The real challenge of programming isn't learning a language's syntax—it's learning to creatively solve problems so you can build something great. In this one-of-a-kind text, author V. Anton Spraul breaks down the ways that programmers solve problems and teaches you what other introductory books often ignore: how to Think Like a Programmer. Each chapter tackles a single programming concept, like classes, pointers, and recursion, and open-ended exercises throughout challenge you to apply your knowledge. You'll also learn how to: –Split problems into discrete components to make them easier to solve –Make the most of code reuse with functions, classes, and libraries –Pick the perfect data structure for a particular job –Master more advanced programming tools like recursion and dynamic memory –Organize your thoughts and develop strategies to tackle particular types of problems Although the book's examples are written in C++, the creative problem-solving concepts they illustrate go beyond any particular language; in fact, they often reach outside the realm of computer science. As the most skillful programmers know, writing great code is a creative art—and the first step in creating your masterpiece is learning to Think Like a Programmer.

Programming isn’t just about syntax and assembling code—it’s about problem solving, and all good programmers must think creatively to solve problems. Like the best-selling Think Like a Programmer before it (with over 75,000 copies sold worldwide), this Python-based edition will help you transition from reading programs to writing them, in, Python. (No prior programming experience required!) Rather than simply point out solutions to problems, author V. Anton Spraul will get you thinking by exposing you to techniques that will teach you how to solve programming problems on your own. Each chapter covers a single programming concept like data types, control flow, code reuse, recursion, and classes, then a series of Python-based exercises have you put your skills to the test. You’ll learn how to: -Break big problems down into simple, manageable steps to build into solutions -Write custom functions to solve new problems -Use a debugger to examine each line of your running program in order to fully understand how it works -Tackle problems strategically by turning each new concept into a problem-solving tool The Python edition of Think Like a Programmer aims squarely at the beginning programmer, with additional chapters on early programming topics such as variables, decisions, and looping. Version: This book is based on Python 3.

How to Think Like a Programmer is a bright, accessible, fun read describing the mindset and mental methods of programmers. Anticipating the problems that students have through the character of Brian the Bewildered Wildebeest, the slower pace required for this approach is made interesting and engaging by hand-drawn sketches, frequent (paper-based) activities and the everyday tasks (e.g. coffee making) used as a basis of worked examples. How to Think Like a Programmer provides a fun and accessible way to learn the mental models needed to approach computational programmable problems.

How to Think Like a Programmer is a bright, accessible, fun read describing the mindset and mental methods of programmers. Anticipating the problems that student's have through the character of Brian the Wildebeest, the slower pace required for this approach is made interesting and engaging by visual impact of hand-drawn sketches, frequent (paper-based) interactivities and the everyday tasks (e.g. coffee making) used as the basis of worked examples.

This book is for anyone who wants to learn computer programming and knows absolutely nothing about it. Of course, if you are wondering whether this book is going to teach you how to create amazing applets or incredible desktop or mobile applications, the answer is "no"—that is a job for other books. So many books out there can teach you those skills in Java, C++, or C#. Many of them even claim that they can teach you in 24 hours! Don't laugh! They probably can do that, but all of them take one thing for granted—that the reader knows some basics about computer programming. None of those books, unfortunately, bothers to teach you the first thing that a novice programmer needs to learn, which is "Algorithmic Thinking."Algorithmic Thinking involves more than just learning code. It is a problem solving process that involves learning how to code. With over 800 pages, and containing more than 300 solved and 400 unsolved exercises, over 450 true/false, 150 multiple choice, and 180 review questions (the solutions and the answers to which can be found on the Internet), this book is ideal for students, teachers, professors, novices or average programmers, or for anyone who wants to start learning or teaching computer programming using the proper conventions and techniques.

This book is for anyone who wants to learn computer programming and knows absolutely nothing about it. Of course, if you are wondering whether this book is going to teach you how to create amazing applets or incredible desktop or mobile applications, the answer is "no"—that is a job for other books. So many books out there can teach you those skills in C++, Java, or C#. Many of them even claim that they can teach you in 24 hours! Don't laugh! They probably can do that, but all of them take one thing for granted—that the reader knows some basics about computer programming. None of those books, unfortunately, bothers to teach you the first thing that a novice programmer needs to learn, which is "Algorithmic Thinking."Algorithmic Thinking involves more than just learning code. It is a problem solving process that involves learning how to code. With over 800 pages, and containing more than 300 solved and 400 unsolved exercises, over 450 true/false, 150 multiple choice, and 180 review questions (the solutions and the answers to which can be found on the Internet), this book is ideal for students, teachers, professors, novices or average programmers, or for anyone who wants to start learning or teaching computer programming using the proper conventions and techniques.

Do programmers think differently than non-programmers? How do programmers approach problems and create solutions? This book explores several attributes of thinking used by programmers. Important STEM concepts are incorporated into the text to give readers an understanding of how STEM fits into the everyday work of a programmer. Readers will enjoy a glimpse inside the minds of some of the most creative minds in the computer world. Photographs and sidebars add to engaging text to give readers a clear sense of what it takes to be a programmer. This book empowers young coders to think about problems differently, both in coding and in life.