The best description is probably by a former student who stated that the book contains everything that a young computer scientist needs to know in an easy to understand form.

• Major Features
• Problem solving skills emphasized in the Denning report with the
• Language skills emphasized in the Koffmann CS 1 report and the
• Software engineering skills necessary for the modern programmer.
• Excellent pedagogy to insure that the students actually master the material.
• Sections on the social history of computing, computer limitations, and computer ethics. The latest curriculum recommendation suggests some introduction to these areas for all students.
• Outlines
• Chapter Headings
• Brief Chapter Outlines
• Detailed Table of Contents
• Users , both students and faculty, found the book to be an excellent book for the beginner.
• Availability
Free Copy. The complete book can be downloaded in both PostScript and PDF forms.  One copy to a customer for free. The book cannot be reproduced or copied in any other form without prior written permission from the author.  To download click on:
a.  PostScript Version  (A PostScript reader and printer is available from GhostReader.)  or
b.  PDF Version            (A PDF reader and printer is available from  Adobe.)  This version is courtesy of Allen Starr who generously converted the postscript version to PDF.
 

---

• a disciplined approach to problem solving methods.
• emphasis on objects and algorithms as valuable tools for problem understanding and solution.
• an introduction to program and data abstraction.
• a foundation for further studies in computer science.
• problem solving techniques: a problem solution consists of combining objects and well structured algorithms so that the result is easily translated into well structured Ada programs.
• learning by doing: Many completely worked out examples and programs illustrate the techniques used. Over 500 carefully graded exercises are included, with each exercise keyed to the pertinent section of the book.

• data types, objects, assignment, ifs, loops, input and output, arrays, records, packages, exceptions, etc.
• early use of subprograms: Subprograms simplify problem solution and emphasize software engineering principles of modularization and top-down design.
• circular presentation.

• Top-Down design using
• Algorithms
• Objects
• Structured programming
• Modularity
• Localization
• Efficiency
• Understandability:
• Coding style
• Isolate data structures (objects) and algorithms
• Uniformity of notation and approach

• It presents one new topic at a time.
• A circular presentation is used for every basic concept and technique.
• Every new feature and technique is motivated and justified by practical problems. Each new topic starts with a problem expressed in English, then presents a technique (and the corresponding Ada syntax) for solving the problem, and then presents a detailed solution to the problem using the new concept.
• Each section ends with a set of exercises designed to illustrate the technique developed in this section and to give the student practice in using the technique.

The faculty who have used the book have concluded:

• Ada is easier to teach than Pascal. The students learn the concepts faster and easier in Ada. The result is that is that more material is covered with better understanding.
• The students do learn software engineering principles. Their programs are well designed and well structured.
• The book is almost self teaching. It is the first text book that our students actually read rather than use as a reference.
• The book is written in a clear, easy style that appeals to students.  Each presentation and example has been thoroughly classroom tested for comprehension and retention.

1. Algorithms and Programs

2. Algorithms and Elementary Ada

3. Control Structures

4. Tables and Problem Solving

5. Procedures

6. Loops

7. Vectors

8. Functions

9. Applications and Good Programs

10. Composite Data Types

11. Structure Charts

12. Data Types and Object Oriented Programming

13. Computing and Society

1. Algorithms and Programs

1.1. Computers
1.2. Languages
1.3. Problem Solution

2. Algorithms and Elementary Ada

2.1. The Input, Calculate, Output Pattern
2.2. Some Simple Ada Programs
2.3 Tools for Developing a Computer Solution to a Word Problem
2.4. Running a Program
2.5. Notes on Programming Style
2.6. Debugging

3. Control Structures

3.1. Selection
3.2. Repetition
3.3. Debugging

4. Tables and Problem Solving

4.1. Tables
4.2. The Float Data Type
4.3. Output Graphs
4.4. Row Operations on Tables The book features include:
4.5. The Simple While Loop
4.6. Column Operations on Tables

5. Procedures

5.1. Procedures
5.2. Tables, Tables, Tables

6. Loops

6.1. General While
6.2. Choosing the Correct Kind of Loop
6.3. Loops and the Float Data Type
6.4. Trailer Loops
6.5. Multiple Loops

7. Vectors

7.1. Simple Vector Programs
7.2. Vector Procedures

8. Functions

8.1. Simple Functions
8.2. Vector Functions
8.3. Recursive Functions

9. Applications and Good Programs

9.1. Some uses of Vectors
9.2 Fast, Faster, Fastest
9.3 Robust Algorithms and Programs
9.4 Libraries and Efficiency and Robustness

10. Composite Data Types

10.1 Subtypes
10.2 Data Type Packages
10.3 Arrays
10.4 Records
10.5 Tables via Arrays of Records

11. Structure Charts

11.1 Sequential Structures
11.2 Groups within Files
11.3 Structures with Choice
11.4 The Ada If...Elsif Statement
11.5 Another Way to Group Records

