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CHAPTER 1

INTRODUCTION,
BASIC SYMBOLS
AND VARIABLES

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Lesson 1:

Computer System Components

In computer system, one cannot have an understanding of its operation without the
careful analysis of its components. As a starter, it is important to first lean the basics and
relationship of these components.

When we are given an objective to compute large numbers, the first instinct that
comes to our mind is use a calculator. When we have the calculator, there are things that we
think and do unconsciously. The first response upon knowing the objective is automatic, we
immediately analyze the objective is automatic, we immediately analyze the objective by
identifying the mathematical operations needed (addition, subtraction, multiplication,
division, exponentiation, etc.) then, we input the data to be computed by pressing the
numbers and the identified mathematical operations, we then press the equal sign key to
process the inputted numbers. The result is then shown on the display of the calculator; this
result whether correct or erroneous is what we call output.

The relationship of the input, process, and output components producing the result
doesn’t stop there. The output we see on our calculator provides two things, first is the
incorrect result, and second is the correct result. We get incorrect result when we
accidentally input wrong data by pressing either negative values or error results. When we
get correct result from our calculation, chances are another instinct comes in our mind; we
either use the result again as an input for another computation, or store the computed result
in the memory for future computations. These output whether correct or incorrect, and
whether used as input for another computation is the feedback component of the computer
system.

The relationship of the components is shown below:

INPUT OUTPUT
PROCESS

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The Blue Print

The relationship of the components is the blue print of a computer system. Blue print
is the logic and ideas transformed into a map of how computer should do things. It is
implemented through software (instructions that tells the computer what to do) and executed
through the interaction of different hardware devices (physical computer itself). Blue print
also serves as the basis of how a computer functions, and how data are processed inside the
computer.

Let us have a step backward, recall that in a computer system, we key in using a
keyboard or mouse data for processing—data in computer system refers to numbers,
alphabets and alphanumeric characters. The entered data is then processed by the Central
Processing Unit (C.P.U.). The C.P.U. inside the computer box is just a tiny square piece of
Integrated Circuit attached on the mother board that normally has a dimension of 1” x 1”,
though small in size, its functions in the computer system is enormous because it functions
as the brain of the computer.

Central Processing Unit Components

The computer brain (C.P.U.) has different components that work cooperatively to
execute instructions. These components are:

· Control Unit (C.U.) – The command center of the processor. It has three primary
functions: read and interpret instructions, direct flow of operations of computer and
hardware devices and, control the flow of instructions and data.
· Register – A temporary storage microchip that holds data during processing. It is
located inside the CPU and has the same function that of a memory, specifically the
type Random Access Memory (R.A.M.) because of its volatile character – data are lost
once electric current is turned off; it just holds data temporarily for processing.
· Arithmetic and Logic Unit (A.L.U.) – the most significant component inside the C.P.U.
for our learning of the “behind the scene”. It is the chief of operations of the
computer. A.L.U. performs two major operations in processing data: all mathematical
computations (addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division) and all logical
operations (comparisons of data such as; greater than, less than, equal, greater than
or equal to, and less than or equal to). These processing are the main concentration
of how a computer process data, and is the foundation of the “behind the scene”.

Behind the scene in action

As we have read the blue print of behind the scene, it is now clear why a computer is
defined as an electronic device that can accept, process, and store vast amount of data to
produce useful information. Let us now zero in on behind the scene and understand its
language of ABC.
Computer programmers write computer instructions in computer programming
language. Just as people speak their native dialect, programmers write programs in different
languages; some examples are C++, Visual Basic, Java and COBOL. No matter which
programming language a Computer programmer uses, the language has rules governing its

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terminology and punctuation. These rules are called the language’s syntax. This syntax is a
rule that governs a programming language is unique and have their specific set of syntax.
When ideas are converted into a computer program, it is sent to the CPU processing.
However, The CPU cannot understand the code (computer program) and will not do anything
because of language incompatibility. For the CPU to understand the code, a language
translator is needed. The language translator software is called compiler or interpreter. The
role of compiler is to transform the code into a machine language (series of 1’s and 0’s to
represent ON and OFF states of the computer devices. It is also the representation of the
digital electronic charges inside the computer). Once the code is compiled, it changes its form
from computer program with strict syntax to a readable machine language that can be
interpreted by the CPU. CPU then executes the instructions and performs the tasks.

