Think Like a Programmer 2012

Book Description

The real challenge of programming isn’t learning a language’s syntax—it’s learning to creatively solve problems so you can build something great. In this one-of-a-kind text, author V. Anton Spraul breaks down the ways that programmers solve problems and teaches you what other introductory books often ignore: how to Think Like a Programmer. Each chapter tackles a single programming concept, like classes, pointers, and recursion, and open-ended exercises throughout challenge you to apply your knowledge. You’ll also learn how to:

Split problems into discrete components to make them easier to solve
Make the most of code reuse with functions, classes, and libraries
Pick the perfect data structure for a particular job
Master more advanced programming tools like recursion and dynamic memory
Organize your thoughts and develop strategies to tackle particular types of problems

Although the book’s examples are written in C++, the creative problem-solving concepts they illustrate go beyond any particular language; in fact, they often reach outside the realm of computer science. As the most skillful programmers know, writing great code is a creative art—and the first step in creating your masterpiece is learning to Think Like a Programmer.

Table of Contents
Chapter 1. Strategies for Problem Solving
Chapter 2. Pure Puzzles
Chapter 3. Solving Problems with Arrays
Chapter 4. Solving Problems with Pointers and Dynamic Memory
Chapter 5. Solving Problems with Classes
Chapter 6. Solving Problems with Recursion
Chapter 7. Solving Problems with Code Reuse
Chapter 8. Thinking Like a Programmer