CPSC 124 Syllabus

Week 1: 8/30-9/3

Topics: course introduction; the mental landscape; basic building blocks

• Eck sections 1.1, 1.3-1.4 (the rest of chapter 1 is optional reading) [reading guide]
• Why is programming fun?

Important: If you already have an account on the math/CS Linux computers, make sure you remember your password and can log in. If not, send an email with your username to Scotty Orr (scottyorr@hws.edu) by Wednesday.

In Class:

• Warmup2a.java and Warmup2b.java (from the warmup, so you can save, compile, and run them if you want)

Week 2: 9/6-9/10

Topics: basic building blocks; algorithms

In Class:

• Warmup3a.java, Warmup3b.java, and Warmup3c.java (from the warmup, so you can save, compile, and run them if you want)
• group exercises handout

• Declare a variable called length that will hold an integer.
• Store the value 42 in the variable size.
• Write an expression to add 10 to the result of dividing 8 by 2. (and then possibly print the result or store it in a variable)
• Print the message Hello world!. (or the value of a variable or expression)

In Class:

• syntax quiz (with solutions)
• group exercises handout
• StickFigure.java (sample solution for exercise #1)

Week 3: 9/13-9/17

Topics: loops and conditionals

In Class:

• Warmup5a.java (while loops and for loops)
• Printer.java (going from pseudocode to code, including loop development questions to ask)

In Class: 5-minute syntax quiz on for loops. Expect questions of the form:

• Write a for loop to repeat the statement System.out.println(n); so that the numbers from 1 to 10 get printed.

(In other words, you'll be given the statements for the main task that is to be repeated; your job is to fill in the rest of the loop structure to achieve the desired result.)

In Class:

• syntax quiz (with solutions)
• Sum.java (going from pseudocode to code, including loop development questions to ask)

In Class:

• Warmup7b.java (ways to fix the grade-conversion if statement from the warmup so that 85 is a B)
• pseudocode, for loops, and the 6 loop questions (and the relationship of the loop questions to the writing of a for loop)
• group exercises handout
• CountDigits.java (sample solution for exercise #1)

Week 4: 9/20-9/24

Topics: algorithms, loops, and conditionals; arrays

• group exercises handout
• CountDigits2.java, CountDigits2b.java (two possible solutions for exercise #2)
• Smallest.java, Smallest2.java, Smallest3.java (incorrect, mostly correct, and correct solutions for exercise #3)

• if x is greater than 10,
    print "big!"
  otherwise
    print "small!"
  

• if x is between 0 and 100,
    if x is less than or equal to 50 or greater than 75,
      print "A"
  else if x is between 101 and 200,
    print "B"
  

In Class:

• syntax quiz (with solutions)
• notes on exercise → pseudocode → code
• Addition.java (writing pseudocode, writing code - version from class)
• Addition2.java (writing pseudocode, writing code - complete solution)

In Class:

• DiceCounter.java (separate variable version)
• DiceCounterArray.java (array version)

Week 5: 9/27-10/1

Topics: arrays; exceptions

• group exercises handout
• Reverser.java (sample solution for exercise #1)
• Reverser2.java (sample solution for exercise #2)

In Class: 5-minute syntax quiz on (1D) arrays. Expect questions of the following types:

• Declare a variable called numbers that will hold an array of integers, and set up the array with 10 compartments.
• Print the number of slots in the array numbers.
• Store the value 42 in the third slot of the array numbers.
• Print out (initialize, add 5 to, etc) the values in each slot of the array numbers.

In Class:

• syntax quiz (with solutions)
• Warmup9.java (code from the warmup; also an example of working with 2D arrays)

In Class:

• Warmup10a.java, Warmup10b.java, Warmup10c.java (code from the warmups)
• Warmup10d.java (catching multiple exceptions)
• LocalMinima1.java (printing local minima in an array - version from class, which doesn't quite work)
• LocalMinima1b.java, LocalMinima1c.java, LocalMinima1d.java (printing local minima in an array - three correct solutions)

Week 6: 10/4-10/8

Topics: subroutines

In Class:

• AdditionQuiz.java (subroutines)

In Class:

• notes on subroutines
• Temperature.java (subroutines with parameters)
• BeerSong.java (subroutines with multiple parameters)

• exam review information
• exam solutions

Week 7: 10/11-10/15

Topics: subroutines

• group exercises handout
• Stars.java (sample solution for exercise #1)

In Class:

• Temperature3.java (functions)
• AdditionQuiz2.java (functions)
• AdditionQuiz2b.java (alternate version of the addition quiz, where the function returns the number of points scored instead of a boolean)

Week 8: 10/18-10/22

Topics: subroutines; program design with subroutines

• Write the header (body not needed) for a function to compute the maximum of two integers: it should take two integers as parameters and return the larger of the two.
• Write statement(s) to print the larger of 10 and the value stored in the variable x. Use your maximum function to determine the larger number.

