| The aim of this book is to teach programming in the BASIC language, as used by the ZX Spectrum, to the complete beginner. It is not an '0' level or C.S.E. text· book, although It does cover practically all the programming skills required at those levels. Mathematics has been kept to a minimum and therefore arithmetic functions such as ABS, EXP, LN, PI , SGN and SQR logether with trigonometrical functions SlN. COS,TAN, ASN, ARC and ATN hal'e not been included, Each unit is written so that it relies only on infonnation already covered in previous units. This means that if the reader works through each unit in turn, he or she will not need to have any knowledge other than that already encountered in earlier units. If, however, the reader covers the unit out of order. then difficultIes may be experienced unless he or she has previous experience . The book is best used with a microcomputer at hand as it is recommended that the sample programs are typed in. The program listings are direct copies of tlle screen, thus providing an easy check that the program has been correctly entered, Each unit gives plenty of opportunity to practise the skills just acqUired and solutions to the activities are included at the back of the book. It should be remembered. however, that in programming there may often be several solutions to a problem and therefore if the readers program works successfully it is just as acceptable as the solution given. |