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1. Mobile App:IT
Thinking Like a Programmer
IHS GIRLS TECH CLUB: THINKING LIKE A PROGRAMMER
Lesson 1

2. PROGRAMMING SKILLS
• Analytical thinking - math and numbers are a large part of
becoming a programmer
• Creativity - you must be able to come up with creative
solutions to complex problems
• Resilient - You must be willing to learn from trial and error
• Attention to detail - Every minor detail is important. One
character or letter out of place may cause a program to
break.

3. PROGRAMMING SKILLS
• Resourceful - You must be willing to ask questions and
search for answers
• Good Memory - You must be able to remember specific
syntax structure of code for the programming language you
are using
• Organizational Skills - The better organized you are the more
efficient you will become as a programmer

4. THE PROBLEM
Despite what you might think:
Computers are Dumb

5. WHY?

6. WHY?
Unlike humans, computers can not think
for themselves or assume anything. They
can only do exactly what you tell them to
do. Lets look at an example.

7. How do you
normally brush
your teeth?
Steps?

8. BRUSHING YOUR TEETH
Thinking as a human:
Instructions - Go brush your teeth
Steps:
1. Get your toothbrush
2. Add toothpaste
3. Brush Teeth
Steps can be avoided because humans can assume them

9. BRUSHING YOUR TEETH (TAKE 2)
Thinking as a computer:
Instructions - Go brush your teeth
Steps (some steps have been left out):
1. Open the bathroom door
2. Turn on the bathroom light
3. Walk over to the sink
4. Turn on the water
5. Locate your toothbrush
6. Grab your toothbrush with your right (or left) hand
7. Put bristles of toothbrush under the water
8. Remove the toothbrush from the water

10. STEPS CONTINUED
9. Locate your toothpaste
10. Grab the toothpaste with your left (or right) hand
11. Take the cap off of the toothpaste
12. Apply toothpaste to toothbrush
13. Put cap back on toothpaste
14. Put back toothpaste to where you found it
15. Put toothbrush back under water momentarily (optional)
16. Open mouth
17. Put toothbrush into your mouth
18. Begin brushing teeth by moving hand back and forth or in
circular motions
19. Continue for a set amount of time

11. STEPS CONTINUED
20. Remove toothbrush from your mouth
21. Open mouth
22. Spit out remaining toothpaste
23. Rinse mouth
24. Rinse toothbrush
25. Turn off water
26. Replace toothbrush to original location
27. Turn off light in bathroom
28. Leave bathroom

12. WHY IS IT SO HARD?
Computers do not have the ability to think. As a programmer,
you need to tell them exactly what to do.
You perform all of the steps, however you are able to do so
without actively thinking about it. When building out the
process for a computer, you need to tell it every step so
nothing gets missed.

13. IMPROVE YOUR THINKING
Take big problems and break them down into smaller more
manageable problems. Continue to break down the problems
until you get to the smallest level of details.