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Introduction to Computer Science

The document outlines a course titled 'Introduction to Computer Science: Programming Fundamentals and Algorithms' offered at Stanford University, covering essential topics such as programming basics, data structures, algorithms, and advanced concepts like graph algorithms and dynamic programming. It includes historical context, practical applications, and case studies to illustrate the relevance of computer science in various fields. The course also provides practice problems and resources for further learning.

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Lim Shen Khai
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2 views

Introduction to Computer Science

The document outlines a course titled 'Introduction to Computer Science: Programming Fundamentals and Algorithms' offered at Stanford University, covering essential topics such as programming basics, data structures, algorithms, and advanced concepts like graph algorithms and dynamic programming. It includes historical context, practical applications, and case studies to illustrate the relevance of computer science in various fields. The course also provides practice problems and resources for further learning.

Uploaded by

Lim Shen Khai
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Introduction to Computer Science: Programming Fundamentals and Algorithms

Cover Page
Title: Introduction to Computer Science: Programming Fundamentals and Algorithms
Course: CS 101 – Foundations of Computer Science
Professor: Dr. Alejandro Martinez
Semester: Fall 2024
Institution: Stanford University

Table of Contents

1. Overview of Computer Science and History

2. Programming Basics: Variables, Data Types, and Control Structures

3. Functions, Recursion, and Modular Programming

4. Data Structures: Arrays, Lists, and Trees

5. Algorithms: Sorting, Searching, and Complexity Analysis

6. Advanced Topics: Graph Algorithms and Dynamic Programming

7. Case Studies and Real-World Applications

8. Summary, Practice Problems, and Further Resources

1. Overview of Computer Science and History

 Introduction: Understanding the evolution from early computation to modern digital


systems.

 Historical Milestones: From Turing machines and early programming languages to modern
high-level languages.

 Impact on Society: Discussion on how computing drives innovation in science, business, and
daily life.

2. Programming Basics: Variables, Data Types, and Control Structures

 Fundamental Concepts:

o Variables: Definition, declaration, and scope.

o Data Types: Primitive (integers, floats, booleans) vs. complex types (strings, objects).

o Control Structures: Conditionals (if-else), loops (for, while), and switch-case


statements.

 Example: Writing a simple program in Python that calculates the factorial of a number.

3. Functions, Recursion, and Modular Programming


 Functions:

o Definition, parameters, return values, and scope.

o Best practices for code reuse.

 Recursion:

o Concept and examples (e.g., recursive Fibonacci, factorial computation).

o Discussion on recursion vs. iteration and potential pitfalls (stack overflow).

 Modular Programming:

o Breaking code into reusable modules and libraries.

 Reference: “Structure and Interpretation of Computer Programs” by Harold Abelson and


Gerald Jay Sussman.

4. Data Structures: Arrays, Lists, and Trees

 Arrays and Lists:

o Memory allocation, indexing, and operations such as insertion, deletion, and


traversal.

 Trees:

o Binary trees, binary search trees, and traversal algorithms (inorder, preorder,
postorder).

 Practical Applications:

o Using data structures for efficient data management and algorithm optimization.

 Further Reading: “Data Structures and Algorithms in Python” by Michael T. Goodrich et al.

5. Algorithms: Sorting, Searching, and Complexity Analysis

 Sorting Algorithms:

o Bubble sort, merge sort, quicksort – step-by-step breakdown and performance


analysis.

 Searching Algorithms:

o Linear search vs. binary search; when to use each.

 Complexity Analysis:

o Big O notation, best-case, worst-case, and average-case complexity.

 Example Problem: Analyze the complexity of a given recursive algorithm.

6. Advanced Topics: Graph Algorithms and Dynamic Programming

 Graph Algorithms:

o Overview of graphs, breadth-first search (BFS), depth-first search (DFS), and Dijkstra’s
algorithm for shortest paths.
 Dynamic Programming:

o Principles and applications; solving optimization problems such as the knapsack


problem.

 Case Study: Application in route planning and network optimization.

7. Case Studies and Real-World Applications

 Industry Examples:

o How search engines optimize query responses and how e-commerce sites manage
inventory using advanced algorithms.

 Projects:

o Hands-on projects such as building a simple game or developing a small-scale


database application.

8. Summary, Practice Problems, and Further Resources

 Summary: Recap of core programming constructs, data structures, and algorithmic


strategies.

 Practice Sets: Exercises ranging from beginner-level coding challenges to advanced algorithm
design problems.

 Additional Resources:

o Online courses via Coursera and edX.

o “Introduction to Algorithms” by Cormen, Leiserson, Rivest, and Stein.

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