python is programming language (with syntax rules for writing what is considered valid python codeand the python interpreter software that reads source code (written in the python languageand performs its instructions you can download the python interpreter for free at python org/and there are versions for linuxmacosand windows the name python comes from the surreal british comedy group monty pythonnot from the snake python programmers are affectionately called pythonistasand both monty python and serpentine references usually pepper python tutorials and documentation programmers don' need to know much math the most common anxiety hear about learning to program is the notion that it requires lot of math actuallymost programming doesn' require math beyond basic arithmetic in factbeing good at programming isn' that different from being good at solving sudoku puzzles to solve sudoku puzzlethe numbers through must be filled in for each roweach columnand each interior square of the full board some numbers are provided to give you startand you find solution by making deductions based on these numbers in the puzzle shown in figure - since appears in the first and second rowsit cannot show up in these rows again thereforein the upper-right gridit must be in the third row since the last column also already has in itthe cannot go to the right of the so it must go to the left of the solving one rowcolumnor square will provide more clues to the rest of the puzzleand as you fill in one group of numbers to and then anotheryou'll soon solve the entire grid figure - new sudoku puzzle (leftand its solution (rightdespite using numberssudoku doesn' involve much math (images (cwikimedia commonsjust because sudoku involves numbers doesn' mean you have to be good at math to figure out the solution the same is true of programming like solving sudoku puzzlewriting programs involves breaking xxx introduction