Questions on Using Python to Teach Data Structures and Algorithms

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  • efrat
    #1

    Questions on Using Python to Teach Data Structures and Algorithms

    Hello,

    I'm planning to use Python in order to teach a DSA (data structures
    and algorithms) course in an academic institute. If you could help out
    with the following questions, I'd sure appreciate it:
    1. What exactly is a Python list? If one writes a[n], then is the
    complexity Theta(n)? If this is O(1), then why was the name "list"
    chosen? If this is indeed Theta(n), then what alternative should be
    used? (array does not seem suited for teaching purposes.)
    2. Suppose I have some file example.py, and I'd like to incorporate it
    **into** part of an HTML page with nice syntax highlighting and all the
    shebang. Is there an easy way to do so?
    (Sorry, but any Google query involving "Python" and "HTML" (with any
    other additional terms) led to Python HTML processing libraries.)
    3. Are there any useful links for Python/DSA education? I found "Data
    Structures and Algorithms with Object Oriented Design Patterns"
    (http://www.brpreiss.com/books/opus7/html/book.html). It is a fine book,
    but it is unsuitable: my students are electrical-engineers, and barely
    know how to program; teaching them DSA, python, **and** stuff like the
    visitor pattern seems impossible.

    Python is such a cool language - I'm really hoping the students will
    enjoy it as much as I do. Once again, many thanks for helping out with this.

    Thanks,

    Efrat
    Tags: None
    • Bruno Desthuilliers
      #2
      Re: Questions on Using Python to Teach Data Structures and Algorithms

      efrat wrote:
      Hello,
      >
      I'm planning to use Python in order to teach a DSA (data structures
      and algorithms) course in an academic institute. If you could help out
      with the following questions, I'd sure appreciate it:
      (snip)
      2. Suppose I have some file example.py, and I'd like to incorporate it
      **into** part of an HTML page with nice syntax highlighting and all the
      shebang. Is there an easy way to do so?
      I suppose this has more to do with the course presentation than with
      it's content !-)

      However, Trac's wiki is probably a good solution here.

      --
      bruno desthuilliers
      python -c "print '@'.join(['.'.join([w[::-1] for w in p.split('.')]) for
      p in 'onurb@xiludom. gro'.split('@')])"

        Comment

        • Bryan Olson
          #3
          Re: Questions on Using Python to Teach Data Structures and Algorithms

          efrat wrote:
          I'm planning to use Python in order to teach a DSA (data structures
          and algorithms) course in an academic institute. If you could help out
          with the following questions, I'd sure appreciate it:
          1. What exactly is a Python list?
          It's almost exactly what the doc says (and exactly what the code
          implements).
          If one writes a[n], then is the complexity Theta(n)?
          No; as others have pointed out, it's O(1).
          If this is O(1), then why was the name "list" chosen?
          Because it *is* a list: an ordered collection in which an
          element might appear multiple times. It's also an extensible
          array, but that's so more verbose.
          If this is indeed Theta(n), then what alternative should be
          used? (array does not seem suited for teaching purposes.)
          It's not Theta(n), and the array classes are fine for teaching.
          2. Suppose I have some file example.py, and I'd like to incorporate it
          **into** part of an HTML page with nice syntax highlighting and all the
          shebang. Is there an easy way to do so?
          Yes. In fact its probably easier, or at least no harder, than
          making sense of what you mean there.
          (Sorry, but any Google query involving "Python" and "HTML" (with any
          other additional terms) led to Python HTML processing libraries.)
          Don't be sorry about about getting the info you need (whether
          or not you realize it is the info you need).
          3. Are there any useful links for Python/DSA education?
          Yes, many. Python is fine for teaching data structures and algorithms.
          Python's loosely-defined "duck typing" makes it pedagogically
          inappropriate for some topics, but as far as you have described your
          course, Python should work well.
          I found "Data
          Structures and Algorithms with Object Oriented Design Patterns"
          (http://www.brpreiss.com/books/opus7/html/book.html). It is a fine book,
          but it is unsuitable: my students are electrical-engineers, and barely
          know how to program; teaching them DSA, python, **and** stuff like the
          visitor pattern seems impossible.
          When I taught algorithms, I observed that my students arrived lacking
          much of the background knowledge I would expect, but they more than
          compensated by being so bright. The engineers did about as well as
          comp-sci students. We all got blown away by a couple scary-smart math
          majors.

          You don't need to teach, or know, the visitor pattern. Deal with the
          the fundamentals. There are two ways we describe specific computational
          problems: output as a function of input, and abstract data type. Python
          is great for both.


          --
          --Bryan

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