Python Programming Fundamentals
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Python Programming Fundamentals
This course is part of Programming for Python Data Science: Principles to Practice Specialization
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72 reviews
What you'll learn
Create algorithms and programs using a logical Seven Step framework.
Create useful test cases and efficiently debug Python code.
Apply Python basics (conditionals, loops, mathematical operators, data types) to build a Python program from scratch to solve a data science problem.
Skills you'll gain
Tools you'll learn
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There are 4 modules in this course
This introductory course is designed for beginners and individuals with limited programming experience who want to embark on their software development or data science journey using Python. Throughout the course, learners will gain a solid understanding of algorithmic thinking, Python syntax, code testing, debugging techniques, and modular code development--essential skills for a successful career in software engineering, development, or data science.
By the end of this course, you will learn to: - Gain a stepwise approach to problem-solving using algorithms and programming logic. - Apply common functions, conditional statements, and loops to build Python scripts and programs. - Work with the VS Code programming environment to enhance coding proficiency. - Use testing and debugging strategies to ensure code reliability. - Perform logical and mathematical operations on datasets. In the final week of the course you will apply your new algorithm design and programming skills to a data analysis problem: analyzing heart rate data.
This module, you will learn best practices for developing code in any language by beginning with an algorithm: a stepwise approach to solving a problem. You’ll then apply the concepts by developing your own algorithms and properly identifying when to use specific data types in Python.
What's included
9 videos10 readings3 assignments
9 videos•Total 37 minutes
- Introduction to Python Programming Fundamentals •4 minutes
- Stepping Through an Algorithm•4 minutes
- Testing an Algorithm for a Numerical Sequence•3 minutes
- A Pattern of Squares•5 minutes
- Testing a Pattern of Squares•2 minutes
- Drawing a Rectangle•4 minutes
- Closest Point•5 minutes
- Generalizing Closest Point•5 minutes
- Everything is a Number•6 minutes
10 readings•Total 100 minutes
- Plan First, Then Code•10 minutes
- Overview of the 7 Steps•10 minutes
- Algorithms•10 minutes
- Report a problem with the course•10 minutes
- Step 1: Work an Example Yourself•10 minutes
- Step 2: Write Down What You Just Did•10 minutes
- Step 3: Generalize Your Steps•10 minutes
- Step 4: Test Your Algorithm•10 minutes
- Intro to a Pattern of Squares•10 minutes
- Non-Numbers•10 minutes
3 assignments•Total 75 minutes
- Algorithm Design•30 minutes
- Numbers and Types Quiz•15 minutes
- Algorithms Quiz•30 minutes
This Module, you will learn how to take the logical process of algorithm design and translate an algorithm into functional Python code. You will apply this by correctly identifying proper Python syntax for a given algorithm, and then subsequently by creating your own Python program for a given algorithm.
What's included
13 videos8 readings5 assignments4 programming assignments
13 videos•Total 58 minutes
- Semantics: What Does Code Mean?•2 minutes
- Variables and Expressions•4 minutes
- Functions•5 minutes
- Printing•4 minutes
- Conditional Statements•4 minutes
- Loops•5 minutes
- Revisiting Intersection of Two Rectangles•5 minutes
- Planning isPrime•4 minutes
- Generalizing isPrime•5 minutes
- Translating isPrime to Code•4 minutes
- Tuples•7 minutes
- Why VS Code•4 minutes
- Intro Lab•6 minutes
8 readings•Total 95 minutes
- First Four Steps Revisited•20 minutes
- Translating Algorithms to Code•10 minutes
- Ending Blocks with Pass•10 minutes
- Top Down Design and Composability•10 minutes
- Stars Example•10 minutes
- Introduction to VS Code•15 minutes
- How to Reset Lab Files•10 minutes
- Retirement Calculations•10 minutes
5 assignments•Total 150 minutes
- Read Function 1•30 minutes
- Reviewing the First four Steps of Algorithm Design•30 minutes
- Translating an Algorithm to Code•30 minutes
- Understanding Retirement•30 minutes
- Reading Code Assignments•30 minutes
4 programming assignments•Total 180 minutes
- Intro To Coursera Lab Programming Assignments•20 minutes
- Max•25 minutes
- Triangle•35 minutes
- Retirement•100 minutes
This module, you will learn different approaches to testing Python code, and methods for debugging code. You will apply this by conducting a code review, identifying opportunities to use asserts to debug code, and generating your own test cases.
What's included
6 videos8 readings3 assignments
6 videos•Total 27 minutes
- Testing Means Finding Bugs•2 minutes
- Test-Driven Approaches•7 minutes
- Test-Driven Development•2 minutes
- Code Review•3 minutes
- Debugging: The Scientific Method•6 minutes
- Debugging: Hypotheses•7 minutes
8 readings•Total 85 minutes
- Black Box Testing•10 minutes
- White Box Testing•10 minutes
- Creating Test Cases•10 minutes
- Asserts•10 minutes
- Code Review•10 minutes
- Introduction to Debugging Tools•10 minutes
- Principles and Tools for Debugging•15 minutes
- Debugging Python in VS Code•10 minutes
3 assignments•Total 90 minutes
- Tests countMostCommon•30 minutes
- Testing Code•30 minutes
- Tests Prime•30 minutes
This module, you will learn how to filter and perform operations (logical and mathematical) across a given dataset, and how to create modular code that can be used in discrete pieces. You will apply this by writing your own functions to identify a list item with a given property, and writing a program to calculate a set of conclusions from a given dataset.
What's included
7 videos5 readings1 assignment4 programming assignments2 discussion prompts
7 videos•Total 29 minutes
- Lists: References to Mutable Objects•7 minutes
- Lists: Iteration•4 minutes
- Lists: Indexing and Slicing•4 minutes
- Heart Rate Introduction•3 minutes
- Heart Rate Peaks•3 minutes
- Heart Rate Code•4 minutes
- Heart Rate isPeakAt•4 minutes
5 readings•Total 50 minutes
- Default Arguments Revisited•10 minutes
- Heart Rate Example Introduction•10 minutes
- Moving Averages•10 minutes
- Conclusion Reading : Python Programming Fundamentals•10 minutes
- Share your learning experience•10 minutes
1 assignment•Total 30 minutes
- Subsequence Test Cases•30 minutes
4 programming assignments•Total 435 minutes
- List Max•45 minutes
- Subsequence•120 minutes
- Heart Rate Peaks•150 minutes
- Heart Rate Moving Averages•120 minutes
2 discussion prompts•Total 20 minutes
- Heart Rate Peak Algorithm Reflection•10 minutes
- Code Similarities Reflection•10 minutes
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Reviewed on Oct 10, 2023
Learning made easy. This is so rich yet easy to follow. I certainly recommend this course!!
Reviewed on Jan 25, 2025
I really liked the step by step approach described in this course to solve a problem.
Reviewed on Dec 9, 2025
Exactly what I was looking for, with good exercises, mostly useful feedback from AI evaluations.
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