Comp110 Curriculum

Here is the basic breakdown of concepts covered in this class. We know Unit 0 seems long and daunting, and that’s because this class can have a steep learning curve! But these concepts are more straightforward and less complicated than those in the later units, and we will spend ample time on them!

Unit 0 - The basics

• The basics of VS Code and running a Python program
• Objects and Data Types
  • Basic types (int, float, str, bool)
• Commenting and Doc Strings
• Expressions
  • Evaluating Expressions
  • Order of Operations
  • What type expressions evaluate to
• Variables and User Input
  • Syntax for initializing a variable and assigning it a value
  • Syntax for updating a variable’s value
  • Using the input() function to prompt for and receive user input

Unit 1 - Conditionals, Booleans, and Memory Diagrams

• A. Conditionals
  • Syntax of an if block
  • Syntax of an if…else block
• B. Booleans
  • Evaluating Boolean Expressions
  • How not, and, or work
  • Order of Operations
  • Using boolean expressions in a conditional
• C. Memory Diagrams
  • Establishing a stack and an output box
  • Diagramming basic variable assignments and updates
  • Diagramming Conditionals

Unit 2 - While loops + some useful tools

• A. While Loops
  • Syntax of a while loop
  • Idea of indexing
  • While loops in memory diagrams
• B. Counters
  • How to create and use a variable as a counter
• C. Relative Reassignment Operators
  • Functionality of relative reassignment operators
• D. Unicode, Emoji, Escape Sequences, and f-Strings
  • String Escape sequences
  • F-strings: how to write them in code and evaluate them when printed

Unit 3 - Functions

• A. Functions
  • Calling functions
  • Importing functions
  • Returning vs Printing
• B. Function Syntax
  • Syntax for defining a function
  • Syntax for calling a function
  • The similarities and differences of signatures and function calls (including parameters vs. arguments)
  • Calling functions within functions
• C. Function Semantics
  • Memory Diagram representation of function definitions and calls
    • Function frames
    • Function call steps
    • Heap storage
    • Return Address and Values
• D. Scope
  • Applying scope to memory diagrams in terms of function call frames
  • Understanding global and local variables
• E. Importing Modules
  • Knowing basic import syntax: from <package-name> import <module-name> and from <package-name>.<module-name> import <function>
  • Knowing usage of if __name__ == "__main__":

Unit 4: ‘for’ loops, Lists, Dictionaries, and Unit Tests

• A. Lists
  • Basic list syntax and typing
  • Indexing on lists and updating values at an index (subscription notation)
  • len() function
  • methods: .append() and .pop()
• B. Lists in Memory
  • Memory Diagrams with lists
  • Writing functions with lists (both modifying existing lists or creating new lists)
• C. for loops
  • Using for ... in ... syntax in memory diagrams and writing functions
  • Using for ... in range(...) syntax in memory diagrams and writing functions
• D. Dictionaries
  • Basic list syntax and typing
  • Accessing, adding, and modifying values at an index (subscription notation)
  • function: len()
  • method: .pop()
  • using the boolean expression: elem in dictionary
  • Memory Diagrams with dictionaries
  • Using a for loop to iterate through a dictionary’s keys
• E. Unit Tests

Unit 5 - Algorithms and Runtime Analysis

Unit 6 - Recursion

Unit 7 - Object Oriented Programming

• Syntax for defining a Class and its methods
  • Creating a Class
  • Listing attributes and their types
  • Defining a constructor method (__init__)
  • Defining a method within the class
• Syntax for instantiating a Class and calling methods
  • Importing a Class and calling its constructor
  • Calling methods on an object of a defined Class
  • Accessing attributes of an object of a Class (e.g. my_pizza.toppings)
• Classes in Memory
  • Memory diagram for a Class definition and instantiation (Hint: Try making a step-by-step procedure as outlined here.)

Unit 8 - Advanced Object Oriented Programming

• Magic Methods
  • Syntax for defining and calling a magic method
  • Writing a __str__ magic method
  • Diagramming a __str__ magic method
• Operator Overloads
  • Syntax for defining and calling a magic method that overloads operators
  • Writing and Diagramming both __add__ and __mul__ magic methods