Introduction to Python Programming

Lesson 1: Why Python Programming

• Receive an overview of what you’ll be learning and doing in the course


• Understand why you should learn programming with Python

Lesson 2: Data Types and Operators

• Represent data using Python's data types: integers, floats, booleans, strings, lists, tuples, sets, dictionaries, compound data structures


• Perform computations and create logical statements using Python’s operators: Arithmetic, Assignment, Comparison, Logical, Membership, Identity


• Declare, assign, and reassign values using Python variables


• Modify values using built-in functions and methods


• Practice whitespace and style guidelines

Lesson 3: Control Flow

• Write conditional expressions using if statements and boolean expressions to add decision making to your Python programs


• Use for and while loops along with useful built-in functions to iterate over and manipulate lists, sets, and dictionaries


• Skip iterations in loops using break and continue


• Condense for loops to create lists efficiently with list comprehensions

Lesson 4: Functions

• Define your own custom functions


• Create and reference variables using the appropriate scope


• Add documentation to functions using docstrings


• Define lambda expressions to quickly create anonymous functions


• Use iterators and generators to create streams of data

Lesson 5: Scripting

• Install Python 3 and set up your programming environment


• Run and edit python scripts


• Interact with raw input from users


• Identify and handle errors and exceptions in your code


• Open, read, and write to files


• Find and use modules in Python Standard Library and third-party libraries


• Experiment in the terminal using a Python Interpreter