Course description
This course offers a detailed exploration of algorithmic principles and data structures, which are fundamental to computer science and crucial for any future software engineer or computer scientist. Participants will delve into the design, analysis, and implementation of algorithms, learning how to develop efficient solutions to complex computational problems.
Course objectives
At the end of the course, the students are able to:
- Understand the basic structure and components of a computer system, as well as the role of software and algorithms in computer systems.
- Define the concept of an algorithm, explain its essential characteristics, and discuss the properties of a well-designed algorithm.
- Explain the concept of conditional statements (if-else, switch-case), use them to make decisions in algorithms, and interpret Boolean expressions and logical operators.
- Describe the different types of loop structures (while, do-while, for), implement algorithms using iterative constructs, and analyze the role of loop control variables and termination conditions.
- Define the concept of an array, declare, initialize, and manipulate array elements.
The course is divided into five chapters, each of which is addressed through pedagogical sequences that facilitate the assimilation of the intended concepts. This assimilation is reinforced by learning activities where these notions are applied, which is one of the strengths of this course. The entire outline is described below:
- Introduction to computers and computing: This chapter offers a foundational understanding of computing and computer systems, tracing their historical development and explaining key concepts such as computer architecture, digital information representation, and the role of algorithms in problem-solving.
- Introduction to algorithms and algorithmic language: It covers various aspects related to algorithms and algorithmic thinking, including program development steps, algorithm structure, variable declaration, features used in making algorithms (sequence, decision structures, repetition structures), and flowcharts.
- Conditional constructs in algorithms: This chapter explores various types of conditional statements, including the if, if-else, and nested if-else statements, which are essential tools for directing program flow and implementing decision-making logic.
- Iterative constructs in algorithms: This chapter explore three types of iterative constructs such as: For loop, While loop, and Repeat until loop.
- Array Data Structure: This chapter introduces the array data structure, a fundamental concept in computer science. Arrays are used to store a collection of elements of the same type, allowing for efficient access to individual elements based on their index. Topics covered include array declaration, initialization, accessing elements, and common operations such as insertion, deletion, and searching.
- Enseignant: MEKHMOUKH Sylia