In Class:

• syntax quiz (with solutions)
• group exercises handout
• CtoK.java (sample solution for exercise #1)

In Class:

• Warmup14.java (fully-commented version of getRandom)
• SumStats.java (using subroutines to manage complexity when developing a program)

In Class:

• DiceFreq.java (named constants)
• group exercises handout

Week 9: 10/25-10/29

Topics: objects and classes

In Class:

• BasicWar.java (using objects)
• summary of Card, Deck, Hand methods

• ShortBasicWar.java (passing objects to subroutines)
• MultiplayerBasicWar.java (arrays of objects)

Week 10: 11/1-11/5

Topics: objects and classes

• notes on objects and classes
• Dice.java (writing classes)

• Write a complete class called Dice to represent a single die. Your class should have:
  • an instance variable holding the die's current value
  • an instance variable holding the number of sides
  • a constructor which takes the number of sides as a parameter and initializes the instance variables accordingly (set the current value to a random number between 1 and the number of sides)
  • a getter which returns the die's current value
  • a getter which returns the number of sides
  • a roll method which rolls the die, updating the current value to a new random value between 1 and the number of sides
• Write Java statement(s) to create a Dice object with 10 sides, roll it, and print the current value.

In Class:

• syntax quiz (with solutions)
• group exercises handout

In Class:

• Space Invaders (version from class, plus a moveable defending ship)

Week 11: 11/8-11/12

Topics: inheritance

In Class:

• BankAccount.java (writing classes)
• CheckingAccount.java, DividendCheckingAccount.java (writing subclasses)
• AccountMain.java (main program)

• group exercises handout
• BankAccount2.java, CheckingAccount2.java, DividendCheckingAccount2.java, AccountMain2.java (sample solution for exercises #1 and #2)

• exam review information
• exam solutions

Week 12: 11/15-11/19

Topics: inheritance; GUI programming

• instanceof demo and supporting classes
• group exercises handout
• BankAccount3.java, CheckingAccount3.java, DividendCheckingAccount3.java, AccountMain3.java (sample solution for exercises #3 and #4)

In Class: 5-minute syntax quiz on inheritance. Expect questions of the following types:

• Write a complete class GraphicalDice which is a subclass of Dice (see the example questions for the last syntax quiz for a description of Dice). Your class should have:
  • instance variables holding the position where the die is to be drawn
  • a constructor which takes the number of sides and the position of the die as parameters and initializes the instance variables accordingly
  • a constructor which takes the position of the die as parameters and creates a 6-sided die
  • a paint method which draws the die's current value
  • a roll method which calls Dice's roll method to roll the die and then paints the die with its new value
• Write Java statement(s) to create a GraphicalDice object with 10 sides in the position (100,200), roll it, paint it on the screen, and print the current value.

In Class:

• syntax quiz (with solutions)
• tickets problem description and plan (inheritance hierarchy design)
• Ticket.java, WalkupTicket.java, AdvanceTicket.java, StudentAdvanceTicket.java (abstract classes and methods)

In Class:

• inheritance hierarchy design examples handout
• assets solution (partial solution for #1)
• Lionish.java, Eagleish.java, Lion.java, Eagle.java, Griffin.java (interfaces for multiple inheritance)

Week 13: 11/22-11/26

Topics: GUI programming

• GUIDemo.java (GUI program)
• RedBox.java (custom component)
• GUIDemo2.java (GUI program using a custom component)

More Information on GUIs:

• A Visual Guide to Swing Components
• A Visual Guide to Layout Managers
• Creating a GUI with JFC/Swing
• JPanel API

Week 14: 11/29-12/3

Topics: data structures

In Class:

• DynamicArray.java (partially-full and dynamic arrays)

• group exercises handout
• ArrayListDemo.java (sample solution for exercises #2b-7)
• ArrayList API
• full Java API

• Add the necessary import statement to a program in order to use ArrayList.
• Declare a variable to hold a reference to an ArrayList of doubles.
• Create a new ArrayList of doubles object.
• Insert the value 4.2 into an ArrayList at the end or at position 2.
• Remove the value 4.2 from the ArrayList, or remove the element at position 2.
• Retrieve and print the element at position 2.
• Print out the number of elements in an ArrayList.

A section of the ArrayList API will be provided for you for reference.

In Class:

• syntax quiz (with solutions)
• SearchDemo.java (two ways to search)
• SortDemo.java (one way to sort)

Week 15: 12/6-12/10

Topics: GUI programming

In Class:

• group exercises handout
• GUI program examples (handout)
• DoubleCirclePanel.java (sample solution for exercise #1)
• DoubleCircleMain.java (sample solution for exercise #2)

• JPanel API
• How to Use FlowLayout
• How to Use BorderLayout
• Visual Guide to Swing Components
• Visual Guide to Layout Managers

In Class:

• SimpleEventDemo.java, SimpleButtonEcho.java (event handling; simple event listener)
• EventDemo2.java, ButtonEcho.java (event handling; more complex event listener; event properties)

• group exercises handout
• event handling examples (handout)
• ColorChanger.java (sample solution for exercise #1)
• DoubleCircleMain2.java, DoubleCirclePanel.java, (sample solution for exercise #2)

Reading Period: 12/11-12/13

Exams: 12/14-12/17

• exam review information

last updated: --Fri Dec 10 17:57:46 EST 2010--
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