INTRODUCTION TO COMPUTER

SCIENCE AND PROGRAMMING IN C

LANGUAGE

BABCOCK UNIVERSITY
COMPUTER SCIENCE DEPARTMENT
 Why COSC101?

* Write out what you want to gain from this course.

* Write out your plan to achieve this.
 Special Notice

* Attendance is very important

* The first mid-semester test will take place
in the fourth week of resumption
* The second mid-semester test will take
place in the eighth week of resumption
* A mini project will be given at the sixth
week of resumption, to be submitted on
the ninth week of resumption. The project
will be openly defended.
 How to survive this course

* Work consistently: do not leave your assignment

undone till the last moment, do it the same day you
are given, this will get you prepared for the next class.
* Ask: when you don’t understand something ask for it
becomes hard to work when you don’t understand
something.
 How to survive this course

For students to do well in programming you must:

Ø Attend practical classes as well as lectures and
organized tutorials
Ø Start practical assignment as soon as you are given
Ø Do the tutorial exercises
Ø Seek help when things get difficult
 Help…..

* If you get help from your friends or tutors on

assignment, make sure you understand it.
* You can also search the internet to get resources
on learning C programming.
* You may mail me at ……………… if you still don’t
understand what I taught and you have asked your
colleague whom you think understands.
* You can also meet me at schedule time for
interaction.
 Things to do

* Register your name, phone number, and e-mail

address with the class Representative.
 DEFINING A COMPUTER

* A computer acts based on instructions.

* A computer is not intelligent, because it cannot
analyze a problem on its own.
* It needs a human expert to analyze a problem and
develop a program (a set of instruction) for the
computer.
* The computer can only carry out the instructions
given to it.
Computers Are Electronic Data-Processing
Devices
* A computer’s four major functions:
* Accepts data
* Processes data into information
* Outputs data or information
* Stores data and information
Thus data is the raw fact which computer uses.
Data can be in form of diagram, numbers,
alphabets, words, video etc.
Three Basic Units of a Computer
 Defining Computer Science
* Computer Science is
about building abstract
models of real-world
objects or phenomena,
with the aim of using the
model to solve
problems by
automating the models
through the use of
algorithm, and
implementing the
algorithm in form of
instructions which the
computer can
understand.
 Why Computer?

* Computers are used for implementation of

codes because they are amazingly fast at
executing algorithms on data.

* Note that we could even use pencil and paper to

work our algorithm but this will take a longer
time and will easily attract error.
Computer Scientist

* Thus Computer Science is

about solving problem.
* Therefore Computer
Scientists are thinkers,
they think on how
problems should be
solved.
* Thus abstraction starts
from the mind.
 Computer Scientist

* As you think, you have a

picture of how a problem
should be solved in your
mind (i.e. an abstraction).
Thinking then leads to
modeling, this means you
now make the picture of
the solution in your mind
into a model.
 Computer Scientist

* A computer scientist then automates the model

through the use of algorithm.
* Automation is an act of providing working solution to
a problem through the use of algorithm.
 Trends of Programming and
Programming languages

* Native language of a computer machine is 1’s and 0’s

* The 1’s and 0’s is called the machine language
* The programming is done through punched cards,
plugged boards, or front panel switches
* Machine language grew from 1’s and 0’s to
hexadecimal (four binary) due to the advent of
terminal such as keyboards, and monitors.
* Machine language is tedious, difficult, and only fits for
small programs.
 Trends of Programming and
Programming languages

* For better expression of operations, assembly

language was developed
* Programs in assemble language are translated into
machine language using an assembler
* Assembly language is still a low-level language and
not fit for large programs
* Assemble language is not portable
 Trends of Programming and
Programming languages

* High level language which is English-like were developed

* It uses control structures which made program flow to be
easily expressed
* It is portable unlike assembly language
* It needs compiler to first translate to machine-specific
assembly language, and then an assembler to convert it to
machine language which is executable by the machine.
* Examples of high-level language is Fortran, Algol, Ada etc.
 Trends of Programming and
Programming languages

* Another alternative to compiled code or compilation

process is the use of interpreter.
* An interpreter directly converts an high level
language into low-level language which is an
executable code.
* Another alternative is a virtual machine e.g. Java
virtual machine, which works on top of the real
machine.
 Trends of Programming and
Programming languages

* Virtual machine converts high-level language into an

intermediate code called byte code.
* Byte code can be easily interpreted into executable
code than high-level language.
* Compiled code is the fastest, interpreted code is
portable and quick to implements and test, virtual
machine has the advantage both speed and
portability.
 PROBLEM SOLVING PROCESS

* Problem solving is an
act of finding a
solution to a
perplexing question.
* problem solving is a
natural way of
providing solution to a
problem
 Problem Solving Process

* There are different ways of solving a problem, e.g. use

of well defined mathematical principles will help to
solve a mathematical problem, using of tractor on
hectares of land will help to plough the land etc.
* In computing we are interested in solving problems
through the use of computers.
* Thus we ask questions that can be solved using
computer.
* These are questions that do not involve physical
activity or emotions this is because a computer only
acts on instructions given to it, thus it is not intelligent
i.e. garbage in garbage out.
 Problem Solving Process

* Advantage of using computer to solve a problem

is that once the instruction is written for the
computer, the computer can repeat the solution
very quickly and consistently, again and again, for
different situations or data.
* This means, a computer program for computation
of CGPA of students can do it accurately for as
many students as possible.
 Steps in Problem Solving Process

