Hey,

I was wondering if anyone who has taken the python version of this course happened to have any past exams/midterms? A lot of us have no idea what to expect for this course. (It seems the lectures and labs are very different.)

Thanks!!

pc got wiped so i lost the only 2 past papers there were....

The lectures are very theoretical as opposed to the labs. The tutorials prepare you better for the labs. And labs are challenging. But the labs, if done honestly, give you a very good exposure to programming at basic level. Take this course seriously and devote it plenty of time if you haven't taken high school programming. Many students end up failing the course due to ignorance.

pro tip, the tests are very different from the labs/tuts. u gota understand and decode it like a puzzle

Originally Posted by nikJ

The lectures are very theoretical as opposed to the labs. The tutorials prepare you better for the labs. And labs are challenging. But the labs, if done honestly, give you a very good exposure to programming at basic level. Take this course seriously and devote it plenty of time if you haven't taken high school programming. Many students end up failing the course due to ignorance.

be happy you are doing python. I know some of the TAs for this course who basically learned the language to level you learn (all semester) in a single weekend. I would say starting with C would be much better, but then more people fail.

For the labs:
The only way to learn coding is to code. No thoery required. Set a fairly complex project like making a game, and get to it. For example, we did C# my year and I, ignoring most of the useless assigned programs, instead created a windows application for work designed to make planning financials for programs much easier, and it worked quite well. Apparently its still being used. I may sound odd, but I made programming useful and fun, and that gave me motivation to practice. I did have a fair knowledge of C and assembly walking into 1st year though so definitely helped a bit.
Also I haven't seen the textbook but its probably horrible compared to the intense amount of documentation on the web for python. So look for it!

For the tests:
These in my year were ridiculous and stupid, falling into mostly two categories:
1) random trivia (like one of the profs had a crush on Alan Turing and there were a fair number of questions on him)
2) The following style:

i) code 1
ii) code 2: slightly different from (i), like a < instead than <= in a for loop or = instead of == or missing a semicolon on one line.
iii) code 3: another small difference
iv) code 4: a big difference, which may or may not be the same implemented another way

Q) Which of the following code will ____ [produce X output or perform Y action or compile/not compile/produce an error]
A) i
B) ii
C) iii
D) i and iv
E) ii and iii

In other words, learn to EDIT and find ERRORs and UNDERSTAND code and TRACE through code to be able to find an output. You dont need to actually be able to code, or at least you didnt when I did the exam a few years ago.