Introduction to Programming in Python

The objective of this course is to provide an elementary introduction to the basic concepts and techniques of computer programming, via the Python programming language.

Through a series of simple examples and exercises we will become acquainted with the core syntax and semantics of Python and gain experience in formulating algorithms as Python code.

1. Basics of interacting with Unix/Linux systems
2. Purpose and means of computer programming
3. Programming languages, and Python in particular; why Python?
4. Constants and variables; literals and data types
5. Expressions and statements
   • arithmetic and logic
   • operating on string values
6. Functions and conditionals
7. Sequence data types and iteration
8. Collection data types
9. Input and output, handling files
10. Python tools for numerical calculations - NumPy
11. Elements of data visualization with Matplotlib
12. A glimpse of advanced topics (optional):
    • exception handling
    • object oriented programming
    • using generators and coroutines

The official Python tutorial

Upon successfully completing the course, the student should have a high-level understanding of how computers operate, be aware of the basic concepts of programming, know his/her way around a Linux system at an advanced user level, be familiar with the core syntax and semantics of the Python programming language, and be able to render simple calculational and data processing algorithms into Python code. He/she should therefore be equipped for further study of computational methods in physics.

The grading will be based in 50% on in-class performance, assessed by regular individual completion of simple tasks related to the current topics, and in 50% on completion of an in-class test assignment which will summarize the course material.