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    Lecture Week 01

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    Lecture Week 01

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    Lecture Week 01

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    of 19

    CS0001A

    Introduction to Computing
    Lecture 1: Introduction and Overview

    Dr Malcolm Clarke

    1.0
    Lecture Outline

    • Why are you here?


    • Why computer?
    • What are computer science?
    • Why study computer science?
    • Overview of the study guide

    2
    Learning Outcomes
    After this lecture you will be able to
    • understand the concepts of
    – Computer science
    – Computation
    – Algorithms
    – Implementation
    • have an idea how to analyse algorithms

    3
    Why are you here
    Do you want to become a computer scientist?
    Yes? Congratulations!
    You have come to the right place!
    Good news No. 1: Computing is the core and
    interesting part of computer science.
    “Good” news No. 2: Computing is
    mathematically beautiful!
    So enjoy 

    4
    Why computer?
    Importance Challenges
    • Computers are • Theoretical
    ubiquitous – underlying power of
    – Mobile phones, fridges, computers, difficulty of
    cars, aircraft, solving problems, novel
    televisions, power types of computers …
    stations … • Engineering
    • Computers involved in – how to build correct
    critical systems systems
    – Power, hospitals, cars, • People
    air traffic control, … – systems that help people
    • „knowledge economy‟ and are easy to use

    5
    What is Computer Science?
    • Computer science is the study of computation
     A discipline that studies computable problems
    and computational structures (HyperDictionary
    computer dictionary)
     A discipline that involves the understanding and
    design of computers and computational
    processes
     Is it a mathematical, scientific or engineering
    discipline?
    Interdisciplinary!
    6
    What is Computation? What is
    computability theory?
    • Computation is the • Computability is about
    procedure of calculating – what computers can do
    i.e. determining something and cannot do
    by mathematical or logical  Characterise problems
    methods (HyperDictionary) that can be solved
     “In natural science, Nature algorithmically
    has given us a world and  Exhibit problems that
    we’re just to discover its cannot be solved (e.g.
    laws. In computers, we can the proof of the
    stuff laws into it and insolvability of the
    create a world”, by A. Kay “halting problem”)

    7
    What is an Algorithm?

    An algorithm is any well-defined computational procedure that takes


    some value, or set of values, as input and produces some value, or
    set of values as output
    An algorithm can be seen as a tool for solving a well-specified
    computational problem.

    8
    What is implementation?
    • Implementation is the task of turning
    an algorithm into a computer program.
    • Depending on the level of abstraction
    of the description of the algorithm,
    implementation can be anything
    between a straightforward translating
    task and a lengthy, difficult job.

    9
    Why study computer science?
    Test: how do you write a program to calculate
    the sum of 1,2,3,4, until n? n=1000 or10000?
    What makes the difference between the truly
    skilled programmers and the average?
    • Strong algorithmic knowledge and technique!
    • It might be that one can perform certain
    programming tasks without knowing much
    about algorithms; however with a good
    grounding in algorithms, one can accomplish
    much more.

    10
    Core topics of this module
    • Provides an overview of basic computing concepts
    – Hardware, architecture, operating systems,
    networks and secruity, HCI, software,
    programming languages, database, etc
    • Allows you to develop and/or improve some
    practical skills
    – Problem solving, thinking, writing, ……
    Textbook:
    – Glenn Brookshear, J. 2011, Computer Science:
    An Overview, Publisher: Pearson - Addison Wesley.

    11
    Followed by
    • Next term you will have a module on
    programming.

    • It will be important that you


    understand how a computer works.

    12
    Practical details - Lectures
    • Lectures:
    – Monday, 9.00-10.00 (one hour), LC-C,
    weeks 1-12
    – Will introduce the material covered in
    the exam.
    – You should also read around the topic.
    – Some things will be immediately obvious,
    others will not be!

    13
    Practical details – Labs/seminars
    • Timetables:
    Lab:
    – For weeks 1-12: Friday, HB223, 9.00-11.00 (two hours)

    14
    Practical details – Labs/seminars
    • Labs/seminars:
    – Develop/improve the practical skills
    – Receive guidance from the tutors.
    – Note that tutors will not do your exercise for you.
    – Expect to do reading on your own. You will need to know
    more than is in lecture notes to gain high marks.
    – What to read is given online

    – Exam topics are covered in the lectures


    – Exam questions are highly related to the lab exercises
    – It is extremely important to attend labs and finish the exercises
    – The tutors will take the register.
    – You do NOT need to hand in your exercises.

    15
    Practical details – Assessment
    Assessment:
    • 100% two-hours written exam,
    • In week 12 (no lecture in week 12)
    • Two parts:
    – A multiple choice part A for Grade D
    – An essay-type question part B for Grades C, B, A
    • Please refer to Lab exercises
     You don‟t need luck to pass the module!
     But, still, best of luck!
     Enjoy!

    16
    Materials
    • Details available via Brunel Blackboard Learning (BBL)
    – http://www.brunel.ac.uk/blackboard
    • These will include:
    – Study guide
    – Lecture slides (uploaded on Friday for Monday lectures)
    – Lab instructions (uploaded on Friday for coming week‟s
    labs)
    – Lab answers (uploaded one week after)
    – Links to additional material (reading materials,
    timetable, student handbook, etc)
    • Important to check frequently

    17
    Problems with your study
    • You can use the labs to discuss
    technical material.
    • Use the BBL (Brunel Blackboard
    Learning) online discussion forum.
    • Ask the lecturer after the lecture
    • For personal problems, contact your
    tutor in Mathematics.

    18
    Next Lecture

    • Computer hardware

    19

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