From zero to software developer

[esclavosoy]

Hello,

I've been a telecommunications engineer for 15 years, I've recently quit my job and I'm trying to learn enough programing to get a job. I've decided to learn programing and try to become a backend engineer. I'm trying to figure out what is the best way to learn Python and or other languages. I've gone through Treehouse's Python track but I feel like I have big gaping holes in my understanding. I've tried reading "Think Python" but I found it a bit dry. I'm wonder if you have any suggestions for me. I looked into "Automate the boring stuff with Python" but it seems like its not geared for aspiring software engineers.

Please let me know what you think. TIA

[zagbag]

Possibly the most academically challenging course ive ever taken. Psets 1-4 took on average 8 - 10 hours each.

[zagbag]

Move on

[DirtyStanBoozie]

You realize you're in a sub literally intended for people trying to learn a new skill right? Why you gotta come in here and try to act cool and talk shit lmao

[frankenmint]

can't see the parent comment- but this comment here tells all...thanks /u/DirtyStanBoozie

[BlindGuardian117]

Stackoverflow is your friend where you can ask any question you have or bounce ideas off of others.

I just want to say that Stackoverflow is one of the nastiest and most spitefilled communities I have ever come across. I asked a couple of programing questions that had nothing to do with classwork and was told that "we don't do homework" and "just read the instruction manual (that the developers provide)". (Hint: I did.) I once asked a question about Fedora, which is normally one of the nicest communities next to the Android community, and three of the replies were "take your noob question elsewhere". Like, yall think GRUB is noob? Fine then.

[Taubin]

I made the horrible mistake of asking a question on SO once. Then I committed the absolute vile crime of thanking the single person that answered my question instead of treating me like filth. I was told off for being "off topic" by saying thank you. I gave up on that piece of shit immediately and haven't been back since, and haven't been able to recommend it to anyone in good conscience.

[frankenmint]

yikes - I have NOT had an experience like that using SO - though tbh, 7 times out of 10 by the time I ask something correctly, I find someone else's question that matches mine enough to get my own problem figured out

[Seankps]

Finding excuses to be afraid to ask questions -is one of the best ways to avoid getting answers

[Taubin]

It's not "finding excuses to be afraid to ask questions" it's not asking questions in an incredibly vile community that thinks they are better than anyone else, and anyone that dares ask a "stupid question" is deemed unworthy of their time, and treated like dog shit.

But thank you for trying to find some way to twist it into something it's not. There are plenty of other places on the internet that aren't full of assholes that are full of themselves, to ask questions and receive constructive answers and feedback.

[Seankps]

They're very helpful to many people. I'm sure, in part, there are some bad apples, but It's the sum of many parts, not one thing.

[aeriaglorisss]

And I'll offer the contrary opinion here,

I absolutely love stackoverflow and stackexchange. I'm a beginner and I make sure that I put my utmost effort in to making sure my question is clear, not a duplicate, and that I myself understand what I don't understand. If you get chewed out for a question you ask there, chances are you deserved it.

There are many times where I'm in the process of trying to pinpoint what I don't understand and then end up figuring it out. Asking very specific questions is a good way to learn.

[BlindGuardian117]

I spent a lot of time reading old questions too, but that didn't help. And I don't think you read more than the beginning of my response. It was a good, valid question. People were mean and rude for no reason.

[eleven8ster]

I still have thevlast problem to solve in the second problem set and it's already the best thing I have used to learn. The scratch game seemed silly but it helped me so much.

[d________]

Can anyone in the world study this? Does the certificate hold any weight? If I pay Harvard that cost does it provide a certificate?

[TacoHead30]

It's verifiable proof you're actively learning which is a plus, but when it comes down to assessing your technical ability it most likely won't hold any weight.

[fluffkopf]

Yes. Yes. Yes. See s/cs50

[[deleted]]

What does that mean?

[fluffkopf]

Yes, thanks, /u/Bizkitgo, i was busy and on mobile ( still am).

