Challenging Programming in Python: A Problem Solving Perspective


Book Description

This book aims to strengthen programming skills and foster creative thinking by presenting and solving 90 challenging problems. The book is intended for individuals with elementary, intermediate, and advanced Python programming skills who aspire to take their abilities to the next level. Additionally, the book is valuable for individuals interested in enhancing their creative thinking and logical reasoning skills. It is a self-instructional book meant to provide readers with the ability to solve challenging problems independently. The presented challenges are lucidly and succinctly expressed, facilitating readers to follow along and comprehend the problem-solving process. The challenges cover various fields, making it suitable for a wide range of individuals. The book is divided into eight chapters, beginning with an introduction in chapter one. The second chapter presents essential Python basics for programming challenging problems, while the subsequent chapters focus on specific types of challenges. These include math-based challenges in chapter three, number-based challenges in chapter four, string-based challenges in chapter five, game-based challenges in chapter six, count-based challenges in chapter seven, and miscellaneous challenges in chapter eight. Each chapter comprises a set of challenges with examples, hints, algorithms, and Python code solutions. The target audience of the book includes computer science and engineering students, teachers, software developers, and participants in programming competitions.




Learn Python 3 the Hard Way


Book Description

You Will Learn Python 3! Zed Shaw has perfected the world’s best system for learning Python 3. Follow it and you will succeed—just like the millions of beginners Zed has taught to date! You bring the discipline, commitment, and persistence; the author supplies everything else. In Learn Python 3 the Hard Way, you’ll learn Python by working through 52 brilliantly crafted exercises. Read them. Type their code precisely. (No copying and pasting!) Fix your mistakes. Watch the programs run. As you do, you’ll learn how a computer works; what good programs look like; and how to read, write, and think about code. Zed then teaches you even more in 5+ hours of video where he shows you how to break, fix, and debug your code—live, as he’s doing the exercises. Install a complete Python environment Organize and write code Fix and break code Basic mathematics Variables Strings and text Interact with users Work with files Looping and logic Data structures using lists and dictionaries Program design Object-oriented programming Inheritance and composition Modules, classes, and objects Python packaging Automated testing Basic game development Basic web development It’ll be hard at first. But soon, you’ll just get it—and that will feel great! This course will reward you for every minute you put into it. Soon, you’ll know one of the world’s most powerful, popular programming languages. You’ll be a Python programmer. This Book Is Perfect For Total beginners with zero programming experience Junior developers who know one or two languages Returning professionals who haven’t written code in years Seasoned professionals looking for a fast, simple, crash course in Python 3




Python Programming


Book Description

Python Programming is designed as a textbook to fulfil the requirements of the first-level course in Python programming. It is suited for undergraduate degree students of computer science engineering, IT as well as computer applications. This book will enable students to apply the Python programming concepts in solving real-world problems. The book begins with an introduction to computers, problem solving approaches, programming languages, object oriented programming, and Python programming. Separate chapters dealing with the important constructs of Python language such as control statements, functions, strings, files, data structures, classes and objects, inheritance, operator overloading, and exceptions are provided in the book.




Powerful Python


Book Description

Once you've mastered the basics of Python, how do you skill up to the top 1%? How do you focus your learning time on topics that yield the most benefit for production engineering and data teams—without getting distracted by info of little real-world use? This book answers these questions and more. Based on author Aaron Maxwell's software engineering career in Silicon Valley, this unique book focuses on the Python first principles that act to accelerate everything else: the 5% of programming knowledge that makes the remaining 95% fall like dominos. It's also this knowledge that helps you become an exceptional Python programmer, fast. Learn how to think like a Pythonista: explore advanced Pythonic thinking Create lists, dicts, and other data structures using a high-level, readable, and maintainable syntax Explore higher-order function abstractions that form the basis of Python libraries Examine Python's metaprogramming tool for priceless patterns of code reuse Master Python's error model and learn how to leverage it in your own code Learn the more potent and advanced tools of Python's object system Take a deep dive into Python's automated testing and TDD Learn how Python logging helps you troubleshoot and debug more quickly




Think Like a Programmer


Book Description

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.




Python Workout


Book Description

The only way to master a skill is to practice. In Python Workout, author Reuven M. Lerner guides you through 50 carefully selected exercises that invite you to flex your programming muscles. As you take on each new challenge, you’ll build programming skill and confidence. Summary The only way to master a skill is to practice. In Python Workout, author Reuven M. Lerner guides you through 50 carefully selected exercises that invite you to flex your programming muscles. As you take on each new challenge, you’ll build programming skill and confidence. The thorough explanations help you lock in what you’ve learned and apply it to your own projects. Along the way, Python Workout provides over four hours of video instruction walking you through the solutions to each exercise and dozens of additional exercises for you to try on your own. Purchase of the print book includes a free eBook in PDF, Kindle, and ePub formats from Manning Publications. About the technology To become a champion Python programmer you need to work out, building mental muscle with your hands on the keyboard. Each carefully selected exercise in this unique book adds to your Python prowess—one important skill at a time. About the book Python Workout presents 50 exercises that focus on key Python 3 features. In it, expert Python coach Reuven Lerner guides you through a series of small projects, practicing the skills you need to tackle everyday tasks. You’ll appreciate the clear explanations of each technique, and you can watch Reuven solve each exercise in the accompanying videos. What's inside 50 hands-on exercises and solutions Coverage of all Python data types Dozens more bonus exercises for extra practice About the reader For readers with basic Python knowledge. About the author Reuven M. Lerner teaches Python and data science to companies around the world. Table of Contents 1 Numeric types 2 Strings 3 Lists and tuples 4 Dictionaries and sets 5 Files 6 Functions 7 Functional programming with comprehensions 8 Modules and packages 9 Objects 10 Iterators and generators




