Lecture 1:

Introduction

Sandeep Gurung
Sandeep.gurung@icp.edu.np

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Agenda
• Learning and teaching strategies
• Assignment details and other administrative stuffs
• Introduction to Computing

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Teaching Strategy
• Lecture
▪ Cover theoretical aspects and key topics identified in the syllabus
• Tutorial
▪ Discuss topics introduced in the lecture via discussions, informal
presentations and tests
• Lab
▪ Practice hands-on experience on appropriate software in the lab

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Administrative
• Please be on time for your classes, lateness will not be
entertained !!
• Attendance will be taken on a daily basis
• Class assignments must be submitted on time
• Mobile phones should be kept on silent and order should
be maintained during class hours
• Note that your attendance and class performance will
affect your final grade

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Assessments
• This module is assessed by coursework and examination.
Assessments
• Python– Individual coursework
weighing 60% due on week 12
• Examination – MCQ weighing 40% on
week 14

• VIVA session will be held after each submission where class

performance will also be taken into account
• LondonMet has collaboration policies, so plagiarism cases will be dealt
very seriously
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 Introduction to
Computing

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What is Computing?
• A computer is an electronic programmable machine
• A computer is very good at executing a preordered set of
instructions with high speed and precision
• Computing is the process of utilizing computer technology to solve
problems and complete tasks

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Terms and Terminology
Business Computing Level
• Problem: Situation which prevents achieving our goals
• Solution: New situation which satisfies our goals
• Model: Informal (NL), graphic (UML) or formal (math) description
of the transformation of a problem into a solution

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Terms and Terminology
Information Technology Level
• Data: Information used by a model in machine format
• Algorithm: A set of steps defining how to find the solution
• Program: A representation of an algorithm in machine form

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Terms and Terminology
Information System Level
• Hardware: Equipment + Connectivity
• Software: Tools + Applications
• System: Infrastructure + People

An information system is a group of components that interact to

produce information.

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The history of computing
• Early data storage
• Early computing devices
• Early programming languages

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Early data storage
• Mechanical (gears, positions)
• Punched cards (rows and lines)
▪ First used in Jacquard Loom (1801) to store patterns for weaving cloth
▪ Storage of programs in Babbage’s Analytical Engine
▪ Popular through the 1970’s
• Perforated disks and tapes
• Magnetic disks and tapes

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Early data storage

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Early computing devices
Basic Mechanical • based on mechanical movement
• based on Gear-based machines: positions of gears
Mechanical
represent numbers
Electro
• Constructed from switches and relays
mechanical
• 1st generation computers Based on vacuum tubes
• 2nd generation – Based on transistors, operated on high
level programming languages 1956-1963.
Electronic • 3rd generation – Based on integrated circuits
that allowed to place miniaturized transistors on silicon
chips 1964
• 4th generation Based on microprocessors, 1971

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Computing devices through the years

In electronics, Moore's Law predicted that the number of transistors on an integrated

circuit doubles every 2 years. This enables processors to be built in smaller sizes.
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History of programming languages
Two important
Early Programming New Programming
contemporary
Languages Paradigms
languages
• Fortran (IBM, John • Simula-67 • Java (Sun
Backus, 1957) (Norwegian Microsystems,
• Lisp (MIT, John Computing Centre, James Gosling,
McCarthy, 1958) Dahl & Nygaard, 1991)
• Algol (ETH Zurich, 1967) • Python (CWI
Peter Naur, 1960) • Prolog (Marseilles, Amsterdam, Guido
Colmerauer, 1972) van Rossum, 1989)

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Computer Science is not the study of computers!
• “Computers are to computer science what telescopes are to astronomy.”
– E. Dijkstra
• So what is Computer Science then?

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The recurrent themes in computer science
• Computing technology effects:
▪ Governments, economics, scientific research, role of data,
communication, …
• Seven “Big Ideas” that unite the study of computing into a
scientific discipline:
▪ Algorithms,
▪ Data,
▪ Abstraction,
▪ Programming,
▪ Networking,
▪ Creativity and Impact

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Algorithms
• A set of steps defining how to find the solution to a problem
• A set of steps defining how to complete a particular task
• An algorithm is basically a plan to write a program
• eg: an algorithm to add 2 numbers
• Algorithms are written in steps, and can be further described using
flowcharts and pseudocode

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Data
• Raw facts or figures that exist in a variety of forms, e.g. numbers or
text on a piece of paper or bits and bytes stored in computer (0s
and 1s)
• Computers can represent and store any information in digital
format
• Algorithms are used to process and transform data
• They utilize massive storage capacities and processing power of
computers

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Data & Information
• Useful information is generated
from data after processing it
• There are massive amounts of
data being generated everyday
• That data needs to be processed
in order to extract useful
information

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Abstraction
• Abstraction: The distinction between the external appearance of an
entity and the details of the entity’s internal composition.
• Interface: A tool that allows the entity to be used without concern for
its internal properties.
• For example, you want to send an email to your friend that lives
abroad. How do you do it?
• You open your email account and then type your email. Your friend also
needs to open his email account and then read it.
• But do you know the processes involved? No. Because both you and
your friend only see the outer interface. This is called abstraction.

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Programming
• Programming is broadly referred to as:
▪ Translating human intentions into executable algorithms
▪ Abstractions in a programming language allows humans to reason
and encode solutions to complex problems without knowing the
details of the actual solution

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Networking
• Profound impact in the way information is:
▪ Stored
▪ Retrieved
▪ Shared
▪ Used

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Creativity
• Computer science is inherently creative
▪ Discovering and applying algorithms to solve problems is an essential human
activity
▪ Basically making computers do our work to make our lives easier,
eg: self-driving cars
▪ Extends the forms of expression in many ways – i.e., digital art/media,
collaborative working through online platforms, etc

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Impact
• Business and Technology
• Social, ethical, legal impacts including:
▪ Security concerns and cybercrime
▪ Issues of software ownership and liabilities
▪ Social impact of database technology
▪ Consequences of robotics, Artificial Intelligence (AI) in general
• Health impact:
▪ Addiction, Neurosis and Emotional life
▪ Sighting and Hearing

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Role of Algorithms
• The study of algorithms was originally a subject in mathematics (numerical
calculations, geometric drawings, alphabetical sorting, coding, encryption,
etc.)
Examples of early algorithms used in mathematics
▪ Euclidean Algorithm
• The algorithms became the basis for problem solving in business (modeling)
and technology (computer programming)
• Gödel's Incompleteness Theorem: Some problems cannot be solved by
algorithms (they need an intuition, guess, chance…)

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Gödel's Incompleteness Theorem
• Using algorithms, we can prove
things like 2+2=4 and 2+2≠5.
But can an algorithm also prove
things like 2+2=5?
• There are other examples as
well. Like earthquakes. We
cannot predict if we will have an
earthquake tomorrow can we?

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The Euclidean algorithm
• An algorithm to find the
greatest common divisor
of two numbers

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The Euclidean algorithm
Lets take two numbers: 12 and 9.
12 = 1,2,3,4,6,12
9 = 1,3,9
M = 12 and N = 9 then R = 3
Again,
M = 9 and N = 3 then R = 0.
Thus, Greatest Common
Divisor is 3.

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 End of Lecture 1

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 Thank you !
Any questions ?

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