GNANAMANI COLLEGE OF TECHNOLOGY
DEPARTMENT OF ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE & DATA SCIENCE
23GE301 – PROBLEM SOLVING AND PYTHON PROGRAMMING
3 0 0 3 3
Course Objectives:
The main learning objective of this course is to prepare the students for:
To understand the basics of algorithmic problem solving.
To learn to solve problems using Python conditionals and loops.
To define Python functions and use function calls to solve problems.
To use Python data structures - lists, tuples, dictionaries to represent
complex data.
To do input/output with files in Python.
Unit I COMPUTATIONAL THINKING AND PROBLEM SOLVING 9
Fundamentals of Computing – Identification of Computational Problems -Algorithms,
building blocks of algorithms (statements, state, control flow, functions), notation
(pseudo code, flow chart, programming language), algorithmic problem solving,
simple strategies for developing algorithms (iteration, recursion). Illustrative
problems: find minimum in a list, insert a card in a list of sorted cards, guess an integer
number in a range, Towers of Hanoi.
Unit II DATA TYPES, EXPRESSIONS, STATEMENTS 9
Python interpreter and interactive mode, debugging; values and types: int, float,
Boolean, string, and list; variables, expressions, statements, tuple assignment,
precedence of operators, comments; Illustrative programs: exchange the values of two
variables, circulate the values of n variables, distance between two points.
Unit III CONTROL FLOW, FUNCTIONS, STRINGS 9
Conditionals: Boolean values and operators, conditional (if), alternative (if-else),
chained conditional (if-elif else); Iteration: state, while, for, break, continue, pass;
Fruitful functions: return values, parameters, local and global scope, function
composition, recursion; Strings: string slices, immutability, string functions and
methods, string module; Lists as arrays. Illustrative programs: square root, gcd,
exponentiation, sum an array of numbers, linear search, binary search.
Unit IV LISTS, TUPLES, DICTIONARIES 9
Lists: list operations, list slices, list methods, list loop, mutability, aliasing, cloning lists,
list parameters; Tuples: tuple assignment, tuple as return value; Dictionaries:
operations and methods; advanced list processing - list comprehension; Illustrative
programs: simple sorting, histogram, Students marks statement, Retail bill
preparation.
Unit V FILES, MODULES, PACKAGES 9
Files and exceptions: text files, reading and writing files, format operator; command
line arguments, errors and exceptions, handling exceptions, modules, packages;
Illustrative programs: word count, copy file, Voter’s age validation, Marks range
validation (0-100).
Total = 45 Periods
Course Outcomes:
Students will be able:
CO1 To develop algorithmic solutions to simple computational problems.
CO2 To develop and execute simple Python programs.
CO3 To write simple Python programs using conditionals and loops for solving problems.
CO4 To represent compound data using Python lists, tuples, dictionaries etc.
CO5 To read and write data from/to files in Python programs.
CO’s vs PO’s & PSO’s Mapping:
CO’s \
PO’s & PO1 PO2 PO3 PO4 PO5 PO6 PO7 PO8 PO9 PO10 PO11 PO12 PSO1 PSO2
PSO’s
CO1 3 3 3 3 2 - - - - 3 2 2 3 3
CO2 3 3 3 3 2 - - - - 3 2 2 3 -
CO3 3 3 3 3 2 - - - - 3 2 - 3 -
CO4 2 2 - 2 2 - - - - 3 1 - 3 -
CO5 1 2 - 2 1 - - - - 3 1 - 2 -
Average 2.4 2.6 3 2.6 1.8 - - - - 3 1.6 2 2.8 3
Text Books:
1. Allen B. Downey, “Think Python: How to Think like a Computer Scientist”, 2nd Edition,
O’Reilly Publishers, 2016.
2. Karl Beecher, “Computational Thinking: A Beginner's Guide to Problem Solving and
Programming”, 1st Edition, BCS Learning & Development Limited, 2017.
References:
1. Paul Deitel and Harvey Deitel, “Python for Programmers”, Pearson Education, 1st Edition,
2021.
2. G Venkatesh and Madhavan Mukund, “Computational Thinking: A Primer for Programmers
and Data Scientists”, 1st Edition, Notion Press, 2021.
3. John V Guttag, "Introduction to Computation and Programming Using Python: With
Applications to Computational Modeling and Understanding Data”, Third Edition, MIT Press,
2021.
4. Eric Matthes, “Python Crash Course, A Hands - on Project Based Introduction to N
Programming”, 2nd Edition, No Starch Press, 2019.
5. https://www.python.org
6. Martin C. Brown, “Python: The Complete Reference”, 4th Edition, Mc-Graw Hill, 2018.
