WHY PROGRAMMING

IS IMPORTANT?
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Introduction
• The main purpose of computers is to perform complicated
tasks on behalf of humans.

• In order to instruct the computer to perform a task, we need

to learn its language (machine language).

• The machine language is also known as binary language

which consists of 0’s and 1’s (too difficult to learn).

• Programming languages can be used instead (a

compiler/translator is used to convert the programming
language to machine language).
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Users vs Programmers
• Computer users are the ones who deal with the computer
as a set of tools and applications which facilitate their
daily life tasks.

• Computer programmers are the ones who learn

programming languages to utilize the resources of the
computer in order to build and develop applications and
programs that satisfy the users’ needs.
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Users vs Programmers
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What is a program (software)?

• A sequence of stored instructions that performs a certain task.

• This sequence of instructions is determined by a problem solver who

finds a solution for a problem (computing), then implemented by a
programmer (programming). Note that, the problem solver and the
programmer can be the same person.

• “Everybody in this country should learn how to program a computer

because it teaches you how to think.” – Steve Jobs

• Coding isn’t particularly easy to learn, but that’s the reason why it’s so
invaluable.
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Designer vs Programmer vs Developer

• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=88Nfvg38nzs
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Programming with Blocks

• Block-based coding, sometimes known as block based-
programming, is coding within a programming language where
instructions are mainly represented as blocks. Scratch is a block-
based programming language.
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Programming with Blocks

 C++ Programming: Program Design Including Data
Structures, Sixth Edition
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Definitions I
• Algorithm 
• A list of steps that you can follow to finish a task.
• Programming 
• An algorithm that has been converted and coded into instructions
that can be run by a machine. It is mainly the process of
developing and implementing various sets of instructions to enable
a computer to do a certain task.
• Programming Language
• A type of written language that tells computers what to do in order
to do a certain task. Programming languages are used to develop
all the computer programs and computer software.
 C++ Programming: Program Design Including Data
Structures, Sixth Edition
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Definitions II
• Bug
• Part of a program that does not work correctly.
• Debugging 
• Finding and fixing problems in an algorithm or a computer program.
• Frustrated - Feeling annoyed or angry because something is not going
the way you want it.
• Persistence - Trying again and again to fix the problem regarding of how
difficult it is.