Lecture One

Introduction to Computers
and Python Programming
The CSC213 Team
Main Text for this Course
Title
Starting Out with Python
(2018, 4th Edition)

Author: Tony Gaddis

Download at Request
 Topics

 Introduction
 Hardware and Software
 How Computers Store Data
 How a Program Works
 Using Python
 Topics | Lecture Progress

 Introduction
 Hardware and Software
 How Computers Store Data
 How a Program Works
 Using Python
 Introduction

 Computers can be programmed

 Designed to do any job that a program tells them to
 Program: set of instructions that a computer follows to perform a
task
 Commonly referred to as Software
 Programmer: person who can design, create, and test computer
programs
 Also known as software developer
 Topics | Lecture Progress

 Introduction
 Hardware and Software
 How Computers Store Data
 How a Program Works
 Using Python
 Hardware and Software

 Hardware: The physical devices that make up a computer

 Computer is a system composed of several components that all work together
 Typical major components:
 Central Processing Unit (CPU)
 Main memory
 Secondary storage devices
 Input and output devices
 The CPU

 Central processing unit (CPU): the part of the computer that actually
runs programs
 Most important component
 Without it, cannot run SOFTWARE
 Used to be a huge device
 Microprocessors:
 CPUs located on small chips
 Main Memory

 Main memory: where computer stores a program while program is

running, and data used by the program
 Known as Random Access Memory or RAM
 CPU is able to quickly access data in RAM
 Volatile memory used for temporary storage While Program Is Running
 Contents are erased when computer is off
 Secondary Storage Devices
 Secondary Storage: can hold data spinning circular disk

for long periods of time  Solid State Drive (SSD)

 Faster than disk drive, no moving
 Programs normally stored here and
parts, stores data in solid state
loaded to main memory when
memory
needed
 Flash memory:
 Types of secondary memory  Portable, no physical disk
 Disk drive  Optical Devices:
 Magnetically encodes data onto a  Data encoded optically
 Input Devices

 Input:
 Data the computer collects from people and other devices
 Input device:
 Component that collects the data
 Examples: keyboard, mouse, scanner, camera
 Disk drives can be considered input devices because they load programs into the
main memory
 Output Devices

 Output:
 Data produced by the computer for other people or devices
 Can be text, image, audio, or bit stream
 Output device:
 Formats and presents output
 Examples: video display, printer
 Disk drives and CD recorders can be considered output devices because data is sent
to them to be saved
 Software

 Everything the computer does is controlled by software

 General categories:
 Application Software
 System Software
 Application software:
 Programs that make computer useful for every day tasks
 Examples: word processing, email, games, and Web browsers
 Software

 System software:
 Programs that control and manage basic operations of a computer
 Operating system: controls operations of hardware components
 Utility Program: performs specific task to enhance computer operation or safeguard
data
 Software development tools: used to create, modify, and test software programs
 Topics | Lecture Progress

 Introduction
 Hardware and Software
 How Computers Store Data
 How a Program Works
 Using Python
 How Computers Store Data

 All data in a computer is stored in sequences of 0’s and 1’s

 Byte:
 Just enough memory to store letter or small number
 Divided into eight bits
 Bit: electrical component that can hold positive or negative charge, like on/off
switch
 The on/off pattern of bits in a byte represents data stored in the byte
 Storing Numbers
 Bit represents two values, 0 and 1
 Computers use binary numbering system
 Position of digit j is assigned the value 2j-1
 To determine value of binary number sum position values of the 1s
 Byte size limits are 0 and 255
 0 = all bits off; 255 = all bits on
 To store larger number, use several bytes
 Storing Characters

 Data stored in computer must be stored as binary number

 Characters are converted to Numeric Code, numeric code stored in
memory
 Most important coding scheme is ASCII
 ASCII is limited: defines codes for only 128 characters
 UNICODE coding scheme becoming standard
 Compatible with ASCII
 Can represent characters for other languages
 Other Types of Data

