PROGRAMMING

FOR PROBLEM
SOLVING
Lecture – 1, 2 & 3

Dr. S.Kanungo
Dept. of CSE, BIT Mesra
 Course Objectives
• This course enables the students:
➢ To learn computer language
➢ To learn coding for problems
➢ To learn the problem-solving process
through computer
➢ To know the limitations of system during
program execution
 Problem Solving
• It is an intricate process requiring much
thought, careful planning, logical precision,
persistence, and attention to detail.
• It can be a challenging, exciting, and satisfying
experience with considerable room for personal
creativity and expression.
• It is about understanding the problem
• Focus on: What must be done rather than how to
do it.
• Problem definition phase: Preliminary
Investigation
• Note: “Sooner you start coding your program the
longer it is going to take”
• The success of a computer in solving a
problem depends on how correctly and
precisely we define the problem, design
a solution (algorithm) and implement
the solution (program) using a
programming language.
• It is the process of identifying a
problem, developing an algorithm for
the identified problem and finally
implementing the algorithm to develop
a computer program.
 Steps for Problem Solving
• Analysing the problem: To read and analyse
the problem statement carefully to list the
principal components of the problem and decide
the core functionalities that our solution should
have.
• Developing an algorithm: The solution is
represented in natural language and is called an
algorithm.
• Coding: To convert the algorithm into the format
which can be understood by the computer to
generate the desired solution.
• Testing and debugging: Error handling
Elements of a Computer System
• Hardware
➢ Equipment used to perform the
necessary computations and includes
the central processing unit (CPU),
monitor, keyboard, mouse, printer and
speakers.
• Software
➢ Consists of the programs that enable us
to solve problems with a computer by
providing it with lists of instructions to
perform.
Components of a Computer
• Memory
➢Ordered sequence of storage locations
called memory cells.
➢Each memory cell has a unique address
that indicates its relative position in
memory.
➢Data stored in a memory cell are called the
contents of the cell.
➢The ability to store programs as well as data is
called the stored program concepts: A program’s
instructions must be stored in main memory
before they can be executed.
➢A memory cell is a grouping of smaller units
• Central Processing Unit (CPU)
➢Two roles: Coordinating all computer
operations and performing arithmetic and
logical operations on data.
➢To process a program stored in main
memory:
➢ It retrieves each instruction in sequence,
interprets the instruction to determine what
should be done, and then retrieves any data
needed to carry out that instruction.
➢Next, it performs the actual manipulation,
or processing of the data it retrieved.
➢It stores the results in main memory
 Operating System
• The collection of computer programs that control
the interaction of the user and the computer
hardware.
• Some responsibilities
➢Communicating with the computer user: receiving commands
and carrying them out or rejecting them with an error message.
➢ Managing allocation of memory, of processor time, and of
other resources for various tasks.
➢ Collecting input from the keyboard, mouse, and other input
devices, and providing this data to the currently running
program.
➢Conveying program output to the screen, printer, or other
output device.
➢ Accessing data from secondary storage.
➢Writing data to secondary storage.
• Entering, Translating, and Running a HLL Program
• Flow of information during the execution of a
water bill program
 Programs and Algorithms
• Program: A set of explicit and unambiguous
instructions expressed in a programming
language.
• Algorithm
➢Solution to a problem that is independent
of any programming language.
➢Consists of a set of explicit and
unambiguous finite steps which, when
carried out for a given set of initial
conditions, produce the corresponding
output and terminate in a finite time.
➢Example: Find Greatest Common Divisor
(GCD) of two numbers 45 and 54.
Note: GCD is the largest number that divides both
the given numbers.
Step 1: Find the numbers (divisors) which can
divide the given numbers
Divisors of 45 are: 1, 3, 5, 9, 15, and 45
Divisors of 54 are: 1, 2, 3, 6, 9, 18, 27, and 54
Step 2: Then find the largest common number from
these two lists.
Therefore, GCD of 45 and 54 is 9
➢ We need to follow a sequence of steps to
accomplish the task.
➢Algorithm has a definite beginning and a definite
end and consists of a finite number of steps.
➢The programmer first prepares a roadmap of the
program to be written, before writing the code.
➢Characteristics of a good algorithm
▪ Precision: the steps are precisely stated or
defined.
▪ Uniqueness: results of each step are uniquely
defined and only depend on the input and the
result of the preceding steps.
▪ Finiteness: the algorithm always stops after a
finite number of steps.
▪ Input: the algorithm receives some input.
▪ Output: the algorithm produces some output.
➢While writing an algorithm, it is required to clearly
identify the following:
▪ The input to be taken from the user
▪ Processing or computation to be performed to
get the desired result
▪ The output desired by the user
➢ Representation of Algorithms
▪ Flowchart and Pseudocode
• it showcases the logic of the problem solution,
excluding any implementational details
• it clearly reveals the flow of control during
execution of the program
• Flowchart
➢A visual representation of an algorithm
➢Shapes or symbols to draw flow charts:
Start/End: Also called “Terminator” symbol.
It indicates where the flow starts and ends.
Process: Also called “Action Symbol,” it
represents a process, action, or a single step.
Decision: A decision or branching point, usually a
yes/no or true/ false question is asked, and based
on the answer, the path gets split into two
branches.
Input/Output: Also called data symbol, this
parallelogram shape is used to input or output data
Arrow: Connector to show order of flow between
shapes.
• Write an algorithm to find the square of a number
➢Input: Number whose square is required
➢Process: Multiply the number by itself to get its
square
➢ Output: Square of the number