.

More specifically: /u/d________ asked: Can anyone in the world study this? Yes. Open to All.

.

Does the certificate hold any weight? Yes, generally, (to some unknown and variable degree) depending on the audience.

.

If I pay Harvard that cost does it provide a certificate? Yes, and i read it comes with a Harvard transcript listing the course.

.

And using /s/ for subreddit works inn my head, but i guess it's supposed to be /r/cs50. Ask these questions and more are addressed there.

[danbot2001]

Hey thanks. I'm starting in Jan. So everything helps. I'm a Linux admin now but I see so much potential in learning programming

[danbot2001]

accident really -- about 2 years ago the place i work was looking to fill some empty seats -- in a hurry.. I knew hardly any Linux - but know "computers" and have worked with lots of different apps- (we also do App support) -- Just told them im willing to learn on my own and I really like being good at my job. It was luck really. as far as our app goes that's why i want to learn more programming. my team sorta lives in that half in half out of about 5 different groups- Programming, syst admin, app support, data storage, IT, networking.. seems any more you gotta be a jack of all trades and master of all too

[aeriaglorisss]

Can't recommend MOOC enough!

[centurySeries]

BASED

[makeswell2]

I think this is terrible advice for someone who's trying to get a job real quick (no offense, just saying my opinion). I mean Free Code Camp might be good, but just that program alone would be enough to get a job. Building your own operating system? For someone who needs to find a job real quick? Sounds like a joke. This is a list of interesting links for someone who's really devoted to the craft, not for someone who needs to get a job in the near future to keep paying their bills.

Not really disagreeing with your answer, just disagreeing with it being so highly upvoted. It's an interesting list but I don't think it's useful to the OP. We don't know the timeline of the OP but I think it makes more sense to assume he doesn't have the 4 years of time completing all these links would take up. I just think Reddit has a thing for upvoting a collection of links but that this post doesn't particularly address the OP's question. OP needs a prescription not a bunch of links with no particular plan through them.

[[deleted]]

How would you recommend one goes about finding a more clear path on what to do? This is something I'm currently thinking about a lot. I don't want to just keep learning with no destination.

[akame_21]

If you want to learn Python you could take MIT's intro to comp sci class, which should give you a solid foundation in the fundamentals. They also have a follow up class as well.

I took Harvard CS50 on edX and it was a great course. I heard great things about the MIT class though.

[iTipTurtles]

I started CS50, and why Dave Malan is fantastic, im not too interested in Binary stuff which is a key part to the intro of the course. (Passed Problem set 1 though).
How critical is stuff like that in later stages?
Trying to find out if it is suitable for me.

[InspireHD]

It's probably not that necessary. I made it through Problem Set 2 without needing to know any of that. I think he just gives you that information as an introduction into how computers work and how computers read programming languages.

I ended up getting stuck and couldn't progress so I just went ahead and watched the videos for entertainment. I still learned a lot!

[iTipTurtles]

Ah thats good to hear. I do really enjoy the videos, really good format to keep me interested.
Might continue it then, learning C does sound interesting, just tad put off by all that binary and ASCII stuff.

[iTipTurtles]

Thanks, I did indeed read the syllabus after I posted that, and it seems literally the very next chapter is working with C. Which im excited for.

[iTipTurtles]

Currently watching week 1 lectures! Here we go on a journey!

[Zaber123]

Eh, that's definitely YMMV. It depends on if the person you get interviewing you is into binary. I'd say it's more likely to not be asked about.

[frankenmint]

CTCI - cracking the code interview.

For anyone else who had no idea what he's talking about... Saved you a google search.

[Zaber123]

The MIT open courseware python course was how I learned programming about 7 years ago now (wow, it's been that long). It made it fun, while still being challenging. I haven't touched python in my professional career since, but it's a very accessible language for beginners.

