ECOR 1041

Computation and Programming

Calendar Description
Software development as an engineering discipline, using a modern programming
language. Language syntax and semantics. Tracing and visualizing program execution.
Program style and documentation. Testing and debugging tools and techniques.
Lectures three hours per week, laboratories three hours per week.

Prerequisites
This course may not be taken concurrently with ESLA 1300 or ESLA 1500.
Precludes additional credit for COMP 1005, COMP 1405, ECOR 1051, ECOR 1606,
SYSC 1005.

Prior Knowledge
No prior experience in computer programming is required. The only background we
assume is:
• language: reasonable proficiency in reading and writing English;
• math: understanding of integers and operations on integers; understanding of
functions as mappings from one set (the domain) to another set (the codomain);
• logic: familiarity with logical and, or and not;
• computer literacy: ability to use email, browse the World Wide Web, and edit text
files.

Course Objectives
The course introduces students to concepts that are central to understanding
computation and teaches students how to design, code, test and debug small-scale
programs written in the Python programming language. By the end of this course,
students should:
• know how integers and floating-point numbers are represented on a computer.
• know the fundamental concepts of procedural programming, using Python as the
programming language.
• have developed a "mental model" of computation; in other words, learned how to
reason about and visualize the execution of program code.
• understand the use of software experiments as an aid to learning.

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List of Topics
1. Introduction to Python: using the Python shell as a calculator. Numeric types (int
and float); operations supported by these types. Construction and evaluation of
expressions.
2. The binary number system. Representation of integers and floating-point numbers
in binary. Limitations of real-number representation in binary.
3. The assignment operator: binding values to variables. Using variables in
expressions. Using Python Tutor to visualize assignment operations.
4. Calling built-in functions from the shell. Importing functions from modules.
Evaluating call expressions.
5. Defining functions. Passing arguments to and returning values from functions.
Using the shell to interactively test functions. Using Python Tutor to trace and
visualize the execution of function definitions (creation of function objects), function
calls and function execution. Using local variables in function definitions.
6. Simple programs (scripts). The print function. Functions that do not have return
statements.
7. A step-by-step recipe for designing functions.
8. Using a simple unit-testing framework to automate testing.
9. Character strings (type str). Interactive programs (scripts): the input function.
10. Boolean values (type bool). Boolean operators. Relational operators. Evaluating
expressions that have numbers, and boolean and relational operators. Comparing
strings. Making decisions: (if, if-else, if-elif-else and if-elif
statements).
11. Lists: Python's list type; creating list objects; list operators, built-in functions and
methods. Using a for loop to iterate over a list. Using the range function to
generate a sequence of list indices.
12. Repeating actions until a condition is satisfied (while statements).

Learning Outcomes
By the end of this course, students should be able to:
1. Represent signed and unsigned integers and decimal numbers using binary
representation; explain the limitations of real-number computation using floating-
point arithmetic.
2. Evaluate expressions consisting of literal values, variables, and operators, using
the same evaluation rules as Python. In other words, predict the values that
Python calculates when it evaluates expressions.
3. Design and implement Python programs that includes Python's lists and
fundamental constructs for controlling program execution to solve a given
problem. The constructs include: (1) sequential execution as determined by the
ordering of executable statements; (2) selection (if, if-else, and if-elif-
else statements); (3) repetition (for and while statements); (4) function calls.
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 4. Trace short Python programs. In other words, explain what happens, step-by-step,
as the computer executes each statement
5. Visualize Phyton code execution; in other words, draw diagrams that depict the
variables in the program's global frame and function activation frames (function
arguments and local variables), and the objects that are bound to the variables.
6. Design, implement, execute, trace and test simple functions using Python. Testing
should be done using the Python shell, and simple unit-testing framework.
7. Debug a program using simple debugging techniques (e.g., inserting print
statements to instrument code or by tracing the code using a program
visualization tool)
8. Explain the "client-side" view of one Python container for organizing data, namely:
lists

Graduate Attributes (GAs)

The Canadian Engineering Accreditation Board requires graduates of engineering
programs to possess 12 attributes at the time of graduation. Activities related to the
learning outcomes listed above are measured throughout the course and are part of the
department’s continual improvement process. Graduate attribute measurements will not
be taken into consideration in determining a student’s grade in the course. For more
information, please visit: https://engineerscanada.ca/

Learning
Graduate Attribute
Outcome(s)
1.3 Knowledge base for engineering:
all
Fundamental engineering concepts

Accreditation Units (AUs)

For more information about Accreditation Units, please visit: https://engineerscanada.ca/

The course has 27 AUs divided into:

• Engineering Science: 100%

• Engineering Design: 0%

Instructor and TA contact

Specific to course offering (tbd)

Textbook and Software

Specific to course offering (tbd).

Evaluation and Grading Scheme

Specific to course offering (tbd).

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Breakdown of Course Requirements
Specific to course offering (tbd).

Tentative week-by-week breakdown

Specific to course offering (tbd).

General regulations
Specific to course offering (tbd).
Copyright on Course Materials: The materials created for this course (including the course
outline and any slides, posted notes, labs, project, assignments, quizzes, exams, and solutions)
are intended for personal use and may not be reproduced or redistributed or posted on any web
site without prior written permission from the author(s).