) are interpreted,
meaning that each command is
translated separately when the program
is started.
What is a programming
language?
● Set of commands that a computer has been
“taught” to understand
● Languages that look like “machine code” (e.g.,
82A8: jsr r5,@#82AE 82AC: sob r0,8296) are used for…
• Writing games
• Writing application programs (like Excel)
● Other languages look like English (“high level,”
e.g., PRINT “HELLO”)
• Logo
• JavaScript
• And many more
What does programming
look like?
● Here are some examples of an instruction to
print the word HI
• Logo PR [HI]
• JavaScript alert(“HI”);
• FORTRAN PRINT “HI”
• BASIC PRINT “HI”
• COBOL DISPLAY ‘HI’.
• C++ printf(“HI”);
• Pascal WRITELN(‘HI’);
• Assembly XPRNT MESSAGE1
Language MESSAGE1 DC ‘HI’
How do you write a program?
● Decide what steps are needed to complete
the task
● Write the steps in pseudocode (written in
English) or as a flowchart (graphic symbols)
● Translate into the programming language
● Try out the program and “debug” it (fix if
necessary)
What is pseudocode?
● List of steps written in English
● Like the instructions for a recipe
● Must be in the right sequence
• Imagine saying “bake the cake” and then “mix
it up”
Sample Pseudocode
● Task: add two numbers
● Pseudocode:
• Start
• Get two numbers
• Add them
• Print the answer
• End
What does a flowchart look like?

● The pseudocode from the previous slide

Start
Print answer
Get 2 numbers
End
Add them
What are those funny symbols?

● START/END

● INPUT/OUTPUT

● PROCESS

● DECISION
What are those funny symbols?

● START/END
● Used at the beginning
and end of each
flowchart.
 What are those funny symbols?
What are those funny symbols?

● INPUT/OUTPUT
● Shows when
information/data comes
into a program or is
printed out.
 What are those funny symbols?
What are those funny symbols?

● PROCESS
● Used to show
calculations, storing of
data in variables, and
other “processes” that
take place within a
program.
 What are those funny symbols?
What are those funny symbols?