12. Data Types and Object Oriented Programming

12.1 Do-it Yourself Data Types
12.2 Another Kind of Object

13. Computing and Society

13.1. A Brief Social History of Computing
13.2 Computer Limitations
13.3 Computers and Ethics

Detailed Table of Contents

1. Algorithms and Programs

1.1. Computers

1.2. Languages

1.3. Problem Solution

2. Algorithms and Elementary Ada

2.1. The Input, Calculate, Output Pattern

2.2. Some Simple Ada Programs

2.2.1. A First Program--Simple Output

2.2.2. Integer Input and Output

2.2.3. Running a Program Interactively

2.2.4. Integer Arithmetic

2.3 Tools for Developing a Computer Solution to a Word Problem

2.3.1. Object Specification

2.3.2. Object Specification Table

2.3.3. Data Input

2.3.4. Integer Calculations

2.3.5. Literals

2.3.6. Output

2.3.7 Finally, a Program

2.4. Running a Program

2.5. Notes on Programming Style

2.5.1. Program Format

2.5.2. Comments

2.6. Debugging

3. Control Structures

3.1. Selection

3.1.1. Algorithms---IC(S)O

3.1.2. The If Statement in Ada

3.1.3. Algorithms---ICO(S)

3.1.4. The Single Branched Selection

3.1.5. Compound Conditions

3.2. Repetition

3.2.1. Algorithms---Repeat

3.2.2. The For Statement in the Ada Language

3.2.3. An Example

3.2.4. The Initialize, Repeat Pattern

3.2.5. Data Input with Repeat Construct

3.3. Debugging

4. Tables and Problem Solving

4.1. Tables

4.1.1. The Table Pattern

4.1.2. Tables as a Simplifying Technique

4.2. The Float Data Type

4.2.1. Comparison of Integer and Float Data Type

4.2.2. Float and Integer Division

4.2.3. Float Operations

4.2.4. Mixed Type Arithmetic

4.2.5. Changing between Integer and Float

4.3. Output

4.3.1. Formats

4.3.2. Graphs

4.4. Row Operations on Tables The book features include:

4.4.1. Tables Using Selected Rows

4.4.2. Dependent Rows

4.5. The Simple While Loop

4.6. Column Operations on Tables

4.6.1. Column Sums and Averages

4.6.2. Minimums and Maximums of Columns

5. Procedures

5.1. Procedures

5.1.1. Subprograms

5.1.2. Procedures with Parameters

5.1.3. Reusing Subprograms

5.2. Tables, Tables, Tables

5.2.1. Similar Tables

5.2.2. Ada and Multiple Procedures

5.2.3. Sequential Tables

6. Loops

6.1. General While

6.1.1. The Initialize, Repeat(while), Terminate Pattern

6.1.2. Correct use of the Repeat(while)

6.1.3. The Ada While Loop

6.2. Choosing the Correct Kind of Loop

6.3. Loops and the Float Data Type

6.4. Trailer Loops

6.5. Multiple Loops

6.5.1. Sequential Loops

6.5.2. Nested Loops

7. Vectors

7.1. Simple Vector Programs

7.1.1. Vectors and Vector Algorithms

7.1.2. Ada Programs using Vectors

7.1.3. Codes and Vectors

7.1.4. Subscripts

7.1.5. Vector Loops

7.2. Vector Procedures

7.2.1. Writing Vector Procedures in Ada

7.2.2. In and Out Parameters

7.2.3. Programs using Vector Procedures

8. Functions

8.1. Simple Functions

8.1.1. Using Functions

8.1.2. Do-it Yourself Functions

8.2. Vector Functions

8.2.1. Writing Ada Vector Functions

8.2.2. Using Ada Vector Functions

8.3. Recursive Functions

8.3.1. Recursive Definitions

8.3.2. Recursive Functions

9. Applications and Good Programs

9.1. Some uses of Vectors

9.1.1. Lists

9.1.2. The Boolean Data Type

9.1.3. Tables as Parallel Vectors

9.1.4. Sorting

9.2 Fast, Faster, Fastest

9.2.1. Speeding up Programs

9.2.2. Sequential Search

9.2.3. Binary Search

9.2.4. Insertion Sort

9.3 Robust Algorithms and Programs

9.4 Libraries and Efficiency and Robustness

10. Composite Data Types

10.1 Subtypes

10.2 Data Type Packages

10.3 Arrays

10.3.1 Vectors

10.3.2 Matrices

10.4 Records

10.5 Tables via Arrays of Records

11. Structure Charts

11.1 Sequential Structures

11.1.1 Single Record Type

11.1.2 Multiple Record Type

11.2 Groups within Files

11.2.1 Algorithms

11.2.2 Ada Programs Using End Of Page

11.3 Structures with Choice

11.4 The Ada If...Elsif Statement

11.5 Another Way to Group Records

12. Data Types and Object Oriented Programming

12.1 Do-it Yourself Data Types

12.1.1 Objects and Object Packages

12.1.2 Using Data Type Packages

12.1.3 Extending a Data Type Package

12.2 Another Kind of Object

12.2.1 Vector Data Types

12.2.2 List Data Types

13. Computing and Society

13.1. A Brief Social History of Computing

13.1.1. Early Days (1940-1955)

13.1.2. Commercial Success (1955-1965)

13.1.3. Consolidation (1965-1975)

13.1.4. Start of a New Era (1975-1985)

13.1.5. Another Consolidation (1985-Present)

13.2 Computer Limitations

13.3 Computers and Ethics

13.3.1. Individuals

13.3.2. Organizations/Society Issues