CSIS 05 C++ Scientific Programming, Fall 2010

 

Catalog Description:

 

An introduction to computer problem solving and programming using the C++ language for science and engineering majors. Students will write programs for a variety of scientific and mathematical applications. The CSIS version has the option of a letter grade or credit/no credit

 

Units: 3    

Prerequisite:  Mathematics 1A

Advisory:  CSIS 10 BASIC Programming

Transferable: CSU; UC

End of catalog description.

 

Instructor: Dennie Van Tassel

E-mail: dvantassel@gavilan.edu

Office Hours: 1.0 hour before class when this class is meeting.  Open computer lab, Sundays, 4:00 – 7:45 PM, at Morgan Hill site. The lab is available for you to work during that time.

 

Assignment sheet: If you sign up for the class and tell me, I can e-mail you the assignment sheet for the class so you can start early, but I will not send you the assignment sheet until you sign up for the class. All these class Green Sheets are stored at my campus web site.

 

Campus web address: http://www.gavilan.edu

The web site is good place to look for a wide variety of information, such as college catalog, course description, phone numbers, etc.

 

Class Hours: Hybrid class, lecture Mondays/Wednesday 9:45 AM, at Gilroy campus in LI-126, or take it as an online class. Most all students that come to Lectures complete the course with a high grade. By contrast less than 70% of the students that do NOT attend lecture pass the course. This problem is particularly true if you do not have programming experience, such as the Advisory course: CSIS 10 BASIC Programming. While the class is meeting I will be available online at hours/day later indicated.

 

Instructor class description:

This class is a beginning level programming class. We will work through much of the assigned textbook. You will need the textbook the first meeting of class.

 

Student Responsibilities: If you are taking the lecture version come to class. Read the text. You need spend several hours EVERY week on this class. If you disappear AND stop working on this class, I may drop you.

 

Texts & Materials: C++ for Engineers and Scientists, by Gary Bronson, 2nd edition 2005, (ISBN-10: 0-534-99380-X). A new 3rd edition just came out (ISBN-10 0-324-78643-3), but it is more expensive even on the Web. You can also use the older edition: ISBN-10: 0-534-95060-4, which is MUCH cheaper, from www.amazon.com or www.half.ebay.com. Or you can use the above supplied ISBN and got to the Web site: http://www.campusbooks.com/ and they will provide a comparison shopping for your textbook.

 

You cannot take this class with out the required textbook since I give you assignments out of the book. You also need a disk to save your work each week, especially if you plan to work at home and in the lab. Since the programs that you save are rather large you will probably need a 100MB ZIP disk.

You can save yourself a lot of wasted time and learn a lot more if you read the textbook. Read the first 2 chapters of the book the first week. The first programming assignments from the textbook is to type in the program on page 16 and get it working. Please put comments in all your programs with the page number of the program/assignment and your name.

This is a class for beginners, but you will need some basic skills in text editing and operating system use such as opening and saving files. You can probably learn most of the windows basics in the class.

Assignment: Using the computer type up a short note about you. Please indicate your name, e-mail address, computer experience, previous programming background, and why you are taking the class. If you do not have an e-mail address, please go to www.hotmail.com and open a free e-mail account. If you want to you can give me your phone number and address, and if you miss class I may send you assignments either through the U.S. mail or e-mail.  Also indicate what grade you plan to get in the class and how you will obtain this grade. Please do this assignment before leaving the first class.

You do not need a computer at home to do this class, but you can do homework outside class on other computers. The computer labs on the main Gilroy campus do not have the software for this class.

Attend class: Do not get behind in the class. The class is accumulative. What you learn this week will be used to do the work next week. If you miss classes you will soon be lost. Plan to miss no classes. Bring your textbook and all handouts to class each meeting.

Course Learning Outcomes

The student will create, execute, and test C++ programs using calculations and decision statements. The student will create, execute, and test C++ programs using loops, arrays, and pointers. The student will create, execute, and test C++ programs using functions. The student will create execute, and test C++ programs using structures, classes, and objects. The student will create, execute, and test C++ programs using standard input/output, character I/O and file I/O. The student will evaluate and select the best programming method to solve problems.

Grading: This course has Credit/No Credit Option. You will normally get a grade in the class, but if you fill out a Credit/No Credit petition before 1/3 of the class has passed, you can take the class for credit/no credit. Petitions are available at the office or registrar. Please tell me if you do request a Credit/No Credit Option. In order to get a Credit, you need to earn at least a C grade.

If you want or need a good grade because you want to transfer to a 4-year school, are on academic probation, want a scholarship, or just want good grades do the work for a good grade. Don’t bother telling me you need a good grade the last week if you have not done the work for a good grade.

Incompletes: I seldom give incompletes and never give them just because you have not done the work. Almost no one ever finishes an Incomplete. Occasionally, people that have been doing the class work have severe family or personal problems and I do give them an Incomplete.

Drops: If you stop attending class, you must fill out a class drop form or you will get an F grade in the class. This does not do you, me, or the school any good. So if you stop taking the class, drop it at the A&R office.

Special needs: If you have special needs such as hearing problem, visual problems, or other needs, please tell me after class and I will try to assist you.

After all that, this is a fun class. You will learn a lot that will help you in your other classes and help you obtain useful job skills.

I am interested in suggestions about assignments, lectures, and the material covered.

The next class you might want to take is CSIS 46 C++ Programming II, or CSIS 54 Perl Programming. For our degrees and certificates you can use this class CSIS/ENGR 5 in place of CSIS 45 C++ Programming.

Address of this page: http://hhh.gavilan.edu/csis/csis05/csis05.html
Please feel free to send us your comments and questions.
Send e-mail messages to Dennie Van Tassel at dvantassel@gavilan.edu
Last revised on August 08, 2010.