Python Cram School 101

Intended Audience

If you are coming from another language such as JS, Java, or C, this workshop and the next will help you to translate your knowlege to the Python universe. This, along with the 102 workshop will give you Turing-completeness and procedural proficiency in Python.

The goal here is to understand the Python scalar types, the Python memory model, and how to modularize with Python functions.

Be Prepared!

Visit my Teaching Python page. While there, do these two things.

1. View Corey Schaefer's video and install the current version of Python on your lappy. He has complete instructions for all platforms. If you see a box to check to update your environment variables, check it! View this video to the end; he shows you how to test your install and gives you a little introduction to the language.
2. Install VSCode; you will see a link with instructions for installing it and configuring it for Python on both a Mac and a Windoze machine.

Outline

• Python Scalar Types
  • numbers: integers, floats, complex numbers
  • booleans and boolean operations
  • strings: globs of text
• The Python Documentation, First Pass
• builtin types
• bulltin functions
• What do Variables Store?
• The stack and the heap, elementary version
• Python Conditional logic
• if and friends
• The new match/case mechanism
• The Python Ternary Operator
• Python functions, local variables, and the Call Stack
• Stack frames, aka activation records
• How local variables stay local
• Arguments vs. parameters
• Recursion
• Python modules and their documentation
  • The Global Module Index
  • Using an unfamilair module