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• Languages


  Solve problems using a computer, give the computer instructions
• Remember our diaper-changing exercise?

  Talk the talk, Speak its language
• High-level languages


  • Python, C++, Java
• Low-level languages


  • Machine language, computers can only execute these
• High-level languages have to be processed into low-level before the computer can run them
• High-level languages can run on different kinds of computers and are easier for humans to write and read, so most programs are written in high-level
• Interpreter


  Processes the program a little bit at a time and runs it
• Compiler


  Translates everything before running it
• Python is a programming language that lets you work more quickly and integrate your systems more effectively
• Python is magic!

  
• Program


  A larger file of code that may contain one or more functions
• Variable


  Names that you can assign values to, allowing you to reuse them later on
• Comments


  Notes ignored by the computer, start with a hash mark (#) and end at the end of the line
• Operators


  • +, -, *, /, **, %
• Keyword


  Words with meaning/purpose in Python, e.g. "and", "print", "if"
• Function


  A chunk of code that performs an action, can be built-in or "user-defined"
• Expression


  Statements that produce values, e.g. 3 + 5, "Hello world!"
• Error


  When your program has a problem, the command area will provide an error message
• JES


  Jython Environment for Students, allows you to program and experiment with python

  
• The top part (program area) works like a text editor, the bottom part (command area) is the brains of the operation
• After writing a program, click Load Program to compile it
• Header Comments


  Comments at the top of a program that provide information about the file, author, and description
• Indentation is not an option, but a requirement in Python to specify the "scope" of different chunks of code
• Writing a program


  1. Plan what you want the program to do (pseudocode)

  2. Divide it into parts to make it easier to debug and update
• Defining Functions


  Name the function for the purpose, indent the instructions inside the function
• Argument


  A value passed to a function or method, assigned to a named local variable in the function body