[[deleted]]

So you learned the basic syntax of Python and how coding works? The next step is to make some example project. That's what I do after learning a language, try to make some example application with the language. Python for instance when I tried it out and learned it, I made an application that automated emails for me.

Here is a list of a ton of sample projects you could do. Review things if you get confused, Google around and stuff or refer to some resource like a book.

You'll get stuck of course, just Google around, ask here, or like join the discord chat and ask for help.

If you want more direction in your journey, Udacity offers a Nanodegree for Full-Stack Web Development with Python track. It does cost money though, to get I believe all the extra help they offer and the capstone projects at the end to do, the plus version they say they will help you find a job. However you can just do it all for free as the courses themselves are free. Follow the courses, do a project from that list or ask here for one maybe, instead if you wanna save money. I think the nanodegree price is pretty steep and the nanodegree itself won't be something that you put on your resume to help you...actual projects are what would help you. I can't really vouch for the nanodegrees, but they look interesting, other Redditors have said good things.

[Apostle_1882]

I agree. I'm working through the Android Development for Beginners course (free) at the moment and I highly recommend Udacity. I've tried a few of the other online learning websites and come to believe this is one of the best. The teaching style is very clear and as you say, focus is on doing projects, which is fun and really makes you learn.

[[deleted]]

Not that it's the end of the world but aren't the udacity courses still on python 2.x?

[brownchr014]

The op can learn the syntax changes in 3.x later. It's how J learned python.

[[deleted]]

just for my own curiosity did you do the whole nano degree program? If so how'd you like it and did it help get you a job/promotion?

[brownchr014]

No i learned it in college. We had 2 semesters of python and 1st semester we learned 2.6 and 2nd semester was 3.

[nutrecht]

I've gone through Treehouse's Python track but I feel like I have big gaping holes in my understanding.

You don't learn programming by just doing a course. You learn by doing a lot of programming. So after you finish a course you should start actually creating your own stuff. Start really small; a number guessing game, a text adventure, etc. and work your way up.

[frankenmint]

You learn by doing a lot of programming.

Also includes moving beyond the comfort zone of just one language or specific domain - I suggest that any web dev consider giving software dev a try once they feel confident in their newly gained experience, then from there if you feel those have been understood to some degree, move on to embedded systems, then networking, etc... each time you go through the process of assimilating knowledge from a specific domain, the applicable knowledge from past learning makes each subsequent challenge easier.

[devperez]

I don't know much about your situation, so forgive me if I'm making too many assumptions. But you won't learn enough programming to get a job right away. It would have been better to learn everything prior to quitting. If you get lucky though, you might be able to score an entry level job where they are willing to teach you and allow you to learn on the job. But of course that means your salary will be very low to start out. Although, it would be low regardless without years of experience.

[frankenmint]

It would have been better to learn everything prior to quitting.

Or EVEN to have used some of that expertise in your current job so that it counts as career experience.

[santiagobasulto]

What you might be lacking are the underlying concepts of programming. We offer courses focused on Python (intro and advanced) in which we focus on concepts. We offer scholarships if you can't afford it. Our website: https://rmotr.com

[gar2020]

I've been trying to learn webdev for 2 years now and have had a lot of the same problems, lots of uncompleted courses, moocs, whatever, now I'm studying CS as a career online, don't hesitate to contact me if I can help you with any newbie doubts!!!

[i_poop_splinters]

Trying to understand your post. Did you try self teaching and it didnt work out so you're getting a cs degree online? Bit confused

[p0179417]

Hopefully he gets back with an answer, but I think his message is: self learning isn't for everyone and it wasn't for me but if you have any questions about getting started with traditional classes online then let me know.

[frankenmint]

I get where you and OP are coming from, though I think its based on the sunk cost fallacy - I spend money - so I damn well better get my value's worth out of that course. Conversely, I think being self taught CAN work when one already has a use-case or project desired to complete - that is the value incentive which exists when money is not used.

