Formal Methods, Informally: How to Write Programs That Work

Learn to program more effectively, faster, with better results... and enjoy both the learning experience and the benefits it ultimately brings. This undergraduate-level textbook is motivated by Formal Methods, encouraging habits that lead to correct and concise computer programs; but its informal approach sidesteps reliance on Formal Logic that programmers are sometimes led to believe is required. Instead, a straightforward and intuitive use of simple 'What's true here' comments encourages precision of thought without prescription of notation. Drawing on decades of the author's experience in teaching/industry, the text's careful presentation concentrates on key principles of structuring and reasoning about programs, applying them first to small, understandable algorithms. Then students can concentrate on turning those reliably into their corresponding -and correct- program source-codes. The text includes over 200 exercises, with full solutions available online for instructors' use, plus mini-projects and automated quizzes to support instructors in building their own courses.