DEPARTMENT OF COMPUTER SCIENCE & ENGINEERING

ALGORITHMIC THINKING WITH PYTHON

Prof. Sarju S
23 September 2024
 Module 1

Page 2
 Module 1

► PROBLEM-SOLVING STRATEGIES:- Problem-solving strategies defined, Importance of

understanding multiple problem-solving strategies, Trial and Error, Heuristics, Means-
Ends Analysis, and Backtracking (Working backward).

► THE PROBLEM-SOLVING PROCESS:- Computer as a model of computation,

Understanding the problem, Formulating a model, Developing an algorithm, Writing
the program, Testing the program, and Evaluating the solution.

► ESSENTIALS OF PYTHON PROGRAMMING:- Creating and using variables in Python,

Numeric and String data types in Python, Using the math module, Using the Python
Standard Library for handling basic I/O - print, input, Python operators and their
precedence.

Page 3 Prof. Sarju S, Department of Computer Science and Engineering, SJCET Palai
 INTRODUCTION

► Core Concept: Computer science is about solving

problems using computers.
► Problem Sources: Problems can be real-world or
abstract.
► Key Focus: Understanding the computer's
information processing model is crucial.
► Information Processing Model: Typically assumes a
single CPU to illustrate data flow.
► Modern Computers: Many have multiple CPUs,
enabling parallel processing.
► Systematic Approach: A standardized, systematic
approach is essential for effective problem-solving.

Page 4 Prof. Sarju S, Department of Computer Science and Engineering, SJCET Palai
 Problem-Solving with the Input/Process/Output Model

► Basic Model: Start with input, process it, and produce

the desired output.

► Complex Problems: The model must be iterated

multiple times for larger problems.

► Intermediate Results: Iteration produces partial

solutions that contribute to solving the overall
problem.

► Simplicity vs. Complexity: The basic model works for

simple tasks, but complex problems require a more
iterative approach.

Page 5 Prof. Sarju S, Department of Computer Science and Engineering, SJCET Palai
 Problem Solving

► Is the sequential process of analysing information related to a

given situation and generating appropriate response options.

► In solving a problem, there are some well-defined steps to be

followed.
► Example: Calculate the average grade for all students in a
class.
► Input: get all the grades … possibly by typing them in via the
keyboard or by reading them from a USB flash drive or hard disk.
► Process: add them all up and compute the average grade.
► Output: output the answer to either the monitor, to the printer,
to the USB flash drive or hard disk … or a combination of any of
these devices.

Page 6 Prof. Sarju S, Department of Computer Science and Engineering, SJCET Palai
Problem Solving - Steps

► Understanding the problem

► Formulating a Model
► Developing an algorithm
► Writing the program
► Testing the program
► Evaluating the Solution

Page 7 Prof. Sarju S, Department of Computer Science and Engineering, SJCET Palai
 Understanding the problem

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Understanding the problem

► The First Step in Problem Solving: Understanding the

Problem
► It may sound simple, but the first step in solving any problem is to
fully understand it.
► Key Questions:
► What input data/information is available?
► What does the data represent, and in what format?
► Is anything missing from the data?
► Do I have everything needed to solve the problem?
► Example: Grades as Input:
► Grades could be numbers (0-100) or letter grades (A-F).
► Consider how to handle missing grades (e.g., absentees).

Page 9 Prof. Sarju S, Department of Computer Science and Engineering, SJCET Palai
Understanding the problem

► Identifying Output and Processing Needs

► Output Requirements:
► What output is needed, and in what format (text, number,
graph)?
► Example: Should the result be a number, a letter grade, or a
pie chart?
► Processing Considerations:
► Understand the processing steps required to achieve the
desired output.
► This understanding guides the problem-solving process.

Page 10 Prof. Sarju S, Department of Computer Science and Engineering, SJCET Palai
 Formulating a Model

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Formulating a Model

► Understanding the Need:

► A model or formula is necessary to compute the
average of numbers.
► Fully understanding the input data is key to
developing this model.
► Example 1: Numerical Grades:
► Input: Grades as integers or real numbers (e.g., 𝑥1,
𝑥2, ⋯ , 𝑥𝑛).Model: 𝐴𝑣𝑒𝑟𝑎𝑔𝑒1 = (𝑥1 + 𝑥2 + ⋯ + 𝑥𝑛)/𝑛.
► Output: A number from 0 to 100.

