TOPIC 1

INTRODUCTION TO STRUCTURED PROGRAMMING

Presentation by
MANZA JOSHUA KIILU
 OBJECTIVES
By the end of the lesson the trainee should
be able to:
 Explain meaning of structured programming
 Identify different types of structured
programming languages
 Explain the historical development of
programming languages

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3 Definition of terms

1. A computer program is a set of coded instructions

given to the computer, and represents a logical
solution to a problem.
2. Programming is the process of designing a set of
instructions (computer programs) which can be used to
perform a particular task or solve a specific problem.
3. A programming language is a set of symbols (a
language) which a computer programmer uses to solve
a given problem using a computer.
Mr Maingi 02/05/2025
4 LEVELS OF PROGRAMMING
LANGUAGES
 The languages are classified into 2 major categories
 Low-level programming languages.
 High-level programming languages.
LOW-LEVEL LANGUAGES
 These are the basic programming languages, which can easily be understood
by the computer directly, or which require little effort to be translated into
computer understandable form.
 They include:
 Machine languages.
MANZA JOSHUA
02/05/2025

 Assembly languages.
Features of low-level language
1. They are machine hardware-oriented.
2. They are not portable, i.e., a program
written for one computer cannot be
installed and used on another computer
of a different family.
3. They use Mnemonic codes.
4. They frequently use symbolic addresses

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 Machine languages (1st Generation languages)
Machine language is written using machine codes (binary digits) that consist of 0’s
& 1’s.
A machine code instruction is made up of 2 main parts;
 An Address (operand): It specifies the location (address) of the computer
memory where the data to be worked upon can be found.
 A Function (operation) code: It states to the Control Unit of the CPU what
operation should be performed on the data/item held in the address, e.g.,
Addition, Subtraction, Division, Multiplication,
 advantages
disadvantage

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Assembly language (2nd Generation
Languages).
Assembly languages were developed in order to
speed up programming (i.e., to overcome the
difficulties of understanding and using machine
languages).
advantages
disadvantages- individual
assigment

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 Advantages of Low-level languages
 They require less memory space.
 Low-level languages are stable, i.e., they do not crash
once written.
 The CPU can easily understand machine language
without translation.
 The program instructions can be executed by the
hardware (processor) much faster. This is because;
complex instructions are already broken down into
smaller simpler ones.
 Low-level languages have a closer control over the
hardware, are highly efficient & allow direct control of
each operation.
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 Disadvantages of Low-level languages
 Relating the program & the problem structures is difficult, and therefore
cumbersome to work with.
 The programs are very long; hence, writing a program in a low-level language is
usually tedious & time consuming.
 Low-level languages are difficult to learn, understand, and write programs in
them.
 Low-level language programs are difficult to debug (remove errors from).
 Low-level languages have a collection of very detailed & complex instructions
that control the internal circuiting of the computer
 Low level languages are machine-dependent (specific), hence non-portable.
It is not easy to revise the program, because this will mean re-writing the program
again.
The programs are difficult to develop, maintain, and are also prone to errors.
MR MANZA
HIGH-LEVEL PROGRAMMING LANGUAGES
High-level languages were developed to solve (overcome) the problems
encountered in low-level programming languages
Programs written in a high-level language cannot be obeyed by the
computer hardware directly. Therefore, the source codes must be
translated into their corresponding machine language equivalent .

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 Features of high-level programming languages.
 They contain statements that have an extensive vocabulary of words,
symbols, sentences & mathematical expressions
 They require one to obey a set of rules when writing the program.
 Programs written in high-level languages are shorter than their low-
level language equivalents.
 The programs are portable between different computers.
 Allow modularization (sub-routines).
 They are ‘user-friendly’ and problem-oriented rather than machine-
based.

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Purpose of High-level languages.
To improve the productivity of a programmer.
i. To ease the training of new programmers, since
there is no need to learn the detailed layout of a
procession/sequence.
ii. To speed up testing & error correction.
iii. To make programs easy to understand & follow.

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 Advantages of High-level languages.
 They are easily portable, i.e., they can be transferred between computers of
different families and run with little or no modification.
 High-level language programs are short, and take shorter time to be translated.
 They are easy to debug (correct/remove errors), & maintain.
 High level language programs are easy to modify, and also to incorporate
additional features thus enhancing its functional capabilities.
 They are ‘&user-friendly’ problem-oriented
 They enable programmers to adapt easily to new hardware
 High-level language programs are self-documenting,
 High level languages are more flexible;

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Disadvantages of using High-level
languages
 High-level languages are not machine-oriented; hence, they do not use of
the CPU and hardware facilities efficiently.
 The languages are machine-independent, and cannot be used in programming
the hardware directly.
 Each high-level language statement converts into several machine code
instructions.
 Their program statements are too general; hence, they execute slowly than
their machine code program equivalents
 The languages cannot be used on very small computers.
 They have to be interpreted or compiled to machine-readable form before the
computer can execute them.
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TYPES OF HIGH-LEVEL LANGUAGES.
1. Third generation languages (Structured / Procedural languages).
2. Fourth generation languages (4GLs).
3. Fifth generation languages (5GLs)
4. Object-oriented programming languages (OOPs).
5. Web scripting languages.
CONT’..

