2.2 Programming Fundamentals
Grasp essential building blocks of coding—from data types to debugging.
Overview
Programming Fundamentals cover core concepts like variables, data types, control structures, and subroutines. Master these to confidently create, debug, and optimize your programs.
Detailed Content
Program Fundamentals
- Input & Output: Gather data from users/files, output results.
- Operators: Arithmetic (+, -), Comparison (==, !=), and Logical (AND, OR).
- Commenting: Increase code readability and maintainability.
Data Types
- Primitive: Integer, Real/Float, Boolean, Char.
- Composite: String, arrays/lists.
- Casting: Convert between types (e.g., int to float).
Subroutines & Additional Techniques
- Procedures & Functions: Code blocks with optional return values.
- Random Numbers: Use built-in functions to generate pseudo-random data.
- Libraries: Import extra features from external modules.
Control Structures
- Selection: If, Else, Switch statements.
- Loops: For, While, Do-While for repeating tasks.
- Nesting: Combining loops and conditions together.
File Handling
- Opening & Closing: Manage file streams properly.
- Read, Write, Append: Access external data storage.
- Exception Handling: Manage file access errors gracefully.
Debugging & Testing
- Trace Tools: Print statements, breakpoints to monitor variables.
- Test Data: Normal, boundary, erroneous inputs.
- Logging: Record runtime info for error tracking.
Diagram
Figure: Typical flow of input, processing, and output in a program.
Interactive Card Sort
Match the terms to their correct descriptions below!
Exam Questions
Reinforce your knowledge with these sample questions. Click “Show Solution” to see example answers.
Q1: Explain the purpose of casting between data types in a program.
- Casting converts a variable from one data type to another (e.g., int to float) so operations are valid and consistent.
- Prevents type errors, allowing, for example, string manipulation to use numeric values or integer-only arithmetic to use floats properly.
Q2: Why might a procedure be more suitable than a function in some situations?
- Procedures do not return values, making them ideal for tasks like printing, file writes, or updates where no output is needed.
- Separates code that “does” something from code that “computes” something, improving clarity.
Q3: Outline two reasons why debugging can be easier when your code is broken into multiple subroutines.
- Each subroutine can be tested in isolation, so you know which block is failing.
- Changes in one subroutine rarely impact others, reducing the scope of potential errors.