CSci 127: Introduction to Computer Science
Hunter College, City University of New York
Fall 2018

This course presents an overview of computer science (CS) with an emphasis on problem-solving and computational thinking through 'coding': computer programming for beginners. Other topics include: organization of hardware, software, and how information is structured on contemporary computing devices. This course is pre-requisite to several introductory core courses in the CS Major. The course is also required for the CS minor. MATH 12500 or higher is strongly recommended as a co-req for intended Majors.

The course has lectures on Wednesday mornings and recitation sections offered throughout the week (you must register both for the lecture and a recitation section).

• Recitation Section Timetable
• Holiday and Lab Schedule (grid format; more details in the list format below)

Course Coordinator:

• Dr. Katherine St. John, professor (office hours)

Lecture: The lecture for the course is Wednesdays, 9:45-11am in 118 Hunter North (Assembly Hall).

Lab Hours: There is a dedicated computer laboratory, North 1001E for this course:

• Staffed Hours: Monday-Friday, 9:30am to 9:30pm, when classes are in session. On Wednesday mornings, the UTAs are in lecture from 9:30 to 11am (you can ask questions before lecture and during group work), and the lab will open at 11am.
• Additional staffed hours in the 1001B lab from 2-6pm Mondays to Fridays, and 11am-6pm on Wednesdays. 1001B is an open lab for computer science majors. See the whiteboard for the names of the undergraduate teaching assistants that are staffing the lab for introductory programming help.

Useful Links:

• Syllabus
• Programming Assignments
• Honors Section Information
• Book & tutorial pages:
  • Python: How to Think Like a Computer Scientist by Miller et al.
  • Logical Circuits: Burch's Logic & Circuits, Explain Logic Gates
  • Machine Language: U Idaho reference sheet, MIPS Wikibooks
  • C++: Cplusplus Tutorial, C++ Tutorials Point, The Rook's Guide to C++

Outline:

