Programming Techniques

Programming Techniques

1. Variables

   • It is part of a program which can be assigned a specific value.
   • It consists of a name and the value assigned.
   • It can be changed whilst the program runs.
   • It is not fixed
   • It is stored in RAM

2. Constants

   • This cannot be changed or edited whilst the program is running
   • It consists of a name and the value assigned
   • It is also stored in main memory

3. Data Types

   • Integer
     • A whole number with no decimal points
   • String
     • A collection of characters usually within quotation marks.
   • Character
     • A single letter, number or symbol
   • Real(Float)
     • All numbers with a decimal point
   • Boolean
     • TRUE or FALSE

4. Casting

   • The conversion from one type to another
   • e.g string into an integer: int(34), str(3134)

5. Programming constructs

   • A Sequence is a set of actions that follow on one after the other
   • Iteration is the act of repeating a set of instructions. In python we use for and while loops.
   • Seletion allows decisions to be made within the program. In python we use If Elif and Else

6. Functions and procedures

   • functions make the code easier to read and understand
   • Make finding errors easier
   • Makes writing programs quicker because everything in a function can be reused in code
   • They are a set of instructions that are grouped and assigned a name and usually carries out a certain procedure.

7. Errors

   • Syntax error: Spelling or grammatical error
   • Run time error: Occurs whilst the program is executed
   • Logic error: The program will run but not as intended