Pre-session questionnaire
Before going through the seminar materials, please fill in this questionnaire.
What is Python
Python is an interpreted high-level scripting language used widely for data science and supporting object-oriented programming. Its open-source nature with a comprehensive standard library, particularly for scientific programming, makes the language very popular amongst engineers.
Why Python
We will use Python and Jupyter notebooks to practice the modeling approaches covered in this module. The purpose of this session is to help you familiarise yourself with the most common Python programming toolkits and help you get started with your first coursework assignment.
We expect you to be familiar with the basics of programming through your earlier exposure to Matlab in Years 1 and 2. To support you in this transition, we will cover the basics of Python and discuss the differences with Matlab.
Seminar video
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Handouts
Since most of you will be using Python and Anaconda for the first time, we have produced the following step-by-step guides to help you get set up.
The most efficient way to get Jupyter up and running is using a terminal - as we expect that this is going the first time that many of you will be using this functionality, we have included some guidance on how to access it and on how you can use it to navigate your filesystems.
Codes
During the seminar, our tutor used the Fibonacci algorithm as an example of using Python to implement algorithms. In the links below, you can find the codes that were used (as well as an equivalent Matlab version for reference)
We recommend you carefully study all the above files and try to understand how they work. Should you encounter any issues, do not hesitate to ask for help from the GTA team.
Datacamp
Furthermore, we have made a series of short Python training modules available in the Datacamp platform. These are:
Completing these modules is essential and will form your first assignment for this module.