An enrichment and extension programme for primary-aged students
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- Solutions and hints
- Activity 13
- Curriculum Links
- Marching Orders
- Demonstration Example
What’s it all about?Finite-state automata are used in computer science to help a computer process a sequence of characters or events. A simple example is when you dial up a telephone number and you get a message that says “Press 1 for this … Press 2 for that … Press 3 to talk to a human operator.” Your key presses are inputs for a finite state automaton at the other end of the phone. The dialogue can be quite simple, or very complex. Sometimes you are taken round in circles because there is a peculiar loop in the finite-state automaton. If this occurs, it is an error in the design of the system—and it can be extremely frustrating for the caller! Another example is when you get cash from a bank cash machine. The program in the machine’s computer leads you through a sequence of events. Inside the program all the possible sequences are kept as a finite-state automaton. Every key you press takes the automaton to another state. Some of the states have instructions for the computer on them, like “dispense $100 of cash” or “print a statement” or “eject the cash card”. Some computer programs really do deal with English sentences using maps like the one on page 119. They can both generate sentences themselves, and process sentences that the user types in. In the 1960s a computer scientist wrote a famous program called “Eliza” (after Eliza Dolittle) that had conversations with people. The program pretended to be a psychotherapist, and came out with leading questions like “Tell me about your family” and “Do go on.” Although it didn’t “understand” anything, it was sufficiently plausible—and its human users were sufficiently gullible—that some people really did think they were talking to a human psychotherapist. Although computers are not really very good at understanding natural language, they can readily process artificial languages. One important type of artificial language is the programming language. Computers use finite-state automata to read in programs and translate them into the form of elementary computer instructions, which can then be “executed” directly by the computer.
The mysterious coin game uses the following map to toss coins: 
If you follow it, you will see that the first two coin tosses of each three have the same outcome. Activity 13Marching Orders—Programming LanguagesSummaryComputers are usually programmed using a “language,” which is a limited vocabulary of instructions that can be obeyed. One of the most frustrating things about programming is that computers always obey the instructions to the letter, even if they produce a crazy result. This activity gives students some experience with this aspect of programming. Curriculum LinksEnglish: Interpersonal Listening SkillsGiving and following instructions. Ages7 years and up MaterialsYou will need: Cards with pictures such as the ones shown on the next page. Each student will need: Pencil, paper and ruler Marching OrdersIntroductionDiscuss whether it would be good if people followed instructions exactly. For example, what would happen if you pointed to a closed door and said, “Go through that door”? Computers work by following lists of instructions, and they do exactly what the instructions say—even if they don’t make sense! Demonstration ExampleSee if the students can draw the picture from these instructions.
The result should look something like this: 
ActivitiesChoose a student and give them an image (such as the examples on page 124). The student describes the picture for the class to reproduce. The students can ask questions to clarify the instructions. The object is to see how quickly and accurately the exercise can be completed. Repeat the exercise, but this time the students are not allowed to ask questions. It is best to use a simpler image for this exercise, as the students can get lost very quickly. Now try the exercise with the instructing student hidden behind a screen, without allowing any questions, so that the only communication is in the form of instructions. Point out that this form of communication is most like the one that computer programmers experience when writing programs. They give a set of instructions to the computer, and don’t find out the effect of the instructions until afterwards. Have the students draw a picture and write down their own instructions. Try them out in pairs or as a whole class.
VariationsWrite instructions to construct a paper dart. Write instructions on how to get to a mystery location around the school using such instructions as “Go forward x metres”, “turn left” (90 degrees), and “turn right” (90 degrees). Students should test and refine their instructions until they have the desired effect. Blind Game. Blindfold a student and have the other students direct them around the room. Directory: wp-content -> uploads -> 2015 2015 -> Police Militarization 2015 -> 2015 ihbb championships: hs history Bowl Round 4 – Prelims First Quarter 2015 -> Wrtp/big step · 3841 W. Wisconsin Ave., Milwaukee, wi 53208 2015 -> Rao bulletin 1 December 2015 html edition this bulletin contains the following articles 2015 -> Darton College 2015 -> Training Workshop on Planning and Implementation of Multi-Sectoral Development Programme (MsDP) in Bihar Date : 6th 2015 -> Rao bulletin 15 June 2015 html edition this bulletin contains the following articles 2015 -> Rao bulletin 1 September 2015 html edition this bulletin contains the following articles 2015 -> Rao bulletin 1 August 2015 html edition this bulletin contains the following articles 2015 -> Science, and transportation united states senate Download 1.03 Mb. Share with your friends:
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