Faculty of Information Technology
Course Name:
Information Technology Fundamentals
Chapter 3
Programming Fundamentals
Prepared by:
Dr. Adel Hamdan
Dr. Ahmad Alfraihat
Dr. Moath Altarawneh
Planning Your Solution
• Communication with the Computer
• Organizing the problem
– Flowchart
– Internal and external documentation.
• Using the tools
• Testing the solution
• Coding the solution
2
Communication with the Computer
• Syntax refers to the rules governing the
computer operating system, the language,
and the application.
• An error is called a bug.
3
Organizing the problem
• Flow Chart: Graphic Presentation of the
problem.
4
Algorithms - Definition
• Set of instructions used to complete a task.
• Can be represented as:
– Pseudocode – list of steps, it is an English-like
description to express the solution of a given problem.
– Flowchart – graphical representation to express the
solution of a given problem.
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What is pseudocode
• Pseudocode, like step-form, is a written way of stating algorithms
but uses a much more restricted vocabulary. It is very much like a
3GL and for many programmers and program designers is the
preferred way to state algorithms and program specifications.
• Although there is no standard for pseudocode it is generally quite
easy to read and use, for instance here is some pseudocode:
– DOWHILE kettle_empty
Add_Water_To_Kettle
END DOWHILE
• As you can see it is a precise statement of a while loop.
• Pseudocode is a written statement of an algorithm using a restricted
and well-defined vocabulary. In the next section you look at the
vocabulary in detail.
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Control Structures
• Bohm & Jacopini showed that all programs
could be written in terms of 3 structures:
– Sequence – which instruction should be done next?
– Selection (Branched) – select between options.
– Repetition (Loop) – repeat an action while a given
condition stays true.
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Flowchart Symbols
• Flow Line
• Start/Stop
• Input/Output
Calculation
• Processing/
Branch Test
• Decision /
8
…Flowchart Symbols
Processing I/O
Decision
Start/End Flow of logic Connector
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Example:
Example Algorithm and
Flowchart to enter and print two
variables
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Internal and External
Documentation
• Internal Documentation:
– Remarks written with the instruction.
• External Documentation:
– Manuals.
11
Testing the solution
• Testing is the process of executing a program with
the deliberate intent of finding errors.
• Some programmers use the terms “testing” and
“debugging” interchangeably, but careful
programmers distinguish between the two activities.
• Testing is a means of detecting errors. Debugging is
a means of diagnosing and correcting their root
causes
12
Coding
• Writing the program is called Coding.
• The logic that has been developed in the algorithm is
used to actually write the program.
• Using any programming language, the algorithm can
be converted to code (program).
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Compiling and Running the
program
• Compiling is a process in which the source program
instructions are translated into a form that is
suitable for execution by the computer (object code).
• The compiler does the translation after examining
each instruction for its correctness. The translation
results in the creation of object code.
• After compilation, the program can be executed.
executed
During execution (Running), the executable object
code is loaded into the computer memory and the
program instructions are executed.
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…Example 1
• Sketch a simple flowchart that will find
the sum of two numbers and their
difference.
difference
15
Example 1 answer
You can use read
or input instead of
get
and use write or
print instead of
display
16
…Example 2
• Draw a flowchart and write the steps to
compute the area of a rectangle.
17
Example 2 answer
18
…Example 3
• Draw a flowchart and write the steps to
print “Pass” if the average of 4 numbers is
greater than or equal to 50 or print “Fail”
otherwise.
19
Example 3 answer
20
…Example 4
• Draw a flowchart to find the maximum
number of two numbers.
21
Example 4 answer
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