Lifeblood of a Computer System

Tasks executed by the CPU vary from simple acceptance of data to a complex
merging of different files. Whatever tasks the CPU is instructed to perform, the instruction
would have to be in the language of computers. Computer program is the lifeblood of a
computer system it is the fluid that runs through the veins of the computer that tells what the
organs to function and what action to perform. With the analogy, we can define computer
program or code as a set of logical instructions given to a computer for data processing that
is interpreted by a compiler to produce useful information.
Programmers integrate ideas to a code in no simple way. In their practice of
developing computer programs, it brings to them the hurdles to accomplish the task. Being
new to programming, we might not be ready yet to overcome the challenges. As a guide,
programmers suggest to observe the following guide questions in planning and developing a
program:

1. What is the problem?

2. What are the available data?
3. What output information or data is needed?
4. When do you need the output?
5. What processing is needed to produce the output?
6. What is the desired output?
7. Where should the output go?

We can now agree that code is the gasoline that powers the computer. It is now the
role of behind the scene to translate ideas into a form that is friendlier and easier to
understand and illustrate. Behind the scene can be illustrated by the use of flow
chart. Flowchart is a modeling tool used to illustrate data, instructions, process,
information, and workflow by the use of specialized symbols. In the world of
computers we can simply say that flow chart is a step-by-step graphical
representation of a solution. The basic symbols used in programming are presented
in Table 1.

Table 1. Basic Flowchart Symbols

SYMBOL NAME DESCRIPTION

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Defines the starting and

TERMINAL
ending point of a flowchart

The preparation or
INITIALIZATION initialization of memory space
for data processing

The inputting of data for

INPUT/OUTPUT
processing

Manipulation of data
PROCESS (assignments and
mathematical computations)

Defines the logical sequence

of the program. It points to
FLOW LINES
the next symbol to be
performed.

Connects to the flowchart to

1 ON-PAGE CONNECTOR avoid spaghetti connection
on the same page.

Connects the flow chart on

OFF-PAGE CONNECTOR different page to avoid
A spaghetti connection

Process conditions using

DECISION relational operators. Used for
trapping and filtering data.
No yes

Variables

The next most important thing to know is how data are represented in the program.
Recall that data are entered into the program using a keyboard or mouse, and the data
entered for processing are saved on a certain location. This location is called variable.
Variable is a primary storage location that can assume different numeric or alphanumeric

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values. It is also a memory space allocated by a computer user for processing and storing
data.
Variables like humans need names to be identified. Microsoft suggests a variable
naming convention called Hungarian Notation. Hungarian Notation specifies a variable with
both the data type and its description. The first three characters in this notation specify the
data type and the remaining characters are the description of the variable.

Date type is the type of the data being processed in the program. However, data type
is language specific and may have different representations. Table 2 shows the basic data
types with their descriptions.

Table 2. Basic Data Types

DATA TYPE DESCRIPTION EXAMPLE
10 355 1590
*Integer Whole number
54765 1 34000
Integer with Decimal 3.1416 0.12 1.01
**Float or double
numbers 12.12 99.99 0.04
Alphabets and special JWA
*character
characters *&?
Sum age int_1
*string Combination of characters
a total grand total
Reply of the Compiler in the
Values are either 1 for YES or
*Boolean program that is performed
0 for NO
behind the scene.

*used mostly by all programming languages

**C/C++, Java, Visual Basic and other programming language specific
*** Note that the data types above are not the only data types used in programming. Other
programming language may have their own set of data types with specific descriptions that
are not presented above.

Table 3. Sample variable names using Hungarian Notation

VARIABLE NAME DATA TYPE DESCRIPTION
Intsum Integer Sum.
DblTax Double Tax
FltRate Float Rate
ChrReply Character Reply
StrLname String Lname
BooAns Boolean Ans

Data type is important in programming. However, data type is unique to every

programming language. In the study of programming logic, data types will not be integrated
in the discussion to allow pure analysis and logic development among students.

The standard naming convention for variables used without any biases to any
programming language are presented through its characteristics:

Variables name characteristics

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· Must be descriptive and significant to the data, problem and its solution. It should be
descriptive enough to identify the process or data it is referring to.
· Combinations of alphanumeric characters (alphabet, numbers and special characters)
can be used as a variable name provided that it starts with an alphabet.
· Although the length of variable name can have 256 characters, the lesser the number
of characters the more efficient the program is.

Examples:
Class_size tuition intl income
sum char3 f_name answer
net_income l_name total grand_total

Computer Operators: Processing Data

The languages of computers need to be converted to a language that the CPU can
understand. For the programmer to instruct computers to process mathematical
computations and logical operations, they would have to define symbols that the computers
can understand. The symbols presented are the generic symbols used by computers for
processing. However, as you progress to the different programming languages the
mathematical and relational symbols may vary.

