Faculty Up-skilling Python Course Part-1
Syllabus
In this course you will learn:
the universal concepts of computer programming;
the syntax and semantics of the Python language;
practical skills in resolving typical implementation challenges;
how to use the most important elements of the Python Standard Library;
how to install your runtime environment;
how to design, develop, test, and debug simple Python programs.
The course is divided into four modules:
1. Module 1: Introduction to Python and computer programming;
2. Module 2: Data types, variables, basic input-output operations, and basic operators;
3. Module 3: Boolean values, conditional execution, loops, lists and list processing, logical
and bitwise operations;
4. Module 4: Functions, tuples, dictionaries, exceptions, and data processing.
PE-1: Module-1: Introduction to Python and Computer Programming
1.1. Section 1 – Introduction to Programming
1.1.1 How does a computer program work?
A program makes a computer usable. Without a program, a computer, even the most powerful
one, is nothing more than an object. Similarly, without a player, a piano is nothing more than a
wooden box.
Computers are able to perform very complex tasks, but this ability is not innate. A computer's
nature is quite different.
It can execute only extremely simple operations. For example, a computer cannot understand
the value of a complicated mathematical function by itself, although this isn't beyond the
realms of possibility in the near future.
Contemporary computers can only evaluate the results of very fundamental operations, like
adding or dividing, but they can do it very fast, and can repeat these actions virtually any
number of times.
Computer screen with the logo of Python
Imagine that you want to know the average speed you've reached during a long journey. You
know the distance, you know the time, you need the speed.
Naturally, the computer will be able to compute this, but the computer is not aware of such
things as distance, speed, or time. Therefore, it is necessary to instruct the computer to:
accept a number representing the distance;
accept a number representing the travel time;
divide the former value by the latter and store the result in the memory;
display the result (representing the average speed) in a readable format.
These four simple actions form a program. Of course, these examples are not formalized, and
they are very far from what the computer can understand, but they are good enough to be
translated into a language the computer can accept.
Language is the keyword.
1.1.2 Natural languages vs. programming languages
A language is a means (and a tool) for expressing and recording thoughts. There are many
languages all around us. Some of them require neither speaking nor writing, such as body
language; it's possible to express your deepest feelings very precisely without saying a word.
Another language you use each day is your mother tongue, which you use to manifest your will
and to ponder reality. Computers have their own language, too, called machine language,
which is very rudimentary.
A computer, even the most technically sophisticated, is devoid of even a trace of intelligence.
You could say that it is like a well-trained dog - it responds only to a predetermined set of
known commands.
The commands it recognizes are very simple. We can imagine that the computer responds to
orders like "take that number, divide by another and save the result".
Natural vs. Machine Languages
A complete set of known commands is called an instruction list, sometimes abbreviated to IL.
Different types of computers may vary depending on the size of their ILs, and the instructions
could be completely different in different models.
Note: machine languages are developed by humans.
No computer is currently capable of creating a new language. However, that may change soon.
Just as people use a number of very different languages, machines have many different
languages, too. The difference, though, is that human languages developed naturally.
Moreover, they are still evolving, and new words are created every day as old words disappear.
These languages are called natural languages.
1.1.3 What makes a language?
We can say that each language (machine or natural, it doesn't matter) consists of the following
elements:
an alphabet
a set of symbols used to build words of a certain language (e.g., the Latin alphabet for English,
the Cyrillic alphabet for Russian, Kanji for Japanese, and so on)
a lexis
(aka a dictionary) a set of words the language offers its users (e.g., the word "computer" comes
from the English language dictionary, while "cmoptrue" doesn't; the word "chat" is present
both in English and French dictionaries, but their meanings are different)
a syntax
a set of rules (formal or informal, written or felt intuitively) used to determine if a certain
string of words forms a valid sentence (e.g., "I am a python" is a syntactically correct phrase,
while "I a python am" isn't)
semantics
a set of rules determining if a certain phrase makes sense (e.g., "I ate a doughnut" makes sense,
but "A doughnut ate me" doesn't)
1.1.4 Machine language vs. high-level language
The IL is, in fact, the alphabet of a machine language. This is the simplest and most primary
set of symbols we can use to give commands to a computer. It's the computer's mother tongue.
Unfortunately, this mother tongue is a far cry from a human mother tongue. We both
(computers and humans) need something else, a common language for computers and humans,
or a bridge between the two different worlds.
We need a language in which humans can write their programs and a language that computers
may use to execute the programs, one that is far more complex than machine language and yet
far simpler than natural language.
Such languages are often called high-level programming languages. They are at least somewhat
similar to natural ones in that they use symbols, words and conventions readable to humans.
These languages enable humans to express commands to computers that are much more
complex than those offered by ILs.
A program written in a high-level programming language is called a source code (in contrast to
the machine code executed by computers). Similarly, the file containing the source code is
called the source file.
1.1.5 Compilation vs. Interpretation
Computer programming is the act of composing the selected programming language's elements
in the order that will cause the desired effect. The effect could be different in every specific
case – it's up to the programmer's imagination, knowledge and experience.
Of course, such a composition has to be correct in many senses:
alphabetically – a program needs to be written in a recognizable script, such as Roman,
Cyrillic, etc.
lexically – each programming language has its dictionary and you need to master it;
thankfully, it's much simpler and smaller than the dictionary of any natural language;
syntactically – each language has its rules and they must be obeyed;
semantically – the program has to make sense.
Unfortunately, a programmer can also make mistakes with each of the above four senses. Each
of them can cause the program to become completely useless.
Let's assume that you've successfully written a program. How do we persuade the computer to
execute it? You have to render your program into machine language. Luckily, the translation
can be done by a computer itself, making the whole process fast and efficient.
