PHP and Algorithmic Thinking for the Complete Beginner: Learn to Think Like a Programmer

This book is for anyone who wants to learn computer programming and knows absolutely nothing about it. Of course, if you are wondering whether this book is going to teach you how to create amazing websites or incredible applications, the answer is “no”—that is a job for other books. So many books out there can teach you those skills in PHP, Java, C++, or C#. Many of them even claim that they can teach you in 24 hours! Don’t laugh! They probably can do that, but all of them take one thing for granted—that the reader knows some basics about computer programming. None of those books, unfortunately, bothers to teach you the first thing that a novice programmer needs to learn, which is “Algorithmic Thinking.” Algorithmic Thinking involves more than just learning code. It is a problem solving process that involves learning how to code. With over 800 pages, and containing more than 300 solved and 400 unsolved exercises, over 450 true/false, 150 multiple choice, and 180 review questions (the solutions and the answers to which can be found on the Internet), this book is ideal for students, teachers, professors, novices or average programmers, or for anyone who wants to start learning or teaching computer programming using the proper conventions and techniques.

Table of Contents

Section 1 Introductory Knowledge
Chapter 1 How a Computer Works
Chapter 2 PHP
Chapter 3 Software Packages to Install

Section 2 Getting Started with PHP
Chapter 4 Introduction to Basic Algorithmic Concepts
Chapter 5 Variables and Constants
Chapter 6 Handling Input and Output
Chapter 7 Operators
Chapter 8 Trace Tables
Chapter 9 Using NetBeans IDE

Section 3 Sequence Control Structures
Chapter 10 Introduction to Sequence Control Structures
Chapter 11 Manipulating Numbers
Chapter 12 Complex Mathematical Expressions
Chapter 13 Exercises with a Quotient and a Remainder
Chapter 14 Manipulating Strings

Section 4 Decision Control Structures
Chapter 15 Introduction to Decision Control Structures
Chapter 16 The Single-Alternative Decision Structure
Chapter 17 The Dual-Alternative Decision Structure
Chapter 18 The Multiple-Alternative Decision Structure
Chapter 19 The Case Decision Structure
Chapter 20 Nested Decision Control Structures
Chapter 21 Tips and Tricks with Decision Control Structures
Chapter 22 Flowcharts with Decision Control Structures
Chapter 23 More Exercises with Decision Control Structures

Section 5 Loop Control Structures
Chapter 24 Introduction to Loop Control Structures
Chapter 25 The Pre-Test Loop Structure
Chapter 26 The Post-Test Loop Structure
Chapter 27 Counted Loop Structures
Chapter 28 Nested Loop Control Structures
Chapter 29 Tips and Tricks with Loop Control Structures
Chapter 30 Flowcharts with Loop Control Structures
Chapter 31 More Exercises with Loop Control Structures

Section 6 Arrays
Chapter 32 Introduction to Arrays
Chapter 33 One-Dimensional Arrays
Chapter 34 Two-Dimensional Arrays
Chapter 35 Tips and Tricks with Arrays
Chapter 36 Flowcharts with Arrays
Chapter 37 More Exercises with Arrays

Section 7 Subprograms
Chapter 38 Introduction to Subprograms
Chapter 39 User-Defined Functions
Chapter 40 User-Defined Procedures
Chapter 41 Tips and Tricks with Subprograms
Chapter 42 Flowcharts with Subprograms
Chapter 43 More Exercises with Subprograms