Lesson 1: Getting Started

Key Concepts

• IDE: Integrated Development Environment, where code is written (e.g., Pycharm, Spyder, Thonny, Online GDB, Pyscripter).

• Syntax: Arrangement of words and phrases to create well-formed sentences in a language.

• Syntax Errors: A character or string incorrectly placed in a command or instruction that causes a failure in execution.

• Run-Time Errors: Detected errors while the program is running.

• Name Errors: When a variable or function is not found.

Commands and Functions

• Print: Prints a string.

• Input: Allows user to enter a string or integer.

• Str: Turns an integer into a string (use only if integer is added to another string).

  • Example: print("My grade in Chem is " + str(2))

• Int: Identifies an integer.

  • Example:

    x = 10  
    if isinstance(x, int):  
        print("Integer")  
    else:  
        print("Not Integer")

Lesson 2: Functions (1)

Key Concepts

• Function: A sub-program that performs a specific task.

• Function Body: The block of code after the function header.

• Def: The first word in the function header.

• Colon (:): Must appear at the end of the function header.

• Built-in Functions: Functions that come as part of Python.

• Function Call: A special line that causes the flow of control to switch to the first line inside the function body.

• Flow of Control: The sequence in which lines of code are executed.

• Function Definition: A function header and a function body.

• Modular Functions: Break tasks into smaller functions (e.g., drawing shapes or numbers like "365").

Lesson 3: Variables, Assignments, and Expressions

Key Concepts

• Variables: Memory locations used to store data; named by the programmer.

• Assignment Operator (=): The equal sign; it assigns the value on the right-hand side to the variable on the left-hand side.

  • Example: sum = firstNumber + secondNumber

• Expressions: Can be a literal value or a combination of values and operators (e.g., firstNumber + secondNumber).

• Arithmetic Operators:

  • + (Addition)

  • - (Subtraction)

  • * (Multiplication)

  • / (Division)

Variable Naming Rules

• Start with a letter or underscore (_), not a digit.

• Contain only letters, digits, or underscores (no spaces or special characters).

• Be case-sensitive (ISBN and isbn are different).

• Avoid reserved keywords like print or def.