AP computer Science A

Syllabus:

Book:

Practice online:

• CodingBat : codingbat.com/java (opens in new window).Short and sweet workouts. Warmups.
• PracticeIt : practiceit.cs.washington.edu/ (opens in new window). Variety of levels, but in general, more involved examples, involve logic and syntax.
• HackerRank : https://www.hackerrank.com/domains/algorithms/implementation (opens in new window). Variety of levels, but in general, more involved examples, involve logic and syntax.
• Online IDEs : repl.it ; www.browxy.com ; www.ideone.com ;

Learn online:

• EdX: Preparing for AP-CS Part 1 Cooper Union (opens in new window).
• Udemy: Decoding AP -CS (opens in new window).

• All classroom material is distributed through Github Classroom.
You need a github account for this.
• We program together in class, and then links are given to students for the classroom assignment.
• We often also code together in class CodingBat and PrcticeIt problems (and rarely hackerrank).
  • You will also open an account on CodingBat and PracticeIt.
  • On CodingBat, add me as your teacher (see profile settings).

Course outline:

1. Intro and setup.
   1. Topics: Setup the environment: JDK, IDE, Editor, Github.
      This one does it all: Installation_NetBeans_JDK_Eclipse.pdf
      Just if you need: JDK: Oracle JavaSE IDE - NetBeans: https://netbeans.org/ Screen-shot
      Editors: Atom [https://atom.io/] or Sublime [https://www.sublimetext.com/]
      Netbeans and Git (Clone) ; https://github.com/
   2. Resources for the Java Methods book: Student files ; Slides
   3. In class activity: Syllabus. AP. Game of Nim (intro to algorithms). CodingBat (WarmUp). Installation.
2. "Hello World"
   1. Topics: Command line, IDE, graphics, and GitHub classroom setup.
   2. Code: "Hello World" Command line - Javac, java.
   3. Code: "Hello World"" IDE - Working with the IDE.
   4. Code: "Hello World" Graphics - Intro to graphics.
   5. Code: "Hello World" Github - Working with IDE and github. Homework: First homework on Github Classroom.
   6. Code: KPoint [github] - Introduction to class, fields, methods, constructors. Homework: Add functionality to the point class.
3. Primitive types + Strings
   1. Topics: Primitive types: Char, int, double, boolean.
   2. Topics: Strings: Objects, length, substring, charAt, indexOf, compareTo, equals.
   3. Drill: Codingbat- Warmup, String-1, no loops.
      1. HelloName
      2. FirstHalf
      3. MissingChar.
      4. HasBad.
      5. sleepIn
      6. 11-string1-intro
   4. PracticeIt : expressions
   5. Code: KString [github] - Our own String class. Homework: Hyphen2(), isPalindrome().
   6. Code: TempConverter [github] - Homework: Simple integer arithmetic.
   7. Code: BaseConverter [github] - Converting between Dec, Binary, Octal, and Hex. Homework: Complete the class.
   8. Strings + primitve types: 14-prep-quiz2
4. Boolean + if()
   1. Topics: Boolean, logical operators: Simple. De Morgan's law.
   2. Topics: if().
   3. Drill: Codingbat- logic-1. Warmup
      1. 02-logic_and_string_intro
   4. Drill: PracticeIt-
      1. Logic, not programming. Nice one to start! ifElseMystery1
      2. Logic, little harder than 1. ifElseMystery2
      3. Nice Programming quadrant
      4. If/then/else: Do this one together in class, to see good programming style. Coordinates
      A little harder ones:
      5. if/else with integer division. No program, just MC. ifElseSimulation
      6. if/else Days in month: daysOfMonth
      7. if/else Tax: Tax
   5. Easy review: logic and String: 24-warm-up-review
   6. 8-quiz1-logic
5. While() and for() loops, and foreach()
   1. 21-warmup-whileloops
   2. Hangman [github] - Loops and strings. Homework: Complete the game.
   3. for()
   4. Codingbat- String-2, including loops.
      1. 22-inpairs-warmup-logicandloops
      2. doubleChar
      3. Bob there.
      4. ZipZap. (not easy!)
      5. xyBalance.Seems complicated, but has a VERY neat solution.
   5. Quiz preparation: 25-loops-before-quiz
   6. 26-quiz3-loops
   7. Nested for() loops
   8. Triangles and pyramids [github] - Nested loops for printing ASCII art. Homework: Complete shapes.
   9. Langauge feature: break and continue.
   10. Prime: isPrime(), allPrimesUpTo(), firstNPrimes() [ github]
   11. Codingbat- String-3, nested loops. Well, you might use. Don't have to.
       Paying attention to 'first time right' (or minimum times wrong).
       Then, paying attention to reduced code!
       
       1. countTriple Simple one to start with.
       2. gHappy - Logic makes it simple.
       3. sameEnds
       4. maxBlock - Not really complicated. Think simple.
       5. withoutString - Two hints:
          1. Use str.toLowerCase() when comparing.
          2. Substitute from the ORIGINAL string (not from lowercase). Like the Hangman.
   12. Codingbat- String-3, nested loops. Two problems I wrote to demeonstrate use of While() and use of tmp.
       
