Chapter 1

Introduction to Computers and

C++ Programming

Copyright © 2020 Prof. Amr El-Kadi.

Overview

1.1 Computer Systems

1.2 Programming and Problem Solving

1.3 Introduction to C++

1.4 Testing and Debugging

1.1
Computer Systems

Copyright © 2020 Prof. Amr El-Kadi.

Computer Systems

 A computer program is…

 A set of instructions for a computer to follow

 Computer software is …
 The collection of programs used by a computer

 Includes:
 Editors
 Translators
 System Managers
Hardware
 Three main classes of computers

 PCs (Personal Computer)

 Relatively small used by one person at a time

 Workstation
 Larger and more powerful than a PC

 Mainframe
 Still larger
 Requires support staff
 Shared by multiple users
Networks

 A number of computers connected to

share resources
 Share printers and other devices

 Share information
Computer Organization

 Five main components

 Input devices
 Allows communication to the computer
 Output devices
 Allows communication to the user
 Processor (CPU)

 Main memory
 Memory locations containing the running program
 Secondary memory
 Permanent record of data often on a disk
Computer Organization (cont.)
Computer Memory
 Main Memory
 Long list of memory locations

 Each contains zeros and ones

 Can change during program execution
 Binary Digit or Bit
 A digit that can only be zero or one
 Byte
 Each memory location has eight bits
 Address
 Number that identifies a memory location
Larger Data Items

 Some data is too large for a single byte

 Most integers and real numbers are too large

 Address refers to the first byte

 Next few consecutive bytes can store the

additional bits for larger data
Computer Memory
Data or Code?
 ‘A’ may look like 01000001
 65 may look like 01000001
 An instruction may look like 01000001

 How does the computer know the meaning

of 01000001?
 Interpretation depends on the current instruction

 Programmers rarely need to be concerned with

this problem.
 Reason as if memory locations contain letters and
numbers rather than zeroes and ones
Secondary Memory

 Main memory stores instructions and

data while a program is running.
 Secondary memory
 Stores instructions and data between sessions

 A file stores data or instructions in

secondary memory
Secondary Memory Media
 A computer might have any of these
types of secondary memory
 Hard disk

 Fast
 Fixed in the computer and not normally removed
 Floppy disk
 Slow
 Easily shared with other computers
 Compact disk
 Slower than hard disks
 Easily shared with other computers
 Can be read only or re-writable
Memory Access
 Random Access
 Usually called RAM

 Computer can directly access any memory location

 Sequential Access
 Data is generally found by searching through

other items first

 More common in secondary memory
The Processor
 Typically called the CPU
 Central Processing Unit

 Follows program instructions

 Typical capabilities of CPU include:

add
subtract
multiply
divide
move data from location to location
Computer Software
 The operating system
 Allows us to communicate with the computer

 Is a program

 Allocates the computer’s resources

 Responds to user requests to run other

programs

 Common operating systems include…

 UNIX Linux DOS
Windows Macintosh VMS
Computer Input

 Computer input consists of

 A program

 Some data
High-level Languages
 Common programming languages include …

C C++ Java Pascal Visual Basic FORTRAN Perl

PHP Lisp Scheme Ada C# Python

 These high – level languages

 Resemble human languages

 Are designed to be easy to read and write

 Use more complicated instructions than

the CPU can follow
 Must be translated to zeros and ones for the CPU
to execute a program
Low-level Languages
 An assembly language command such as

ADD X Y Z

might mean add the values found at x and y

in memory, and store the result in location z.

 Assembly language must be translated to

machine language (zeros and ones)
0110 1001 1010 1011
 The CPU can follow machine language
Compilers
 Translate high-level language to
machine language

 Source code
 The original program in a high level language
 Object code
 The translated version in machine language
Compilers
Linkers
 Some programs we use are already compiled
 Their object code is available for us to use

 For example: Input and output routines

 A Linker combines
 The object code for the programs we write
and
 The object code for the pre-compiled routines
into
 The machine language program the CPU can
run
Linkers
History Note
 First programmable computer
 Designed by Charles Babbage

 Began work in 1822

 Not completed in Babbage’s life time

 First programmer
 Ada Augusta, Countess of Lovelace

 Colleague of Babbage
Section 1.1 Conclusion
 Can you…
 List the five main components of a computer?

 List the data for a program that adds two numbers?

 Describe the work of a compiler?

 Define source code? Define object code?

 Describe the purpose of the operating system?

1.2
Programming and Problem-
Solving

Copyright © 2020 Prof. Amr El-Kadi.

Algorithms

 Algorithm
 A sequence of precise instructions that

leads to a solution

 Program
 An algorithm expressed in a language the

computer can understand

Algorithms
Program Design

 Programming is a creative process

 No complete set of rules for creating a program

 Program Design Process

 Problem Solving Phase

 Result is an algorithm that solves the problem

 Implementation Phase
 Result is the algorithm translated into a
programming
language
Problem Solving Phase

 Be certain the task is completely specified

 What is the input?

 What information is in the output?

 How is the output organized?

 Develop the algorithm before implementation

 Experience shows this saves time in getting

your program to run.

