Think Python: How to Think Like a Computer Scientist

Front Cover
"O'Reilly Media, Inc.", Dec 2, 2015 - Computers - 292 pages

If you want to learn how to program, working with Python is an excellent way to start. This hands-on guide takes you through the language a step at a time, beginning with basic programming concepts before moving on to functions, recursion, data structures, and object-oriented design. This second edition and its supporting code have been updated for Python 3.

Through exercises in each chapter, you’ll try out programming concepts as you learn them. Think Python is ideal for students at the high school or college level, as well as self-learners, home-schooled students, and professionals who need to learn programming basics. Beginners just getting their feet wet will learn how to start with Python in a browser.

  • Start with the basics, including language syntax and semantics
  • Get a clear definition of each programming concept
  • Learn about values, variables, statements, functions, and data structures in a logical progression
  • Discover how to work with files and databases
  • Understand objects, methods, and object-oriented programming
  • Use debugging techniques to fix syntax, runtime, and semantic errors
  • Explore interface design, data structures, and GUI-based programs through case studies
 

Contents

Section 1
Section 2
Section 3
Section 4
Section 5
Section 6
Section 7
Section 8
Section 11
Section 12
Section 13
Section 14
Section 15
Section 16
Section 17
Section 18

Section 9
Section 10
Section 19
Section 20

Other editions - View all

Think Python: How to Think Like a Computer Scientist
Allen Downey
Limited preview - 2015
Think Python: How to Think Like a Computer Scientist
Allen B. Downey
No preview available - 2015

Common terms and phrases

Analysis of Algorithms attributes built­in function cards Chapter character class diagram conditional statement copy create data structure database Debugging Deck Dictionaries and Tuples docstring elements error message example False fibonacci Filenames and Paths floating­point flow of execution Formal languages Fruitful Functions function called function definition function named Global Variables Glossary Hashtables Here’s histogram implementation infinite recursion init method input integer interface iteration keyword letter List Comprehensions List Methods Lists Are Mutable loop maps memoize modify module Natural Languages object Object diagram object­oriented Operator Overloading order of growth output parameter print statements problem Programmer­Defined Types Python provides Reading Word Lists Rectangle result return statement return True return value Reverse Lookup run the program runtime script sequence slice solution Stack Diagrams string method Syntax Errors takes Tuples Are Immutable turtle update variable name Variable­Length Argument Tuples Write a function

About the author (2015)

Allen Downey is a Professor of Computer Science at Olin College of Engineering. He has taught at Wellesley College, Colby College and U.C. Berkeley. He has a Ph.D. in Computer Science from U.C. Berkeley and Master's and Bachelor's degrees from MIT.

Bibliographic information

QR code for Think Python
TitleThink Python: How to Think Like a Computer Scientist
AuthorAllen B. Downey
Edition2
Publisher"O'Reilly Media, Inc.", 2015
ISBN1491939419, 9781491939413
Length292 pages
Subjects ›  › 

Computers / Computer Literacy
Computers / Computer Science
Computers / Languages / General
Computers / Languages / Python
Computers / Languages / UML
Computers / Programming / Open Source
  
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