Chapter 1 Introduction to the course Computers are stupid.They only give answers. Computers are blindly faithful.They only do what you tell them to do. Computers are dumb.They do not do what you want them to do. 1.1 What this course is about This course is called "ENG101:Introduction to Computers and Programming". The College of Engineering Bulletin describes it as follows (emphasis is mine) Introduction to the organization of digital computers,computing (i.e.programming)as a tool in engineering,and programming in C++and MATLAB Let's define a few things first... What is an engineer?What is engineering? The American Heritage Dictionary defines engineering as The application of science to prac- tical ends,such as the design,manufacture,and operation of structures,machines,and systems.An engineer is defined as someone who practices engineering as a profession Our definition is somewhat broader.Engineering is a broad range of technical endeavor that starts with the basic sciences (trying to characterize and understand the basic laws of nature),integrates and systematizes this knowledge and builds things based on these principles,manufactures these "things"on a large scale,and makes it available for societal benefit.If we broaden our definition of "things"to ideas,methods,algorithms(a prescription for doing something,like a recipe in cooking),as well as physical devices,then that captures the essence of what engineering is today. 1Chapter 1 Introduction to the course Computers are stupid. They only give answers. Computers are blindly faithful. They only do what you tell them to do. Computers are dumb. They do not do what you want them to do. 1.1 What this course is about This course is called“ENG101: Introduction to Computers andProgramming”. The College of Engineering Bulletin describes it as follows (emphasis is mine) Introduction to the organization of digital computers, computing (i.e. programming) as a tool in engineering, and programming in C++ and MATLAB Let’s define a few things first... What is an engineer? What is engineering? The American Heritage Dictionary defines engineering as The application of science to prac￾tical ends, such as the design, manufacture, and operation of structures, machines, and systems. An engineer is defined as someone who practices engineering as a profession. Our definition is somewhat broader. Engineering is a broad range of technical endeavor that starts with the basic sciences (trying to characterize andunderstandthe basic laws of nature), integrates and systematizes this knowledge and builds things based on these principles, manufactures these “things” on a large scale, andmakes it available for societal benefit. If we broaden our definition of “things” to ideas, methods, algorithms (a prescription for doing something, like a recipe in cooking), as well as physical devices, then that captures the essence of what engineering is today. 1