Unit 1: Introduction to Computer Programs
Computer program and Programming Languages
Computer program is a set of instructions that, when executed, causes
the computer to behave in a predetermined manner. Without
programs, computers are useless and can do nothing. Computers
cannot understand human natural languages like English or Nepali. To
instruct a computer to perform a certain job, we need languages which
can be understood by the computer. The languages which are used to
instruct the computer to do certain jobs are called computer
programming languages.
Types or Levels of Programming Languages
There are two types of programming languages, which can be
categorized into the following ways:
1. Low level language
● Machine language (1GL)
● Assembly language (2GL)
2. High level language
● Procedural-Oriented language (3GL)
● Problem-Oriented language (4GL)
● Natural language (5GL)
Low Level Language:
This language is the most understandable language used by computers
to perform its operations. It can be further categorized into:
a) Machine Language (1GL)
Machine language consists of strings of binary numbers (i.e. 0s and 1s)
and it is the only one language, the computer directly understands.
Machine language has a merit of very fast execution speed and efficient
use of primary memory.
Example:
To add two numbers 3 and 6 in machine language program may be like:
11 10111001 110
3 Machine code for addition(say) 6
Merits:
● It is directly understood by the computer so has faster execution
time since the programs written in this language need not be
translated.
● It doesn’t need a larger memory.
Demerits:
● It is very difficult to program using 1GL since all the instructions
are to be represented by 0s and 1s.
● Use of this language makes programming time consuming.
● It is difficult to find errors and to debug.
● It can be used by experts only.
b) Assembly Language
Assembly language is also known as low-level language because to
design a program programmer requires detailed knowledge of
hardware specification. This language uses mnemonics code (symbolic
operation code like ‘ADD’ for addition) in place of 0s and 1s. The
program is converted into machine code by the assembler.
Example:
To add two numbers 3 and 6 in machine language program may be like:
11 ADD 110
Some of the commonly used mnemonics are:
CODE Meaning
ADD Addition
SUB Subtraction
INR Increase
DCR Decrease
CMP Compare
Merits:
● It makes programming easier than 1GL since it uses mnemonics
code for programming. Eg: ADD for addition, SUB for subtraction,
DIV for division, etc.
● It makes the programming process faster.
● Error can be identified much more easily compared to 1GL.
● It is easier to debug than machine language.
Demerits:
● Programs written in this language are not directly understandable
by computer so translators should be used.
● It is a hardware dependent language so programmers are forced
to think in terms of the computer's architecture rather than to the
problem being solved.
High level language
Instructions of this language closely resemble human language or
English like words. It uses mathematical notations to perform the task.
The high level language is easier to learn. It requires less time to write
and is easier to maintain the errors. The high level language is
converted into machine language by one of the two different languages
translator programs; interpreter or compiler.
High level language can be further categorized as:
a) Procedural-Oriented language (3GL)
Procedural Programming is a methodology for modeling the problem
being solved, by determining the steps and the order of those steps
that must be followed in order to reach a desired outcome or specific
program state. These languages are designed to express the logic and
the procedure of a problem to be solved.
It includes languages such as Pascal, COBOL, FORTAN, C, C++, Java, Visual Basic
and JavaScript etc.
b) Problem-Oriented language (4GL)
It allows the users to specify what the output should be, without
describing all the details of how the data should be manipulated to
produce the result. This is one step ahead from 3GL. These are result
oriented and include database query language.
Eg: Visual Basic, C#, PHP, Perl, Python, Ruby, SQL,
MatLab(MatrixLaboratory) etc.
c) Natural language (5GL)
The fifth generation languages have been designed to develop
machines that behave like humans. These machines respond to input
provided in a natural language such as English. The machines are still in
the development stage. If developed, these machines would be capable
of learning and self-organization. Therefore, the machines are also
called artificially intelligent machines. Artificial Intelligence is a branch
of computer science concerned with making computers behave like
humans.
Examples of fifth generation computing devices are: Game playing
computers, voice recognition devices, intelligent robots that
autonomously accomplish a given job based on the surroundings.
Examples of 5GL are: LISP and Prolog.
Problem Solving Approaches
A computer is a very powerful and versatile machine capable of
performing a multitude of different tasks, yet it has no intelligence or
thinking power. The intelligence Quotient (I.Q) of a computer is zero. A
computer performs many tasks exactly in the same manner as it is told
to do. This places responsibility on the user to instruct the computer in
a correct and precise manner, so that the machine is able to perform
the required job in a proper way. A wrong or ambiguous instruction
may sometimes prove disastrous. Therefore computers need to be
instructed correctly and for that the user must have a clear
understanding of the problem to be solved.
Problem solving technique (Procedure for solving problem):
In order to solve a problem by the computer, one has to pass through
certain stages or steps. They are
1. Understanding the problem
2. Analyzing the problem
3. Developing the solution
4. Coding and implementation.
1. Understanding the problem:
Here we try to understand the problem to be solved in total. Before
with the next stage or step, we should be absolutely sure about the
objectives of the given problem.
