CB2240:

Introduction to Business
Programming in Python

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Instruction team
David Xu (S01) Teaching Assistants
Office hours: By appointment LAU Man Kit: [email protected]
Office: LAU-6-246 HUO Xuenan: [email protected]
Tel: 3442 8530 XIAN Chunyi: [email protected]
Email: [email protected] SHI Zhuzhi: [email protected]

Zhe Wang (S02, S03)

Office hours: By appointment
Office: LAU-6-276
Tel: 3442 8815
Email: [email protected]

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About Me
• Assistant Professor at the Department of Information Systems

• Background
• Undergraduate in Supply Chain Management
• PhD in Information Systems

• Speak Mandarin and English

• Current research uses Python and Mathematica

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Class goals
• Understand the basics of Python.

• Learn some business applications of Python.

• Learn how to think like a programmer.

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Course overview
• It is easy to learn and fun to use Python.

• Students without programming background are perfectly

fine.

• Students' skill set upon course completion should include

implementing decision-making structure, repetition
structure, function procedures, among others.

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Course overview
• Python is a popular open source programming language
widely used by business professionals to develop
applications in big data, artificial intelligence, financial
technology, and so on.

• This course provides an introduction to the Python

language and helps students master its fundamentals and
apply them in different contexts to solve business
problems.

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Key topics of CB2240
• Basics:
• Numbers, strings, list, tuples.
• if statements, for and while loops, functions, etc.

• Applications
• Data handling, data visualization, etc.

• Textbook: David I. Schneider, An Introduction to Programming Using

Python, 1st edition, Pearson, 2016.
• Reading: Eric Matthes, Python Crash Course, 3rd Edition: A Hands-
On, Project-Based Introduction to Programming 3rd Edition, 2016

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 Module Topic Reading
1 Introduction Overview Chapter 1
2 Core objects Numbers 2.1
3 Strings 2.2
Schedule

4 Lists and tuples 2.4

5 Conditionals and Conditions and if statements (1) 3.1, 3.2
(S02)

6 loops Conditions and if statements (2) 3.1, 3.2

7 for loops 3.4
8 while loops 3.3
9 Functions and Functions I 4.1
10 program design Functions II, recursion 4.2, 4.3, 6.4
11 Public holiday (April, 01) Chapter 7
11 Object-oriented programming (March, 23) Chapter 7
12 Data handling Data processing 5.1, 5.2
13 Course Summary Review and summary

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 Module Topic Reading
1 Introduction Overview Chapter 1
2 Core objects Numbers 2.1
3 Strings 2.2
4 Lists and tuples 2.4
Schedule
(S01, S03)

5 Conditionals and Conditions and if statements (1) 3.1, 3.2

6 loops Conditions and if statements (2) 3.1, 3.2
7 for loops 3.4
8 while loops 3.3
9 Functions and Functions I 4.1
10 program design Public Holiday (March, 29) 4.2, 4.3, 6.4
10 Functions II, recursion (March, 23) 4.2, 4.3, 6.4
11 Object-oriented programming Chapter 7
12 Data handling Data processing 5.1, 5.2
13 Course Summary Review and summary

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Advanced classes
• IS3240 Advanced Python (sample topics: NumPy, Pandas, matplotlib).

• IS4861 Machine Learning for Business.

• Computer science classes

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Weekly routine
• Lecture (≈1 hour)
• Quiz (10 minutes)
• Basic concepts and examples

• Lab (≈ 2 hours)
• Examples
• Classwork

• Homework
• Take-home

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Assessment
• Class Participation: 5%
• Piazza Participation: 5%
• Classwork: 10%
• Homework: 20%
• Quizzes: 20%
• Final Exam: 40%

• For the weekly class participation, classwork, homework, and quizzes, the top 10
out of 13 scores in each category will count toward the final grade.

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Weekly classwork & homework
• Deadlines:
• 4:00 pm on Thursday in the week (S02)
• 4:00 pm on Monday in the following week (S01, S03)

• Late submission will result in point deductions.

• For each hour after the deadline, the submission will lose 10% of the maximum
possible score.

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Piazza interface

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Piazza participation
• Post all Python questions on Piazza (NOT via emails). Q&A on Piazza (accessible
via Canvas) will count towards the participation score.
• Your questions will be valuable to your classmates.
• Answering questions will help others and yourselves.

• Both raising and answering questions count.

• Quality questions and answers carry more weight.

• You can post anonymously (your classmate can’t see your name, instructors still
can).

• Please be respectful to your peers in the exchanges.

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Communication policy
• If you have questions about class logistics, feel free to email us.
• All Python questions should be posted on Piazza.

• What the instructor & TAs won’t do: debug programs for you.
• You can post error messages on Piazza.

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 8

Some ground rules

• Actively participate
• Be prepared
• Be punctual & don’t miss the quiz
• Be professional
• Emails include “CB2240” in subject line
• Include greeting and signature
• Include session number
What I expect from you
• Be professional

• Be consistent

• Be engaging

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Weekly quiz on Canvas
• Weekly quizzes will test your knowledge about content
from the previous week.
• Review before coming to class.

• Starting from week 2, the quizzes will only be available on

Canvas at the beginning of each lecture.

• Let’s work on Quiz 1 (survey) now on canvas.

• Quiz 1 is graded based on completion.
• Given course add/drop, no penalty for late submission of Quiz 1.

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 Lecture 1.
An Introduction to Computing
and Problem Solving

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Why programming?
• Programming allows us to

• Communicate with computers and machines.

• Harness computing powers; automate tasks.

• Tap into machine learning (ML) and artificial intelligence (AI).

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Why programming?
• Today, almost every profession needs programming to
some extent.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dv7gLpW91DM

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Real world application example
• Walmart and Amazon scrape each other’s product data.

