INTRODUCTION TO CODING AND DATA MANAGEMENT-1

The goal of this course is to teach how to solve problems with an algorithmic approach and applying computational thinking.
Students will learn some basic techniques for problem solving and how to use a programming language to provide a sound and formal description of a designed problem solution.

The course provides an introduction to the basics of computer science and programming.
Programming is intended as a way to model real-world problems and to design algorithmic solutions to solve them.

The students will achieve the following objectives:

Knowledge:
- How a computer system works and how different kinds of data are stored in memory.
- Python programming language
- basics of algorithms and data structures


Skills:
- learn basic problem solving techniques.
- understand and realize computer programs written in the Python programming language.
- generate basic data visualizations for preliminary analysis.

Having achieved the learning outcomes of the course "Mathematics For Decision Sciences", with focus on logic, combinatorics, functions, vectors and matrices.

1. Introduction to programming and Python
- Computational Thinking, a "computational machine" for Python
- Introduction to computer systems, algorithms
- Binary representation of information
- Introduction to the Python programming language

2. Python data types
- Variables, values ​​and types
- Integer, Float, String, Boolean data types and related operators

3. Conditions:
- boolean variables
- if / else, nested conditions

4. Cycles
- The while loop
- The for loop

5. Strings
- slicing
- formatting

6. Lists in Python
- Creation and manipulation of lists
- Iterate through the lists

7. Functions
- definition and call
- return values

8. Algorithms and complexity
- introduction to complexity

9. Dictionaries and Sets

10. Reading and Writing of text files

Textbook:
- Think Python. How to Think Like a Computer Scientist. Green Tea Press. Allen Downey. Second Edition.

Additional resources may be provided during the course.

Evaluation is achieved through a written exam. The written exam assess the capability of the student to apply problem solving techniques to simple problems.
The exam consists in a set of multiple choice questions and programming exercises, where the student is asked to write a small program to solve a given simple problem.
After the written test, an optional oral exam follows (at the discretion of the professor).

Lectures and hands-on sessions. The frequent interleaving of exercises allows students to immediately apply abstract knowledge to practical problems and to self-evaluate their skills.

English

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