This is the first of 5 consecutive weeks focused entirely on Python, which will hopefully get you a solid introduction to this very useful language. We will start by working our way through the first part of CSB Chapter 3 (3.1-3.4) to get acquainted with Python basics.
Some of the things you will learn this week:
Understand why we will be learning Python in this course.
Learn how to use Python in VS Code.
Learn the basics of Python syntax.
Learn how to work with different variable types: strings, integers, floats, and Booleans.
Learn about the four basic data structures in Python: lists, dictionaries, tuples, and sets.
Assuming that you are completely new to Python, I recommend that you at least quickly read CSB 3.1-3.4 before class and that you also go through it once more after class, preferably interactively with an open Python prompt. Before we move on, it will be important to get some Python fundamentals under your fingers.
See the Python resources page on this site for a list of general resources for learning Python!
The Economist, 2018: “Python is becoming the world’s most popular coding language”
Stack Overflow, 2017: “The Incredible Growth of Python”
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