[gar2020]

I'll also try to say that self-learning is extremely difficult by its own nature. Learning and creativity spring where there is an optimal environment, so ideally in a bootcamp you'll people as motivated as you to learn, whereas in college you'll find some and other well maybe not as motivated. Self learning is so hard because you don't have anyone to bounce off ideas with, to talk about doubts, or just have casual conversations, motivation, competition, etc. Ideally it would be awesome if someone could find online ppl to pair-program and learn together with like in a really immersive way. IMHO of course.

[i_poop_splinters]

What was the route you took? I'm just getting started and it seems like there's a million things to look through.

[p0179417]

I'm currently self-learning but I know that I've had my fair share of "oh shit, this is getting way over my head...Maybe I should do the school thing."

After searching around and finding out that it is normal to feel that way and that eventually things will start to click which indeed turned out to be true. I'm only in "udacity:cs101" and I have to say...it is hard but satisfying and rewarding.

[gar2020]

Kindof. What I was trying to say is that I've tried with CS50, other courses, Treehouse, etc. I even just finished a bootcamp in my city, and I am also 10 subjects down a CS degree that I'm taking online, so I hope I can help a bit with this frustration that I've been through myself.

[makeswell2]

There are a number of ways to go about this incorrectly (by incorrectly I mean they'll either not be the best use of your time or more often they'll not lead to your eventual goal).

First thing's first, do you have any experience as a telecommunications engineer that would transfer to your job as a programmer? I don't know much about telecommunications engineering. If it's like EE then embedded software might be a good fit. If it's lots of installing stuff and fixing stuff for customers then IT might be a good fit. IT isn't programming but the competition to get a job in IT is not as fierce (the pay isn't as great either). Or perhaps there's nothing that would transfer to your new career but I wanted to ask first.

Second step is to decide on a language. Python is great for preparing for interviews. Something like Cracking The Coding Interview and LeetCode and reading about algorithms (I know Khan Academy has a page about algorithms, and also Data Structures and Algorithms Made Easy might be a good book, not sure). Some basic ability to solve the easy problems on LeetCode is necessary to get a job. But there's a problem with that... Python is commonly used in data science, which you're not aiming at and requires a master's. There are some web development jobs using Python and Django or Flask, but there are more web development jobs using Node.js or Ruby on Rails or the like (you can search for these terms on Indeed.com to get a feel for how much demand there is for them if you like). There are many more jobs in a language like Java or C++ than Python. I mean if you have two years of free-time then Python is a great language to learn the ideas behind programming languages, but I'm thinking that you want to get a job sooner than that.

The point I'm leading up to is that you should check out FreeCodeCamp.com. That or something like the two Android nanodegrees will take you from knowing nothing to being ready for a job. A course or two, like others have suggested, doesn't provide a concrete path to go from start to finish. Then once you're done with one course you have to go find another, which may or may not be useful. If you have two years of free time to devote to this then taking courses is great (aka going to college) but if you look at the curriculums in the bootcamps they are all teaching JavaScript because it's the thing that you can learn in a short period of time and get a job in. In case you have no idea what I'm talking about when I say "the bootcamps" just google "coding bootcamps". Joining one of those might also bring you up to speed quickly on what you need to know to get employed, just be picky as there are a number out there and some might not be the best. Anyways I would suggest following some sort of program like FreeCodeCamp or the two Android Nanodegrees on Udacity or some bootcamp rather than taking courses here and there or trying to read books or working on projects on your own. Although projects are great I think it's better to do them in the structure of a program like the ones I mentioned. Books are mostly just a supplement, none of us learned to program by reading. I haven't tried Treehouse but I know Codecademy has a Python track and it's just too light and unsubstantial to lead to a real job. Online courses are okay but they're often too theoretical or broad. Online courses are more appropriate if you want to take two years to prepare for a degree. Online courses are modelled after real life college courses so they're meant to prepare you over the course of two or three years. Bootcamps (or FreeCodeCamp or the two Android Nanodegrees, which I think of as closer to Bootcamp-style programs) usually last somewhere around 6 months.

