Problem-Solving for Programming

• Credit value: 15 credits at Level 4
• Convenor: Ian Hollender
• Assessment: an online quiz (30%) and problem-solving worksheets (70%)

Programming is a three-part activity: problem-solving, algorithm development and coding.

In order to excel at coding, you must first master problem-solving and algorithm development. In this module you will learn to think like a programmer before you begin to work with actual programming languages.

Indicative syllabus

• Introduction: programming, algorithms and pseudo code
• Problem-solving frameworks and strategies: sequence, choice and repitition, control structures
• Data types, variables, logical operators
• Procedural and object-orientated paradigms

By the end of this module, you will be able to:

• understand the relationship between programming, problem solving and algorithms
• use a problem-solving framework and a range of problem-solving strategies to solve programming problems
• deal with elements of sequence, condition and iteration in complex problems
• work with data, data types, logical operators and Boolean algebra
• create algorithmic solutions using both a procedural and an object-orientated approach to problem-solving.