Unit I: Fundamentals of Computer Programming with C

Course: Programming with C (SEC)
Code: CASEC101

Fundamentals of Programming with C

C is a powerful general-purpose programming language. It is efficient, fast, and provides low-level access to memory.

Data Types, Expressions, and Operations

Data types define the type of data a variable can hold and how much space it occupies in memory.

Primary Data Types

• int: Used for integer numbers.
• float: Used for floating-point (decimal) numbers.
• char: Used for single characters.
• double: Used for high-precision decimal numbers.

Expressions and Operations

Expressions are combinations of variables, constants, and operators that evaluate to a value.

• Arithmetic Operators: +, -, *, /, % (modulus).
• Relational Operators: ==, !=, >, <, >=, <=.
• Logical Operators: && (AND), || (OR), ! (NOT) .

Input and Output Operations

C uses standard library functions to interact with the user.

• printf(): Used to output/print data to the screen.
• scanf(): Used to read/input data from the user.

Writing Simple C Programs

A simple C program structure includes the header files, the main() function, and the program logic.

Example:
#include <stdio.h>
int main() {
  int x = 5;
  printf("Value: %d", x);
  return 0;
}

Control Structures and Nested Loops

Control structures determine the flow of execution based on conditions or repetitions.

Conditional Statements

• IF-ELSE: Executes code based on whether a condition is true or false.
• SWITCH: Selects one of many code blocks to be executed based on a variable's value.

Looping Structures

• WHILE: Repeats a block while a condition is true.
• DO-WHILE: Executes at least once, then repeats if the condition is true.
• FOR: Repeats a block for a specific number of times.
• Nested Loops: A loop inside another loop, often used for matrix operations.

Jump Statements

• BREAK: Exits the current loop or switch.
• CONTINUE: Skips the rest of the current iteration and moves to the next one.
• GOTO: Transfers control to a labeled statement (use with caution).

Solving Elementary Programming Problems

Unit I focuses on applying C logic to solve problems in mathematics and statistics.

• Calculating factorials.
• Evaluating algebraic expressions.
• Checking English capitalization rules in strings.