ARITHMETIC OPERATORS

OPERATION SYMBOL EXAMPLE EXPLANATION

Multiply the value of
Multiplication * A*B variable A to the
value of variable B
Divide the value of
Division / X/Y variable X by the
value of variable Y,
Add the value of
Addition + Intl +_ int2 variable intl to the
value of variable int2
Subtract the value of
Subtraction - A–B variable B from the
value of variable A.
Square the value of
Exponentiation ^ C^2
variable C

Examples:

MATHEMATICAL EXPRESSION COMPUTER EXPRESSION

1. 3xy 3*x*y
2. x2 + y2 (x*x) +(y*y) or
x^2 + y^2
3. 3x (3*X) / (y*y*y)or
Y3 (3*x) / (y^3)
4. . a2 + b2 . [(a*a) + (b*b)] / (c*d)
Cd or (a^2 + b^2) / (c*d)

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In the examples, it is important to note that the arithmetic hierarchy of computation

still applies in computers. The addition of exponentiation and parenthesis is now included in
the hierarchy giving the “MDAS” added acronyms, PEMDAS (Parenthesis, Exponentiation,
Multiplication, Division, Addition and Subtraction)

ARITHMETIC OPERATORS

OPERATION SYMBOL EXAMPLE EXPLANATION

The value of variable
Greater than > A>B A is greater than the
value of variable B.
The value of variable
Less than < X<Y X is less than the
value of variable Y.
The value of variable
Equal to == Int1 = = int2 int1 is equal to the
value of variable int2
The value of variable
net is not equal to
Not equal to <> Net <> gross
the value of variable
gross
The value of variable
Greater than or equal pay1 is greater than
>= Pay1>=pay2
to or equal to the value
of variable pay2
The value of the
variable age1 is less
Less than or equal to <= Age1 <=age2 than or equal to the
value of variable
age2

TYPES OF VARIABLES

The role of variables in programming is very crucial. In the processing stage of a

program, the variables hold the data and information (whether it will be stored in the
memory or used for computation or printing processed data). The challenging part in this
stage is identifying who gets the processed data? This can be clarified by the descriptions of
the types of variables below:

· Destructive Variable – variables that destroy or change its value after processing.
This type of variable is normally the temporary storage of data during processing.
· Constructive Variable – variables that maintains its value after being used in the
process.

Let’s illustrate:

Suppose that we have variables A and B and the values of A and B are 5 and 10 respectively.
What will happen if we have an instruction of A and B after performing the instruction? Who
gets what data? This is the confusing part . . . to further illustrate:

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= These are the original

5 1 values of the variables
before processing

A B

During the process this is what’s happening to the variables:

Variable A gets the

= value of variable B
5 1

A B

After processing the instruction this is what happened to the value of the variables.

Take note of the value

= of variable A and the
5 1
value of variable B
after processing
A B

As illustrated, Variable A has now the same value with variable B, 10, and the
original data of variable A, 5 was destroyed. This is what we mean by destructive and
constructive variable. As a rule, the manner of transferring data from one variable to another
is always from right to left. Do not confuse your self from your algebra. Let it sink to you from
now on that this is how you will transfer data from one variable to another.

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CHAPTER 2

Working with Process

Symbol

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Flowcharting is as easy as typing ABC or counting 123, the challenging part in

drawing flowchart is the analysis. Let us start harnessing our logic and look at the analyses of
the problems in drawing flowcharts.

Basic things to remember in flowcharting:

A flowchart always starts with the instruction

START or BEGIN… the only guideline to
START remember in the terminal symbol is the
consistency of terminologies. The organized
way of writing the instruction is to use the

Initialization symbol is where you prepare the

variables to be available for use. When you
initialize, you are also allocating memory space
for your data storage. As a rule we always

The processing symbol is only limited to;

assignment of new value to the variables and
mathematical computations.

Since we use START in the opening of our

flowchart, for consistency
STOP

To be familiar in drawing flowcharts, the learning exercises below will guide us

in understanding the foundations needed in logic formulation needed in logic formulation,
and for us to be ready to face challenging problems as we progress.

Learning exercises:

1. Create a flowchart that will store the value of A and B, where A= 5.

2. Create a flowchart that will assigned stored value of C to both A and B where A = 15,
B = 10 and C = 20
3. Create a flow chart that will move the value of A and B and B to C. The values of the
variables are: A = 25, B = 30 and C = 35.

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4. Create a flowchart that will arrange the values of A, B and C in ascending order where
Variable A will gets the lowest value and variable C gets the highest value. The values
of the variables are: A = 15, B = 10 and C = 20.
5. Create a flowchart that will arrange the values of A,B,C and D in highest to the
Lowest order where variable A gets the highest value and variable D gets the lowest
value. The values of the variables are: A = 3, B = 9, C = 12 and D = 6

Solution No. 1

Problem:
Create a flowchart that will store the value of A to B, where A = 5.

Analysis:

If we are to solve the problem, it is clearly stated that our objective is to store
the value of variable A to variable B. We are not interested if variable B has a value because
all we need to do is store the value of variable A to variable B. We know that variable B is the
destructive variable and it will destroy its original value and get the value of variable.

