Java Software Solutions: For AP Computer Science A (Hardcover)

by John Lewis (Author), William Loftus (Author), Cara Cocking (Author)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description
Teaches beginners how to create well-designed software using Java and prepares them for both the A and AB advanced placement tests in Java. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From the Back Cover
This book teaches beginners how to create well-designed software using Java and prepares them for both the A and AB advanced placement tests in Java. With a focus on object-oriented programming, teaching objects first and then writing classes, the authors identify the material, within an introduction to Java and a case study, that will be featured on the AP tests. Any student preparing to take the AP test in Java. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Product Details

• Reading level: Young Adult
  
• Hardcover: 687 pages
• Publisher: Addison Wesley Publishing Company; 2 edition (April 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0132222515
• ISBN-13: 978-0132222518
• Product Dimensions: 10 x 8.2 x 1.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 3 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 3.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #54,182 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Written by a robot?, August 10, 2003

By A Customer

This review is from: Java Software Solutions for Ap Computer Science (Hardcover)

This book should be called Java Software Solutions for a Complete Idiot. This is, for example, how they introduce some of the OOP concepts (p. 58):

"A data type defines a set of values and operations -- what we can do with those values"... [a type does not define a set of values!] ... "An object is defined by a class, which is like the data type of the object." ... "Once a class has been defined, objects can be created from that class." ... "Classes can be created from other classes using inheritance. That is, the definition of one class can be based on another class that already exists. Inheritance is a form of software reuse. We are taking advantage of the ways some classes are alike. One class can be used to create several new classes. These classes can then be used to create even more classes."

And so on, the whole book. "This book is written by a robot. This book should be read by you. Commas are not used in this book..."

Here is how they introduce algorithms (p. 123):

"One basic design issue is defining the algorithms to be used in the program. An algorithm is a step-by-step process for solving a problem. A recipe is like an algorithm. Travel directions are like an algorithm. Every program uses one or more algorithms. Every software developer should spend time thinking about the algorithms before writing any code."

Every software developer should spend time thinking before buying this book!

Actually, the introduction claims this is an AP textbook:

"This book is designed for both A and AB exam by identifying what material is required for each exam."

That is exactly right, "identifying." But not teaching! I took the AB exam last year; here the whole AB stuff is crammed into two last chapters, 70 pages, including silly review questions. Not even close.

Speaking of review questions... Question 1.3: "What happens to information when it is stored digitally?" Answer: "the information is broken into pieces, and those pieces are represented as numbers."

3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars This is a good well written book, June 10, 2004

By	"pooroldmathteacher" (California) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Java Software Solutions for Ap Computer Science (Hardcover)

I am basically a math teacher with a lot of bright computer science students. Of all of the books currently available in Java for AP Computer Science, this was the hands down winner with the kids, especially amongst the one semester students who were taking the A test.

5.0 out of 5 stars Good (gentle) introduction to Java and good preparation for the AP Computer Science A Exam, December 7, 2008

By	CLM (Philadelphia, PA USA) - See all my reviews

I used this textbook to tutor a high school student for the AP Computer A exam and had a good experience with it. It is true that some of the explanations are simplified and do not always use technical language, but this is after all an introductory text and most likely to be used by high school students--perhaps some who have not had any previous preparation. The student I tutored scored a 5 on the AP Computer Science A exam. That is, of course, not all due to the textbook, but the point is that the textbook is adequate for its purpose if accompanied by good instruction, plenty of labs, and focus on the AP case study. By the way, you will find the textbook on the College Board's list of example textbooks for the AP computer science A course.