Algorithm to find square of a number.

Step 1: Input a number and store it to num
Step 2: Compute num * num and store it in square
Step 3: Print square
• Flowchart to calculate square of a number
• Pseudocode
➢ It is considered as a non-formal language that
helps programmers to write algorithm.
➢It is a detailed description of instructions that a
computer must follow in a particular order.
➢Frequently used keywords while writing
pseudocode:
• INPUT • COMPUTE • PRINT • INCREMENT • DECREMENT
• IF/ELSE • WHILE • TRUE/FALSE
➢ Pseudocode for the sum of two numbers:
INPUT num1
INPUT num2
COMPUTE Result = num1 + num2
PRINT Result
• C Language Elements in Miles-to-Kilometers Conversion Program
• Libraries
➢Collections of useful functions and symbols
➢Each library has a standard header file whose
name ends with the symbol .h
• Preprocessor directives
➢Commands that give instructions to the C
preprocessor, whose job is to modify the text of a
C program before it is compiled.
➢#include directive gives a program access to a
library
➢#include <stdio.h> directive notifies the preprocessor
that scanf and printf are found in the standard header
file <stdio.h>.
➢#define KMS_PER_MILE 1.609 associates the constant
macro KMS_PER_MILE with the meaning 1.609.
• Comment
➢Starting with /* and ending with */
➢Ignored by the C preprocessor and compiler
• #include directives tell the preprocessor where to
find the meanings of standard identifiers used in
the program
• The header file stdio.h contains information about
standard input and output functions such as scanf
and printf.
• Every C program has a main function. The
remaining lines of the program form the body of
the function which is enclosed in braces {, }
• A function body has two parts: declarations and
executable statements.
• Reserved Words

• User defined identifier

➢Own identifiers to name memory cells that will hold
data and program results and to name operations that
we define
• An identifier must consist only of letters, digits, and
underscores.
• An identifier cannot begin with a digit.
• A C reserved word cannot be used as an identifier.
• An identifier defined in a C standard library should not
be redefined.
• Reserved Words and Identifiers
• Example: Area of Circle (Version 1)
• Example: Area of Circle (Version 2)
 Types Data Types

Basic Data Type int, char, float, double

Derived Data Type array, pointer, structure, union

Enumeration Data Type enum

Void Data Type void

• Placeholders in Format Strings

• printf()
• scanf()

• return()

• Arithmetic operators
• Mathematical Formulas as C Expressions

• Rules for Evaluating Expressions

➢Parentheses rule: All expressions in parentheses must be
evaluated separately. Nested parenthesized expressions
must be evaluated from the inside out, with the innermost
expression evaluated first.
➢ Operator precedence rule: Operators in the same
expression are evaluated in the following order:
unary +, - first
*, /, % next
binary +, - last
➢ Associativity rule: Unary operators in the same
subexpression and at the same precedence level (such as
+ and − ) are evaluated right to left ( right associativity ).
Binary operators in the same subexpression and at the
same precedence level (such as + and − ) are evaluated
left to right ( left associativity ).
➢ Example
z - (a + b / 2) + w * -y
• Evaluation Tree and Evaluation for z − (a + b / 2) + w * −y