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Why Python?
• Large and still growing
Python community

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Why Python?
• Powerful, multi-purpose
• Accounting
• Finance (e.g. quant, trader)
• Digital marketing
• Supply chain analytics
• Academic research
• Etc.

• Huge demand in the job market

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Why Python?
• Beginner-friendly

• Plain English

• Vast open-source libraries

• Python

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About Python
• Python is named after the British comedy group Monty Python.

• Python is a high-level programming language.

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A simple program
• What is an example of a program?

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Problem Solving

• Examine a small problem

• Please identify the largest number from the
following list:

18 23 53 08

• Most of you know what the answer is, but

how did you arrive at this answer?

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Problem Solving
• (Step 1) Write down the first number on a
piece of paper (largest so far and is the
largest if it is the only number)
• (Step 2) Repeat the following steps until no
more numbers:
• (a) Take the next number from the list
• (b) Compare the two numbers, if the new
number is bigger it replace the old number on
the paper
• (c) Return to the first step
• After step 2, the last number of the paper is
the answer.

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The problem-solving process

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Questions and Answers
• Where will new programs be saved?
• Create a special folder to hold your programs
• Where can I research questions I have about Python?
• Documentation at https://www.python.org/doc/
• W3schools https://www.w3schools.com/python/

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Program Planning and Tools

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Program Planning
1. Analyze: Define the problem.
2. Design: Plan the solution to the problem.
3. Code: Translate the algorithm into a programming
language.
4. Test and correct: Locate and remove any errors in the
program.
5. Complete the documentation: Organize all the material
that describes the program.

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Algorithm Development
Algorithm to determine the number of stamps for a letter

• Rule of thumb: 1 stamp for every 5 sheets of paper

1. Request sheets of paper
2. Divide by 5
3. Round quotient up to next whole number
4. Reply with the number of stamps

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Problem Solving for Stamps

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Think before you code
• Flowcharts

• Pseudocode

• Hierarchy charts

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Flowcharts

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Example
Flowchart

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Pseudocode
• Abbreviated plain English version of actual computer code

• Symbols used in flowcharts replaced by English-like statements

• Allows programmer to focus on steps required to solve problem

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Example Pseudocode

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Hierarchy Chart
• Shows the overall program structure

• Depict organization of program, omit specific processing logic

• Describe what each part, or module, of the program does

• Each module subdivided into a succession of submodules

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Example Hierarchy Chart

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Three structures
• Sequence structure

• Decision structure

• Repetition/loop structure

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Sequence structure
• The postage-stamp problem has a sequence structure:
• Moved from one line to the next without skipping any lines.

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Decision Structure

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Direction of Numbered
NYC Streets Algorithm
• Problem: Given the street number of a one-
way street in New York City, decide the
direction of street - eastbound or westbound.

• In NYC
• Even-numbered streets: eastbound
• Odd-numbered streets: westbound

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Direction of Numbered NYC Streets
Algorithm
• Input: Street number.

• Processing: Decide if the street number is

divisible by 2.

• Output: “Eastbound” or “Westbound”.

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Street Direction Algorithm

Flowchart for the

numbered
New York City
streets problem.

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Street Direction Algorithm

Pseudocode for the numbered

New York City streets problem.

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Street Direction Algorithm

Hierarchy chart for the numbered

New York City streets problem.

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Repetition Structure
• A programming structure that executes instructions many times.

• Need a test (or condition) to tell when the loop should end
• Check condition before each pass through loop

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Repetition Structure

Pseudocode and flowchart for a loop.

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Dating algorithm

Are
you
single
?
While you are single
Look for a partner

Look for a
partner

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Class Average Algorithm
• Problem: Calculate and report the average grade for a class.

• Discussion: Average grade equals the sum of all grades divided by

the number of students.
• Need loop to read and then add (accumulate) grades for each student in
the class.
• Inside the loop, we also need to total (count) the number of students in class.

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Class Average Algorithm
• Input: Student grades.
• Processing: Find the sum of the grades;
count the number of students; calculate
average grade = sum of grades / number of
students.
• Output: Average grade

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Class Average
Algorithm

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Class Average Algorithm

Pseudocode for the class average problem.

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Class Average Algorithm

Hierarchy chart for the class average problem.

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Kahoot
Classroom projector Student laptop/cellphone

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Kahoot
• Go to https://kahoot.it/

• Enter the game PIN as shown on the classroom projector.

• Enter your 8-digit student ID, E.g., 55123456

Do NOT use names.

• Kahoot is separate from the weekly quiz on Canvas. Kahoot

engagement (not merit) will partially determine class participation
scores.

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Lab 1

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Objectives
• Install python

• Save & run programs

• Good programming practices

• The print, input functions

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Python installation
• Install Python
• https://www.python.org/downloads/

• Versions:
• Some operating systems come with earlier versions of Python by default.
• All material in this class will be based on Python 3.12.1.

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Open IDLE
• After installation, open IDLE.
• IDLE stands for Integrated DeveLopment Environment

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Hello World!

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The print function

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Good programming practices
• There are a number of symbols in programming languages which
work in pairs, e.g., parentheses () and quotations marks “”.

• To prevent omission of the closing pair, it is a common practice for

programmers to complete the pair first, before filling in the contents.

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The Zen of Python, by Tim Peters

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Editor

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Save program

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Run program output

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Documentation
• Document what you did in your
program so that it will be more
understandable by other people
or by yourself in the future.

• Use # for comments in Python.

• Python will skip the red part when

running the program.

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The input function

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Errors
• Don’t panic.

• Read the error message.

• Find the corresponding line and correct it.

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Show line numbers

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Remember to submit Classwork 1 and Homework 1.
Review for Quiz 2.

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