Comprehensive Lecture Notes: Python Programming with
Data Structures & Algorithms
Date: 15 August 2025
1. Introduction to Python & DSA
Python is a high-level, interpreted programming language created by Guido van Rossum in 1991.
Known for its clear syntax and readability, Python is widely used in web development, automation,
data science, artificial intelligence, and education. When combined with Data Structures and
Algorithms (DSA), Python becomes a powerful tool for solving computational problems efficiently. In
this course, we explore both Python fundamentals and DSA concepts, learning how to translate
theoretical knowledge into practical implementations.
2. Purpose and Applications
• Strengthen programming skills through Python-based problem solving.
• Understand and implement essential data structures for efficient data handling.
• Apply algorithms to optimize performance and solve complex problems.
• Develop software projects that integrate Python and DSA concepts.
• Prepare for competitive programming and technical interviews.
3. Python Fundamentals
Python's design philosophy emphasizes code readability and minimal syntax. Key fundamentals
include: - Variables and Data Types: Python supports integers, floats, strings, lists, tuples, sets, and
dictionaries. - Control Flow: Conditional statements (if-elif-else) and loops (for, while) guide program
logic. - Functions: Allow code reusability; support default parameters, *args, and **kwargs. -
Object-Oriented Programming: Enables modeling of real-world entities via classes and objects. -
Modules and Packages: Organize reusable code into files and directories. - Exception Handling:
try-except blocks ensure robust error management.
4. Core Data Structures
• Lists & Arrays – Ordered collections allowing dynamic resizing; operations include indexing,
slicing, appending, and sorting.
• Stacks – Last In First Out (LIFO) structures implemented via lists or collections.deque.
• Queues – First In First Out (FIFO) structures; Python's queue module and deque facilitate this.
• Linked Lists – Nodes connected by pointers; includes singly, doubly, and circular variants.
• Trees – Hierarchical structures; Binary Trees, Binary Search Trees, AVL Trees.
• Graphs – Networks of nodes and edges; implemented via adjacency lists or matrices.
• Hashing – Uses hash functions for constant-time data access; implemented via dictionaries and
sets.
5. Algorithms
Algorithms define the step-by-step procedure for solving problems. Common categories include: -
Searching: Linear Search, Binary Search. - Sorting: Bubble Sort, Insertion Sort, Merge Sort, Quick
Sort, Heap Sort. - Traversals: Tree traversals (inorder, preorder, postorder), graph traversals (BFS,
DFS). - Complexity Analysis: Big O notation helps evaluate algorithm efficiency.
6. Practical Projects
**Snake Game with Leaderboard** A Pygame-based application where the player controls a snake
to collect food. The score increases with each item eaten, and the leaderboard is updated in
real-time using a JSON file. **Contact Management System** A console-based system allowing
users to store, search, update, and delete contacts. Utilizes classes, lists, dictionaries, and sets to
manage data effectively.
7. Practice Problems
• Reverse a linked list iteratively and recursively.
• Implement BFS and DFS traversals for a graph.
• Sort an array using merge sort and quick sort.
• Use a stack to check for balanced parentheses in an expression.
• Design a priority queue using a heap.
8. Homework Task Instructions
• Implement a binary search tree with insert, search, and delete operations.
• Create a simple text-based game using Python functions and loops.
• Write a Python script to simulate a queue using two stacks.
• Develop a contact book with file storage using JSON or CSV format.
