Subject Matter -- Overview

Computers do many of the same things people do, only faster, more accurately, and without getting bored. Accordingly, the task of programming a computer is essentially the task of figuring out exactly how you would solve a particular problem, and then explaining it to the computer. Unfortunately, computers are literal-minded and completely devoid of intuition, so your explanation must be much more precise and unambiguous than if you were explaining things to a human being. This course, therefore, is about how to analyze a problem, figure out precisely and unambiguously how to solve it, and present this explanation to a computer.

In a broader sense, this course is about problem-solving, and about a particular way of approaching the world which we may call algorithmic thinking. I consider computer science a ``liberal art'' providing training in how to think, regardless of whether you choose it as a profession.