Conceptual Programming with Python


Book Description

Thorsten and Isaac have written this book based on a programming course we teach for Master's Students at the School of Computer Science of the University of Nottingham. The book is intended for students with little or no background in programming coming from different backgrounds educationally as well as culturally. It is not mainly a Python course but we use Python as a vehicle to teach basic programming concepts. Hence, the words conceptual programming in the title. We cover basic concepts about data structures, imperative programming, recursion and backtracking, object-oriented programming, functional programming, game development and some basics of data science.




Exercises for Programmers


Book Description

When you write software, you need to be at the top of your game. Great programmers practice to keep their skills sharp. Get sharp and stay sharp with more than fifty practice exercises rooted in real-world scenarios. If you're a new programmer, these challenges will help you learn what you need to break into the field, and if you're a seasoned pro, you can use these exercises to learn that hot new language for your next gig. One of the best ways to learn a programming language is to use it to solve problems. That's what this book is all about. Instead of questions rooted in theory, this book presents problems you'll encounter in everyday software development. These problems are designed for people learning their first programming language, and they also provide a learning path for experienced developers to learn a new language quickly. Start with simple input and output programs. Do some currency conversion and figure out how many months it takes to pay off a credit card. Calculate blood alcohol content and determine if it's safe to drive. Replace words in files and filter records, and use web services to display the weather, store data, and show how many people are in space right now. At the end you'll tackle a few larger programs that will help you bring everything together. Each problem includes constraints and challenges to push you further, but it's up to you to come up with the solutions. And next year, when you want to learn a new programming language or style of programming (perhaps OOP vs. functional), you can work through this book again, using new approaches to solve familiar problems. What You Need: You need access to a computer, a programming language reference, and the programming language you want to use.




A Primer on Scientific Programming with Python


Book Description

The book serves as a first introduction to computer programming of scientific applications, using the high-level Python language. The exposition is example and problem-oriented, where the applications are taken from mathematics, numerical calculus, statistics, physics, biology and finance. The book teaches "Matlab-style" and procedural programming as well as object-oriented programming. High school mathematics is a required background and it is advantageous to study classical and numerical one-variable calculus in parallel with reading this book. Besides learning how to program computers, the reader will also learn how to solve mathematical problems, arising in various branches of science and engineering, with the aid of numerical methods and programming. By blending programming, mathematics and scientific applications, the book lays a solid foundation for practicing computational science. From the reviews: Langtangen ... does an excellent job of introducing programming as a set of skills in problem solving. He guides the reader into thinking properly about producing program logic and data structures for modeling real-world problems using objects and functions and embracing the object-oriented paradigm. ... Summing Up: Highly recommended. F. H. Wild III, Choice, Vol. 47 (8), April 2010 Those of us who have learned scientific programming in Python ‘on the streets’ could be a little jealous of students who have the opportunity to take a course out of Langtangen’s Primer.” John D. Cook, The Mathematical Association of America, September 2011 This book goes through Python in particular, and programming in general, via tasks that scientists will likely perform. It contains valuable information for students new to scientific computing and would be the perfect bridge between an introduction to programming and an advanced course on numerical methods or computational science. Alex Small, IEEE, CiSE Vol. 14 (2), March /April 2012 “This fourth edition is a wonderful, inclusive textbook that covers pretty much everything one needs to know to go from zero to fairly sophisticated scientific programming in Python...” Joan Horvath, Computing Reviews, March 2015




Python For Dummies


Book Description

Python is one of the most powerful, easy-to-read programming languages around, but it does have its limitations. This general purpose, high-level language that can be extended and embedded is a smart option for many programming problems, but a poor solution to others. Python For Dummies is the quick-and-easy guide to getting the most out of this robust program. This hands-on book will show you everything you need to know about building programs, debugging code, and simplifying development, as well as defining what actions it can perform. You’ll wrap yourself around all of its advanced features and become an expert Python user in no time. This guide gives you the tools you need to: Master basic elements and syntax Document, design, and debug programs Work with strings like a pro Direct a program with control structures Integrate integers, complex numbers, and modules Build lists, stacks, and queues Create an organized dictionary Handle functions, data, and namespace Construct applications with modules and packages Call, create, extend, and override classes Access the Internet to enhance your library Understand the new features of Python 2.5 Packed with critical idioms and great resources to maximize your productivity, Python For Dummies is the ultimate one-stop information guide. In a matter of minutes you’ll be familiar with Python’s building blocks, strings, dictionaries, and sets; and be on your way to writing the program that you’ve dreamed about!