Page 12 Prof. Sarju S, Department of Computer Science and Engineering, SJCET Palai
Formulating a Model

► Challenge
► Letter grades (e.g., A, B-, C+) cannot be directly added or
divided.
► Solution
► Assign Values: Convert letter grades to numerical
equivalents (e.g., A+ = 12, F = 0).
► Model: 𝐴𝑣𝑒𝑟𝑎𝑔𝑒2 = (𝑦1 + 𝑦2 + ⋯ + 𝑦𝑛)/𝑛.Output: A number
from 0 to 12.Final
► Output: Convert 𝐴𝑣𝑒𝑟𝑎𝑔𝑒2 to a percentage or map it back
to a letter grade using a lookup table.

► Key Insight: The goal is to use available data

effectively to compute the desired result.

Page 13 Prof. Sarju S, Department of Computer Science and Engineering, SJCET Palai
 Developing an algorithm

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 Developing an algorithm

► An algorithm is a set of steps for solving a particular problem.

► The set of steps in an algorithm must be unambiguous and have a clear
stopping point.
► Algorithm can written in any natural language like English.
► An algorithm has the following properties:
► Finiteness - the process terminates, the number of steps are finite
► Definiteness - each step is precisely stated
► Effective computability - each step can be carried out by a computer

Page 15 Prof. Sarju S, Department of Computer Science and Engineering, SJCET Palai
Do you know

Over 1,000 years before the

internet and smartphone apps,
Persian scientist and polymath
Muhammad ibn Mūsā al-
Khwārizmī invented the concept of
algorithms. In fact, the word itself
comes from the Latinised version
of his name, “algorithmi”.

Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Algorithm

Page 16 Prof. Sarju S, Department of Computer Science and Engineering, SJCET Palai
 Different Patterns in Algorithm

► An algorithm has different patterns(constructs in it)

► Sequential
► is progression of tasks or statements that follow one after the other.
► Conditional
► Different steps are executed based on a condition
► Iterational
► A task( one or more steps) is repeated more than once
► It is also known as repetitive construct

Page 17 Prof. Sarju S, Department of Computer Science and Engineering, SJCET Palai
Using Algorithms to Solve Problems

Identify the inputs and outputs

Identify any other data and constants

required to solve the problem

Identify what needs to be computed

Write the algorithm

Page 18 Prof. Sarju S, Department of Computer Science and Engineering, SJCET Palai
 Using Algorithms to Solve Problems

Problem Statement: Find the average of three numbers

► Identify the inputs and outputs

► The above problem statement, average of three numbers is the desired output.
Here the three numbers are the inputs.

► Identify any other data and constants required to solve the problem
► The average of numbers is defined as:
► Sum of all inputs / total number of inputs
► Here the other data to be computed is the sum. The total number of inputs is ‘3’,
which is a constant in this case.

Page 19 Prof. Sarju S, Department of Computer Science and Engineering, SJCET Palai
 Using Algorithms to Solve Problems

Problem Statement: Find the average of three numbers

► Identify what needs to be computed

► Problem Statement: Find the average of three numbers
► It is clear that the average of three numbers has to be computed

Page 20 Prof. Sarju S, Department of Computer Science and Engineering, SJCET Palai
 Using Algorithms to Solve Problems

Problem Statement: Find the average of three numbers

► Write an algorithm

Step 1: Start

Step 2: Read three numbers and store values as Number1, Number2 and Number 3

Step 3: Add three numbers and store the value as Sum

Step 4: Divide the Sum by 3 to calculate the average

Step 5: Display Average

Step 6: End

Page 21 Prof. Sarju S, Department of Computer Science and Engineering, SJCET Palai
 Writing the Program

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 Writing the Program

► Coding/Implementing an Algorithm: The

process of transforming an algorithm into a
set of instructions that a computer can
understand is called coding or
implementing an algorithm.
► Source Code: The program itself, written in
a programming language, is referred to as
the source code.

Page 23 Prof. Sarju S, Department of Computer Science and Engineering, SJCET Palai
 Writing the Program

► The computer requires precise instructions

in order to understand what it is being
asked to do.
► For example, removing one of the semi-
colon characters (“) from the program
above, will make the computer become
confused as to what it’s being asked to do

Page 24 Prof. Sarju S, Department of Computer Science and Engineering, SJCET Palai
 Good Coding Practices
► Write Clear and Descriptive Comments
► Use comments to explain the purpose of the code,
especially for complex logic.
► Use Meaningful Variable and Function Names
► Choose descriptive names that reflect the role of the
variable or function (e.g., total_sum,
calculate_average).
► Keep Code DRY (Don’t Repeat Yourself)
► Avoid duplicating code by reusing functions and logic
whenever possible.
► Consistent Code Formatting
► Use consistent indentation, spacing, and line breaks for
better readability.

