Principles of Computation with Python

Learning objectives by module

Unit 1: Introduction to Programming with Python

• Module 1: Introduction to Programming with Python
  • Evaluate expressions and execute basic statements (also known as commands) using a Python interpreter.
  • Predict the meaning of code before interacting with the interpreter.
  • Recognize what is a computer program, a programming language, and a programming language interpreter.
  • Use user-defined and built-in Python functions.
  • Write and run Python.
• Module 2: Iteration
  • Create and access elements in a Python list.
  • Design and code simple algorithms using iteration.
  • Design and code simple algorithms with nested iteration.
  • Identify an iterative algorithm and express it using a loop structure.
  • Trace iterative algorithms.
• Module 3: Making Decisions
  • Apply relational and logical operators and functions to form Boolean-valued expressions
  • Design and code algorithms involving decisions
  • Determine the value of a given Boolean-valued expression
  • Trace Python code containing conditional statements (if-else statements)
• Module 4: Putting Iterations and Decisions Together
  • Design and code simple algorithms that require conditionals and loops for processing a collection (list) of data items
  • Trace Python code containing conditionals and loops
  • Translate a given algorithm to Python code using conditionals and loops

Unit 2: Principles of Computation

• Module 5: Recursion
  • Be able to trace simple recursion algorithms.
  • Identify a recursion algorithm.
• Module 6: Data Structures
  • Given a problem that requires storage and retrieval of information, determine which data structure is most appropriate.
  • Identify some basic data structures commonly used in description of algorithms and in programming with a focus on arrays, singly linked lists, stacks, queues, and binary trees.
  • Identify the distinguishing features of each data structure to reason about their advantages and disadvantages with respect to memory usage and running time.
• Module 7: Data Representation
  • Be able to convert between integers represented in decimal and integers represented in binary.
  • Be able to convertbetween integers represented in decimal and integers represented in binary.
  • Define binary representation.
  • Describe how different data types can be represented in binary.
• Module 8: Encryption
  • Be able to identify one-way functions.
  • Define what is meant by encryption and identify application areas where encryption is critical to our everyday way of life.
  • Explain the basic principles of encryption and decryption using a substitution cipher.
  • Trace the RSA algorithm to show how modern encryption and decryption is performed.
• Module 9: Computability
  • Determine the orderof complexity for the exhaustive search algorithms for several decisionproblems.
  • Explain why computing the solutions for intractable problems will take a huge amount of time unless the size ofthe problem is small.
• Module 10: Cellular Automata
  • Create future generations of a cellular automaton by applying a given rule correctly.
  • Define cellular automata and identify one dimensional automaton.
  • Demonstrate the relationship between a rule number, its description and its pictorial form.
  • Explain the binary nature of these rules and calculate the maximum number of rules that this system allows.
  • Look at a result of a cellular automata and determine if the output could be used as a random number generator.