CS21a ideas for vectors

| -Uncategorized

(education)

I want students to be able to keep track of the elements of vectors.
I also want them to become familiar with the common operations:

– size()
– add(…)
– get(…)

I want them to be able to predict what happens to a vector during
a sequence of operations. This is important for tests and for tracing
through code. I think I can make another Flash animation module with
hints that show the vector’s contents.

Then I want them to be able to complete the Text Twist exercise.
I’ll need to teach them how to define comparators and to use Collections.sort.

Plan for Friday:

brief status check on reading from files

Exercises

Submit to me an algorithm in English on paper _before_ you code.

– reading through the dictionary and getting a Vector of all the words that are contained in the given letters
– reading through the dictionary and getting a Vector of all the words that are contained in the given letters, sorting this by length
– reading through the dictionary and picking a random 7-letter word, then scrambling the letters in that word
– advanced: creating a simple graphical user interface: label, text field, “Enter” button, “New Game” button, “Twist” button.
– advanced: make a Text Twist clone. ;)

You can comment with Disqus or you can e-mail me at sacha@sachachua.com.