THINKING LIKE A PROGRAMMING SKILLS PROGRAMMER Analytical thinking - PDF document

THINKING LIKE A PROGRAMMING SKILLS PROGRAMMER Analytical thinking - math and numbers are a large part of becoming a programmer UNIT 2 Creativity - you must be able to come up with creative solutions to complex problems Resilient - You must be willing to learn from trial and error Attention to detail - Every minor detail is important. One character or letter out of place may cause a program to break. THE PROBLEM Resourceful - You must be willing to ask questions and search for answers Despite what you might think: Good Memory - You must be able to remember COMPUTERS ARE DUMB specific syntax structure of code for the programming language you are using Organizational Skills - The better organized you are the more efficient you will become as a programmer

WHY? THINKING AS HUMAN Unlike humans, computers can't think for themselves Instructions - Go brush your teeth or assume anything. They can only do exactly what you tell them to do. Lets look at an example. STEPS: 1. Get your toothbrush 2. Add toothpaste 3. Brush Teeth Steps can be avoided because humans can assume them. THINKING AS A COMPUTER STEPS CONTINUED Remove the toothbrush from the water Instructions - Go brush your teeth Locate your toothpaste STEPS (SOME STEPS HAVE BEEN LEFT OUT): Open the bathroom door Grab the toothpaste with your left (or right) hand Turn on the bathroom light Take the cap off of the toothpaste Walk over to the sink Apply toothpaste to toothbrush Turn on the water Put cap back on toothpaste Locate your toothbrush Put back toothpaste to where you found it Grab your toothbrush with your right (or left) hand Put toothbrush back under water momentarily (optional) Put bristles of toothbrush under the water

STEPS CONTINUED STEPS CONTINUED Open mouth Rinse toothbrush Put toothbrush into your mouth Turn off water Begin brushing teeth by moving hand back and Replace toothbrush to original location forth or in circular motions Turn off light in bathroom Continue for a set amount of time Leave bathroom Remove toothbrush from your mouth Open mouth Spit out remaining toothpaste Rinse mouth WHY IS IT SO HARD? IMPROVE YOUR THINKING Computers don't have the ability to think. As a Take big problems and break them down into smaller programmer, you need to tell them exactly what to more manageable problems. Continue to break down do. the problems until you get to the smallest level of details. You perform all of the steps, however you are able to do so without actively thinking about it. When building out the process for a computer, you need to tell it every step so nothing gets missed.

SUCCESS! YOU'VE JUST FINISHED THIS SECTION. You're now thinking like a programmer.