COMS W1004

Introduction to Computer Science and

Programming in Java

Columbia University
Fall 2018
 Lecture 1: Introduction
• Course objectives
• Course information
• Textbooks
• Syllabus
• Assignments and Grading
• Academic Honesty
• Preliminary Definitions
• Linear Search
• Pseudocode
• Reading
 Course Objectives
• Java programming Skills

• Knowledge of the fundamental concepts in

computer science

• Algorithmic problem solving capabilities

Course Information
 Preliminary Definitions
Algorithm:
Dictionary Definition: A procedure for solving a mathematical
problem in a finite number of steps that frequently involves
repetition of an operation; broadly: a step-by-step method of
accomplishing some task.
 Preliminary Definitions
Algorithm:
Textbook Definition: A well-ordered collection of
unambiguous and effectively computable operations
that when executed produces a result and halts in a finite
amount of time.
 Preliminary Definitions
Computer Science
Textbook Definition: The study of algorithms including

• Their formal and mathematical properties

• Their hardware realizations
• Their linguistic realizations
• Their applications
 Your first Algorithm
Linear Search: (also called sequential search)

Algorithm to determine whether a given name x appears

on a list.

Input: A list of n ≥1 names A[1], A[2], ... , A[n],

and a given name x.

Output. The message "Sorry, x is not on the list" if x is not

on the list.
Otherwise, the message: "x occurs at position i on the list."
 Pseudocode
• A programming language is a notation for specifying
instructions that a computer can execute
• Every (programming) language has a syntax and a semantics
– Syntax specifies how something is said (grammar)
– Semantics specifies what it means
• Pseudocode is an informal programming language with
English-like constructs modeled to look like statements in a
Java-like language
• Anyone able to program in any computer language should
understand how to read pseudocode instructions.
• When in doubt just write it out in English.
 Your first Algorithm
Here are the instructions for linear search written in
pseudocode:
found = "no";
i=1;
while (found == "no" and i <= n)
{
if (A[i] == x)
{ found = "yes";
location = i;
}
i++;
}
if (found == "no")
{
print ("Sorry, " + x + " is not on the list");
}
else
{ print (x + " occurs at position " + location +
" on the list");
}
 Reading
Chapters 1 and 2 in Schneider and Gersting