PROGRAMMING 1
CONCEPTS OF PROGRAMMING LANGUAGE
WEEK 1; LECTURE 2
Hasan J. Alyamani
CONTENTS
What is a programming language?
Computer program.
Hardware in programming.
Data types.
Memory.
Memory and data types.
WHAT IS A PROGRAMMING LANGUAGE?
Language: is a collection of words in a certain
order (syntax) which has a meaning (semantic)
to help people to communicate.
Both Mr.A and Mr. speak Arabic.
Understands Mr.A
Understands Mr.B
Mr.A Mr.B
WHAT IS A PROGRAMMING LANGUAGE?
Mr.A speaks Arabic whereas Mr.B speaks
English.
Mr.A Mr.B
Mr.X
WHAT IS A PROGRAMMING LANGUAGE?
Mr.X is an interpreter.
Mr.X is a compiler.
Mr.A Mr.B
Mr.X
WHAT IS A PROGRAMMING LANGUAGE?
Programming: a set of written instructions
(language) to make the computer does
something.
Computer understands a “Machine language”.
Machine language: is a bit numerical system
(binary digit) 0 and 1.
A = 01000001 a=01100001
Machine language
WHAT IS A PROGRAMMING LANGUAGE?
Computer speaks “machine language”.
Mr.A speaks English.
Do they understand each other?
What does Mr.A need?
Machine
X Human
language language
WHAT IS A PROGRAMMING LANGUAGE?
Mr.A needs:
1) Learn a programming language.
2) A compiler/interpreter.
Compiler/interpreter to convert the whole code
to machine language.
Machine Low-level Mid-level High-level Human
language language language language language
WHAT IS A PROGRAMMING LANGUAGE?
Compiler: convert the
whole code to
machine language.
Interpreter: convert
the code line by line.
WHAT IS A PROGRAMMING LANGUAGE?
High-level language: Java => Java is a high-level
programming language.
Java offers a compiler to convert the code to
low-level language then an interpreter is used
to convert the code to the machine language.
Java
Machine Low-level Mid-level High-level Human
language language language language language
SOLVING PROBLEMS
Programs are used to solve different kinds of
problems to:
Save our time
Save out effort
Keep out information safe
SOLVING PROBLEMS
Problems might are simple or complex to be
solved
Mathematical problems:
Area and perimeter of shapes.
Algebraic equations
Physical problems:
Volume, acceleration
Archiving:
Store, organize and retrieve data.
COMPUTER PROGRAM
Computer program: a set of instructions that
processes input data to get information that solves
a certain problem.
1) input (data)
2) process (instruction)
3) output (information)
2
Java
1
3
HARDWARE IN PROGRAMMING
Input: keyboard, touchable screen, scanner,…
Processing data: memory
Output: printer, screen, …
DATA TYPES
Primitive data type
Category Data type Examples
Numerical data byte (3 places) 100; -60; 9
short (5 places) 10005; -87035
int (6 places) 985647; -789010
Float (floating 235.5f; -985.2f
point)
Double (floating 654.5; -78.1
point)
Logical data boolean true; false
Alphabetical data char ‘A’; ‘a’
Reference data type
String. Ex: “programming 1”
MEMORY
Computer program uses memory to store data
in order to process it or use it later.
Each data type has a specific size and type in
memory.
int float double boolean char
String
MEMORY AND DATA TYPES
int
float ‘j’
double
?
boolean
char
String
MEMORY AND DATA TYPES
int
float
53.1f
double
?
boolean
char
String
MEMORY AND DATA TYPES
int
float
true
double
?
boolean
char
String
MEMORY AND DATA TYPES
int
float
69
double
?
boolean
char
String
MEMORY AND DATA TYPES
int
float
“computer”
double
?
boolean
char
String
MEMORY AND DATA TYPES
int
float
“6.56”
double
?
boolean
char
String
MEMORY AND DATA TYPES
int
float
5+6
double
?
boolean
char
String
MEMORY AND DATA TYPES
int
float
9+36.5
double
?
boolean
char
String
MEMORY AND DATA TYPES
int
float
14/2
double
?
boolean
char
String
MEMORY AND DATA TYPES
int
float
1/3
double
?
boolean
char
String
MEMORY AND DATA TYPES
int
float
“Computer” + “ ” + “Science”
double
?
boolean
char
String
