Introduction to Python Programming

CSCI 1012

Prof. Joe Goldfrank

Why Are We Here?

Software is [still] Eating the World

(Marc Andreesen, 2011)

In 2025, software dominates:

  • Communication
  • Finance
  • Commerce
  • Industrial Automation
  • Scientific Research
  • Warfare

The Algorithm

  • Named after Muhammad ibn Musa al-Khwarizmi
  • Set of logical instructions and rules used to perform computation
    • Takes an input
    • Returns an output
  • You probably let one tell you what videos to watch
  • You might let one suggest what you write in messages to other people

Artificial Intelligence

(You won’t use AI tools in CSCI 1012.)

What You Will Learn This Semester

  • How to program in Python:
    • How computers work “under the hood”
    • How computers are used to solve problems
  • How to solve problems with programming
    • What kinds of problems can be solved

Prerequisites: None!

Something About Us

Prof: Joe Goldfrank

PhD, Stanford University, 2022

You

Majors:

  • Economics
  • Data Science
  • Public Health
  • International Business
  • Systems Engineering
  • International Affairs
  • Civil Engineering
  • Neuroscience
  • Interaction Design
  • Physics
  • Political Science
  • Finance

Course Mechanics

How To Succeed

  • Pay Attention
  • Start Early
  • Do The Work
    • Yourself


  • Care

Course Website

Week-to-Week

  • Lectures: M 3:45-5:00 PM

  • Labs: W or F 3:45-5:00 PM

    • Guided practice problems
    • Homework help
    • Quiz

  • Two Midterm Exams (in lecture)

    • Open note

  • Final Exam (optional)

Grading

Each Unit:

  • Homework: 20%
  • Quizzes: 20%
  • Unit Exam: 60%

Participation:

  • 3% bonus

Grading

Unit 2 counts triple if it is higher than Unit 1

if unit2 > unit1:
  average = (unit2 * 0.75) + (unit1 * 0.25) + (participation * 0.03)
else:
  average = (unit2 * 0.5) + (unit1 * 0.5) + (participation * 0.03)

Final Exam:

  • Max grade 70%
  • Optional
  • Can only improve your grade

Attendance

Lecture:

  • Optional
  • Recommended
  • Assumed
  • Participation bonus:
    • In-class exercises
    • Only open during lecture

Attendance

Lab:

  • Quizzes

Drops:

  • One quiz per unit
  • One homework per unit
  • Grade replaced by next quiz/homework
    • Can’t drop last homework of the unit

Websites

Course Website | Grading Server | Ed Discussion Board

  • We don’t use Blackboard. You must make accounts on the grading server and Ed.
  • Use your @gwu.edu email address to register:
    • klara.dan@gwu.edu 👍
    • klara.dan@gwmail.gwu.edu 👎
    • g123456789@gwu.edu 👎

The Syllabus

  • Please read it!
  • All course policies applied evenly
    • I won’t deviate from the syllabus
  • Quiz 1 includes an acknowledgement
    • Write it yourself

Write It Yourself

  • Copying code (from anywhere!) is generally prohibited on homework problems

  • You can always use code provided by course

  • Document any help you receive when solving the homework problems

  • Do not use ChatGPT or anything similar.

    • Ever

  • Quizzes and exams based on your homework solutions.

Write It Yourself

  • Students who copy code in CSCI 1012:
    • Don’t learn the material 😔
    • Fail or withdraw 😔
    • Get caught 😔
      • Failure of assignment and full letter grade reduction
  • Hard to catch up after falling behind

What Even Is The Purpose Of Homework?

  • Practice
    • The only way to learn is to do
  • Feedback
    • How we gauge your understanding
  • Assessment
    • Your degree means something

AI is a Trap

  • Illusion of accomplishment
    • The autograder will give you a 100
    • We won’t hand-review your code until later
  • Illusion of understanding
    • Never see error messages
    • Never struggle
    • Chatbots say nice things about you

AI is a Trap

  • Illusion of success
    • Your homework is “done”
  • “Study guides” 👎
  • “Practice” 👎
  • “Explanations” 👎

You will fall behind and it will be very hard to continue.

Office Hours

  • Periodically throughout week
  • One-on-one/small group help from TAs and profs
  • Typically in SEH 4th Floor
  • Office hours are the best way to get help
    • Better than tutoring
    • Free!

