CSC 161	Grinnell College	Spring, 2012

Imperative Problem Solving and Data Structures

Semester Outline for CSC 161

Module	Dates	Overall Purpose	Summary and Main Topics	Examples	Lab Exercises	Project Theme
0 (module details)	Monday, January 23 — Friday, February 3	Introduction: Play a song This module helps CSC161 students to gain familiarity with foundational concepts of C programming, the Scribbler robot, and the Linux terminal.	Basics of Linux and C basic Linux introduction to using the terminal elements of a C program, including variables and primitive types basic Scribbler actions (beeping)	Pirates of the Caribbean Spirit Song	Linux commands Elements of a C Program Using the Scribbler 2: connect, disconnect, sound	Program a song
1 (module details)	Wednesday, February 1 — Monday, February 13	Motion (+song, motion) This module introduces and explores the possibilities that are offered by loops and conditionals. These capabilities are applied to controlling a robot that creates sounds and moves simultaneously.	Control structures conditional statements loops (e.g. initialization, iteration, condition testing, loop body, for, while) Scribbler motion	Dance Ice cream truck	Types and variables (with casting) Conditionals, Scribbler motion Loops Loops and Scribbler 2 motion	Make the robot dance and sing
— (details)	Tuesday, February 14 — Friday, February 17	Data representation	Representation of numbers non-negative binary integers sign-magnitude, ones- and twos- complement notation floating point representations	—	integer representation floating-point representation	—
2 (module details)	Monday, February 20 — Friday, March 2	Motion and sensors This module expands the CSC161 students' working knowledge of C language, improves problem solving and creativity, and creates an introduction to more complex programming.	functions and arrays one-dimensional arrays, writing functions, testing programs and functions, values and addresses, Scribbler 2 motion and sensors	Avoid object Move until a wall and turn right Follow moving object Braitenberg machine: Alive	1-dimensional arrays testing: functions and parameters values, addresses, and the & operator (2 labs)	Follow a moving object
	Wednesday, February 29	Hour Test 1
3 (module details)	Monday, March 5 — Tuesday, March 13	Deepen understanding of imperative problem solving and C The purpose of this module is to deepen understanding of the C language and smoothly integrate previous experience in the course into the larger framework of programming in C.	Arrays characters strings input/output	forthcoming	characters and strings Input/output I/O: basic menu framework	Robot follows typed commands
4 (module details)	Wednesday, March 14 — Friday, April 6	Image Processing The purpose of this module is to introduce the customizable nature of self-written programs by using structs and 2-dimensional arrays.	Structured data structs 2-dimensional arrays	change pixel (shell, full program) transform pictures	transform a pixel transform pixels in a picture sort pixels in a picture	Transform a Picture
5 (module details)	Monday, April 9 — Wednesday, April 18	Music Composition This module introduces dynamic data structures (with pointers and linked lists) as a means to store lines of music that evolve through the composition process.	Dynamic data storage pointers linked lists program management (separate header, implementation, application files)	insert theme into canon/fugue	pointers: create/return array, populate with sensor data linked lists (2 labs)	Music composition --- insertion of series of notes periodically into song tune
6 (module details)	Friday, April 20 — Monday, April 30	Storage/retrieval Patterns This module increases familiarity with programming in C, integrates the Scribbler 2's sensors into the curriculum, and continues to practice previously-introduced concepts	The purpose of this module is to clarify previously introduced concepts, such as more pointers and linked lists queues stacks Bash scripts	Transform image in various ways	stacks queues Bash scripts (for testing)	Do something interesting with pictures or travel in a maze
	Friday, April 13	Hour Test 2
7 (module details)	Tuesday, May 1 — Friday, May 11	Integrated Robotics This module integrates and reviews material that has been presented through the semester, with a particular emphasis on C programming concepts and full usage of the Scribbler robot.	Advanced Input/Output Files Command-line arguments	use robot with command-line actions and with log file	reading and writing with files files for include, separate compilation, separate linking command-line arguments	Robot motion with logging

created created 14 July 2011 last revised 10 April 2012
For more information, please contact Henry M. Walker at walker@cs.grinnell.edu.