There are two different ways of transforming a program from a high-level programming
language into machine language:
Compilation:the source program is translated once (however, this act must be repeated each
time you modify the source code) by getting a file (e.g., an .exe file if the code is intended to be
run under MS Windows) containing the machine code. Now you can distribute the file
worldwide; the program that performs this translation is called a compiler or translator.
Interpretation: you (or any user of the code) can translate the source program each time
it has to be run. The program performing this kind of transformation is called an interpreter,
as it interprets the code every time it is intended to be executed. It also means that you cannot
just distribute the source code as-is, because the end-user also needs the interpreter to execute
it.
Due to some very fundamental reasons, a particular high-level programming language is
designed to fall into one of these two categories.
There are very few languages that can be both compiled and interpreted. Usually, a
programming language is projected with this factor in its constructors' minds – will it be
compiled or interpreted?
1.1.6 What does the interpreter do?
Let's assume once more that you have written a program. Now, it exists as a computer file: a
computer program is actually a piece of text, so the source code is usually placed in text files.
Note: it has to be pure text, without any decorations like different fonts, colors, embedded
images or other media. Now you have to invoke the interpreter and let it read your source file.
The interpreter reads the source code in a way that is common in Western culture: from top to
bottom and from left to right. There are some exceptions - they'll be covered later in the
course.
First of all, the interpreter checks if all subsequent lines are correct (using the four aspects
covered earlier).
If the compiler finds an error, it finishes its work immediately. The only result in this case is an
error message.
The interpreter will inform you where the error is located and what caused it. However, these
messages may be misleading, as the interpreter isn't able to follow your exact intentions, and
may detect errors at some distance from their real causes.
For example, if you try to use an entity of an unknown name, it will cause an error, but the
error will be discovered in the place where it tries to use the entity, not where the new entity's
name was introduced.
In other words, the actual reason is usually located a little earlier in the code, for example, in
the place where you had to inform the interpreter that you were going to use the entity of the
name.
If the line looks good, the interpreter tries to execute it (note: each line is usually executed
separately, so the trio "read-check-execute" can be repeated many times - more times than the
actual number of lines in the source file, as some parts of the code may be executed more than
once).
It is also possible that a significant part of the code may be executed successfully before the
interpreter finds an error. This is normal behavior in this execution model.
You may ask now: which is better? The "compiling" model or the "interpreting" model? There
is no obvious answer. If there had been, one of these models would have ceased to exist a long
time ago. Both of them have their advantages and their disadvantages.
1.1.7 Compilation vs. Interpretation – Advantages and Disadvantages
What does this all mean for you?
Python is an interpreted language. This means that it inherits all the described
advantages and disadvantages. Of course, it adds some of its unique features to both
sets.
If you want to program in Python, you'll need the Python interpreter. You won't be able
to run your code without it. Fortunately, Python is free. This is one of its most
important advantages.
Due to historical reasons, languages designed to be utilized in the interpretation manner are
often called scripting languages, while the source programs encoded using them are called
scripts. Okay, let's meet Python.
1.2. Section 2 – Introduction to Python
1.2.1 Python – a tool, not a reptile
What is Python?
Python is a widely-used, interpreted, object-oriented, and high-level programming language
with dynamic semantics, used for general-purpose programming.
And while you may know the python as a large snake, the name of the Python programming
language comes from an old BBC television comedy sketch series called Monty Python's Flying
Circus.
At the height of its success, the Monty Python team were performing their sketches to live
audiences across the world, including at the Hollywood Bowl.
Since Monty Python is considered one of the two fundamental nutrients to a programmer (the
other being pizza), Python's creator named the language in honor of the TV show.
1.2.2 Who created Python?
One of the amazing features of Python is the fact that it is actually one person's work. Usually,
new programming languages are developed and published by large companies employing lots
of professionals, and due to copyright rules, it is very hard to name any of the people involved
in the project. Python is an exception.
There are not many languages whose authors are known by name. Python was created by
Guido van Rossum, born in 1956 in Haarlem, the Netherlands. Of course, Guido van Rossum
did not develop and evolve all the Python components himself...
The speed with which Python has spread around the world is a result of the continuous work
of thousands (very often anonymous) programmers, testers, users (many of them aren't IT
specialists) and enthusiasts, but it must be said that the very first idea (the seed from which
Python sprouted) came to one head – Guido's.
1.2.3 A hobby programming project
The circumstances in which Python was created are a bit puzzling. According to Guido van
Rossum:
In December 1989, I was looking for a "hobby" programming project that would keep me
occupied during the week around Christmas. My office (...) would be closed, but I had a home
computer, and not much else on my hands. I decided to write an interpreter for the new
scripting language I had been thinking about lately: a descendant of ABC that would appeal to
Unix/C hackers. I chose Python as a working title for the project, being in a slightly irreverent
mood (and a big fan of Monty Python's Flying Circus). Guido van Rossum
Python goals
In 1999, Guido van Rossum defined his goals for Python:
an easy and intuitive language just as powerful as those of the major competitors;
open source, so anyone can contribute to its development;
code that is as understandable as plain English;
suitable for everyday tasks, allowing for short development times.
About 20 years later, it is clear that all these intentions have been fulfilled. Some sources say
that Python is the most popular programming language in the world, while others claim it's the
second or the third.
Either way, it still occupies a high rank in the top ten of the PYPL PopularitY of Programming
Language and the TIOBE Programming Community Index.
Python isn't a young language anymore. It is mature and trustworthy. It's not a one-hit
wonder. It's a bright star in the programming firmament, and time spent learning Python is a
very good investment.
The Ministry of Silly Walks
