Thread: Need help preparing for a final exam! Please help!

  1. 04-09-2013 #1
    craff25
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    Post Need help preparing for a final exam! Please help!

    In about a week I have an exam for my C programming class.
    I'm currently struggling on programming, and the class in general (This is my first official computer class I've taken)

    The Test is on the following and split into 2 parts:
    Any information/tips basically anything that can help will be amazing, also I am allowed to use 1 page sheet that is hand written, so any information is appreciated.

    Theory 50 minutes
    · Study summaries
    · Convert binary to decimal to binary
    · Sign integer
    · Unsign integer
    · IEEE
    · Floating
    · Point
    · 32 bit

    Program 1 hour
    · Read data until some sentenal value
    · Read/writing characters
    · Isdigit/Isalpha
    · ISLower/ISupper
    · To lower/to upper
    · Functions
  2. 04-09-2013 #2
    Matticus
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    Spend between four to eight hours every day from now until the exam writing small programs, focusing on the concepts you've covered in class, and particularly on the topics you don't really understand. This will not only help prepare you with practice, but will give you a better idea of the kind of information you should note on your one page sheet.
  3. 04-09-2013 #3
    craff25
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    Thank you for that advice, I will try to put 4-8 hours a day but with all my other classes its not easy. Any other information is still greatly appreciated.
  4. 04-09-2013 #4
    stahta01
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    C is case sensitive.

    Tim S.
    "...a computer is a stupid machine with the ability to do incredibly smart things, while computer programmers are smart people with the ability to do incredibly stupid things. They are,in short, a perfect match.." Bill Bryson
  5. 04-09-2013 #5
    craff25
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    Thank you
  6. 04-09-2013 #6
    MacNilly
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    If I were you I would study

    1) 2s complement (convert neg to pos, pos to neg using 2s complement)
    2) IEEE format (convert real number to bit string in IEEE and vice-versa)

    as these would be the most tricky for me (esp. IEEE floats).

    use printf/scanf (or putchar getchar) to read & write characters

    good luck
  7. 04-09-2013 #7
    Cat
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    Well, during the class / homework / assignments, which parts did you find hardest? Where did you lose the most points? Those would probably be good things to know.

    Programming's kind of a tough subject to cram for. Much of the syntax is rote memorization (and for that - flash cards!) but being able to express your idea programmatically is a craft.
    You ever try a pink golf ball, Wally? Why, the wind shear on a pink ball alone can take the head clean off a 90 pound midget at 300 yards.
  8. 04-09-2013 #8
    craff25
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    I have to say the programming is the hardest, for the part of the test I will have an hour to write a full program, fortunately I will have access to my programs I've done before and the internet. The thing that worries me is that I am unsure of what the program will be and I am not confident that my programming skills will allow me to succesfully complete this part of the test in an hour.
  9. 04-09-2013 #9
    Click_here
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    Make a program which does what the 1 hour programming section asks for...

    Make a program which saves names and ages. It needs to do the following:
    Warns if a duplicate name has been detected (This is not case sensitive, use toupper).
    Detects whether the age input is ok (isdigit)

    You'll find out fairly quickly what you don't know.
    Fact - Beethoven wrote his first symphony in C
  10. 04-10-2013 #10
    craff25
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    Thanks for all the input really appreciate it, I have 2 exams today then tonight I plan on spending 3-6 hours doing some ill post more specifics later thanks again.-Connor
  11. 04-10-2013 #11
    craff25
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    what should I study for points, I've looked over everything and have no idea what points is even reffering to and what I should study. thanks
  12. 04-10-2013 #12
    whiteflags
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    Points? I'm not sure and the only thing I can think of is the Cartesian coordinate system. If you're totally new to that, I would be surprised.

    [edit] Oh wait, this makes a lot more sense if you merge like three list items into one. Study IEEE Floating point numbers. [/edit]
    Last edited by whiteflags; 04-10-2013 at 08:34 PM.
  13. 04-12-2013 #13
    stabu
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    · Read data until some sentenal value
    Do you know what this means? I don't and I don't think even the many gurus on this site will know. That's because "sentenal" is not a English word. If that second "e" was an "i" and the "a" was an "e" then things would be alot clearer. And, in C, '\0' is the famous sentinel value used to end of a sequence of characters. And that's the way a string is defined in C. But .. don't stop ...keep looking at that sentence. Ask yourself what each of the words mean.

    What I'm saying is that a good plan is to read, and re-read, and re-read the questions. Half the battle is understanding them, even before you're written a word youself. Above all, beware of misspellings .. I'm suspicious of that word "points" ... it could mean a bullet point, or it could be a special type of value, neither of which are native in C. It could also be a misspelling of "pointer" which IS native to C, though it's regarded as an intermediate, not beginner's, topic in C.
    Last edited by stabu; 04-12-2013 at 03:09 AM.
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