Programming Fundamentals

Programming Fundamentals

By Leslie Brazell

Interpreters - Interpreted Language​

​Translates and executes program code line by line into machine code.

​

ADVANTAGE: Easier to locate and fix errors.​

DISADVANTAGE: Runs slower​

** There are many, many different types of programming languages.

Compilers - Compiled Language​

​Translates, or “compiles” the entire code into machine code and then runs the program, or sets aside to run later.

​

ADVANTAGE: Runs faster

DISADVANTAGES: ​Harder to locate and fix errors.​

Multiple Choice

What is an advantage of interpreted language

• It runs fast

• It is easy to correct an error

Multiple Choice

What is an advantage of compiled language

• It runs fast

• It is easy to correct an error

Multiple Choice

Which type of programming language translates the entire code before running any of the instructions/steps?

• compiled

• interpreted

• scripting

• markup

Multiple Choice

Which type of programming language translates and executes program code line by line into machine code?

• compiled

• interpreted

• scripting

• markup

NAMING RULES

​Basic Guidelines:

• Use descriptive names

• No spaces

• camelCase (Start with lowercase letter and every next word starts with a capital letter)

• Cannot start with a number

• Names are case sensitive!

Multiple Choice

Which of the following is an example of camel case?

• partOfday

• partOfDay

• PartOfDay

• PartofDay

​Type of Computer Language

Used to design web pages

​Type of Computer Language

Interpreted language which uses scripts, or a series of commands

​

​Type of Computer Language

Used specifically in databases to be able to search and filter the infroamtion in a database.

Multiple Choice

Which type of language uses a series of commands?

• HTML

• Query

• Scripting

• Compiled

Multiple Choice

Which type of language is used to design web pages?

• HTML

• Query

• Scripting

• Compiled

Multiple Choice

Which type of language is used in databases?

• HTML

• Query

• Scripting

• Compiled

Data Types

integer - contains a number. The number can be positive, negative, or zero. It cannot have a decimal component. (EX: -50, 0, 5)

​

​string - contains text, or a sequence of letters, numbers, punctuation, spaces, etc. (EX: "Hello", world!", "abc123")

​

char (short for character) - contains a single character or punctuation. (EX: a, z, 1, !, #)

​

Boolean - binary and evaluates to either true or false. (EX: true, false)​

​

​

​

Multiple Choice

Which data type contains text, or a sequence of letters, numbers, punctuation, spaces, etc.?

• integer

• string

• char

• Boolean

Multiple Choice

Which data type contains a single character or punctuation?

• integer

• string

• char

• Boolean

Multiple Choice

Which data type contains a number that can be positive, negative, or zero but cannot have a decimal component?

• integer

• string

• char

• Boolean

Multiple Choice

Which data type is binary and evaluates to either true or false?

• integer

• string

• char

• Boolean

Variables - can change

​ var myFavoriteNumber = 24;

myFavoriteNumber = 12;

println(myFavoriteNumber);

output

​

12​

constant - can NOT change

​ var myFavoriteNumber = 24;

myFavoriteNumber = 12;

​Error Line 2:

Uncaught TypeError​: Assignment to constant variable

​

Multiple Choice

What keyword do you need to use to define a variable in JavaScript?

• variable

• var

• const

• x

Multiple Choice

What will be printed as a result of the following code segment?

var firstPlace = "Dylan";

var secondPlace = "Jacob";

firstPlace = "Jacob";

secondPlace = "Julia";

println(firstPlace);

println(secondPlace);

• Jacob

  Dylan

• Jacob

  Julia

• Julia

  Jacob

• Dylan

Multiple Choice

A store has 30 backpacks. How can you store this information in a JavaScript variable?

• var num backpacks = 30;

• 20 = numBackpacks;

• var numBackpacks = 30;

• var numBackpacks ==30;

How to write a karel command

​ move( );

​

• No spaces in commands

• Need to match exact capitalization

• Every command ends in ( );

Multiple Choice

Which of these is a valid Karel command?

• turnleft( );

• TurnLeft( );

• turnLeft( );

• (turnLeft);

functions

Functions are a way to teach Karel a new command (word).