       1. switchXwithNext - use of tmp.
       2. stringCombine - multiple indexes.
       3. Write your own CodingBat problems! Here is what the students came up with (very original!!):
          CodingBat_StudentExercises_Strings.txt
   13. ForEach loop - We did two things:
       1. AP_Java_ForEach
       2. AP_Java_ForEach_And_Spirals2D
6. Arrays
   1. 1D Array
      1. Basic 1D array cnocepts and operations : [github]
      1. 1D Array: CodingBat - Array-1 (no loops)
         1. firstLast6
         2. no23
         3. sum3
         4. makeLast
         5. plusTwo
         6. frontPiece
      2. 1D Array: CodingBat - Array-2 (loops)
         1. countEvens
         2. shiftLeft. Interesting.
         3. sum67
         4. centeredAverage. We'll do this one together as well.
      3. 1D Array: CodingBat - Array-2 (loops) and Array-3 (Nested or multiple loops)
         1. twoTwo - Keep it simple: We have seen the pattern.
         2. zeroFront - Special interest: Continue/break.
         3. evenOdd - Indices. one loop.
         Array-3
         4. canBalance - Simple loops. Logic.
         5. squareUp - Indices. Nested loop. simple logic.
      4. Write your own CodingBat problems! Here is what the students came up with (very original!!):
         CodingBat_StudentExercises_Arrays.txt
      5. PracticeIt warmups:
         1. arrayMystey-final1
         2. arrayMystey-final2
      2. Random: java.util.Random and Math.random.
         Command line arguments.
         Homework: 1D array shuffle [ github].
      3. (We did not do this year) Homework: Fibonnaci class (return array, return element, return next element) [ github].
   2. 2D Array
      1. Magic square [github].
      2. Homework: Haiku (2D array decoding) [github].
   3. Some more workouts on Arrays - CodingBat.
      1. 0-block: 1D to 2D array of ints. (zz530_1dTo2DInts).
      2. Blitz:
         1. commonEnd
         2. maxEnd3
         3. double23
      3. HW:
         1. Array of Strings. (zz520_longestString).
         2. countClumps (medium/hard)
         3. fix34 (challenging)
         4. Mirror (hard)
   4. Bubble sort: Wrapping up 1D array, and talking about sorting (time, space) [ github].
   5. 0-block:
      1. PracticeIt: Mystery array. sum/difference
      2. 2D ascii art.
   6. Some fun with arrays and strings:
      1. wordsCount
      2. scoresSpecial: Helper function
      3. mergeTwo : Strings and arrays
7. OOP:: Methods, Class
   1. Primes example in class [ github].
   2. static/class variable/method
   3. Euler problems homework:
      1. Euler7 - 10,001 prime. We'll do together in class
      2. Euler9 - Pythagorean triplet
      3. Euler39 - Integer right triangle
      4. Euler46 - Goldbach's other conjecture. BTW, his other conjecture: Every even integer greater than 2 can be expressed as the sum of two primes. I would recommend the book "Uncle Petros and Goldbach's Conjecture")
8. OOP:: Inheritance:
   1. Basic concepts:
      1. Bank account example: Inheritance, Encapsulation, 'extends', this, super (dot notation, constructor), constructor. Overloading methods toString, static/class variable. Array of objects, casting. Which function is called? determined by the OBJECT itself. BankAccount
      2. [HW] Person Person Github
   2. Interfaces and Abstract classes:
      1. Implements keyword, Abstract keyword
      2. Interface - Contract ; Abstract -
      3. Examples we used:
         1. Inheritance: Simple BankAccount: Inheritance BankAccount
         2. Abstract class: Animal: Abstract Animal
         3. Interface class: Costable: Interface Costable
      4. Mobile example, interface - Mobile
      5. Shape example, abstract Shape
      6. [HW] Animal
      7. PracticeIt:
         • InheritanceMystery1
         • InheritanceMystery2
      8. Comparable interface : Git
   3. NTU problems::
      1. The whole deal: https://www.ntu.edu.sg/home/ehchua/programming/index.html
      2. https://www.ntu.edu.sg/home/ehchua/programming/java/J3a_OOPBasics.html
      3. https://www.ntu.edu.sg/home/ehchua/programming/java/J3f_OOPExercises.html
9. ArrayList
   1. ArrayList shuffle: [ github files].
   2. ArrayList Josephus: [ github files].
   3. ArrayList AlwaysSorted: [ github files].
10. Recursion: Factorial, Towers of Hanoi, palindrome. [ github files].
11. Search and Sort
    1. Search: Sequential, binary. []github files].
    2. Sort: Bubble, Selection, Insertion, Merge. [github files].
12. Larger projects:
    1. Conway game of life: Logic [ github files].
    2. Battle Ship: AI [ github].
13. Practicing: AP-FR We are doing many. See for example : AP_FR_TheOnesYouDid_solution.pdf ; [AP_FR_TheOnesYouDid_solution.docx ]
    1. FR_2013_4_2DArray: Skyview, raster scan. (medium)
    2. FR_2012_4_2DImage: Simple 2D array processing. (easy)
    3. FR_2017_3_String: String operation. (medium)
14. The whole material
    • Java subset for the AP exam
    • Java quick reference card for the AP exam
    • List of terms :[terms_All.txt]
    • Class, Interface, Abstract: Car examples. 1,2 and 3. AP_Java_OOP_CarSimple_3.git
    • Array 1D, Array 2D, ArrayList: Java_AP_Array_1D_2D_List.git
    • Class, Inheritance: Accessing private fields of super: Animal -> Dog - DogYears, and getAge()
    • ArrayList and strings, removing element: String11.
    • CodingBat_StudentExercises_all_2019.txt