ENGR 102: Programming Concepts, Variables, and Sequential Steps

Vocabulary flashcards covering foundational computer programming concepts, memory layout, Python syntax, assignment operators, and mathematical functions from Lectures 1 and 2.

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Program

A file containing programming language text (such as a .py file) that provides commands and instructions for a computer to follow.

Compiler

A tool that translates an entire computer program into machine instructions at once, creating optimal instructions that are typically saved to a file.

Interpreter

A tool that translates program code line by line, executing instructions immediately as it interprets without saving an intermediate file.

Integrated Development Environment (IDE)

A code editor tied together with a compiler, interpreter, and debuggers to help write, manage, and execute programs (such as VS Code).

Assembly language

A low-level programming language that provides a direct text mapping to binary machine instructions, making it slightly easier to read than binary.

Python

An easy-to-learn, powerful, and flexible programming language named after the British comedy troupe Monty Python.

SymPy

A Python library used in MATH 151 for analytical equation solving that is explicitly prohibited from use in ENGR 102.

Comments

Text in program code beginning with a # character that is ignored by the computer and used to explain logic to human readers.

Floor Division Operator (//)

A built-in Python arithmetic operator that performs division and truncates the remainder

Modulus Operator (%)

A built-in Python arithmetic operator that returns the remainder from division (for example, $7 \% 3 = 1$).

Power Operator (**)

A built-in Python arithmetic operator used for exponentiation (for example, $2 ** 10 = 1024$).

from math import *

A statement placed at the top of a Python program to grant access to standard mathematical functions such as $\sqrt{x}$, $\sin(x)$, and $\cos(x)$.

Main Memory

The middle tier of computer memory hierarchy, conceptualized as a series of boxes holding information while a program runs.

Variable

A named box of main memory that holds a single unit of information, such as a number or string.

Variable Name

A label used to refer to a specific variable in memory, which must start with a letter or underscore and cannot be a reserved keyword.

Python Keywords

A specific set of $35$ reserved commands in Python (such as False, True, None, def, if, and while) that cannot be used as variable names.

Assignment

The process of storing a value into a variable memory box, which overwrites any previous value contained inside that box.

Assignment Operator (=)

An operator in Python that first evaluates the right-hand side expression and then stores the resulting value in the left-hand variable.

Pseudocode

A flexible, precise way to outline problem-solving steps using natural language (English) structured as an action-oriented bulleted list rather than programming code.

Instruction Pointer

A conceptual marker that keeps track of the next instruction scheduled to be executed in a sequential program.

Special Assignment Operators

Shortcut operators such as +=, -=, *=, and /= that perform an arithmetic operation and assign the result in one step (for example, $x += c$ represents $x = x + c$).

Console

A window or screen interface that displays text output generated by a running computer program.

print()

A Python function used to display literals, variables, or computed expressions to the console.

Variable x = 10; print(x + 5)

The output of the code will be 15, as the operation adds 5 to the variable x which holds the value 10.

y = 7; z = 3; print(y * z)

The output of the code will be 21, as the operation multiplies variable y (7) by variable z (3).

a = 15; b = 4; print(a // b)

The output of the code will be 3, as the floor division operator (//) divides 15 by 4 and truncates the remainder.

result = 8; result += 2; print(result)

The output of the code will be 10, as the shorthand assignment operator += adds 2 to the result variable, which initially is 8.

num = 12; print(num % 5)

The output of the code will be 2, as the modulus operator (%) returns the remainder of 12 divided by 5.

x = 2; print(x ** 3)

The output of the code will be 8, as the power operator (**) raises 2 to the power of 3.

x = 10; y = 5; z = x * y - 4; print(z)

The output of the code will be 46, as it multiplies x (10) by y (5) to get 50, then subtracts 4.

a = 12; b = 3; c = a - b * 2; print(c)

The output of the code will be 6, as it multiplies b (3) by 2 to get 6, and then subtracts that from a (12).

result = 20; result *= 2 - 5; print(result)

The output of the code will be -60, as it resolves the operation in parentheses first (2 - 5 = -3) and then multiplies result (20) by -3.

num1 = 30; num2 = 10; output = num1 - num2 * 3; print(output)

The output of the code will be 0, as it multiplies num2 (10) by 3 to get 30, then subtracts that from num1 (30).

x = 7; y = 2; z = (x - 3) * y; print(z)

The output of the code will be 8, as it first subtracts 3 from x (7) to get 4, then multiplies by y (2).

val1 = 45; val2 = 10; total = val1 - (val2 * 2); print(total)

The output of the code will be 25, as it first multiplies val2 (10) by 2 to get 20, then subtracts that from val1 (45).

Valid Variable Name Example: my_variable

This name is valid because it starts with a letter, includes letters and underscores, and does not use any reserved keywords.

Invalid Variable Name Example: 2nd_value

This name is invalid because it starts with a number, which is not allowed in Python variable naming conventions.

Valid Variable Name Example: _value

This name is valid because it starts with an underscore and contains only valid characters.

Invalid Variable Name Example: class

This name is invalid as it is a reserved keyword in Python and cannot be used as a variable name.

Valid Variable Name Example: total_sum

This name is valid because it consists of lowercase letters, includes an underscore, and does not use any reserved keywords.

Invalid Variable Name Example: return_value

This name is invalid because it is a reserved keyword in Python and cannot be used as a variable name.

Radians to Degrees Conversion Formula

To convert radians to degrees, multiply by $\frac{180}{\pi}$. For example, if you have an angle measured in radians as $\frac{\pi}{4}$, the conversion to degrees is $\frac{\pi}{4} \times \frac{180}{\pi} = 45$ degrees.

Degrees to Radians Conversion Formula

To convert degrees to radians, multiply by $\frac{\pi}{180}$. For example, if you have an angle measured in degrees as 90 degrees, the conversion to radians is $90 \times \frac{\pi}{180} = \frac{\pi}{2}$ radians.

Python Function: Convert Degrees to Radians

You can create a Python function to convert degrees to radians as follows:

import math
def degrees_to_radians(degrees):
    return degrees * (math.pi / 180)

Python Function: Convert Radians to Degrees

You can create a Python function to convert radians to degrees as follows:

import math
def radians_to_degrees(radians):
    return radians * (180 / math.pi)