Programming for Problem-Solving with C: Formulating Algorithms for Complex Problems

Cover
Title Page
Copyright Page
Dedication Page
About the Author
About the Reviewer
Acknowledgement
Preface
Table of Contents
1. The Computer
	Introduction
	Structure
	Objectives
	The computer
	Block diagram of functional units/components of the computer
		Input unit
		Output unit
		Processing unit
		Memory unit
	Data and information
	Classification of computers
		Classification based on time or historical development
			Zero-generation computers (up to 1945)
			First generation computers (1946–1956)
			Second generation computers (1956–1963)
			Third Generation Computer (1964–1971)
			Fourth-generation computers (1971–1989)
			Fifth-generation computers (1989 till present)
		Classification based on the purpose
			General purpose computers
			Special purpose computers
		Classification based on the technology used
			Analog computers
			Digital computers
			Hybrid computers
		Classification based on the number of users
	Computer characteristics
	Advantages of the computer
	Limitations of computer
	Applications of computer
	Conclusion
	Points to remember
	Important questions
2. The CPU and the Memory
	Introduction
	Structure
	Objectives
	The CPU
	Components of the CPU
		ALU
		CU
		Registers
	The instruction on CPU: Working of CPU
		Steps performed for the execution of single instruction
	The CPU speed
		The clock speed
		The total number of processor cores
		Cache memory
	The memory unit
		Primary memory
			RAM
			ROM
		Secondary memory
			Serial accessed memory: Magnetic tape
			Semi-random accessed memory
	Memory hierarchy
	Measuring the memory
	Solved examples based on the inter-conversion of memory units
	Conclusion
	Points to remember
	Important questions
3. The Computer Software
	Introduction
	Structure
	Objectives
	Computer software
	Examples of system software
	Classifications of software dependent on proprietary rights
	Operating system
		UNIX OS structure
	The operating system as a resource manager
	Classification of the operating system
		Based on the user interface
		Based on the number of users
		Based on the execution of the program
			Sequentially execution of the program or serial processing
			Batch processing operating system
			Multiprogramming operating system
			Multitasking OS through time-sharing
			Multithreading operating system
			Multiprocessing operating system
			Distributed operating system
			Network operating system
			Real-time operating system
		Language translator
		The malware
	Conclusion
	Points to remember
	Important questions
4. The Number System
	Introduction
	Structure
	Objectives
	Number system
		Binary number system
		Decimal number system
		Octal number system
		Hexadecimal number system
	Conversions from the decimal system to another
		Decimal to binary
		Decimal to octal
		Decimal to hexadecimal
	Conversions from another number system to decimal
		Binary to decimal
		Octal to decimal
		Hexadecimal to decimal
	Number system conversions, excluding decimal
	Fractional numbers
		Binary fractional numbers into decimal
		Octal fractional numbers into decimals
		Hexadecimal fractional numbers into decimal
		Decimal fraction number to binary
		Decimal fraction number to octal
		Decimal fraction number to hexadecimal
	Direct conversion methods
		Binary to decimal
		Decimal to binary
		Binary to octal
		Binary to hexadecimal
	Operations on binary numbers
		Addition
		Subtraction
		Multiplication
		Division
		One’s complement
		Two’s complement
		Subtraction using two’s complement
		Negative binary number or signed number representation
	Other popular codes
		ASCII
		BCD
		EBCDIC
		Excess-3
		Gray code
	Conclusion
	Points to remember
	Important questions
5. Problem-solving Techniques
	Introduction
	Structure
	Objectives
	Problem-solving
		Steps for logical and numerical problem-solving
			Solving a logical problem
			Solving a numerical problem
	Problem-solving techniques
		Algorithm
			Characteristics of an algorithm
		Flowcharts
		Pseudocodes
	Programming language
	Language translator
		Functions of the compiler
		Functions of assembler
	Compiling and executing process
	Syntax and logical errors in the compilation
	Files generated in the C program lifecycle
	Conclusion
	Points to remember
	Important questions
6. Fundamentals of C
	Introduction
	Structure
	Objectives
	Introduction to C
	History of C language
	Why C?
	Learning of C
	C characters or symbols set
		Whitespace characters or escape sequences
		Format specifiers
	Tokens in C
		Classification of tokens in C
		Keywords
		Variables
		Constant
			Integer constant
			Real constant
			Character constant
			String constant
		Identifiers
		Operators
		Special symbols
	The general structure of the C program
	First C program
		Description of the preceding program
			Comments
			printf() and scanf() functions
	How to compile and run the C program?
