CS 111 (W '13), Fundamentals of Programming I

Overview
The two major learning objectives of this course are first, to know how to develop algorithms to solve problems, and second, to know how to program these algorithms efficiently in the Python programming language. An algorithm is a means of solving a problem in a deterministic, reproducible, "thoughtless" fashion.  While coming up with an algorithm is anything but thoughtless, an algorithm's execution takes no more than simple arithmetic, logic, and memory, commodities in great supply in a computer. We will express our algorithms in English, then translate them into the Python programming language. During the course, you will learn how to use loops, conditionals, functions, data structures such as lists and dictionaries, and classes. These are the building blocks which we will use to create increasingly complex programs. This course begins the Computer Science major.

Time Commitment
During the course of CS 111, you will be learning not only a new paradigm for problem solving, but also a language for expressing those solutions. This can be a time-consuming process. Expect to spend 10-15 hours per week outside of class in this course.  If you do not have this kind of time available to work on CS 111, you may want to wait and take it in a later term.

Textbook (required)
Ken Lambert, Fundamentals of Python: First Programs.
Available at the bookstore or online.   The book website, including example programs, is here.

1. Attendance is required.
2. Grading breakdown: Exams 40% (2 x 10, 1 x 20),  Assignments 40%, Quizes 10%, Attendance and Participation 10%.
3. Late Assignments lose 10, 15, 25, 25, 25% for each additional day late (no credit on the fifth day).  This scale may be delayed given the severity of your circumstances and my being informed of them in a timely manner.
• I will defer to the Counseling Center (see here).
• If you have an athletic event and will not be able to make a deadline, you should tell me within a day of an assignment being posted.
  
• Accomodations for qualified disabilities requires written notfication in conjunction with Student Academic Support (see here or call 458-8754).

• Your only sources for this course should be the book, links I provide to you through the course schedule and email, other students in this course with you, and me.  
• You are not to seek assistance from students who have previously taken this course, with the exception of the TAs for the course.  
• At the end of the term, YOU will be someone who has previously taken this course.  In the future, please do not provide assistance to future students, and encourage them to seek appropriate help.
  
• Do not use other online materials.  It is likely that coded solutions to many of the homeworks are readily available on the web.  However, this material obviously constitutes implementation details. 
  
• I encourage you to discuss with each other broad solutions to problems on assignments.  However, when you sit down to code your solution, it should be your work.  Please acknowledge aid received from other students.  It will have no effect on my grading, and it is the honorable thing to do.
  
• I have found that in the vast majority of non-typo cases, the mental exercise of running sample data through your code illuminates the issue and leads to better understanding on your part. Ignoring this exercise for convenience will hurt you.  I will help you with this exercise.
• After completing the assignment, feel free to discuss any aspects of the assignment, including implementation details with others who have also completed the assignment.