CHAPTER 1: Introduction to

Computers and Programming

CSEB113 PRINCIPLES of
PROGRAMMING CSEB134
PROGRAMMING I
by
Badariah Solemon
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Topics
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

Overview of PC components
Programming languages
C programming language
C programming environment
C program at a glance

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Topic 1
OVERVIEW OF PC COMPONENTS
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Elements of a Computer
3
2

Software

Hardware

Program?
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Main Memory
A semiconductor device which stores the
information necessary for a program to run.
Types:
1. ROM (Read Only Memory)
Contains information that is necessary for the
computer to boot up
The information stays there permanently even
when the computer is turned off.

2. RAM (Random Access Memory)

Contains instruction or data needed for a
program to run
Got erased when the computer is turned off.
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Anatomy of Main Memory

Memory may be conceptually viewed as an ordered
sequence of storage location called memory cells.
Information is stored in memory in bits
A memory cell is a group of bits called a byte
Each memory cell has a unique address
10010110
10010101
11010110
00010110
10010111
11010000

Ref: Tan and DOrazio, C

Programming for Engineering &
Computer Science, New York:
McGraw-Hill

01110111
10110010
10001100

A
1
A
2
A
3
A
4
A
5
A

6
A
7
A
8
A
9

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10000110
01110110
10101110
10010001
00001010
10010000
11011100
10110111
01111110

B
1
B
2
B
3
B
4
B
5
B
6
B
7
B
8
B
9
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CPU
Does most of the work in executing a
program
The CPU inside a PC is usually the
microprocessor
Three main parts:
1. Control Unit
Fetch instructions from main memory and put them
in the instruction register

2. ALU (Arithmetic Logic Unit)

Execute arithmetic operations

3. Registers
Temporarily store instructions or data fetched from
memory
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Secondary Storage Devices

Magnetic devices used to store a
large amount of information.
Store the software components or
data needed for the computer to
execute its tasks.
Could be read only or writable.
Example:

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Input/Output Devices
Input Devices
Accepts information from the user
and transforms it to digital codes
that the computer can process
Example:

Output Devices
An interface by which the
computer conveys the output to
the user
Example:
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Computer Networks
Computers are now linked together in
networks communicate
Types:
1. LAN (

Computers and other devices in a building

are connected by cables or wireless network

2. WAN (

Links many individual computers and LANs

over a large geographic area
The most well-known WAN is _____________

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Software
Consists of programs that enable us
to solve problems with a computer
Operating
Systems

Utility
Programs

Language
Translation

System Software
*Complete this list

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Application
Software

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Topic 2
PROGRAMMING LANGUAGES
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What is Programming?
Programming is instructing a
computer to do something for you
with the help of a programming
language
A programming language contains
instructions for the computer to
perform a specific action or a specific
task:
'Calculate the sum of the numbers from 1 to 10
'Print I like programming
'Output the current time'
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What is Programming?
Programming Language is different
compared to our everyday-language
(natural language); spoken and
written
Does not have to be 100% but still
understandable
Depends on circumstances; the context
one word can have many meaning
depending on the situation
For example:

OPERATE
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What is Programming?
The two roles of a programming language:
Technical: It instructs the computer to
perform tasks.
Conceptual: It is a framework within
which we organize our ideas about things
and processes.
In programming, we deal with two kind of
things:
Data - representing 'objects' we want to
manipulate
Procedures -'descriptions' or 'rules' that
define how to manipulate data
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Programming Language
Programming Language is a Formal
Language used to communicate to a
computer.
Very specific (one word means one thing context free)
since to 'talk' to a computer; to instruct a computer; our
commands must be 100% clear and correct.
Either Functional - tell what to do but not how (sum
[1...10])
or Imperative - describing the step by step to
accomplish the task (Take the first number and add
the next number to it; then add the next number to the
sum; and ; until you have reached 10 as number
to be added. Then print the sum of all numbers)

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Programming Language
Can be classified into as a special-purpose
and general-purpose programming
languages.
Special-purpose : is design for a particular
type of application
Structured Query Language (SQL)

General-purpose : can be used to obtain

solutions for many types of problems
1.Machine Languages
2.Assembly Languages
3.High-Level Languages
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1. Machine Language
The only language that the processor actually
understand.
Consists of binary codes: 0 and 1
Example:
1101 0001 1000 0101 1000 0110 1111 0001
0100 1100 0101 1110 0101 1010 0001 1100
Each of the lines above corresponds to a specific
task to be done by the processor.
Programming in machine code is difficult and slow
since it is difficult to memorize all the
instructions. Mistakes can happen very easily.
Processor dependent (different machine
language for different CPU) - not portable

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2. Assembly Language
Enable machine code to be represented in words
and numbers.
Example of a program in assembly language:
LOAD A,0111001100
9999
LOAD A, 9999
LOAD B,1000110011
8282
LOAD A, 9999
LOAD B, 8282
Assembler
SUB
B
SUB B
1001111001
MOV C, 1100110010
A
MOV
C,
A
LOAD B, 8282
Cannot be processed directly by a computer,
must be converted to machine language using
assemblers
Easier to understand compared to machine code
but still is quite difficult to use.
Each instruction corresponds to a specific
machine code: lengthy programs.
Processor dependent and not portable.
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3. High-level Language

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Topic 3
C PROGRAMMING LANGUAGE
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What is C?
Why C? - Because based on 'B'; developed at
Bell Laboratories
C was developed by Dennis Ritchie at Bell
Laboratories in 1972.
C combines the power of high-level languages
with the power of assembly languages.
Starts as a system implementation language,
but has evolved into general-purpose language
and available for a wide variety of computers.
C coupled with good program design
techniques - generate well structured, easy
to read and easy to maintain program
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What is C?
In 1983, the American National
Standards Institute (ANSI) set up
X3J11, a Technical Committee to
draft a proposal for the ANSI
standard, which was approved in
1989 and referred to as the ANSI/ISO
9899 : 1990 or simply the ANSI C,
which is now the global standard for
C.
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C An Imperative Language
C is a highly imperative language

We must tell it exactly how to do what;

the means and functions to use;
which libraries to use;
when to add a new line;
when an instruction is finished;
in short: everything and anything

Hint: Observe the syntax in the next slide

Semantics the meaning of the language within a
given context
Syntax - Syntax are the rules to join words
together in forming a correct expression or phrase.

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Example of a C program

function for printing a character/string

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*Complete the labeling

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Topic 4
C PROGRAMMING ENVIRONMENT
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IDE
The system software necessary to develop C
application program are bundled into an
integrated development environment (IDE)
A typical IDE contains text editor, C compiler,
preprocessor, libraries, other tools
Components of C programming environment:
Language features to carry out basic operations
(Ex. Compare data values, arithmetic operation)
Libraries routines to carry out operations not part
of the language (Standard libraries ex. #include
<stdio.h> & programmer-defined libraries)

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Ms Visual C++

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Topic 5
C PROGRAM AT A GLANCE
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A Simple C Program

Outpu
t: VIEW
CONSOLE
of the C
programs
output

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Summary
PC components
Hardware : main memory, CPU, storage devices,
I/O devices
Software : system software & application software

Programming languages
Machine language, assembly language, high-level
languages

C as a highly imperative language

A typical C programming environment
contains text editor, C compiler,
preprocessor, libraries, other tools
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