Introduction to Programming (Python)
A beginner-friendly introduction to coding using Python 3. Learn how to think computationally, write scripts to solve everyday problems, and build a strong foundation in procedural programming without getting bogged down in complex jargon.
Your First Python Program and Variables Understand the basic concept of a computer program. Use the print() function to display text on the screen. Create variables to store simple data like strings and integers. Working with Numbers and User Input Perform basic arithmetic operations (+, -, *, /) in Python. Collect text from a user using the input() function. Convert data types, such as turning text input into a number. Conditional Statements (If/Else) Evaluate True/False boolean expressions. Use if, elif, and else statements to execute different code based on conditions. Predict the path a program will take given specific variable values. Debugging and Problem Solving Differentiate between syntax errors and logic errors. Identify the cause of common Python error messages. Apply a step-by-step computational thinking approach to fix broken code. While Loops Explain the concept of loop iteration. Write while loops to repeat actions until a specific condition is met. Identify and prevent infinite loops. Lists and For Loops Create lists to store multiple items in a single variable. Use for loops to iterate through each item in a list. Trace the value of a loop variable during each iteration. Dictionaries Store data in key-value pairs using Python dictionaries. Retrieve and update values using their corresponding keys. Compare when to use a list versus when to use a dictionary. Writing Reusable Functions Group blocks of code into named, reusable functions. Pass information into functions using arguments. Return calculated results from a function back to the main program.