Introduction to Programming 24-25

MATLAB, R and Python

Logistics

Timings: Monday, Thursday at 11:30 AM (Jan-Apr)

Teaching Assistants

Riya Fathima (BA 2023) and Maahika Mathur (BA 2023)

Syllabus

Programming basics: Plotting, iterations, recursions, and simulation. Basic data structures like stacks. This is an introduction to the basics of MATLAB and Python. No textbook for MATLAB. For Python, we followed the first section of Prof. Thomas Sargent’s Python course for economists. As their Python teacher, I felt it incumbent upon me to build an examination system using Python. You can try it here; it contains the final exam questions on Python coding. People who want to try can put the roll number BA/2023-26/064, and the token number is GOODLUCK.

Course Objectives

The student should be able to

  1. Use programming to solve basic repetitive tasks.
  2. Produce plots and employ statistical subroutines that can be included in reports and research papers.
  3. Learn the essentials of programming, algorithms, and data structures.
  4. Appreciate the use of programming in finance and economics problems.
  5. Learn to use AI bots as a practical aid for learning rather than offloading all thinking to AI bots.

Update: I failed to implement the last objective.

Assignments

  1. Assignment 1
  2. Assignment 2

Exams

  1. Internals 1
  2. Internals 2
  3. Finals

Comments: If a student scored A or above, then they understand programming to some extent.