INTRODUCTION TO CODING
traffic signals to show different colors.
Sometimes it is even smarter, where the
1.1 What will you learn in this
code detects congestion based on
chapter? sensors and maximizes efficiency by
only functioning when traffic is present.
Do you want to know what code is? How
is code applied in real life, and how does 1.3 Where else do we see
it impact our day-to-day activities? applications of coding?
Welcome to the introductory section on
coding.
Most of us knowingly or unknowingly
Here you will learn:
engage with programming, be it inside
our homes or outside. Coding, in the
• Real world application of coding
modern world, can be seen on the
• How coding impacts our daily lives
streets, at the schools, at the local
• What exactly is coding in context
grocery stores, etc.
of computer science
Some of the practical examples of coding
in the real world are:
1.2 How do traffic lights work? • Interaction with bar-code
scanners at shopping store
• Automatic control of traffic using
Have you ever wondered traffic lights
how traffic signals • Booking movie, bus, train, flight
function? The lights cycle tickets online
through green, yellow, • Printers
and red at regular • Computer software we use like
intervals to control road web browser, Word etc.
intersections' traffic flow. They prevent • Video games and animations for
accidents and help to avoid congestion entertainment
on the roads.
However, how do the traffic lights 1.4 What exactly is coding?
change automatically?
Few lines of code running in the
Coding, also referred to as
background drive the traffic lights. At
programming, is creating instructions
regular intervals, the code changes the
that can be executed on a computer to
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perform a specific task or achieve a
particular result.
Coding is just like solving a math
problem. There may be many ways to
solve a problem. Similarly, there could
be more than one way to write
code for the same task. Just like solving
any other problem, some coding
approaches are more efficient than
others.
Think you are playing a video on your
smartphone. Your phone is like a
computer that needs to be instructed on
what to be done. The app playing the
video provides this instruction. This
video-playing app is an example of
coding. But how does the app
communicate the instructions to the Some of the most frequently used
phone? It does via a programming ones are:
language. In the next section, we will get
• Python
to know more about programming
• Java
languages. • JavaScript
• C#
1.5 What is a programming • R
• C++
language?
• C
• F#
Think about how we communicate with • COBOL
people around us? Language is our
primary means of communication for all Syntax is a set of rules that we need to
human interactions. Similarly, we can follow when we write a computer
interact with computers via a language program.
that computers understand. This
There are hundreds of programming
language is called a programming
language. Using programming languages used around the world. And
new ones are getting developed all the
languages, we can provide instructions
to a computer to perform a set of time. Every programming language has
activities. These sets of instructions are its own syntax. But all programming
languages have one common thing: they
also called programs. Like any other
language that has grammar, are eventually converted into a language
that the computer will understand.
programming languages have syntax.
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Throughout this chapter, we will learn know a little bit about coding and its
about different programming techniques applications, let us try to do some
and how to apply them. Now, that we exercises.
1.6 Quiz Time
Question 1 For a given problem, there is always only one way to write a program
Option 1 True
Option 2 False
Question 2 Pin authentication for ATM card transaction is an example of
programming
Option 1 True
Option 2 False
Question 3 Code is a set of instructions that can be executed on a computer to
perform a specific task
Option 1 True
Option 2 False
Question 4 Which among the below are examples of programming in real life?
Option 1 Robots
Option 2 Computer Games
Option 3 Self-drive cars
Option 4 All the above
Question 5 Which among the below is not an example of programming language?
Option 1 Python
Option 2 English
Option 3 JavaScript
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1.7 What did you learn in this chapter?
So, we are at the end of the introductory chapter for coding. By now, you should
understand
• How coding is being utilized in everyday life to perform complex tasks in an easy
manner
• What are the real-life applications of coding?
• What is exactly meant by the term coding in context of computer science?
• Now you know names of some of the most popular programming languages
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