Topics covered include data types, arithmetic operators, use of conditional and iterative control statements, use of standard library functions, creation of user defined functions, accessing arrays using subscripts and pointers, use of C preprocessor directives,  manipulation of data structures and an introduction to makefiles.  Assessed work will include the writing of  C programs.

•  create C programs which accepts input from the keyboard
• create C programs which use arrays and command line arguments
• create C programs which access both text and binary files

 Knowledge and Understanding:

•  know the difference between signed and unsigned numeric variables
• select the appropriate program construct for the solution of a problem
• know the difference between address and pointer
• know the difference between global and local variables
• know the difference betweenautomatic and static variables
• know the difference between struct and union statements

 Intellectual Skills:

•  analyse programming requirements
• develop computer programming skills

 Discipline Specific (including practical) Skills:

•  use basic programming constructs such as conditional statements and loops
• access an array using either subscripts or pointers
• creation of a C program which uses uses keyboard input
• creation of  a C program which incorporates command line arguments
• ability to read and write to text files
• ability to directly access a record in a file of fixed length records
• use a Makefile to manage a C program with several modules 

This module includes a mix of traditional lectures and laboratory sessions

12 meetings of 3 hrs.  Each meeting starts with a lecture and finishes with a laboratory session.

1 day school of 4 hours.

40 contact hours. 

• analyse a programming problem and write a well-structured C program 

Formative assessment takes the form of assignments submitted to the tutor

Summative assessment is by means of a two hour written class test. 

Sizesand names of different data types in the C programming language

Difference between signed and unsigned numeric variables

Arithmetic operators and evaluation of expressions using mixed numeric data types

Comparison operators and use of  if then else statement

Use of while, do and for loops

Use of standard library functions and creation of user defined functions

Use of  #include and  #define C preprocessor directives

Logical operators and bitwise operators

Creation of an array and accessing an array using both subscripts and pointers

Characterand line input from the keyboard

Use of command line arguments and string functions

Readingand writing to a text file and the use of the perror function

Creating and reading a file of fixed length records by using the struct statement

Use of the fseek and ftell functions to access records randomly

Use of the make command for a program with several modules 

Kernighan, B.W. and Ritchie, D.M. (1988) C Programming Language . Prentice Hall.

Not applicable.