My first contribution: Introduction to computing

[0kelvin]

https://sites.google.com/site/logicadealgoritmos/introduction-to-computing

It skips the very beginning, about what a computer does and what are the fundamental pieces of a computer.

It goes as far as functions and what is a pointer and how to use one.

From there I have two paths: one is to study data structure and more complex algorithms. The other is numerical calculus and writing algorithms which can solve integrals, derivatives, limits, things that students learn in their first semester. Since my course is about a mixture of applied math and applied physics, I'll probably be following the second path and be leaving data structures to a much later stage.

PS: there are probably many grammar mistakes and some inconsistencies regarding science computing terminology because I rushed to write all that.

[Shoshou..Mony]

Awww mashAllah. This is very kind of you!

+rep. Thank you loads for your contribution. =]

[username]

perfect
youre doing it aswell?
cie computing a-level?
im darn scared about my course work:s

[0kelvin]

I'm undergraduating in meteorology. Introduction to computing is the only discipline about computing that I have.

[username]

ahhh welll
thanks for sharing the knowledge anyway

[0kelvin]

Wrong word. 

After some quick research I've found that coursework referes to the work you've done on a course (papers, annotations, solved exercises, etc).

That google site is small like a guide book and contains very few content, so not a reference book. Reference material seems to be a good definition.

[benk]

Hi Shoshou..Mony! I like your text

[Dasith]

https://sites.google.com/site/logicadealgoritmos/introduction-to-computing

It skips the very beginning, about what a computer does and what are the fundamental pieces of a computer.

It goes as far as functions and what is a pointer and how to use one.

From there I have two paths: one is to study data structure and more complex algorithms. The other is numerical calculus and writing algorithms which can solve integrals, derivatives, limits, things that students learn in their first semester. Since my course is about a mixture of applied math and applied physics, I'll probably be following the second path and be leaving data structures to a much later stage.

PS: there are probably many grammar mistakes and some inconsistencies regarding science computing terminology because I rushed to write all that.

Hey nice site , vey helpful indeed , but dont u think u confused algorithms with C / C++ programs ?

[0kelvin]

Everything it's in C because the course is done with C programming language. But you are right, for some problems such as counting numbers or sequences of numbers, better ommit the #include int main() thing and leave the essential algorithm itself.

I've seen a different method of teaching which is to use Java and object orientation programming right from the beginning, but that wasn't my case.

By the way, I'm writing some annotations (in portuguese version first), because there are things that need to be improved. For ex: I'm thinking about adding a chapter with ~20 example problems with commented code (make the union of two arrays, calculate Taylor Series for cos function, do the sum of a sequence of factorials, cash machine program to count notes, etc).

[benk]

It reminds me of my c programming when I was in college but anyway, this discussion is a great idea:)

[Dasith]

Everything it's in C because the course is done with C programming language. But you are right, for some problems such as counting numbers or sequences of numbers, better ommit the #include int main() thing and leave the essential algorithm itself.

I've seen a different method of teaching which is to use Java and object orientation programming right from the beginning, but that wasn't my case.

By the way, I'm writing some annotations (in portuguese version first), because there are things that need to be improved. For ex: I'm thinking about adding a chapter with ~20 example problems with commented code (make the union of two arrays, calculate Taylor Series for cos function, do the sum of a sequence of factorials, cash machine program to count notes, etc).

An algorithm should be simple enough to understand without annotations , & should not limit it self to one single programming language (in fact it shouldn't be a programming language @ all ) Anybody should be able to develop a program by understanding the logic of an algorithm & not the syntax.

[benk]

I agree with Dasith 

[0kelvin]

Critics welcomed!

Revised almost everything:

- Removed all comments about C syntax, those are in a separated chapter now
- Solved confusion between programs x algorithms. Replaced ready to compile programs with short algorithms
- Better indentation and variable names in some algorithms
- Rethinked a bad practice: explaining programs in plain words. It's now documented code, or algorithms with short comments
- More examples were needed
- Rewriten some chapters from ground up
- New chapter: search and sort
- New chapter: solved exercises
- New chapter: pointer arithmetic, replaces the chapter about pointers and arrays. It's a placeholder chapter, it's pretty much empty by now.

[edit] Corrected one mistake:

We call a function like this function(array); or like this function(&array[0]); despite both have the same effect, it's wrong to say "array is a pointer". Not quite, but to fully understand that I have to write the chapter about pointer arithmetic.

[benk]

thanks 0kelvin! it really helps!

[0kelvin]

It's been two years since I first published this... wow!

Some corrections:

Tracking algorithms with pencil and paper: addicted -> spoiled. Under that context, the word "spoiled" fits better.

Introduction to recursive functions: rewrote the description about recursion vs iteration in finbonacci's example.

Additions:

Ternary operator: translating "if else" into expressions using the conditional operator (question mark)

Future additions:

Linked lists, stack, queue, binary tree, more examples of recursive functions, pointer arithmetic, structs.