Think Like a Programmer

The real challenge of programming isn't learning a language's syntax - it's learning to creativey solve problems so you can build something great. In this oneofkind 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 Programmer. Each chapter tackles a single programming concept, ike classes, pointers and recursion, and openended exercises throughhout challange 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 ream 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.

V. Anton Spraul has taught introductory programming and computer science for more than 15 years. This book is a distillation of the techniques he has used and honed over many one-on-one sessions with struggling programmers. He is also author of Computer Science Made Simple.