Concepts

Week 1

  • Python install
  • VS Code install
  • editing a .py Python program and executing it in the shell
  • the REPL
  • expressions and evaluating them
  • mathematical operators and operator precedence
  • using brackets ( and ) to override operator precedence
  • numeric vs character string data types

Week 2

  • variables: str, int, float, bool, inspect using type()
  • conversion: str(), int(), float()
  • operators: + - * /, **, modulus %
  • logical operators < > == >= <= != and or not True False
  • operator precedence, using brackets ( ) to save your sanity
  • import statements—for example, from math import cos
  • print() and formatted output using f-strings
  • getting input from the user using input()
  • commenting code using #
  • reserved keywords in Python (e.g. for, return, etc)
  • operations on strings (strings are “objects” with “methods”)
  • getting help using help()
  • conditionals using if elif else
  • the list variable type in Python
  • loops using while and for
  • range() & zero-based indexing in Python

Week 3

  • in Python list variables are pointers
  • b = a vs b = a.copy()
  • NumPy arrays
  • creating arrays
  • np.zeros() and np.ones()
  • shape of arrays using np.shape()
  • multidimensional arrays
  • vectorized operations on arrays
  • slicing & indexing into arrays
  • writing functions in Python
  • reading from files & writing to files