Description
Book SynopsisBased on the author's introductory course at the University of Oregon, Explorations in Computing: An Introduction to Computer Science focuses on the fundamental idea of computation and offers insight into how computation is used to solve a variety of interesting and important real-world problems. Taking an active learning approach, the text encourages students to explore computing ideas by running programs and testing them on different inputs. It also features illustrations by Phil Foglio, winner of the 2009 and 2010 Hugo Award for Best Graphic Novel.
Classroom-Tested Material
The first four chapters introduce key concepts, such as algorithms and scalability, and hone practical lab skills for creating and using objects. In the remaining chapters, the author covers divide and conquer as a problem solving strategy, the role of data structures, issues related to encoding data, computer architecture, random numbers, challenges for natural language proc
Trade Review
This entry-level computer science textbook is intended for use in an introductory course for computer science majors or non-majors desiring an overview of the basic concepts and processes of computer programming. … Each chapter contains illustrations and code examples as well as a tutorial project that walks the student step-by-step through a task-related programming activity. Access to online resources, including a lab manual and links to the latest version of the open source Ruby software, is provided.
—SciTech Book News, February 2011
Table of ContentsIntroduction. The Ruby Workbench. The Sieve of Eratosthenes. A Journey of a Thousand Miles. Divide and Conquer. When Words Collide. Bit by Bit. The War of the Words. Now for Something Completely Different. Ask Dr. Ruby. The Music of the Spheres. The Traveling Salesman. Appendices.
