1.3 Python as a Language

Explore the nature of programming and how programming a computer is different than using a computer.

In this lecture we learn abut how the computer processes and stores programs. We learn about the CPU, Memory, Storage and Input / Output devices are brought together to write a program.

We look at how writing programs is just another form of communication. Instead of communicating with another person, we are communicating our ideas to a computer.

We look at the basics of the Python language and how we write code in Python to communicate sequential steps, conditional steps and repeated steps.

Installing Python 3 on a Macintosh

Code Walkthrough: Hello World

We look at Python's reserved words, how we name and use variables, why we choose meaningful (mnemonic) variable names and how assignment statements function.

We look at how we use various numerical and string operations to compute new information and store the new values in variables.

Code Walkthrough: Exercise 2.2

Code Walkthrough: Exercise 2.3