Maths

Lesson Aims:

To be able to perform basic calculations using python.

Introduction

In python the first role of the computer was to be able to crunch numbers quickly - very quickly.

There are a number of mathematical operators that are built into python.

Reference - https://docs.python.org/2/library/stdtypes.html#numeric-types-int-float-long-complex.  The imprtant types here for you to know are int (a number without a decimal part), and float (a number with a floating point.  Ignore complex numbers - they are something you will do if you study A' level Mathematics.  and long numbers are just as their name suggests - long. 

Task 1

Code 1

• Create a new file called numbers.py, put the code above in it.
• Explain what each line does in your own words.
• What are the variables used in this program?

Task 2

There are also some more advanced mathematical functions available in a module called math.  To use the math module you need to import it first.

see https://docs.python.org/2/library/math.html#special-functions 

Code 2

Create a new file called numbers2.py

Enter the code above and run it.

• What does the import statement do?
• What does the octothorpe in line 4 do? (Octothorpe is the correct word for the symbol # also known as the number symbol, pound symbol, or more recently as a hash-tag)
• What variables are used in this program - what do they each do?

Task 3

Write a program which will ask a user to enter the short two sides of a right-angled triangle and calculate the length of the long side.

Hand in

Hand in, via moodle, a word document with:

• A link to your github repository
• Answers to the above questions.

Remember 

To push back from c9.io

• git status
• Tell you the status of your repository
• git add .
• Adds new files to the tracker
• git commit -a -m"put a message here"
• Commits the changes you have made, with your message - short note about what you have done.
• git push origin master
• pushes the comitted changes back to the origin (where it came from - github) on the master branch. (yes you can have more branches - but dont worry about that yet.)