CS1002 – Programming

Fundamentals
Lecture # 01
Tuesday, Jan 23, 2024
Spring 2024
FAST – NUCES, Faisalabad Campus

Muhammad Hannan Farooq

 Algorithms and Problem Solving
2
Techniques

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Basic Concepts of Problem Solving
● Computer programming is traditionally thought of as problem-solving process.
○ A computer program is a solution to a problem

● Computer program: The computer program is a set of instructions that tells the
computer hardware what to do and when to do it
○ There are two parts to develop computer programs, the algorithm and the syntax

● Algorithm: The program’s algorithm is the development of step-by-step, logical

process that the program will follow to reach the desired goal of the program (the
solution)
● Syntax : It is the rule of the programming language which dictate proper statement
structure and usage

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4 Five Basic Elements of Computer Programming
● Input: Getting data and commands into the computer
● Output: Getting results out of computer
● Conditions and repetition: Decisions and cycling through instructions
until some conditions if met
● Mathematical operations: Perform mathematical operations on the
data
● Variable and data structures: Storing data that may change over time

● E.g. Vending machine

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The problem-solving process
There are several steps in the program development cycle
Program development cycle consists of five steps
● Analyze the Problem
● Plan the Solution
● Code the Program
● Test
● Implementation/Deployment and maintain

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The problem-solving process …
Analyze the
problem

Plan the solution

Code the
program

Implement and
Test
maintain

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The problem-solving process
1. Analyze the problem : Programmer determines
○ What the program is supposed to do (the purpose of the program)
○ What data the program will use ( the programs input);
○ What the program is supposed to produce (the programs output);
○ The process the program will use to transform the data into the desired
output information
○ Visual tools for this stage can include
■ Input layout charts that represent how the input data is stored in the records
of a file or how input prompt will appear on the screen

■ Output layout spacing charts represent what the finished output report or
screen will look like

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The problem-solving process …
2. Plan the solution : During the planning stage of the programming
development cycle, the programmer utilizes visual tools such as flow
charts, pseudocode and hierarchy charts to develop the programs
algorithm, or solution to the problem
○ A flow chart is a graphical representation step-by-step that shows the
flow of control of the program using symbolic diagrams.
○ Pseudocode is a visual representation of the same step-by-step logic, but
pseudocode is English–like phrases instead of symbols
○ Hierarchy (or structure) charts show the major operational tasks required
for the program solution. In addition, the charts demonstrate the relation
ships between each of the major sections
○ Once the algorithm has been documented using one or more of the visual
tools, the programmer checks the programs logic by stepping through the
algorithm with realistic test data
○ At2024
CS1002 - Spring this point the logic errors may be detected and corrected
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The problem-solving process …
3. Code the program: The program (or source) code is written in the
programming language selected by the programmer following the
rules (or syntax) for that language
○ Once the source code is written
○ The program is processed by the language translator program
○ Any syntax errors are detected by the translator must be corrected
before the machine language (object) can be generated
○ When all debugging and syntax errors is complete, a run-time version of
the program can be executed
○ Language translator: A language translator converts human-readable
source code statements into the machine- readable object code;
depending on the language, the translator will be an assembler,
interpreter, or compiler program
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The problem-solving process …
4. Test: Testing the program is done using sets of data designed to produce the
expected results
○ If the program is faulty, the desired results will not be produced
○ The programmer must then debug the source code and revise the logic in the planning
stages
○ This stage should require minimal effort
○ Debug and revise: To debug a program, the programmer finds and corrects syntax
errors in the source code

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The problem-solving process …
5. Implementation/Deployment and maintain: The final stages of the programming
process is to put the program into production
○ At this stage, all program documentation must be completed and presented at the time
the program is implemented
○ The documentation includes all the documents used in the planning stage (such as
input, output charts). The printed source code also becomes a part of the
documentation
○ In addition, user training manuals are provided as well as any other information that the
end user might require to properly run the program
○ Maintaining the program includes making appropriate updates to the program as needed
■ For instance, if income tax rates change, an update to the tax amounts would be required for a
payroll program

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Algorithms and Flowcharts

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Al-Khwarizimi Principle
● All complex problems can be broken into simpler sub-problems
● Solve a complex problem by breaking it down into smaller sub-problems and then
solve them (in a specified order), one at a time
● When all the steps are solved, the original problem itself has also been solved
● This process is called Algorithm

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Divide and Conquer
Hard Problem

Easy Sub- Hard Sub- Easy Sub-

problem problem problem

Easy Sub- Easy Sub-

problem problem

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Algorithms
● A concept that pervades all areas of computer science

● Algorithm is a process that a computer could carry out to complete a well defined
task within finite time and resources

● The objective of computer science is to solve problems by developing, analyzing,

and implementing algorithmic solutions

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Steps in Problem Solving
● First produce a general algorithm (one can use pseudocode)
● Refine the algorithm successively to get step by step detailed algorithm that is very
close to a computer language
● Pseudocode is an artificial and informal language that helps programmers develop
algorithms
○ Pseudocode is very similar to everyday English

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Algorithms & Pseudocode
● A typical programming task can be divided into two phases
● Problem Solving phase:
○ Produce an ordered sequence of steps that describe solution of problem
○ This sequence of steps is called an algorithm

● Implementation phase:
○ Implement the program in some programming language

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Sample problem
● Input two numbers from the user and print the sum of those two
numbers?
Analyze the problem:
● What are the inputs?
○ Two number (Where to store these)
■ Need two containers

● What is the output?

○ A result of sum of the two numbers (Where to store it)
■ Need another container

● What is the process?

○ Perform the arithmetic operation of summation
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Sample problem
Plan the solution:
Steps Involved (Algorithm)
1. Take input of one number and store in a container named as num1
2. Take input of another number and store in another container named as num2
3. Perform operation num1 + num2 and store the result in another container names
results
4. Print the value in results on the screen

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Sample problem (Pseudo code)
1. Start
2. declare num1, num2, results
3. input num1
4. input num2
5. results 🡨 num1 + num2
6. If result > 0
1. Print “Result is Positive” result
7. Else
1. Print “result is negative” result
8. End

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Questions

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