Programming for Problem Solving
CSBT100 Programming for Problem Solving 2L: 0 T: 0P 2 Credits
Course Objectives:
1. To learn the fundamentals of computers.
2. To understand the various steps in program development.
3. To learn the syntax and semantics of C programming language.
4. To learn the usage of structured programming approach in solving problems.
5. To understated and formulate algorithm for programming script
6. To analyze the output based on the given input variables
Course Contents:
Module I: Introduction to Programming; Introduction to components of a computer system (disks,
memory, processor, where a program is stored and executed, operating system, compilers etc.)
Idea of Algorithm: steps to solve logical and numerical problems. Representation of Algorithm:
Flowchart/Pseudocode with examples.
From algorithms to programs; source code, variables (with data types) variables and memory locations,
Syntax and Logical Errors in compilation, object and executable code.
Module II: Arithmetic expressions and precedence.
Module III: Conditional Branching and Loops. Writing and evaluation of conditionals and consequent
branching. Iteration and loops.
Module IV: Arrays, Arrays (1-D, 2-D), Character arrays and Strings
Module V: Basic Algorithms, Searching, Basic Sorting Algorithms (Bubble, Insertion and Selection),
Finding roots of equations, notion of order of complexity through example programs (no formal
definition required)
Module VI: Function, Functions (including using built in libraries), Parameter passing in functions,
call by value, Passing arrays to functions: idea of call by reference
Module VII: Recursion, Recursion as a different way of solving problems. Example programs, such as
Finding Factorial, Fibonacci series, Ackerman function etc. Quick sort or Merge sort.
Module VIII: Structures, Defining structures and Array of Structures
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Module IX: Pointers, Idea of pointers, Defining pointers, Use of Pointers in self-referential structures,
notion of linked list (no implementation)
Module X: File handling (only if time is available, otherwise should be done as part of the lab).
PRACTICALS:
1. Familiarization with programming environment
2. Simple computational problems using arithmetic expressions
3. Problems involving if-then-else structures
4. Iterative problems e.g., sum of series
5. 1D Array manipulation
6. Matrix problems, String operations
7. Simple functions
8. Programming for solving Numerical methods problems
9. Recursive functions
10. Pointers and structures
11. File operations
TEXT/REFERENCE BOOKS:
1. AICTE’s Prescribed Textbook: Programming for Problem Solving, Khanna Book Publishing Co.
2. Byron Gottfried, Schaum's Outline of Programming with C, McGraw-Hill.
3. E. Balaguruswamy, Programming in ANSI C, Tata McGraw-Hill.
4. Brian W. Kernighan and Dennis M. Ritchie, The C Programming Language, Prentice Hall of India.
Alternative NPTEL/SWAYAM Course:
S. No. NPTEL Course Name Instructor Host Institute
INTRODUCTION TO PROF. SATYADEV
1 IITK
PROGRAMMING IN C NANDAKUMAR
PROBLEM SOLVING THROUGH PROF. ANUPAM
2 IIT KGP
PROGRAMMING IN C BASU
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EXPERIMENTS THAT MAY BE PERFORMED THROUGH VIRTUAL LABS:
S. No. Experiment Name Experiment Link(s)
1 Simple computational problems [Link]
using arithmetic expressions. [Link]/exp7/[Link]?
do
main=Computer%20Science&lab=Probl
e m%20Solving%20Lab
2 Iterative problems e.g., sum of series. [Link]
[Link]/exp4/[Link]?
do
main=Computer%20Science&lab=Probl
e m%20Solving%20Lab
3 1D Array manipulation. [Link]
[Link]/exp4/[Link]
4 Matrix problems, String operations. [Link]
[Link]/exp5/[Link]?
do
main=Computer%20Science&lab=Probl
e m%20Solving%20Lab
5 Simple functions. [Link]
[Link]/exp2/[Link]
6 Programming for solving [Link]
Numerical methods [Link]/exp1/[Link]?
problems. do
main=Computer%20Science&lab=Probl
e m%20Solving%20Lab
7 Recursive functions. [Link]
[Link]/exp6/[Link]?
do
main=Computer%20Science&lab=Probl
e m%20Solving%20Lab
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COURSE OUTCOMES: The student will learn following through lectures:
● To formulate simple algorithms for arithmetic and logical problems.
● To translate the algorithms to programs (in C language).
● To test and execute the programs and correct syntax and logical errors.
● To implement conditional branching, iteration and recursion.
● To decompose a problem into functions and synthesize a complete program using divide and conquer
approach.
● To use arrays, pointers and structures to formulate algorithms and programs.
● To apply programming to solve matrix addition and multiplication problems and searching and
sorting problems.
● To apply programming to solve simple numerical method problems, namely rot finding of function,
differentiation of function and simple integration.
The student will learn following through Practicals:
● To formulate the algorithms for simple problems.
● To translate given algorithms to a working and correct program.
● To be able to correct syntax errors as reported by the compilers.
● To be able to identify and correct logical errors encountered at run time.
● To be able to write iterative as well as recursive programs.
● To be able to represent data in arrays, strings and structures and manipulate them through a program.
● To be able to declare pointers of different types and use them in defining self-referential structures.
● To be able to create, read and write to and from simple text files.
*****
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