Think Like a Programmer : An Introduction to Creative Problem Solving

"The real challenge of programming isn't learning a language's syntax--it's learning to creatively solve problems so you can build something great. In this one-of-a-kind text, author V. Anton Spraul breaks down the ways that programmers solve problems and teaches you what other introductory books often ignore: how to Think Like a Programmer. Each chapter tackles a single programming concept, like classes, pointers, and recursion, and open-ended exercises throughout challenge you to apply your knowledge. You'll also learn how to: Split problems into discrete components to make them easier to solve: Make the most of code reuse with functions, classes, and libraries pick the perfect data structure for a particular job: Master more advanced programming tools like recursion and dynamic memory: Organize your thoughts and develop strategies to tackle particular types of problems. Although the book's examples are written in C++, the creative problem-solving concepts they illustrate go beyond any particular language; in fact, they often reach outside the realm of computer science. As the most skillful programmers know, writing great code is a creative art--and the first step in creating your masterpiece is learning to Think Like a Programmer"--No Starch Press. Read more... Abstract: "The real challenge of programming isn't learning a language's syntax--it's learning to creatively solve problems so you can build something great. In this one-of-a-kind text, author V. Anton Spraul breaks down the ways that programmers solve problems and teaches you what other introductory books often ignore: how to Think Like a Programmer. Each chapter tackles a single programming concept, like classes, pointers, and recursion, and open-ended exercises throughout challenge you to apply your knowledge. You'll also learn how to: Split problems into discrete components to make them easier to solve: Make the most of code reuse with functions, classes, and libraries pick the perfect data structure for a particular job: Master more advanced programming tools like recursion and dynamic memory: Organize your thoughts and develop strategies to tackle particular types of problems. Although the book's examples are written in C++, the creative problem-solving concepts they illustrate go beyond any particular language; in fact, they often reach outside the realm of computer science. As the most skillful programmers know, writing great code is a creative art--and the first step in creating your masterpiece is learning to Think Like a Programmer"--No Starch Press Rewire your brain Examples in this book are written in C++, but will improve your ability to think like a programmer in any language. The real challenge of programming isn't learning a language's syntaxit's learning to creatively solve problems so you can build something great. In this one-of-a-kind text, author V. Anton Spraul breaks down the ways that programmers solve problems and teaches you what other introductory books often ignore: how to Think Like a Programmer . Each chapter tackles a single programming concept, like classes, pointers, and recursion, and open-ended exercises throughout challenge you to apply your knowledge. You'll also learn how to: Split problems into discrete components to make them easier to solve Make the most of code reuse with functions, classes, and libraries Pick the perfect data structure for a particular job Master more advanced programming tools like recursion and dynamic memory Organize your thoughts and develop strategies to tackle particular types of problems Although the book's examples are written in C++, the creative problem-solving concepts they illustrate go beyond any particular language; in fact, they often reach outside the realm of computer science. As the most skillful programmers know, writing great code is a creative artand the first step in creating your masterpiece is learning to Think Like a Programmer .

The real challenge of programming isn't learning a language's syntax—it's learning to creatively solve problems so you can build something great. In this one-of-a-kind text, author V. Anton Spraul breaks down the ways that programmers solve problems and teaches you what other introductory books often ignore: how to Think Like a Programmer. Each chapter tackles a single programming concept, like classes, pointers, and recursion, and open-ended exercises throughout challenge you to apply your knowledge. You'll also learn how to:

• Split problems into discrete components to make them easier to solve
• Make the most of code reuse with functions, classes, and libraries
• Pick the perfect data structure for a particular job
• Master more advanced programming tools like recursion and dynamic memory
• Organize your thoughts and develop strategies to tackle particular types of problems

Although the book's examples are written in C++, the creative problem-solving concepts they illustrate go beyond any particular language; in fact, they often reach outside the realm of computer science. As the most skillful programmers know, writing great code is a creative art—and the first step in creating your masterpiece is learning to Think Like a Programmer.

Many programmers struggle to write programs, even though they understand their chosen programming language. Programming isn't about syntax-it's about problem solving, and all good programmers can solve problems. Unfortunately, most programming books focus on syntax and semantics, resulting in programmers who can't make the leap from reading programs to writing them. Think Like a Programmer bridges that gap, teaching readers how to solve problems systematically, offering numerous techniques and examples designed to demonstrate how to organize thoughts, discover solutions, and find strategies to