Introduction to Computer Science: Programming Fundamentals and Algorithms
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Title: Introduction to Computer Science: Programming Fundamentals and Algorithms
Course: CS 101 – Foundations of Computer Science
Professor: Dr. Alejandro Martinez
Semester: Fall 2024
Institution: Stanford University
Table of Contents
1. Overview of Computer Science and History
2. Programming Basics: Variables, Data Types, and Control Structures
3. Functions, Recursion, and Modular Programming
4. Data Structures: Arrays, Lists, and Trees
5. Algorithms: Sorting, Searching, and Complexity Analysis
6. Advanced Topics: Graph Algorithms and Dynamic Programming
7. Case Studies and Real-World Applications
8. Summary, Practice Problems, and Further Resources
1. Overview of Computer Science and History
Introduction: Understanding the evolution from early computation to modern digital
systems.
Historical Milestones: From Turing machines and early programming languages to modern
high-level languages.
Impact on Society: Discussion on how computing drives innovation in science, business, and
daily life.
2. Programming Basics: Variables, Data Types, and Control Structures
Fundamental Concepts:
o Variables: Definition, declaration, and scope.
o Data Types: Primitive (integers, floats, booleans) vs. complex types (strings, objects).
o Control Structures: Conditionals (if-else), loops (for, while), and switch-case
statements.
Example: Writing a simple program in Python that calculates the factorial of a number.
3. Functions, Recursion, and Modular Programming
Functions:
o Definition, parameters, return values, and scope.
o Best practices for code reuse.
Recursion:
o Concept and examples (e.g., recursive Fibonacci, factorial computation).
o Discussion on recursion vs. iteration and potential pitfalls (stack overflow).
Modular Programming:
o Breaking code into reusable modules and libraries.
Reference: “Structure and Interpretation of Computer Programs” by Harold Abelson and
Gerald Jay Sussman.
4. Data Structures: Arrays, Lists, and Trees
Arrays and Lists:
o Memory allocation, indexing, and operations such as insertion, deletion, and
traversal.
Trees:
o Binary trees, binary search trees, and traversal algorithms (inorder, preorder,
postorder).
Practical Applications:
o Using data structures for efficient data management and algorithm optimization.
Further Reading: “Data Structures and Algorithms in Python” by Michael T. Goodrich et al.
5. Algorithms: Sorting, Searching, and Complexity Analysis
Sorting Algorithms:
o Bubble sort, merge sort, quicksort – step-by-step breakdown and performance
analysis.
Searching Algorithms:
o Linear search vs. binary search; when to use each.
Complexity Analysis:
o Big O notation, best-case, worst-case, and average-case complexity.
Example Problem: Analyze the complexity of a given recursive algorithm.
6. Advanced Topics: Graph Algorithms and Dynamic Programming
Graph Algorithms:
o Overview of graphs, breadth-first search (BFS), depth-first search (DFS), and Dijkstra’s
algorithm for shortest paths.
Dynamic Programming:
o Principles and applications; solving optimization problems such as the knapsack
problem.
Case Study: Application in route planning and network optimization.
7. Case Studies and Real-World Applications
Industry Examples:
o How search engines optimize query responses and how e-commerce sites manage
inventory using advanced algorithms.
Projects:
o Hands-on projects such as building a simple game or developing a small-scale
database application.
8. Summary, Practice Problems, and Further Resources
Summary: Recap of core programming constructs, data structures, and algorithmic
strategies.
Practice Sets: Exercises ranging from beginner-level coding challenges to advanced algorithm
design problems.
Additional Resources:
o Online courses via Coursera and edX.
o “Introduction to Algorithms” by Cormen, Leiserson, Rivest, and Stein.
