Week 1 - Variables and Interpreting the Brief

This week begins the practical coding sequence. The coding module focuses on variables and data types, while the supporting theory focuses on interpreting requirements and planning the solution before larger programs are built.

Key knowledge and skills

• functional requirements, non-functional requirements, constraints and scope
• mock-ups, IPO charts and pseudocode as planning tools
• data types for text, numeric and Boolean values
• declaring, initialising and displaying variables
• interpreting a brief before building a solution

Coding principles covered

• choose the right data type for each field before coding
• use clear variable names so the data is easy to follow
• plan the inputs, processing and outputs before writing source code
• keep the first version in scope instead of adding extra features too early

Useful theory pages

• Section 2: a. What You Need To Know
• Section 3: a. What You Need To Know

Task checklist

• [ ] Open the Week 1 programming task outline and complete the Week1_Variables console app module.
• [ ] If time allows, add the dateAdded extension using DateTime.Today.
• [ ] Complete Section 2 Test Your Knowledge.
• [ ] Complete Section 2 Applied Task, including the mock-up, IPO chart and pseudocode.
• [ ] Upload your module solution and your Section 2 responses to your GitHub repo.