WEEK 1 :: CRASH COURSE PYTHON ::AUTOMATION

Output a message that says "Programming in Python is fun!" to the screen.

for i in range(1): print ("Programming in Python is fun!)

What's a computer program?

A list of instructions that computer has to follow to reach a goal. (At a basic level, a computer program is a recipe of instructions that tells your computer what to do.)

What are functions in Python?

Functions are pieces of codes that perform a unit of work. (Python functions encapsulate a certain action, like outputting a message to the screen in the case of print().)

Which of the following tasks do you think are good candidates for automation? Check all that apply.

Installing software on laptops given to new employees when they are hired (Installing and configuring software is a task that can be automated. Ensuring that everyone gets the exact same setup and reducing the amount of manual work needed for each new employee.) Periodically scanning the disk usage of a group of file servers (Scanning the disk usage is a task that can be easily automated. By letting the computer do it, you won't have to worry about forgetting to do it whenever it's needed.)

Replace the ___ placeholder and calculate the Golden ratio: (Blah blah ..) Tip: to calculate the square root of a number xx, you can use x**(1/2).

ratio = (1 + (5**(1/2))) /2 print(ratio)

What are keywords in Python?

Keywords are reserved words that are used to construct instructions. (Using the reserved words provided by the language we can construct complex instructions that will make our scripts.)

What are semantics when applied to programming code and pseudocode?

The effect of the programming instructions have (Like human language, the intended meaning or effect of words, or in this case instructions, are referred to as semantics.)

What's automation?

The process of replacing a manual step with one that happens automatically (By replacing a manual step with an automatic one we create automation that helps us reduce unnecessary manual work.)

What's the difference between a program and a script?

There's not much different, but scripts are usually simpler and shorter (The line between a program and a script is blurry; scripts usually have a shorter development cycle. This means that scripts are shorter, simpler, and can be written very quickly.)

Why do we need to learn the syntax and semantics of a programming language?

To allow us to clearly express what we want the computer to do (Knowing the syntax and understanding the semantics of a programming language allows us to tell the computer what we want it to do.)

Which of these scenarios are good candidates for automation? Select all that apply.

Generating a sales report, split by region and product type ( Creating a report that presents stored data in specific ways is a tedious task that can be easily automated.) Copying a file to all computers in a company (A task like copying files to other computers is easily automated, and helps to reduce unnecessary manual work.) Sending personalized emails to subscribers of your website (Sending out periodic emails is a time-consuming task that can be easily automated, and you won't have to worry about forgetting to do it on a regular basis.)

What does the print function do in Python?

The print functions output messages to the screen (Using the print() we can generate output for the user of our programs.)

What's the syntax of a language?

The rules of how to express things in that language. (In a human language, syntax is the rules for how a sentence is constructed, and in a programming language, syntax is the rules for how each instruction is written.)

Let's check whether you soaked all that in with a quick question! Select all options that explain why Python is relevant to today's IT industry

Python scripts are easy to write, understand, and maintain.(Python is a language that tries to mimic our natural language and so Python scripts are generally easy to write, understand and maintain.) There are many system administration tools built with Python.(Over the years, the Python community has developed a lot of additional tools that can be used by system administrators to get their job done.) Python is available on a wide variety of platforms. (Python is available on Windows, Linux, MacOS and even on mobile devices, making it a great tool for IT specialist looking to create scripts that can work across platforms.)