 Test the algorithm for correctness
Implementation Phase
 Translate the algorithm into a programming
language
 Easier as you gain experience with the language

 Compile the source code

 Locates errors in using the programming language

 Run the program on sample data

 Verify correctness of results

 Results may require modification of

the algorithm and program
Implementation Phase
Object Oriented Programming
 Abbreviated OOP

 Used for many modern programs

 Program is viewed as interacting objects

 Each object contains algorithms to describe
its behavior
 Program design phase involves designing
objects and their algorithms
OOP Characteristics
 Encapsulation
 Information hiding

 Objects contain their own data and algorithms

 Inheritance
 Writing reusable code

 Objects can inherit characteristics from other objects

 Polymorphism
 A single name can have multiple meanings depending
on its context
Software Life Cycle

 Analysis and specification of the task

(problem definition)
 Design of the software
(object and algorithm design)
 Implementation (coding)
 Maintenance and evolution of the system
 Obsolescence
Section 1.2 Conclusion
 Can you…
 Describe the first step to take when creating

a program?

 List the two main phases of the program

design process?

 Explain the importance of the problem-solving phase?

 List the steps in the software life cycle?

1.3
Introduction to C++

Copyright © 2020 Prof. Amr El-Kadi.

Introduction to C++
 Where did C++ come from?
 Derived from the C language

 C was derived from the B language

 B was derived from the BCPL language

 Why the ‘++’?

 ++ is an operator in C++ and results in a cute pun
C++ History
 C developed by Dennis Ritchie at AT&T
Bell Labs in the 1970s.
 Used to maintain UNIX systems

 Many commercial applications written in c

 C++ developed by Bjarne Stroustrup at AT&T

Bell Labs in the 1980s.
 Overcame several shortcomings of C

 Incorporated object oriented programming

 C remains a subset of C++

A Sample C++ Program
 A simple C++ program begins this way

#include <iostream>
using namespace std;

int main()
{

 And ends this way

return 0;
}
A Sample C++
Program
Explanation of code (1/5)
 Variable declaration line

int number_of_pods, peas_per_pod, total_peas;

 Identifies names of three variables to name numbers

 int means that the variables represent integers
Explanation of code (2/5)
 Program statement

cout << “Press return after entering a number.\n”;

 cout (see-out) used for output to the monitor

 “<<“ inserts “Press…a number.\n” in the data

bound for the monitor

 Think of cout as a name for the monitor

 “<<“ points to where the data is to end up

 ‘\n’ causes a new line to be started on the monitor

Explanation of code (3/5)
 Program statement

cin >> number_of_pods;

 cin (see-in) used for input from the keyboard

 “>>” extracts data from the keyboard

 Think of cin as a name for the keyboard

 “>>” points from the keyboard to a variable where the data
is stored
Explanation of code (4/5)
 Program statement

total_peas = number_of_pods * peas_per_pod;

 Performs a computation
 ‘*’ is used for multiplication
 ‘=‘ causes total_peas to get a new value based on
the calculation shown on the right of the equal sign
Explanation of code (5/5)

 Program statement

cout << number_of_pods;

 Sends the value of variable number_of_pods

to the monitor
Program Layout
Program Layout (1/3)

 Compiler accepts almost any pattern of line

breaks and indentation
 Programmers format programs so they
are easy to read
 Place opening brace ‘{‘ and closing brace ‘}’

on a line by themselves
 Indent statements

 Use only one statement per line

Program Layout (2/3)
 Variables are declared before they are used
 Typically variables are declared at the beginning of

the program
 Statements (not always lines) end with a semi-colon

 Include Directives
#include <iostream>
 Tells compiler where to find information about items

used in the program

 iostream is a library containing definitions of cin and

cout
Program Layout (3/3)
 using namespace std;
 Tells the compiler to use names in iostream in
a “standard” way

 To begin the main function of the program

int main()
{
 To end the main function
return 0;
}
 Main function ends with a return statement
Running a C++ Program

 C++ source code is written with a text

editor

 The compiler on your system converts

source code to object code.

 The linker combines all the object code

into an executable program.
C++11
 C++11 (formerly known as C++0x) is the most recent
version of the standard of the C++ programming
language.
 Approved on August 12, 2011 by the International

Organization for Standardization.

 C++11 language features are not supported by older
compilers
 Check the documentation with your compiler to determine
if special steps are needed to compile C++11 programs
 e.g. with g++, use extra flags of –std=c++11
Run a Program

 Obtain code in Display 1.10

 Compile the code
 Fix any errors the compiler indicates and
re-compile the code
 Run the program
 Now you know how to run a program on
your system
Run a Program
Section 1.3 Conclusion
 Can you…

 Describe the output of this line?

cout << “C++ is easy to understand.”;

 Explain what this line does?

cin >> peas_per_pod;

 Explain this? #include <iostream>

1.4
Testing and Debugging

Copyright © 2020 Prof. Amr El-Kadi.

Testing and Debugging
 Bug
 A mistake in a program

 Debugging
 Eliminating mistakes in programs

 Term used when a moth caused a failed relay

on the Harvard Mark 1 computer. Grace Hopper

and other programmers taped the moth in logbook
stating:
“First actual case of a bug being found.”
Program Errors
 Syntax errors
 Violation of the grammar rules of the language

 Discovered by the compiler

 Error messages may not always show correct location of

errors
 Run-time errors
 Error conditions detected by the computer at run-time

 Logic errors
 Errors in the program’s algorithm

 Most difficult to diagnose

 Computer does not recognize an error

Section 1-4 Conclusion
 Can you…
 Describe the three kinds of program errors?

 Tell what kind of errors the compiler catches?

 What kind of error is produced if you forget a

punctuation symbol such as a semi-colon?

 Tell what type of error is produced when a program

runs but produces incorrect results?