Introduction to Programming Using Processing and Java

Learning to program is not just for those who want to major in computer science or become computer programmers. Programming is a way for you to use your creativity and express yourself by creating different types of digital artifacts. An artifact is something created usually for a practical purpose. Abstraction in computer programs has made it easier for people to learn to code. However, to understand computer programming you need to know a little about the basics of programming languages and how digital data is represented. All data that enters the computer gets converted to digital data which is a binary sequence of 1s and 0s. We do not have to worry about programming at that level; however, because programs are now created with high-level programming languages. A high level programming language contains libraries of predefined methods for you to use. This makes it easier to focus on what you are creating rather than details of the programming language itself. In this module, you will compare and contrast different programming languages and understand how digital data is represented in the computer. You will start to use your creativity to write programs that will either solve problems or just for your own creative expression.

Essential Questions

How is programming used to solve problems and foster creative expression?
How does abstraction in computer languages make programming easier?
How is digital data represented in the computer?
How is a computer screen similar to a piece of graph paper?
How is the RGB Color Model used by digital devices used in programming?

Key Terms

artifact - something created by humans usually for a practical purpose.

bit - a single 1 or 0 in a binary sequence. The smallest unit of measurement in binary.

byte - a unit of data that is eight bit. A byte is the unit computers use to represent a character such as a letter, number, or typographic symbol.

low level programming language -a programming language that provides little or no abstraction from a computer's instruction set architecture. Generally, this refers to either machine code or assembly language.

high level programming language - a programming language with strong abstraction from the details of the computer.

coordinate system - a coordinate system that specifies each point uniquely in a plane by a pair of numerical coordinates x and y.

RGB color model -color model used for representing and displaying images in electronic systems, such as televisions and computers.

logic gate - a logic gate is a device, usually an electrical circuit that performs one or more logical operations on one or more input signals. Logic gates are the building blocks of digital technology.

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