title: Python: An Introduction to Programming
author:  J. R. Parker 
description: James R. Parker is a professor of Art and Digital Media at the University of Calgary. His areas of research include computer games and media art, computer simulation, and educational technology. Dr. Parker is the author of several texts, including:<i> Introduction to Game Development </i>(Mercury Learning)<i>, The Guide to Simulations and Games </i>(Wiley) and <i>Algorithms for Image Processing and Computer Vision, 2/E </i>(Wiley).
zlib_text: © Springer-Verlag London 2014
  
  Kent D. LeePython Programming FundamentalsUndergraduate Topics in Computer
  Science[https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4471-6642-9_1](A978-1-4471-6642-9_1_Chapter.html)
  
  # 1\. Introduction
  
  Kent D. Lee1
  
  (1)
  
  Luther College, Decorah, IA, USA
  
  Kent D. Lee
  
  Email: [kentdlee@luther.edu](mailto:kentdlee@luther.edu)
  
  The intent of this text is to introduce you to computer programming using the
  Python programming language. Learning to program is a bit like learning to
  play piano, although quite a bit easier since we won’t have to program while
  keeping time according to a time signature. Programming is a creative process
  so we’ll be working on developing some creative skills. At the same time,
  there are certain patterns that can be used over and over again in this
  creative process. The goal of this text and the course you are taking is to
  get you familiar with these patterns and show you how they can be used in
  programs. After working through this text and studying an