	Header files
	Data types
		Primary data types
			Character
			Integer
			Real data type
			Double data type
			Void
		Derived data types
	Data type modifiers
	Type conversion or type casting
	Variable declaration versus definition
	Conclusion
	Points to remember
	Important questions
7. Operators and Expressions
	Introduction
	Structure
	Objectives
	Operators and expressions
	Operators based on operand count
	Operators based on operation type
		Arithmetic operators
		Increment and decrement operators
		Relational operators
		Logical operators
		Bitwise operators
		Shift operators
		Comma operator
		The sizeof( ) operator
		Assignment operators
		Conditional operator
		Address operator
	Precedence and associativity of operators in C
	Conclusion
	Points to remember
	Important questions
8. Decision-making Statements
	Introduction
	Structure
	Objectives
	Decision-making statements
	Types of decision-making statements
		Conditional decision-making statements
		Unconditional decision-making statements
	Roots of a quadratic equation
	Solved programs for practice on decision-making
	Conclusion
	Points to remember
	Important questions
9. Loop
	Introduction
	Structure
	Objectives
	Loop
	Types of loop
		for loop
		while loop
		do-while loop
		Nested loop
		The infinite loop
	Programs on loops for practice
	Conclusion
	Points to remember
	Important questions
10. Array
	Introduction
	Structure
	Objectives
	Array
	Declaration of array
	Initialization of array
		Method 1: Direct assignment of the element
			Accessing the elements of the array
		Method 2: Initialization of the array at a time
		Method 3: Initialization of array using a loop
	Finding the address of the array element
	Types of the array
		One or single-dimensional array
		Multi-dimensional array
			2D array
			3D array
	Properties of array
	The advantage of using an array
	Solved programs for practice based on the array
	Conclusion
	Points to remember
	Important questions
11. String
	Introduction
	Structure
	Objectives
	String
	Declaration and initialization of string
		Method 1: Character-by-character method
		Method 2: Direct method
		Method 3: Initialization by index
	Limitation of scanf function
	Standard inbuilt string functions
		strlen()
		strcat()
		strcmp()
		strcpy()
		strrev()
		strupr()
		strlwr()
		strncat()
		strncpy()
		strncmp()
	2D string
	The ctype.h header file
	Solved programs for practice based on string
	Conclusion
	Points to remember
	Important questions
12. Function
	Introduction
	Structure
	Objectives
	Function
	Need of the function
	Types of function
	Types of parameters
	Types of function based on function parameters
		Call by value
			Introduction to pointers
		Call by reference
	Calling convention
	Passing arrays to functions
	Storage classes in C
	Solved programs for practice based on function
	Conclusion
	Points to remember
	Important questions
13. Recursion
	Introduction
	Structure
	Objectives
	Recursion
	Finding the factorial of a number
	Fibonacci series
	Ackermann function
	Merge sort
		Algorithm for merge sort
	Quick sort
		Algorithm for quick sort
	Conclusion
	Points to remember
	Important questions
14. Structure and Union
	Introduction
	Structure
	Objectives
	Defining a structure
	Accessing the structure element
	Initialization of the structure
	An array of structures
	Structure with pointer
		Declaration of the structure pointer
		Initialization of the structure pointer
		Access structure member using a pointer:
	Union
	Nested structure
	Passing structure in a function
	Conclusion
	Points to remember
	Important questions
15. Searching and Sorting
	Introduction
	Structure
	Objectives
	Searching
	Linear searching
		Algorithm for linear search
	Binary search
		Algorithm for binary search
	Sorting algorithms
		Bubble sort
			Algorithm
		Selection sort
			Algorithm
		Insertion sort
			Algorithm
	Conclusion
	Points to remember
	Important questions
16. Pointers
	Introduction
	Structure
	Objectives
	Pointer
	Initialization of pointer
		Accessing the value
	Operations on pointers
	Pointer to a pointer
	NULL pointer
	Generic pointer
	Pointer to an array
	Array of pointers
	Self-referential structure
	Linked list
	Conclusion
	Points to remember
	Important questions
17. The Console Input-output Functions
	Introduction
	Structure
	Objectives
	The console input–output functions
	printf()
	scanf()
		Limitations of scanf()
	getch(), getche(), and putch()
	getchar() and putchar()
	fgetchar() and fputchar()
	gets() and puts()
	Use of fflush(stdin)
	Conclusion
	Points to remember
	Important questions
18. Preprocessor
	Introduction
	Structure
	Objectives
	Preprocessor
	Preprocessor directives
		File inclusion directives
		Macro expansion directives
			The difference between macro and function
		Conditional directives
			#ifdef and #endif
			#if and #endif
		Undefined directives
			#undef
	Conclusion
	Points to remember
	Important questions
19. File Handling in C
	Introduction
	Structure
	Objectives
	File
	Need of the file
	Types of files
	Operations on file through the inbuilt functions
		Opening a file
		Reading a file
		Closing a file
		Deleting a file
	Memory allocation
		malloc()
		calloc()
		free()
		realloc()
	Conclusion
	Points to remember
	Important questions
20. Time and Space Complexity
	Introduction
	Structure
	Objectives
	Algorithm
	Algorithm analysis
		Why algorithm analysis?
	Asymptotic notation
		Big-Oh
			How to choose the value of C and k?
		Omega
		Theta
	Why Big-oh?
	Measuring the time complexity
	Measuring the space complexity
	Relationship between the Big-Oh asymptotic notations
	Time complexity
	Space complexity
	Conclusion
	Points to remember
	Important questions
Index