3. Topic Area Guides

The following sections offer concise summaries of essential engineering topics.

• 3.1. Basic Circuits
  • 3.1.1. Takeaway Lessons
  • 3.1.2. Reference Links
• 3.2. Physical Computation with the Arduino
  • 3.2.1. Takeaway Lessons
  • 3.2.2. Reference Links
• 3.3. Mechanical Behavior
  • 3.3.1. Takeaway Lessons
  • 3.3.2. Reference Links
  • 3.3.3. Resource Links
• 3.4. Computation and Behavior
  • 3.4.1. Takeaway Lessons
  • 3.4.2. Reference Links
• 3.5. Python by Example
  • 3.5.1. Reference Links
  • 3.5.2. Preparation
  • 3.5.3. Using Python as a Calculator
  • 3.5.4. First Steps Towards Programming
  • 3.5.5. Interlude: Running Code from Files
  • 3.5.6. if Statements
  • 3.5.7. for Statements
  • 3.5.8. The range() Function
  • 3.5.9. break and continue Statements, and else Clauses on Loops
  • 3.5.10. pass Statements
  • 3.5.11. Defining Functions
  • 3.5.12. More on Defining Functions
  • 3.5.13. More on Lists
  • 3.5.14. The del statement
  • 3.5.15. Tuples and Sequences
  • 3.5.16. NumPy: Efficient Numerical Computation
  • 3.5.17. Acknowledgement
• 3.6. Physical Computation with Pure Data
  • 3.6.1. Takeaway Lessons
  • 3.6.2. Reference Links
  • 3.6.3. Project Idea: Dream Machine