​

​

​

​Functions allow us to

• Break our program into smaller parts

• Make the program easier to understand

• Avoid repeating code over and over

calling "turn around"

Define "Turn around"

Defining and Calling a Function

​function turnAround() { turnLeft(); turnLeft(); }

​turnAround();

turnRight();

move();​

​Defining a function - Writing out the instructions for this new action

​Calling a function - Actually causing the action to happen

Multiple Choice

Which of the following is an example of defining a function?

• function backflip( ) {

  turnLeft( );

  turnLeft( );

  turnLeft( );

  turnLeft( );

• backflip( );

Multiple Choice

Which of the following is an example of calling a function?

• function backflip( ) {

  turnLeft( );

  turnLeft( );

  turnLeft( );

  turnLeft( );

• backflip( );

Multiple Choice

Functions are a way to teach Karel a new command.

• True

• False

Multiple Choice

Which function will teach Karel how to spin in a circle one time?

• function spin() { turnRight();

  }

• function spin() { turnLeft(); turnLeft(); turnLeft(); turnLeft();

  }

• function spin() { turnLeft(); turnLeft();

  }

• function spin() { move(); move(); move(); move();

  }

Loops

​For Loops - For loops let Karel repeat a section of code a fixed number of times

​While Loops - While loops allow us to repeat a section of 

code as long as some condition is true.

​for(var i = 0; i < count; i++) {

/* code to execute count times */ }

​// This places ten balls down

for(var i = 0; i < 10; i++)

{ putBall(); }

​while(condition) {

/* code to repeat */

}

​while(frontIsClear()) { move();

}

Loops

• ALL programming has FOR LOOPS​

• Repeat as long as condition is true.

• Repeat for an undetermined number of times.​

​For Loops

​While Loops

• Repeat fixed number of times

• ​Repeat as long as condition is true

For Loops

​move( ); five times

to FOR LOOPS

function start ( ){

move( );​

move( );

move( );

move( );

move( );​

}​

​

​

​

​for (var i = 0; i < 5; i++) {

move( );

}

if/else statements

An if-else statement runs some code if a condition is true, 

and a different block of code if that condition is false.

This IF/ELSE statement tells Karel to move forward if it is clear (nothing blocking his way).

​

Else (if something is blocking his way) he will turn left.​

if(frontIsClear( )) {

move( );​

} else {

turnLeft( );

}

Multiple Choice

What is the best way for Karel to move 10 times?

• move(); move(); move(); move(); move(); move(); move(); move(); move(); move();

• for (var i = 0; i < 10; i++)

  { move();

  }

• move(10);

• move10();

Multiple Choice

What does an if/else statement look like in JavaScript?

• if (condition) { //code

  }

• for (var i = 0; i < count; i++) { //code

  }

• if (condition) { //code }

  if (condition) { //code

  }

• if (condition) { //code

  } else {

  //code

  }

Multiple Choice

Why do we use if/else statements in JavaScript?

• To repeat something for a fixed number of times

• To do something if a condition is true and do something else if the condition is false

• To break out of some block of code

• To repeat something while a condition is true

Multiple Choice

If you want to write a program to have Karel put down 50 tennis balls. Which control structure would you use?

• If statement

• While statement

• For loop

• Nested while loop

A fixed container that stores an ordered collection of items.

array -

Arrays

Shopping List

​

bread eggs milk cookies​

0 1 2 3​

​var shoppingList =

["bread", "eggs",

"milk", "cookies"];

​println(shoppingList)[1] );

​eggs

Multiple Choice

Given the following list, what would the output be?

var travelList = [Alaska, Australia, Ireland, Argentina];

println(travelList [3]);

• Alaska

• Australia

• Ireland

• Argentina

Multiple Choice

What is an array?

• a collection of items stored at (row, column) locations.

• an unordered collection of unique items.

• a collection of (key, value) pairs.

• an ordered collection of items.

Multiple Choice

In the following array, which of the following statements will change "Argentina" to "Peru"?

var travelList = [Alaska, Australis, Ireland, Argentina];

• travelList ["Argentina"] = Peru;

• travelList[4] = "Peru";

• travelList[3] = "Peru";

• travelList change [1] = "Peru";

Vocabulary

Some text here about the topic of discussion

​code - a term used in programming for the set of instructions that can be run or executed by a computer.

​condition - is code that you put inside an if statement or while-loop.

object - can store combinations of keys and values where the value can be accessed by its associated key. Resizable - One data type