● DECISION
● Used to show that the
program must decide Y
whether something X>7?
(usually a comparison
N
between numbers) is
true or false. YES and
NO (or T/F) branches
are usually shown.
Another Sample:
Calculating Age
● Pseudocode:
• Start
• Get year born
• Calculate age
• Print age
• If age > 50 print OLD
• End
Another Sample: Start
Calculating Age
Get
yr
● Flowchart
Calc age
• Start
• Get year born Print
age
• Calculate age Ag
OL Y e>5
• Print age D 0?
N
• If age > 50 print OLD End
• End
 Elements of a Program
● All programming languages have certain features in
common. For example:
• Variables
• Commands/Syntax (the way commands are structured)
• Loops
• Decisions
• Functions
● Each programming language has a different set of rules
about these features.
 Variables
● Variables are part of almost every program.
● A variable is a “place to put data” and is
usually represented by a letter or a word.
(Think of a variable as a Tupperware
container with a label on it.)
● Variable names cannot contain spaces.
● Some programming languages have very
specific limits on variable names.
 Variables
● Usually there are several ways to put
information into a variable.
● The most common way is to use the equal
sign (=).
● X = Y + 7 means take the value of Y, add 7,
and put it into X.
● COUNT=COUNT + 2 means take the current
value of COUNT, add 2 to it, and make it the
new value of COUNT.
 Variables
● Sometimes you must specify the type of data
that will be placed in a variable.
● Here are some examples of data types:
• Numeric (numbers of all kinds)
• String (text, “strings of letters”)
• Integer (whole numbers)
• Long (large numbers)
• Boolean (true/false)
 Variables
● Variables may be classified as global or local.
● A global variable is one that can be shared by
all parts of a program, including any functions
or sub-programs.
● A local variable is one that is used only within
a certain part of the program, for example,
only in one function or sub-program.
Commands/Syntax
● Programming languages are truly
languages.
● They have rules about grammar,
spelling, punctuation, etc.
● You need to learn the rules of a
programming language, just as you
learned to speak and write English.
Loops
● A loop is a repetition of all or part of the
commands in a program.
● A loop often has a counter (a variable)
and continues to repeat a specified
number of times.
● A loop may also continue until a certain
condition is met (e.g., until the end of a
file or until a number reaches a set limit)
Decisions
● You saw a flowchart symbol for
decisions.
● A program often needs to decide
whether something is true or false in
order to see which way to continue.
● Programs often use IF (or IF THEN or IF
THEN ELSE) statements to show a
decision.
Decisions
● An IF statement always has a condition
to check, often a comparison between a
variable and a number.
● The IF statement also must specify what
to do if the condition/comparison is true.
● These instructions (for “true”) may come
after the word THEN, or they may simply
be listed.
Decisions
● In an IF THEN statement, when the
condition is false, the program simply
ignores the THEN commands and
continues to the next line.
● In an IF THEN ELSE statement,
commands are given for both the true
and false conditions.
 Functions
● In most programming languages, small
sub-programs are used to perform some of the
tasks.
● These may be called functions, subroutines,
handlers, or other such terms.
● Functions often have names (e.g., getName
or CALCTAX).
 Functions
● A function generally gets information from
the main program, performs some task, and
returns information back to the program.
● Functions follow the same rules of syntax, etc.
as the main program.
● JavaScript code is primarily made of a series
of functions.
Hints for Writing Code
● “Code” means writing the program in the
appropriate language
● Be sure the code is exact (spelling,
capitals/lower case, punctuation, etc).
● Write part of the code, try it, then write
more.
Debugging
● To “debug” means to try a program, then fix
any mistakes.
● Virtually no program works the first time you
run it. There are just too many places to
make errors.
● When you are debugging a program, look for
spelling and punctuation errors.
● Fix one error at a time, then try the program
again.
Self-Check
● A computer program is…
• A series of instructions to accomplish
something
• A TV show
• Written in Egyptian hieroglyphics
• Can be written any way you want to
Self-Check
● A computer program is…
• A series of instructions to accomplish
something
• A TV show
• Written in Egyptian hieroglyphics
• Can be written any way you want to
Self-Check
● To “compile” a program means to…
• Translate it into English
• Translate it into binary code
• Pile up the punch cards used for the program
• Run the program as it was written
Self-Check
● To “compile” a program means to…
• Translate it into English
• Translate it into binary code
• Pile up the punch cards used for the program
• Run the program as it was written
Self-Check
● Pseudocode is…
• The program as it is written in a programming
language
• The results of a program that makes secret
codes
• The logic of a program written in English
• The logic of a program shown in a chart
Self-Check
● Pseudocode is…
• The program as it is written in a programming
language
• The results of a program that makes secret
codes
• The logic of a program written in English
• The logic of a program shown in a chart
Self-Check
● The flowchart symbol to perform a
calculation is…
Self-Check
● The flowchart symbol to perform a
calculation is…
Self-Check
● The flowchart symbol to show a decision
is…
Self-Check
● The flowchart symbol to show a decision
is…
Self-Check
● Look at the flowchart section below. If
the variable X is 5, what will print (K or
1st)?

Print “K” N Y Print “1st”

Print “K” N Y Print “1st”

K will be printed. The answer to the question “Is X greater than 5?”
is NO, since X is equal to (not greater than) 5.
Self-Check
● Choose the correct
flowchart symbol for each
of these statements.
● AGE>65?
● Calc. Tax
● START
● Print NAME
Self-Check
● Choose the correct
flowchart symbol for each
of these statements.
● AGE>65?
● Calc. Tax
● START
● Print NAME
Self-Check
● A function in a program is…
• Something from trigonometry, like COSINE
• A sub-program, usually performing one
task
• A way to check the accuracy of a program
(a “function check”)
Self-Check
● A function in a program is…
• Something from trigonometry, like COSINE
• A sub-program, usually performing one
task
• A way to check the accuracy of a program
(a “function check”)
Self-Check
● A variable in a program is…
• A letter or word that represents a place to
store data
• A decision made within a program
• A small sub-program used to find errors
Self-Check
● A variable in a program is…
• A letter or word that represents a place to
store data
• A decision made within a program
• A small sub-program used to find errors
Challenge
● Try to write pseudocode and create a
flowchart for a program that calculates
the average of three grades and prints
the average.
● The word GOOD should be printed only
if the average is more than 80.
Challenge
● Possible pseudocode
• Start
• Get three grades
• Average them
• Print Average
• Average>80?
• If Yes, print GOOD
• End
 START
Challenge
Get 3 grades
● Possible flowchart
• Start Calc avg

• Get three grades

• Average>80? N

• If Yes, print GOOD END

• End