* Understanding and analysis of the problem

* Development of algorithm i.e. devising a plan
* Coding and implementation
* Deployment and Maintenance
Note: At each stage there should be testing and
proper documentation.
Diagrammatic representation of Problem Solving Process
 Understanding and analysis of the problem

* To have a proper understanding of the

problem, some analytical questions must
be asked and answered, for example
What input data/information is available ?
What does it represent ?
What format is it in ?
Is anything missing ?
Do I have everything that I need ?
What output information am I trying to
produce ?
What do I want the result to look like i.e.
result format e.g. text
a picture, a graph … ?
What am I going to have to compute ?
Understanding and analysis of the problem

These questions will help in:

vIdentifying the input data

vIdentifying the output requirement
(results)
vDescribe the processing
requirements
vDetermine whether computer
is require to solve the problem
 Understanding and analysis of the problem
(Problem decomposition)

* Knowing the input, process

and output requirement will
help to break the problem
down into smaller sub
problems.
* Each sub problem has data
that can be computed in
order to process the data.
 Lab I: Understanding and Analyzing the
Problem (Example 1)

* Note that the first thing is the problem statement, for

example if we have a problem statement as given
below:
* Example 1
* Calculate the average grade for all students in a class.
 Lab I: Understanding and Analyzing the
Problem (Example 1)
a. Determine the input data:
What input data/information is available? (score, total
number of students)
What format is it in ? (integer? float? string? video?
picture?)
Is anything missing ? (is there any missing score?)
b. Determine the processing requirement.
Do I have everything that I need ? (sum, total number
of students)
c. What output information am I trying to produce ?
What do I want the result to look like … text
a picture, a graph … ?
 Relating step 1 to identifying
variables
* Based on input data, output data and processing requirements
we identify VARIABLES which will be subsequently used in
programming.
* Variables
* Named memory location
* Their value can change during the execution of a program
* In ANSI C programs, all variables must be declared prior to their
use. This property makes C to be a strongly typed language.
 Data format
* Data format represents data types
C has a small family of data types.
* Numeric (int, float, double)
* Character (char)
* User defined (struct,union)
 Lab I

* Identify (stage 1):

* Output requirement and respective formats
* Input requirement and respective formats
* Processing requirement
* Stage 2:
* Identify the sub-problems
Lab I: Understanding and Analyzing
the Problem (Example 1)
* Output requirement:
* Expected Result: Average grade
* Format: floating-point or double
* Input data:
* Total number of students (format: integer)
* Score per student (format: integer)
* Total score: (format: integer)
* Processing requirement:
* Average grade= total score/total number of student
* Format: digit
Problem Decomposotion (Example 1)

* In the problem at hand there are data like scores, sum of

scores, and number of student in the class. These data are
used in calculating average grade.
* Thus the sub problems are:
* Total score: problem of adding all the students scores
together.
* Total number of students: problem of counting the number
of all students.
* Average grade: problem of finding the average score per
student.
* Average=sum of scores/total no of students
* If no mathematical expression is available you can
formulate one if necessary.
 Lab I: Understanding and Analyzing
the Problem (Example 2)
* Example 2:
The personnel office of Babcock University
is assigned the task of computing the
monthly emolument of all category of
employees of the institution
The employee taxation is base on the
following constraints;
Lab I: Understanding and Analyzing
the Problem (Example 2)
— If basic salary is less than or equal to N5000, 5%
of basic salary is deducted as tax otherwise 8%
deducted.
— Also 10% of the employee gross pay should be
deducted as part of pension scheme.
— It is require that each employee pay slip should
contain employee number, name, total
allowance, tax, basic salary, gross pay and Net
pay
 Lab I: Understanding and Analyzing
the Problem (Example 2)
* Analyse the above problem and identify the output, input
and processing requirements
* Draw the flowchart for the payroll system
 Lab I: Understanding and Analyzing
the Problem (Example 2)
*Input data:
*Employee Number
*Employee Name
*Basic salary
*Housing allowance
*Transport allowance
*Meal subsidy
A class teacher needs to compute the average
score of 20 pupils in eight (8) subjects. Thus,
before developing the application you need to
understand and analyse the problem clearly
stating the input data, output data, and
processing requirements. Also, indicate variable
name and data type of each variable.
 Lab 19/9

* Babbie.com, a game website request for submission of game from

developers. The game is to teach kindergarten on how to detect their
year of birth through their current age and current year. Before
developing the game application, you are to analyse the problem
indicating input data, output data, and processing requirements.
Solution:
Output requirements:
Employee Number
Employee Name
Total allowance
Tax
Contributory Pension
Basic salary
Gross pay
Net pay
 Lab I: Understanding and Analyzing
the Problem (Example 2)
* Processing requirements:
* If Basic salary is <=5000, Tax = 5% of Basic salary
Else Tax = 8% of basic salary.
* Total allowances = Housing + Transport + meal
subsidy
* Gross Pay = Basic salary + Total allowances
* Contributory pension= 10% of Gross Pay
* Net pay = Gross pay – (Tax + contributory
pension)
Classwork: Problem Decomposotion
(classwork)
* Identify the sub problems in Example 2
* The volume of a cylinder is given by
* V = π r2h
* Analyse the above problem and identify:
* the input, output and processing requirements
* And the sub problems

§ The area of a circle is given by the formula

Area = πr2
Analyse the above and identify the output, input and
processing requirements. And identify the sub problems.
* All programming languages has its uniqueness in terms of
* Syntax (Grammatical rules of constructing a statement)
* Semantics (Intended interpretation of a statement,
keywords, or reserved words)