The notion of a computer program: the role of hardware and software in a computer system; basics of modern computer operation; the form and function of programming languages; features of the Python programming language; elements of a Python program. Handling numbers: the notion of a data type; numerical data types; representing numbers in a computer; accumulator variables; using mathematical functions. Handling strings: the notion of string and its computer representation; operations on strings; string formatting. Decision structures: the notion of decision; single, double, and n-ary decisions; handling exceptions. Loops and logical expressions: the notion of a loop; finite and infinite loops; interactive and sentinel loops; nested loops; Boolean algebra and Boolean expressions. Subprograms: program decomposition; invoking subprograms; transfering parameters and results; subprogram collections; recursion. Data collections: arrays, operations on arrays, multidimensional arrays; dictionaries. Software development process: representing a real system in a computer program; top-down and spiral development, program testing. Algorithm analysis: concepts, the notion of search, linear and binary search, sorting algorithms.