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Programming Fundamentals in Python: Variables, Data Types & Operators

This chapter provides an overview of foundational programming concepts, with a focus on Python syntax. It also introduces two different Python IDEs- Spyder and Google Colaboratory.

Topics covered include:

Acknowledgements

Portions of this chapter are adapted from the “Lab: Programming in Python” and “Lab: Numbers in Python” lab materials developed by Janet Davis for the the CSC 105 “The Digital Age” course.

This chapter also incorporates elements of Corey Pennycuff’s “Intro to Python/Jupyter” Jupyter notebook from CSE 10101 Elements of Computing (Fall 2019).

Definitions and explanations in this chapter are adapted from:

Setup

One of the Python IDE’s we’ll be exploring in this chapter does require a software download. Spyder is " a free and open source scientific environment written in Python, for Python, and designed by and for scientists, engineers and data analysts" (Spyder documentation).

To install Spyder as a stand-alone program: spyder-ide.org

The other Python IDE introduced in this chapter is the web-based Google Colaboratory.

To install Spyder as a stand-alone program: spyder-ide.org

Application

Your answers to this chapter’s application questions should be added to the notebook template.

Submit the Colab link on Canvas for the assignment submission.