Week:		Topics:	Handouts:	Quiz Topics:	Reading:
#1	Lecture: 29 August	Syllabus & Class Policies, Introductions, Introduction to Python: definite loops, simple output, primitive data types, overview of objects & modules; What is an algorithm?	Syllabus, Programming Assignments, Hello, World, Hexagon example, Fancier hexagon, Lecture Notes		Think CS: Chapter 1 & Chapter 4
	Recitations: 27-31 August	Getting started with Python & IDLE; Using modules and definite loops	Lab 1	Academic Integrity
3 September	No Classes: Labor Day
5 September	Classes Follow a Monday Schedule
#2	Lecture: 12 September	Strings & Lists: looping through strings, console I/O, ASCII representation	Loop Puzzle 1, Loop Puzzles 2, Caesar Cipher example, input() example, Lecture notes		Think CS: Chapter 2 & Chapter 3
	Recitations: 4-7,12 September	String methods; Problem solving and the design process (simple parsing and translating)	Lab 2	Loops & Turtles
10-11 September	No Classes
#3	Lecture: 26 September	Files & 2D Arrays, Hexadecimal notation; CS Survey: Prof. William Sakas (computational linguistics)	Slicing Challenges, Color Challenges, Lecture notes		Think CS: Section 8.10 & Chapter 11, Numpy tutorial (DataCamp)
	Recitations: 13-14,17, 25-26 September	Arrays and images in numpy, hexadecimal representation of colors (image processing); Unix: basic command line interface	Lab 3	Strings & Lists
18-19 September	No Classes
#4	Lecture: 3 October	More on Lists & Arrays; Decisions; CS Survey: Bernard Desert & Elise Harris (CUNY2X@Hunter)	Loop & Slice Challenges, Decision Challenges, turtleString.py, FizzBuzz, Lecture notes		Think CS: Chapter 7 & Chapter 11
	Recitations: 20-21,24 September, 2-3 October	Programming with decisions & files (flood maps); Unix: relative paths	Lab 4	Colors & Images in numpy
#5	Lecture: 10 October	Logical Expressions, Circuits CS Survey: Melina Diaconis (WiTNY), and Lily Caplan (President, Student ACM Chapter)	Types & Decisions Challenges, Logical Operators Challenges, Basic Gates, Circuit Challenges, Lecture notes		Think CS: Chapter 7, Burch's Logic & Circuits, Explain Logic Gates
	Recitations: 27-28 September, 1,9-10 October	More on Decisions (snow pack); Circuits & Logical Expressions; Unix: absolute paths	Lab 5	Decisions & Color
8 October	No Classes
#6	Lecture: 17 October	Accessing formatted data; Functions CS Survey: Prof. Saad Mneimneh (modeling & algorithms)	Arithmetic Challenges, List/String Challenges, Lecture notes		Think CS: Chapter 6, 10-minutes to Pandas Tutorial, DataCamp Pandas Tutorial, Ubuntu Terminal Reference Sheet
	Recitations: 4-5,15-17 October	CSV files via pandas (population change); Shell Scripts; github	Lab 6	Circuits, Truth Tables, & Logical Expressions
#7	Lecture: 24 October	More on Functions & Open data; CS Survey: Adrienne Schmoeker & Albert Webber (Mayor's Office of Data Analytics)	Motto Challenge, Hello with main(), Total & Tax Challenge Greet Example, Happy Example, Jam Example, Lecture notes		Think CS: Chapter 6, 10-minutes to Pandas Tutorial, DataCamp Pandas Tutorial
	Recitations: 12-13,22-24 October	OpenData NYC (shelter data); Using main() functions; Python from the command line	Lab 7	Formatted Data & Shell Commands
#8	Lecture: 31 October	More on Parameters & Functions; Top-Down Design CS Survey: Keith Okrosy, (Career Development Services @ Hunter)	Decisions & Functions Example, Foo example, Dessert Exam Questions, Koalas, NYC Current Job Posts, Lecture notes		Think CS: Chapter 6
	Recitations: 18-19, 29-31 October	Binning data (parking tickets); Top-down design (herd of turtles); Using git from the command line	Lab 8	Functions & More Pandas
#9	Lecture: 7 November	Mapping GIS Data, Indefinite Loops, Simulations, CS Survey: Prof. Susan Epstein (machine learning)	Sisters Example Distance Check, Nums & While, Random Walk Lecture notes		Think CS: Chapter 6, folium tutorial
	Recitations: 25-28 October, 5-7 November	Folium/leaflet.js (mapping CUNY locations); Finding errors	Lab 9	Parameters & Functions
#10	Lecture: 14 November	More on Loops & Folium; Python Recap; Representing Data; Machine Language Overview	Random Search (turtles), Max Num, Search, num2words example, WeMIPS Emulator, Lecture notes		Think CS: Chapter 8, U Idaho reference sheet, MIPS Wikibooks
	Recitations: 1-2,12-14 November	Program design with indefinite loops; Writing functions; More on command-line scripts and VI (vim) editor;	Lab 10	More on Functions & Top-down Design
#11	Lecture: 21 November	More on Data Representation & Machine Language; Reusing Code & Common Strategies (Design Patterns);	WeMIPS Emulator, Sorting Demo, Bubblesort (PythonTutor), Lecture notes		U Idaho reference sheet, MIPS Wikibooks
	Recitations: 8-9,19-21 November	Simplified machine language; Unix: using pipes	Lab 11	Indefinite Loops & Simulations
22 - 23 November	Thanksgiving Break: No Classes
#12	Lecture: 28 November	Introduction to C++: program structure, data representation and I/O.	cin/cout example, convert example, loops example, growth example, nested loops, Lecture notes		Cplusplus Tutorial, C++ Tutorials Point, The Rook's Guide to C++
	Recitations: 15-16, 26-28 November	Using gcc; Unix: identifying files: which and file	Lab 12	Simplified Machine Language
#13	Lecture: 5 December	C++ control structures	Decision example (C++), Logical Expressions (C++), Input Checking (C++), Input Checking, II (C++), Growth Example (C++), NYC Urban Forest: Street Trees, Lecture notes		Cplusplus Tutorial, C++ Tutorials Point, The Rook's Guide to C++
	Recitations: 29-30 November, 3-5 December	Control Structures in C++; Unix: built-in help pages (man) and piping with more	Lab 13	Introduction to C++
#14	Lecture: 12 December	Review	Final Exam Information
	Recitations: 6-7,10-12 December	Review		End-of-semester Survey
Wednesday, 19 December, 9-11am		Final Exam

(This file was last modified on 26 November 2018.)