2. Analyzing the problem:
After understanding thoroughly the problem to be solved, we look at
different ways of solving the problem and evaluate each of these
methods. The idea here is to search for an appropriate solution to the
problem under consideration.
3. Developing the solution:
Here an overview of the sequence of operations that was the result of
the analysis stage is expanded to form a detailed step by step solution
to the problem under consideration.
4. Coding and implementation:
The last stage of the problem solving is the conversion of the detailed
sequence of operations into a language that the computer can
understand. Here each step is converted to its equivalent instruction or
instructions in the computer language that has been chosen for the
implementation.
Algorithm:
Algorithms can be defined as the sequence of precise instructions that
leads to a solution. It may be possible to solve the problem in more
than one way, resulting in more than one algorithm. The choice of
various algorithms depends on the factors like reliability, accuracy and
easy to modify. The most important factor in the choice of algorithm is
the time requirement to execute it.
Steps involved in algorithm development:
Step 1: Identification of input
The input for the problem to be solved needs to be
identified at first.
Step 2: Identification of output
The expected output of the problem is identified.
Step 3: Identification of processing operations
All the calculations to be performed in order to lead to
output from the input is identified.
Step 4: Processing definiteness
It should be ensured that the algorithm is clear and doesn’t
possess any ambiguity.
Step 5: Processing finiteness
It should be ensured that the program terminates after
certain steps and the terminating condition should be
specified.
Step 6: Processing effectiveness
It should be ensured that the instructions in the algorithm
are practicable and can be carried out easily.
Algorithm should posses following properties:
1. Finiteness:
An algorithm must terminate in a finite number of steps.
2. Definiteness:
Each step of the algorithm must be precisely and unambiguously
stated.
3. Effectiveness:
Each step must be effective, in the sense that it should be primitive
easily convertible into program statement) and can be performed
exactly in a finite amount of time.
4. Generality:
The algorithm must be complete in itself so that it can be used to solve
problems of a specific type for any input data.
5. Input/output:
Each algorithm should take one or more input and produce relevant
output. An algorithm can be written in English like sentences or in any
standard representation. Sometimes, algorithms written in English like
languages are called Pseudo Code .
Example:
Suppose we want to find the average of three numbers, the algorithm
is as follows:
Step 1: Start
Step 2:Read the numbers a, b, c .
Step 3 :Compute the sum of a, b and c.
Step 4 :Divide the sum by 3 .
Step 5 :Store the result in variable d.
Step 6: Print the value of d .
Step 7: End
Example 2: Algorithm to check prime number.
Step 1: Start
Step 2:Read integer variable A from user.
Step 3: Divide the variable A with (A-1 to 2)
Step 4: If A is divisible by any value (A-1 to 2) it is not prime
Step 5:Else it is prime.
Step 6:End
Example 3: Algorithm to find the greatest among 3 numbers
Step 1:Start
Step 2:Read three numbers A,B & C
Step 3:If A>B,then go to step 6
Step 4:If B>C,then print B & go to step 8
Step 5:print C is greatest & go to step 8
Step 6:If A>C,then print A is greatest & go to step 8
Step 7:Print C is greatest
Step 8:End
Flow Chart:
A flow chart is a step by step diagrammatic representation of the logic
paths to solve a given problem. Or A flowchart is a visual or graphical
representation of an algorithm.
Advantages of Flowcharts
1. The flowchart shows the logic of a problem displayed in pictorial
fashion which facilitates easier checking of an algorithm.
2. The Flowchart is a good means of communication to other users. It is
also a compact means of recording an algorithm solution to a problem.
3. The flowchart allows the problem solver to break the problem into
parts. These parts can be connected to make a master chart.
4. The flowchart is a permanent record of the solution which can be
consulted at a later time.
Flow Chart Symbols
Fig: Flow Chart Symbols
Example: Check whether the number is even or odd.
Example:
Flowchart to find the largest among three numbers
Compiler vs Interpreter
A high level source program must be translated first into a form that
machines can understand. This is done by software called a compiler or
interpreter.
The compiler takes the source code as input and produces the machine
language code (Object code) for the machine on which it is to be
executed as output. An interpreter, like a compiler is also a translator
which translates a high level language into machine level language line
by line.
The basic difference between compiler and interpreter are as follows:
Compiler Interpreter
Compiler scans the entire Interpreter translates and
program before translating it into executes the program line by line.
machine code.
Syntax errors are found only after Syntax error can be trapped after
the compilation of the complete translation of every line.
program.
It takes less execution time. It takes more execution time.
Memory requirement is more. Memory requirement is less.
Intermediate code is generated. Intermediate code is not
generated.
Example: C, C++,Java, FORTRAN Example: QBASIC , PERL, PHP, ASP
etc. etc.
