This document is the first chapter of an introduction to programming with C++ textbook. It discusses the basics of programming including the roles of programmers, history of programming languages, and basic control structures used in algorithms. Key points:
- Programmers write step-by-step instructions called programs to tell computers how to perform tasks. Popular languages include C++, C#, Java.
- Early languages included machine code using 1s and 0s and assembly languages using mnemonics. Higher-level languages like C++ allow English-like instructions.
- Programs use three basic control structures - sequence, selection, and repetition. Sequence processes instructions in order. Selection makes decisions. Repetition repeats steps until a condition