Flowchart:

START

The uses of initialization in this flowchart are three

things:
A=5
1) Allocate two memory locations for variables A and
B=0
B;
2) Assign number 5 to variable A; and
3) Assure that variable B has no value.

The expression B=A is an assignment operation. The

value of variable B, Destroying the original value, 0 of
B=A variable B. After the assignment process, the new
value of Variable B is 5.

STOP

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Solution No. 2

Problem:
Create a flowchart that will assign stored value of C to both A and B where A = 15, B = 10
and C = 20

Analysis:
The objective in this problem is to store the value of variable C to variables A and B.
Regardless of the data stored on both variables A and B, we have to assign the value of
variable C. This would mean that the original data of variables A, 15 and B, 10 will be
destroyed.

Flowchart:

The processing of data in the process

symbol is suggested to be as detailed
START And exact as possible. In the solution
shown, we can see that the
assignment of the data from variable C
to variables A and B are done
separately. This is to ensure that the
processes are clear and done in
step-by-step manner. If the
A = 15 programmers place all the
B = 10 assignments in one process symbol,
C = 20 the process will look like this:

A=C=B
A=C

Or

B=C

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A = C; B = C

Clearly we can see the confusion that

we cannot identify who gets the data and who retains the original data. More so, in
separating instructions with a
semi-colon, it sends a meaning that
two assignments are performed in a
STOP single process symbol and should not
be practiced.

Solution No. 3

Problem:
Create a flowchart that will move the value of A to B and B to C. The values of the variable
are: A = 25, B = 30 and C = 35.

Analysis:
The greatest challenge in this learning exercise is not moving the values of A to B and B to C,
but on how to preserve the value of B before it will be stored to C. If we move the data of A
to B immediately we destroy the data of B, and the data on B can no longer be stored to C
because it was already lost. The best way is to use the swap technique. Let’s illustrate:

Given variables and their values:

30 35

A B C
Output Requirement:

30

A B C

Moving the data of A to B destroys the value of B

25

35

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A B C

Moving the destroyed data of B to C now gives a wrong solution.

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Implementing Swap Technique would need a new variable say Temp to temporarily hold the
data of B so that during the process the data is preserved. Since we know that we have to
save first the data of B before it accepts the data from A, let us move the data of B to Temp.

Temp A B C

We can now destroy the data on B since it is now saved on a temporary variable.
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Temp A B C

The first objective of moving the data of A of B was accomplished and we can now save the
data from Temp to C to accomplish the problem.
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Temp A B C

The output after the using the swapping technique is:

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Temp A B C

Flowchart:

START

A=20 The swapping technique is very clear in this

B=25 flowchart. You can see the pattern of the
C=30 swapping of data from variable of variable.

In the first process, the data on B was first

saved to Temp .
Since Temp = B the data was saved,
we can now destroy the data on B.

In the second process, B gets the value of A,

Destroying the data of B. We don’t have to
B=A worry if in this process the data B will be
destroyed because the original data was
already save to Temp.

A = Temp
In the last process, the preserved data on
Temp is now save to A destroying the
original data. Moving the data to A from
Temp completes the swapping process and
P the requirements of the problem.

Solution no.5

Problem:

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Create a flowchart that will arrange the values of A,B.C and D in a Highest to
Lowest order where variable A gets the highest value and variable D gets the lowest
value. The values of the variable are: A = 3, B= 9,C=12 and D=6.

Analysis:
The problem in this learning exercise is to arrange the data in Highest to Lowest
order. It also has a clear direction on where to save the arranged values, variable A
should get the highest value (12) and variable D should get the lowest value (3).
We know from the given values that the highest value stored in variable C should
be placed in variable A, and logically we connot immediately move the data from C
to A because we might destroy the data n A. Swapping the contents would need
additional variable to temporary hold the data that we want to swap and to preserve
the data. Variable temp will initialize to function as temporary holder of the data to
another. The solution using the swapping technique is illustrated as follows:

3 9 12 6

A B C D

Output Requirement

12 9 6 3

A B C D

Given variables and their values:

The presence of variable Temp is for the preservation of data that will be used to
save the data on variable A for A to accept Highest number.

3 9 12 6 0

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A B C D temp

Since the data of Variable A is now saved, we can now destroy the data of A and
move the Highest.

3 9 12 3 3

A B C D temp

The value of variable C, 12, the highest value is now stored on variable A, Logically,
both C and A have the same values now and we can now destroy the value of
variable C. Since variable B has the second highest value, variable B will not be part
of the process of swapping. Let us now move the data on variable D to variable C.

12 9 12 6 3

A B C D temp

To complete the solution, the data kept on the temporary variable should be placed
to variable D.

12 9 6 16 3

A B C D temp
The final data of the variables after the final swapping process is:

12 9 6 3 3

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A B C D
temp

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