Programming, Data Structures and Algorithms using Python

This course is an introduction to programming and problem solving in Python. It does not assume any prior knowledge of programming. Using some motivating examples, the course quickly builds up basic concepts such as conditionals, loops, functions, lists, strings and tuples. It goes on to cover searching and sorting algorithms, dynamic programming and backtracking, as well as topics such as exception handling and using files. As far as data structures are concerned, the course covers Python dictionaries as well as classes and objects for defining user defined datatypes such as linked lists and binary search trees.INTENDED AUDIENCE:Students in any branch of mathematics/science/engineering, 1st yearPREREQUISITES: School level mathematics.INDUSTRY SUPPORT: This course should be of value to any company requiring programming skills.ABOUT CMI:Click here

Week 1
Informal introduction to programmin, algorithms and data structures viagcd
Downloading and installing Python
gcd in Python: variables, operations, control flow - assignments, condition-als, loops, functions

Week 2
Python: types, expressions, strings, lists, tuples
Python memory model: names, mutable and immutable values
List operations: slices etc
Binary search
Inductive function denitions: numerical and structural induction
Elementary inductive sorting: selection and insertion sort
In-place sorting

Week 3
Basic algorithmic analysis: input size, asymptotic complexity, O() notation
Arrays vs lists
Merge sort
Quicksort
Stable sorting

Week 4
Dictionaries
More on Python functions: optional arguments, default values
Passing functions as arguments
Higher order functions on lists: map, lter, list comprehension

Week 5
Exception handling
Basic input/output
Handling files
String processing

Week 6
Backtracking: N Queens, recording all solutions
Scope in Python: local, global, nonlocal names
Nested functions
Data structures: stack, queue
Heaps

Week 7
Abstract datatypes
Classes and objects in Python
"Linked" lists: find, insert, delete
Binary search trees: find, insert, delete
Height-balanced binary search trees

Week 8
Effcient evaluation of recursive definitions: memoization
Dynamic programming: examples
Other programming languages: C and manual memory management
Other programming paradigms: functional programming