Page 25 Prof. Sarju S, Department of Computer Science and Engineering, SJCET Palai
 Good Coding Practices
► Write Modular Code
► Break your program into smaller, reusable functions or
modules that perform specific tasks.
► Avoid Magic Numbers
► Replace hard-coded numbers with named constants for
better clarity (e.g., MAX_LIMIT = 100).
► Optimize for Readability Over Cleverness
► Write code that is easy to understand, rather than trying to
be overly clever or complex.
► Follow Coding Standards
► Adhere to industry-specific coding guidelines like PEP 8 for
Python or the coding style guide for your language.

Page 26 Prof. Sarju S, Department of Computer Science and Engineering, SJCET Palai
 Test the Program

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 Test the Program
► After writing and compiling a program, the next
step is to verify if it solves the intended problem.
► Running a program means instructing the
computer to execute the compiled code.
► Correct results indicate the program is functioning
properly, but issues may arise with certain inputs.
► Incorrect results can stem from:
► Improper conversion of the algorithm into code.
► A flawed algorithm that doesn’t handle all situations.
► Instructions executed in the wrong order.
► These issues are referred to as bugs.

Page 28 Prof. Sarju S, Department of Computer Science and Engineering, SJCET Palai
 Test the Program
► Bugs: Errors in a program causing it to fail or
produce incorrect/undesirable results.
► Fixing bugs is the programmer’s responsibility.
► Use multiple test cases to find bugs, forming a test
suite.
► Debugging: The process of finding and fixing errors
in code.
► Debugging can be time-consuming but is essential for
ensuring a program works as expected.
► Following careful steps during problem analysis,
algorithm design, and coding reduces bugs.
► This results in an easier and more efficient
debugging process.

Page 29 Prof. Sarju S, Department of Computer Science and Engineering, SJCET Palai
Test the Program

► Bug in Summing: The program

mistakenly sums only num1 and
num2, leaving out num3.
► This leads to an incorrect total.
► Incorrect Division: The program
then divides this incorrect sum by 3,
which produces an incorrect average.
► Result: Expected Result: The average
should be (10 + 20 + 30) / 3 = 20.
► Buggy Output: The program will
output (10 + 20) / 3 = 10, which is
incorrect because it didn't include
num3 in the sum.

Page 30 Prof. Sarju S, Department of Computer Science and Engineering, SJCET Palai
Test the Program

► Understand the Program:

► Review the program’s purpose: to calculate the average of three
numbers.
► Run the Program:
► Execute the program with the given values (num1 = 10, num2 =
20, num3 = 30).
► Note the output. It should display the average.
► Check Expected Output:
► Calculate the expected average manually:

► Compare Outputs:
► Compare the program's output to the expected average.
► Identify any discrepancies (e.g., if the output is 10 instead of
20).

Page 31 Prof. Sarju S, Department of Computer Science and Engineering, SJCET Palai
Test the Program
► Review the Code:
► Examine the lines where calculations are performed:
► Check how total_sum is computed.
► Ensure that all intended variables (num1, num2, and num3) are
included in the calculation.
► Identify the Bug:
► Notice that the calculation for total_sum is missing num3:

► This indicates that the bug lies in the way the total is calculated.
► Fix the Bug:
► Modify the code to include num3 in the sum:

► Test Again:
► Return the program after the fix. Verify that the output now
matches the expected average of 20.
Page 32 Prof. Sarju S, Department of Computer Science and Engineering, SJCET Palai
 Evaluating the Solution

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Evaluating the Solution

► Once a program produces a result, revisit the original

problem.
► Ensure the output is formatted as a proper solution.
► Examine if the result aligns with the original intent.
► Determine if the output meets the problem's
requirements.
► Remember that the computer executes instructions as
given. The user must interpret results to determine
effectiveness.

Page 34 Prof. Sarju S, Department of Computer Science and Engineering, SJCET Palai
 References

► https://peps.python.org/pep-0008/

Page 35 Prof. Sarju S, Department of Computer Science and Engineering, SJCET Palai
 Thank You

Prof. Sarju S
Department of Computer Science and Engineering
St. Joseph’s College of Engineering and Technology, Palai (Autonomous)
[email protected]

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