Problem Solving

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 Problem Solving

• Computer programs, known as software, are instructions to the computer.

You tell a computer what to do through programs.
• Without programs, a computer is an empty machine.
• Computers do not understand human languages, so you need to use
computer languages to communicate with them. Programs are written using
programming languages.
• Programming is a process of problem-solving (Problem Solution by
computer)

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CH1. PROBLEM SOLVING
 Problem Solving Process
Phase 1 – Analysis and Design
◦ Analyze the problem by outlining the problem and its requirements
◦ Design (algorithm) to solve the problem ( Flow chart, pseudo code)
◦ Algorithm tracing Algorithm?
Step-by-step problem-solving
process
Phase 2 - Implementing the algorithm
◦ Implement the algorithm in code (in Programming Language → Program)
◦ Verify that the algorithm works
Phase 3 - Maintenance
◦ Use and modify the program if the requirements change

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CH1. PROBLEM SOLVING
 Analyze the Problem

Understand the problem and the requirements

◦ Does the program require user interaction?
◦ Does the program manipulate data?
◦ What is the output?
◦ Are all possible circumstances handled?
If the problem is complex, divide it into subproblems
◦ Analyze each subproblem as above

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CH1. PROBLEM SOLVING
 Example:

Convert a student mark from decimal mode to ABC mode.

Understand problem requirements

◦ Does program require user interaction? →Input the mark
◦ Does program manipulate data? → covert mark→ Control Requirements (IF
statement)
◦ What is the output? The mark converted to A or B or C or error
◦ Is there subproblem? No

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 Design

Algorithm Design
1. Flowcharts
2. pseudo-code

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CH1. PROBLEM SOLVING
A Flowchart is
n algorithm graphical representation.
Design
Written as a combination of the following graphical notations:

Flow Chart Symbols

Start and End Selection Data

Flow

Input / output Calculation

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CH1. PROBLEM SOLVING
 Design

Flowchart example

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 Design
Design
Pseudo-code

<Algorithm name>
// input ? The comment lines “//”
// function?
// Output?
Begin
<data definition>
<actions>
End

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CH1. PROBLEM SOLVING
 Design

Algorithm Tracing
◦ Draw flowchart
◦ Find all possible paths
◦ Check each path with appropriate input data
◦ Observed Outputs do not conform to the expected ones → error in the
algorithm.

Efficiency:
- an algorithm may work correctly but be inefficient – by taking more time and
using more resources than required to solve the problem.
- becomes more important for larger programs.

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CH1. PROBLEM SOLVING
 Implementing the algorithm

• Implementation is also called Coding.

• After testing your algorithm, you can code it in any
programming language.
• In our lab, we are going to use C++ language.

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CH1. PROBLEM SOLVING
 Implementing the algorithm

Verify that the algorithm works.

An error could occur during:

◦ analyzing the problem,
◦ developing an algorithm, and/or
◦ coding the algorithm

Errors are of three types:

◦ syntax errors
◦ run-time errors
◦ logic errors

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 Implementing the algorithm

▪ Syntax errors: are detected by the C compiler

- Source code does not conform to one or more of C’s grammar rules
- Example of syntax errors: undeclared variable, …
- Often one mistake leads to multiple error messages – which can be confusing

▪ Run-time errors: detected and displayed by the computer during execution.

- Occurs when a program directs a computer to perform an illegal operation. Example: int x=y/0;
- will stop program execution and display a message

▪ Logic errors: caused by faulty algorithm

- sign of error: incorrect program output
- cure: thorough testing and comparison with expected results

A logic error is referred to as a bug, so finding logic errors is called debugging.

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 Implementing the algorithm

After writing the code, the computer must do the following:

- Compilation:
- Execution:

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CH1. PROBLEM SOLVING
Compilation
o Performed by a program called the compiler
o Translates the preprocessor-modified source code into object code
(machine code)
o Checks for syntax errors and warnings
o Saves the object code to a disk file
o If any compiler errors are received, no object code file will be generated.
o An object code file will be generated if only warnings, not errors, are
received.

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CH1. PROBLEM SOLVING
Compiler converts
human-readable
language to a
language which is
understandable by
the operating
system/hardware
Execution

when the program does not have errors, the computer

executes it to produce the output.

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