Teaching loop invariants to beginners by examples

ABSTRACT

Since the concept of a loop invariant has long been recognized as the correct way to design and analyse loops, it is important that its application to programming be introduced to students and programmers as early as possible. This paper describes how to teach the use of loop invariants to reason about loops and to program them correctly in introductory programming courses by following a systematic set of steps coupled with examples.

REFERENCES

• 1: Salmon, William I., Structures and Abstractions, Irwin, 1991.
• 2: J. Stanley, Computer Science, Jones and Bartlett Publishers, Inc., 1991
• 3: Giles, David, The Science of Programming, Springer-Verlag, 1981.
• 4: Edsger Wybe Dijkstra, A Discipline of Programming, Prentice Hall PTR, Upper Saddle River, NJ, 1997

INDEX TERMS

Primary Classification:
  F. Theory of Computation
  F.3 LOGICS AND MEANINGS OF PROGRAMS
      F.3.1 Specifying and Verifying and Reasoning about Programs
          Subjects: Invariants

Additional Classification:
  K. Computing Milieux
  K.3 COMPUTERS AND EDUCATION
      K.3.2 Computer and Information Science Education
          Subjects: Computer science education

General Terms:
Algorithms, Design