Week 4 — Readings & Resources

Introduction to Computer Science Free sample edition

Your primary reading is Chapter 4 (in this module). Everything below is the optional, go-deeper layer — pick what helps, skip the rest.

How to use this page

This page has 11 items (5 readings and 6 videos). Allow 70–86 minutes for everything. Each group points back to the matching chapter section and class-session segment, so use the full menu when you want more, or take the quick path below.

Every video here has captions: turn them on with the CC button in the player. The chapter covers the same ideas in text.

Pick-one quick path (20–23 min total)

① Asking a yes-or-no question

Chapter 4, Section “Ask a yes-or-no question: comparison operators” · Session 1, Segment 1, “Comparison operators” · Remember: a comparison answers True or False and changes no value, and = gets while == asks.

The Python Comparison Operators, Python for Absolute Beginners — choobtorials — a calm walk through the six comparison operators, with a clear warning about mixing up one equals sign and two; skip the short part on chaining several comparisons together, which this course does not use. (video, 10 min) (captions: creator)
Conditions, Interactive Python Tutorial — learnpython.org — a short lesson with a runnable box on comparisons, and, or, not, and if, elif, and else; read the opening part on = versus ==, the Boolean operators, the if part, and the not operator, and skip the parts on the in and is operators, which use lists from later weeks. This builds on Week 2's work with the bool type and its two values. (reading, 8–12 min)

② Combining questions with and, or, and not

Chapter 4, Section “Combine questions: and, or, not, and truth tables” · Session 1, Segment 2, “Truth tables” · Remember: and needs both sides True, or needs either side, and not flips one value.

Boolean Logic & Logic Gates: Crash Course Computer Science #3 — CrashCourse — an animated episode on the three operations NOT, AND, and OR and the truth table for each, built up from the circuits inside a computer; watch for each table, and check its rows against the four rows the chapter prints, and treat the circuit details as optional. (video, 10 min) (captions: creator)
Python logical operators — Bro Code — a quick demo of the three logical operators and, or, and not; pause before each run, predict whether the condition is True or False, then let the video run. (video, 6 min) (captions: creator)

③ Letting the answer choose the branch

Chapter 4, Section “Choose which code runs: if, elif, and else” · Session 2, Segment 4, “If, elif, and else” · Remember: Python tests from the top and runs only the first branch whose condition is True.

Conditional Logic, Python for Beginners 19 of 44 — Microsoft Developer — a short talk on the if statement and its else, the decision every program on this page is built on. Use it while working through the Week-4 module overview. (video, 5 min) (captions: creator)
Handling Multiple Conditions, Python for Beginners 21 of 44 — Microsoft Developer — the follow-up on handling more than one condition in a single decision; as you watch, ask which branch would run first if two conditions were both True. (video, 6 min) (captions: creator)
Conditionals, Plotting and Programming in Python — Software Carpentry — a carefully tested lesson episode; read the sections on if, else, and elif, the section explaining that conditions are tested once, in order, and the box on combining tests with and, or, and parentheses. Treat the examples that run a condition inside a loop as later material, because loops start next week in Loops I: The while Loop. (reading, 8–12 min)
The reading log's Week 4 program, step by step — Python Tutor — the chapter's reading-log program loaded into the free step-through visualizer; click Next and watch the arrow skip the two blocks that do not run, then edit the 45 to 150 and step through again. (reading, 5–8 min)

④ Truthy, falsy, and checking with a run

Chapter 4, Section “Check truthiness and a chatbot's claim with a run” · Session 2, Segment 6, “Truthiness” · Remember: the empty string and 0 count as False in a condition, and a string with any character counts as True.

Understanding Truthy and Falsy Values in Python — Code With Amulya — a brief explainer on which values Python treats as True or False inside an if; follow the parts on numbers and strings, and treat the empty lists and dictionaries as a preview of later weeks. (video, 3 min) (captions: creator)
If Statement, Google's Python Class — Google for Developers — a compact section on if, elif, and else, the six comparisons, the words and, or, and not, and which zero values count as false; skip the one-line if form, which this course does not use. (reading, 5–8 min)

Optional one-stop reference (free online reference)

if Statements, The Python Tutorial section 4.1 — Python Software Foundation — the official tutorial's section on the if statement, the course's free reference for every language fact, showing if, elif, and else with one short example; read section 4.1 and stop before section 4.2 on for loops. (reading, 4–6 min)

Heads-up (links rot): these point to outside sites that occasionally move or rename pages. If a link ever fails, tell your instructor and use the reference above in the meantime.

Provenance: Built with The Course Maker · samples.thecoursemaker.com