Basic Computer Programming Taipei Medical University

Course ID: 8011E014 College of Medicine

Introduction to Python Programming

Khanh Lee
(黎阮國慶)
What is Programming?
• Programming is the process of
creating instructions for
computers to perform tasks.
• Code: A set of instructions
written in a programming
language.
• Programs: A collection of code
that performs a specific task.

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Why Learn Programming?
• Automation of tasks (e.g., data processing).
• Problem-solving and logic development.
• Applicable in various industries: web
development, AI, finance, etc.

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Understanding Algorithms
• Definition: An algorithm
is a step-by-step
procedure for solving a
problem or
accomplishing a task.
• Importance: Algorithms
are the foundation of
programming; they help
us define how a task
should be executed.

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What Makes a Good Algorithm?
• Clear & Unambiguous: Each step should be easily
understood.
• Well-Defined Inputs & Outputs: Know what you start
with and what you expect at the end.
• Finite: It should terminate after a set number of
steps.
• Efficient: Use resources (time, memory) effectively.

http://sunsite.uakom.sk/sunworldonline/swol-09- 5
1995/swol-09-cockcroft.html
What is Pseudocode?
• Definition: Pseudocode is a plain-language
description of the steps in an algorithm.
• Why Use Pseudocode?: Helps plan your program
before writing actual code. It’s a bridge between
human logic and programming syntax.
• Characteristics: No strict syntax, easy to read, and
closer to human language than code.
Step 1: Start
Step 2: Declare two variables, a and b
Step 3: Set values for a and b
Step 4: Calculate sum = a + b
Step 5: Display sum
Step 6: End
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Key Takeaways
• Programming is about giving instructions to solve
problems.
• Algorithms are structured ways to solve problems.
• Pseudocode helps bridge the gap between problem-
solving and coding.

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PYTHON PROGRAMMING

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What is Python?
• Definition: Python is a high-level, interpreted
programming language known for its readability
and simplicity.
• Key Features:
• Easy to learn and use, with a clean syntax.
• Supports multiple programming paradigms (e.g.,
procedural, object-oriented, and functional
programming).
• Widely used in web development, data analysis,
machine learning, automation, etc.

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Why Python?
• Easy to Learn and Use
• Supportive Community
• Hundreds of Libraries
and Frameworks
• Versatility, Efficiency,
Reliability, and Speed
• Big data, Machine
Learning and Cloud
Computing
• Academic
Setting Up Python
• https://www.python.org
• Download & install
• Anaconda: https://www.anaconda.com
• Directly: https://www.python.org/downloads/
• To check whether Python is installed or not:
• python –version
• Run Python:
• “python”
• exit()
Running Python script
• Interactive mode programming
• Interpretation in command line
• python script.py
• Jupyter Notebook
• On local computer
• Google Colab
• Spyder
Tips for Programming Beginners
• Tip 1: Start Small, Think Big
• Begin with small, simple programs and work your way
up to more complex projects. Master the basics before
jumping into advanced topics.
• Tip 2: Break Problems into Smaller Steps
• Programming is like solving a puzzle. Break down
problems into smaller, manageable tasks, and solve
them one by one.
• Tip 3: Practice, Practice, Practice
• The more you code, the better you become. Write
code regularly to develop your programming skills.

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Tips for Programming Beginners
• Tip 4: Learn to Debug
• Debugging is a crucial part of programming. Don’t get
frustrated by errors—learn to troubleshoot and fix
problems.
• Tip 5: Read and Understand Other People’s Code
• Reading other people’s code can teach you new
techniques and best practices.
• Tip 6: Use Online Resources
• Don’t be afraid to seek help. Use online resources like
forums, documentation, and coding platforms.

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Learn More About Python
• Recommend beginner-friendly resources:
• Python’s official documentation
• Codecademy or freeCodeCamp for Python tutorials
• Stack Overflow for problem-solving.

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Notice before start
• Indentation 1st level

• Comments 2nd level

• Single line
• Multiple lines 2nd level

• Variables 3rd level

• Single variable
• Multiple variables
• Output variables
Your First Python Program
• Indentation • Comments
• Single line

• Multiple lines
 Working with Variables and Data
Types
Variables are containers for storing data values.
Single variable Multiple variables

Output variables

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Data Types
• Using type() to show data types

• Data Types
Text str
Numeric int, float, complex
Sequence list, tuple, range
Dictionary dict
Set set, frozenset
Boolean Bool
Getting Input from the User
• Use the input() function to get input from users.

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 Basic Operators
Arithmetic Comparison

Operator Name Example Operator Name Example

+ Addition x+y == Equal x == y

!= Not equal x != y
- Subtraction x-y
> Greater than x>y
* Multiplication x*y
< Less than x<y
/ Division x/y >= Greater than or x >= y
equal to
% Modulus x%y
<= Less than or x <= y
equal to
** Exponentiation x ** y

// Floor division x // y
PROGRAMMING FLOW CONTROL

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If, Else, and Elif Statements
• if-else statements for
decision-making
• Comparison operators
Condition
• Return True or False
False
Operator Name Example True
== Equal x == y
!= Not equal x != y Condition code

> Greater than x > y

< Less than x<y
>= Greater than x >= y
or equal to
<= Less than or x <= y
equal to

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If, Else, and Elif Statements

if if … elif if … elif … else

nested if
optimized if

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While loop

• Execute a set of statements as long as a condition is true

Enter normal while break continue
loop
False
Condition

True

Statements

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For loop

• Iterating over a Enter

sequence loop
True
• List Las item
reached

• Dictionary
False
• String
Statements

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For loop

Loop in list Loop in string

Loop with 2 arguments Loop with ZIP

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String Data Type

• Define using single

quotation marks, or
double quotation
marks

• Display using print()

function

• Get items from string

using index & slice

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Index & Slice
• The indexes in Python start with 0
• The first element has index 0, and the second has
index 1, ...
S[0] = A
S= A B C D E F G H I J
S[1] = B
0 1 9

S[0:3] = ABC
String Methods
• upper, lower, capitalize
• upper() - Converts a string into upper case
• lower() - Converts a string into lower case
• capitalize() - Converts the first character to upper case
• startswith: Returns true if the string starts with
the specified value
• string.startswith(value, start, end)
• endswith: Returns true if the string ends with the
specified value
String Methods
• Strip(): Returns a trimmed version of the string
• string.strip(characters)
• rstrip(), lstrip()
• Concatenate
• Format()
• Escape character
String Methods
• split(): Splits the string at the specified separator,
and returns a list
• string.split(separator, maxsplit)
• join(): Joins the elements of an iterable to the end
of the string
• string.join(iterable)
 Q&A
Feel free to raise any questions!