The various types of high-level languages differ in:

 The data structures they handle.

 The control structures they support.
 The assignment instructions they use.
 Application areas, e.g., educational,
business, scientific.
STRUCTURED LANGUAGES

 A structured (procedural) language allows a large program to be broken

into smaller sub-programs called modules, each performing a particular
(single) task. This technique of program design is referred to as
structured programming.
 The 3 basic control structures are:

 Sequence
 Selection.
 Iteration (looping).
Advantages of structured programming

 It is flexible.
 Structured programs are easier to read.
 Programs are easy to modify because; a programmer can change the
details of a section without affecting the rest of the program.
 It is easier to document specific tasks.
 Use of modules that contain standard procedures throughout the
program saves development time.
 Modules can be named in such a way that, they are consistent and easy
to find in documentation.
 Debugging is easier because; each module can be designed, coded &
tested independently
Examples of Third generation
programming languages
 PASCAL
 COBOL
 BASIC
 C
FOURTH GENERATION LANGUAGES (4GL’S)

 4GLs are used to enquire & access the data stored in database systems;
hence, they are described as the Query languages.
Purpose of fourth generation languages.
 To speed up the application-building process, thereby increasing the
productivity of a programmer.
 To enable quick & easy amendments and alteration of programs.
 To reduce development & maintenance costs.
 To make languages user-friendly
CONT’..

 To allow non-professional end-users to develop their own solutions.

 To generate bug-free codes from high-level expressions of requirements.
Examples of 4GLs are:
 Visual Basic
 Delphi Pascal
 Visual COBOL (Object COBOL)
 Access Basic
Advantages of fourth generation
languages
i. They are user-based, and therefore, easy to learn & understand.
ii. The grammar of 4GL’s is very close to the natural English language.
It uses menus & prompts to guide a non-specialist to retrieve data
with ease.
iii. Very little training is required in order to develop & use 4GL
programs.
iv. They provide features for formatting of input, processing, & instant
reporting.
FIFTH GENERATION LANGUAGES (5GL’S).

The 5GL’s are designed to make a computer solve a problem by portraying human-like
intelligence.
5GLs are mostly used in artificial intelligence.
Examples of 5GLs

 LISP (LISt Processing). In LISP, both programs & data

are arranged (structured) as lists. It is used in artificial
intelligence.
 PROLOG (PROgramming in LOGic). PROLOG was
developed from LISP by the Japanese. It is designed for
use with Expert systems & Artificial Intelligence
OBJECT-ORIENTED PROGRAMMING LANGUAGES
(OOPs)

 Object-Oriented Programming is a new approach to software

development in which data & procedures that operate on data are
combined into one object.
 Examples of Object-oriented programming languages are: -

 Simula
 C++
 SmallTalk
 Java
WEB SCRIPTING LANGUAGES

 Web scripting languages are mostly used to create or add functionalities

on web pages.
 Web pages are used for creating Web sites on the Internet where all
sorts of advertising can be done.
 Web pages are hypertext (plain-text) documents written using a
language called HyperText Markup Language (HTML).

 HTML PERL
 JAVASCRIPT PYTHON
 PHP APPLESCRIPT
Comparison of Programming
languages
CONT’..
Factors to consider when choosing a
Programming language
 The availability of the relevant translator
 Whether the programmer is familiar with the language
 Ease of learning and use
 Purpose of the program, i.e., application areas such as education,
business, scientific.
 Execution time. Applications that require quick response are best
programmed in machine code or assembly language.
CONT’…

 Development time. is the time a programmer takes to write and run a

program..High-level languages are easy to read, understand and
develop; hence, they require less development time. Machine code &
Assembly languages are relatively difficult to read, understand and
develop; hence, they are time-consuming.
 Popularity. The language selected should be suitable and/or successful
in the market with respect to the problems to be solved.
 Documentation. It should have accompanying documentation
(descriptions) on how to use the language or maintain the programs
written in the language.
 GROUP WORK AND INDIVIDUAL
ASSIGNMENT

Discuss in groups of three:

 Differentiate between high level languages and low level languages
 Differentiate between monolithic program and modular program
 State four disadvantages of assembly language
 State five factors to consider when choosing programming
languages.
THANK YOU