 Digital:
 Describes any device that stores data as binary numbers
 Digital images are composed of pixels
 To store images, each pixel is converted to a binary number representing the
pixel’s color
 Digital music is composed of Sections called Samples
 To store music, each sample is converted to a binary number
 Assignment-1.1

List the other units of computer memory and the

equivalence in bytes and bit.
Three(3) Marks

20
 Topics | Lecture Progress

 Introduction
 Hardware and Software
 How Computers Store Data
 How a Program Works
 Using Python
 How a Program Works (1 of 3)

 CPU designed to perform simple operations on pieces of data

 Examples: reading data, adding, subtracting, multiplying, and dividing
numbers
 Understands instructions written in Machine Language and included in its
instruction set
 Each brand of CPU has its own instruction set
 To carry out meaningful calculation, CPU must perform many
operations
 How a Program Works (2 of 3)

 Program must be copied from secondary memory to RAM each time

CPU executes it
 CPU executes program in cycle:
 Fetch: read the next instruction from memory into CPU
 Decode: CPU decodes fetched instruction to determine which operation to
perform
 Execute: perform the operation
How a Program Works (3 of 3)
 From Machine Language to Assembly
Language

 Impractical for people to write in Machine Language

 Assembly Language:
 Uses short words (mnemonics) for instructions instead of binary numbers
 Easier for programmers to work with
 Assembler:
 Translates Assembly Language to Machine Language for execution by CPU
 High-Level Languages

 Low-level language:
 Close in nature to machine language
 E.g. Assembly Language
 High-Level language
 Allows simple creation of powerful and complex programs
 No need to know how CPU works or write large number of instructions
 More intuitive to understand
 Key Words, Operators, and Syntax:
an Overview
 Key words: predefined words used to write program in high-level
language
 Each key word has specific meaning
 Operators: perform operations on data
 Example: math operators to perform arithmetic
 Syntax: set of rules to be followed when writing program
 Statement: individual instruction used in high-level language
Compilers and Interpreters (1 of 3)

 Programs written in High-level Languages must be translated into

Machine Language to be executed
 Compiler:
 Translates high-level language program into separate machine language
program
 Machine language program can be executed at any time
Compilers and Interpreters (2 of 3)

 Interpreter:
 Translates and executes instructions in High-level Language Program
 Used by Python Language
 Interprets one instruction at a time
 No separate machine language program
 Source code:
 Statements written by programmer
 Syntax error: prevents code from being translated
Compilers and Interpreters (3 of 3)

Figure 1-19 Executing a high-level program with an interpreter

 Assignment-1.2

What are the differences between Compiled and

Interpreted Languages?
Two(2) Marks

31
 Topics | Lecture Progress

 Introduction
 Hardware and Software
 How Computers Store Data
 How a Program Works
 Using Python
 Using Python

 Python must be installed and configured prior to use

 One of the items installed is the Python interpreter
 Python interpreter can be used in two modes:
 Interactive mode: enter statements on keyboard
 Script mode: save statements in Python script (file)
 Interactive Mode

 When you start Python in interactive mode, you will see a prompt
 Indicates the interpreter is waiting for a Python statement to be typed
 Prompt reappears after previous statement is executed
 Error message displayed If you incorrectly type a statement
 Good way to learn new parts of Python
 Script Mode

 Statements entered in interactive mode are not saved as a program

 To have a program use script mode
 Save a set of Python statements in a file
 The filename should have the .py extension
 To run the file, or script, type
python filename at the operating system command line
The IDLE Programming Environment

 IDLE (Integrated Development and Learning Environment) provides

tools to Write, Execute and Test a program
 Automatically installed when Python language is installed
 Runs in interactive mode
 Has built-in text editor with features designed to help write Python programs
 Summary
 This chapter covered:
 Main hardware components of the computer
 Types of software
 How data is stored in a computer
 Basic CPU operations and machine language
 Fetch-decode-execute cycle
 Complex languages and their translation to machine code
 Installing Python and the Python interpreter modes