A Concise Introduction to Programming in Python

Suitable for newcomers to computer science, A Concise Introduction to Programming in Python provides a succinct, yet complete, first course in computer science using the Python programming language.

The book features:

• Short, modular chapters with brief and precise explanations, intended for one class period
• Early introduction of basic procedural constructs such as functions, selection, and repetition, allowing them to be used throughout the course
• Objects are introduced in the middle of the course, and class design comes toward the end
• Examples, exercises, and projects from a wide range of application domains, including biology, physics, images, sound, mathematics, games, and textual analysis
• No external libraries are required, simplifying the book’s use in common lab spaces

Each chapter introduces a main idea through a concrete example and a series of exercises. Designed to teach programming in a concise, yet comprehensive way, this book provides a timely introduction for students and anyone interested in learning Python.

Table of Contents

Part I: Foundations
Chapter 1. Computer Systems and Software
Chapter 2. Python Program Components
Chapter 3. Functions
Chapter 4. Repetition: For Loops
Chapter 5. Computer Memory: Integers
Chapter 6. Selection: If Statements
Chapter 7. Algorithm Design and Debugging
Chapter 8. Repetition: While Loops
Chapter 9. Computer Memory: Floats
Chapter 10. Simulation

Chapter Part II: Collections and Files
Chapter 11. Strings
Chapter 12. Building Strings
Chapter 13. Computer Memory: Text
Chapter 14. Lists
Chapter 15. Files
Chapter 16. String Methods
Chapter 17. Mutable and Immutable Objects
Chapter 18. Dictionaries

Part III: Selected Topics
Chapter 19. Sound Manipulation
Chapter 20. Sound Synthesis
Chapter 21. Image Manipulation
Chapter 22. Image Synthesis
Chapter 23. Writing Classes
Chapter 24. Cooperating Classes
Chapter 25. Related Classes
Chapter 26. Functional Programming
Chapter 27. Parallel Programming
Chapter 28. Graphical User Interfaces