Anne Dawson: CSCI120A_LAB1_FA04.htm

Last updated: Wednesday 15th September 2004, 8:09 PT

This document is subject to change without notice.

Please report any errors or omissions in this document:

adawson@coquitlamcollege.com

Special instructions: For this assignment you may work in teams of 2, or alone. This lab is due at the end of the lab session.

CSCI120A

Introduction to Computer Science and Programming

Fall 2004

Lab Assignment 1

Specification: Calculation of Body Mass Index (BMI)

Step 1

Study this web page:

http://www.cdc.gov/nccdphp/dnpa/bmi/bmi-adult-formula.htm

Step 2

Design an algorithm (the steps to solve the problem). You should have the algorithm approved by your instructor before going on to the next step.

The following web page will help you design your algorithm and pseudocode:

http://www.coquitlamcollege.com/adawson/Pseudocode.htm

Step 3

Development the pseudocode from your algorithm.

The following web page will help you design your algorithm and pseudocode:

http://www.coquitlamcollege.com/adawson/Pseudocode.htm

Step 4

Using your pseudocode as a guide, implement your program in the Python language. Use the IDLE GUI to edit and run your program:

http://www.coquitlamcollege.com/adawson/Python_Editor_IDLE.htm

Your program should start with a comment block that contains the following information:

# File: lab1.py

# Purpose: Calculation of Body Mass Index (BMI)

# Programmer: [your name]

# Partner: [your partner's name]

# Course: CSCI120A

# Date: Wednesday 15th September 2004

# Reference:http://www.cdc.gov/nccdphp/dnpa/bmi/bmi-adult-formula.htm

Please note: any lines in a Python program that start with the # symbol are known as comments. Comments are ignored when the program runs, but are useful when we read a program, because they supply information about the program. They are always used at the top of a program to supply information about the purpose of a program, its file name, the programmer etc, as shown above. They are also used in the body of a program to explain parts of the program which may be hard to understand. Example programs in this course will demonstrate the correct use of comments. You are expected to supply the above set of comments (updated appropriately) for all of your lab and homework programming assignments.

Step 5

Test your program by running the same test data though the calculator on this web page:

http://www.cdc.gov/nccdphp/dnpa/bmi/calc-bmi.htm

Step 6

At the end of the class, save your program file (lab1.py) to your folder on the network in:

CSCI120A\Week02\Lab01

Program points will be based on the following marking scheme:

Marking Scheme

Category	Points	Description
Algorithm	15	An informal description of the steps that must be taken to solve the problem. ref: http://www.coquitlamcollege.com/adawson/Pseudocode.htm
Pseudocode	15	A formal description of the steps that must be taken to solve the problem. http://www.coquitlamcollege.com/adawson/Pseudocode.htm
Comments	15	The program should be commented as specified in this document.
Output	15	Screen prompts and results should be user-friendly.
Correctness	20	The program should do what is required.
Style	10	The source code should use meaningful variable names.
Test	10	Comments in the code explain how the code was tested.

Assignment Presentations : In the next class, a random selection of lab assignment programs will be presented to the CSCI120A group.