Beginner Programming Languages
Programming Logic from Zero
Learn to think like a programmer before you pick a language. Turn a task into an algorithm, write it in plain pseudocode and draw it as a flowchart. Store values in variables and know their types, make decisions with if, else and Boolean logic, repeat work with while and for loops, and package steps into functions that work on lists. Most of all, learn to trace a program line by line with a trace table and to find and fix bugs by reading the error message. Every idea comes with a tiny Python example that really runs, so when you finish you are ready for a first language course such as Python.
5 modules 5 lessons 3 h 150 questions
Course content
1 Algorithms and Pseudocode 1 lesson · 6 min
2 Variables, Types and Operators 1 lesson · 6 min
3 Decisions and Boolean Logic 1 lesson · 6 min
4 Loops and Trace Tables 1 lesson · 6 min
5 Functions, Lists and Debugging 1 lesson · 6 min
Tips
See all
Functions
Test small and edge cases
One item, negative numbers: where mistakes hide
Functions
Read the last line of the error first
It names the error, and the lines above show where
Functions
Return a value instead of printing it
return gives the value back, print only shows it
Loops
Make something change inside a while loop
No change means the loop never stops