Problem Solving in C++ Including Breadth and Laboratories [Paperback]

Angela B. Shiflet (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 30, 1997

Introduces students to the analysis, design, implementation, testing, and debugging of programs using C++, and to the computer science discipline. The book features an early but gradual and natural introduction to object-oriented programming (starting in chapter 2), and chapter-ending, built-in laboratories that directly support the book's presentation of concepts. The book contains 22 discrete "breadth" sections that together present a broad range of topics in computer science. It presents programming in a clear, visual manner with ample use of examples and figures. Other learning features include exercises at the end of each section, an average of 15 programming projects per chapter, historical anecdotes, chapter introductions and goals, programming and debugging hints, chapter key terms and summaries, and review questions. Laboratory files and text examples will be made available at the PWS web site on the Internet.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Angela B. Shiflet is Professor of Mathematics and Computer Science and Chair of Computer Science at Wofford College. In addition to teaching and writing textbooks, Dr. Shiflet has conducted research at Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pacific Northwest Laboratory, and Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory.

Paul Nagin is the President of Chimborazo, LLC, a professor of Computer Science and department chair at Hofstra University. He holds a PhD in Computer Science from the University of Massachusetts. His research includes medical image analysis at Tufts University School of Medicine, where he authored many articles, grants, and presentations on several ophthalmic pathologies. He developed computer animation sequences for a number of medical documentary films, one of which won the John Muir award for documentary film. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Product Details

• Paperback: 960 pages
• Publisher: Pws Pub Co; 1 edition (October 30, 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0534951392
• ISBN-13: 978-0534951399
• Product Dimensions: 8.4 x 5.8 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,772,192 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars It's ok but..., December 29, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: Problem Solving in C++ Including Breadth and Laboratories (Paperback)

I've taught a college level "Fundamentals of Programming" course twice using this book. Each chapter has two parts. The first part is a not particularly well written description of the language or a topic such as binary numbers. The second part, the "Breadth" part, contains, historical, philosophical, or other material to expand the subject or to be the focus of discussions.

I would have much preferred using the Sams "Teach Yourself C++ in 21 Days" for the language part and using the web to supply the material covered in the "Breadth" sections. The 21 Day book covers each language topic more thoroughly and in a more traditional order than Shiftlet's book.

We jokingly refer to the book as "Causing Problems in C++." Although I thought that Shiftlet's introduction of functions early on in the book was a good step, the organization of the book causes problems.

Two examples will suffice. The book uses the #include statement to include a local file, but this statement isn't explained until two chapters later. The first example of classes is unnecessarily complex and contains a method which yields an invalid result for the year 2000. The author planned it this way but the student won't find that out until many chapters later when the student has to rewrite that method to produce the correct result.

Looking for a good textbook? Keep looking.

2 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Decent, but nothing special, July 15, 1999

By 

William Briggs (Burlington, VT) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Problem Solving in C Including Breadth and Laboratories (Paperback)

This book is an average introduction to the C programming language. While it is not terrible, there are certainly far better books available. I would recommend "The Art and Science of C" by Prof. Eric Roberts, as well as his follow-up, "Programming Abstractions in C." These books truly teach you efficient and effective program design, as well as discussing a variety of topics in a non-condescending yet easy-to-read manner.