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Introduction to Computer Science

Questions to Ask Self

  • What problems can be solved using computation?
  • How to solve problems, using computers
  • How efficiently can a computer solve problems?

CS61A Specifics

Managing Complexity

How much a programmer is able to understand and work with their code

Abstraction

Bundling pieces of information and thinking about what it does and how

Paradigms

Introduction to Programming

  • Understand Python
  • Multiple ideas to large projects
  • How computers interpret code

Languages

Python, Scheme, SQL, and RegEx

Textbook

Composing Programs

Computer Programs

Computer Programs are used to manipulate values

Expressions

Describes a computation and evaluation to a value, eg. $20 + 21$, $\pi$, $f(x)$, (can be represented to function calls)

Python is able to evaluate expressions

Evaluating Call Expressions (Functions)

  1. Evaluate the operator (function name)
  2. Evaluate the operands (arguments) from left to right
  3. Apply operator to the operands