The course aims to provide students with the fundamental introductory notions of computer science: hardware and software architecture of computers, information representation in computers, boolean algebra, essential fundamentals of programming with high-level languages. Such elements are the basic set of knowledge necessary for all subsequent courses related to computer science.

Appropriate computer science lexicon, knowledge of fundamental features of computers and elementary ability to evaluate them, ability to use boolean algebra, ability to develop elementary programs in the C language.

No particular prerequisites are needed, apart from a basic computer alphabetization.

Outline of the internal structure and working of computer systems and of the general features of base software. Techniques for internal information representation. Boolean algebra. Essential fundamentals of programming in the C language (language syntax, predefined types and arrays, structured programing and control flow instructions).

Theoretical exercises on binary arithmetic and boolean algebra.

- Course notes, distributed to students.
- Patt, Patel "Introduction to Computing Systems", Mc Graw Hill.

Other texts useful for deepening:

- Kernighan, Ritchie "The C Programming Language", Prentice Hall.

Written examination including open-answer questions and exercises on the course topics.