Ed Discussion Board

  • Best place to ask general questions
  • Responses usually within 24h
  • Public posts: most questions
  • Private posts: your code
  • Posts can be anonymous
    • Only anonymous to other students

Contact Info

  • Prof. email: joe.goldfrank@gwu.edu

    • Logistic issues you might not want to share with TAs

  • Please never email TAs directly

  • Please do not use ChatGPT (etc.) to write notes to us

    • Usually makes the note longer than necessary
    • The message will not find us well
    • Hard to find your actual message 😔

  • Polite and concise is good 😌

Grading

  • Autograder
    • Multiple attempts!
    • Submit early and often
    • “Extra” attempt with TA
  • Homework grace days
  • Quizzes and Exams
    • “More points than you need”

Strategies for Success (TLDR)

  • Restate the problem in plain English
  • Break it down into sub-problems
  • Run your code frequently
    • Fix things that don’t work
  • Get stuck!
    • … and then ask for help
  • Understand how it works

Strategies for Success

Write code.

  • You will spend most of your time inside and outside of this class coming up with solutions to sample problems
    • Creativity and practice are necessary
    • Failure along the way is normal, and expected

Strategies for Success

Write code…

  • There are no notes, YouTube videos, or slides that can actually teach you how to code.
    • These things typically focus on syntax, not design
    • You can only learn how to code by creating and debugging code

Strategies for Success

Write code!

  • You will need help (from a TA/instructor/Ed) when you get stuck
    • We won’t give full solutions
    • This class is not about memorization
    • “What did you try?”

Strategies for Success

Write code!!!

  • Showing up to lecture, watching videos, or reading a textbook is not enough to do well in this class
  • You MUST plan to spend time working on solving problems
    • Don’t fall behind.

How Is This Class Different?

Your commitment to the course:

  • Time
  • Objectivity & Standards
    • No late work accepted
      • Except for grace days
    • There is no partial credit for wrong answers
      • …but there’s also no ambiguity.

How Is This Class Different?

Our commitment to you:

  • Lots of extra help available
    • We offer it because most students need it
  • We understand you will make mistakes
    • We teach you how to learn from them
  • Solve the problems yourself \(\rightarrow\) good end-of-semester grade

AMA

Python

What Is A Computer?

  • A device that performs computation
  • Early (digital) computers: sophisticated calculators
    • They got faster
    • We attached them to displays
    • We attached them to each other
    • We gave them touch screens
  • Inside the box: math engines

What Is Computation?

  • Very Basic:
    • Input
    • Math
    • Output

\(y = x + 1\)

What Is Computation?

  • More advanced:
    • Input
    • Repetition
    • Math
    • Output

\(y = \sum_{i=1}^5 i = 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 5\)

What Is Computation?

  • More advanced:
    • Input
    • Repetition
    • Math
    • Conditions
    • Output

\[ y = \begin{cases} x + 1, & \text{if $x$ is positive}\\ x - 1, & \text{if $x$ is negative}\\ x, & \text{if $x$ is 0}\\ \end{cases} \]

Programming Language

  • Specifies computation for the computer
  • As complicated as we need
  • Code can be reused
  • Very “low level”
    • Works with numbers and text
    • Output is ‘printed’ text

Python

print("Hello world.")
Hello world.



x = 1 + 2
print(x)
3

Instructions

  • Python is the language
  • We write instructions
  • Running code: the computer follows the instructions
    • Result: output
  • Code runs line by line, in order

Python

Code runs line by line, in order:

x = 1
print(x)
x = x + 2
print(x)
y = x + 3
print(y)
1
3
6

Python

Code runs line by line, in order:

x = 1
print(x)
x = x + 2
print(x)
y = x + 3
print(y)

Python

Code runs line by line, in order:

x = 1
print(x)
x = x + 2
print(x)
y = x + 3
print(y)
1

Python

Code runs line by line, in order:

x = 1
print(x)
x = x + 2
print(x)
y = x + 3
print(y)
1
3

Python

Code runs line by line, in order:

x = 1
print(x)
x = x + 2
print(x)
y = x + 3
print(y)
1
3
6

Tools

  • Editor
  • Interpreter
  • Visualizer


Visualizer Links!

This Week in Lab

  • Install editor
    • Get a basic program running
  • Make accounts:
    • Submit server
    • Ed discussion board
  • Quiz
    • Syllabus acknowledgement
    • Open book (all future quizzes closed book)

Next Week

Reading: Think Python Chapters 1 and 2

  • Readings are short
  • Do them with your computer open
  • Write code
  • Try things out!

Homework 1 due Sunday 31 Aug, 11:55 PM
1 Sep is a holiday - recorded lecture