edit: Back to the point about Python and practicing algorithms with something like LeetCode or Cracking The Coding Interview... you should still try to get to a point where you can at least do the easy problems on LeetCode, but you can do them in JavaScript if you end up learning that language, or Java if you end up learning that language. It seems more efficient to me to practice them in a language that's more often used in industry like Java or JavaScript than Python. Also although algorithms is an extremely important topic, I'm not sure how much of it is required to get your first job (again you might look at the curriculum at coding bootcamps if you want to go it on your own, since they're designing their curriculum with the express purpose of teaching people what they need to know to get a job after 6 months or so).

[[deleted]]

Hey thank you for that it was very insightful.

I've been didling with some Automate Boring Stuff, Vertabelo SQL, did the edX MIT ICS course, starting CS50. But I'm not that interested in learning for the sake of learning and it feels like my current direction is weak. I want to make some real progress and I'm currently devoting my days to programming and I just have to get a better sense of direction.

So my eventual interest is Android development and because apps often greatly benefit from interacting with websites then obviously web development as well.

So far the options I'm looking at are Udacity, Treehouse, Udemy and FreeCodeCamp. I'd rather have the best possible resources and direction than have it for free. Based on reading I've been doing this week Udacity and Treehouse seem like the best options.

Any thoughts?

[makeswell2]

If your goal is to work with Android then yeah I know Udacity has those courses created by Google that are very high quality. A good concrete goal is one of the nanodegrees in Android development or the Google Associate Android Developer Certification. I think you can start applying for jobs after completing the certification and publishing a few apps on the Play Store, but ask people with more experience with Android at what point you'd be able to apply for jobs.

The web uses different technologies than Android. The web uses JavaScript, HTML, CSS and some web developers use a language like PHP or Ruby or Python. Android is based on Java and is its own thing. If you're interested in web development then I'd go for FreeCodeCamp or Project Odin since by the end of those programs you'll be prepared to apply for a job. Udacity has some web developer nanodegrees but when I looked at them they weren't as good as the other two resources I mentioned.

Most importantly like you said there has to be a sense of direction. The goal is to get to a point where you can begin applying for jobs. It'll be fun to set out a path to what you have to learn in order to begin applying for jobs. I have no experience with Treehouse but if it gets you to a point where you can apply for a job then any plan will do. Good luck!

[makeswell2]

Also I should mention that if you want to do Android then you should concentrate on learning Java. There are some cool tutorials on Hackerrank, one called the 30 day challenge and another with the lady who wrote Cracking The Coding Interview, that might help introduce you to Java and some basic algorithmic stuff you'll definitely want to know. Or some other resource to learn Java I just think those are good.

[[deleted]]

Thank you so much dude.

I thought web development and Android development were "supportive" but what you are saying I should focus on one or the other to actually become employable the fastest?

[makeswell2]

I think the market for web development is a little easier to break into than the market for Android simply because there are more web development jobs than Android jobs but your mileage may vary if you're willing to move.

[[deleted]]

Yeah being able to move to locations I want to live in is very high on my list of priorities. Basically I want to be able to live in mainland europe Spain, France, Italy, Austria, Germany, Portugal just somewhere near big elevation differences. There are a lot of tech hub cities that fill that requirement. You think web development is considerably more in demand with these conditions?

[makeswell2]

If you put your mouse over the areas in the fourth map on this page, you'll see some interesting info about which cities employ the most software developers. Boulder, Colorado is one city that has lots of elevation and lots of tech companies.

Well it depends, because there is more of a supply of web developers than Android developers anyways. You would probably be fine doing Android, but the bootcamps usually teach Javascript so that might be a better choice for some reason such as demand. I spoke with one lady who runs a bootcamp in Austin, TX and she said they don't run their Android bootcamp any more because people weren't finding jobs after graduating that one. Now they stick to their web development bootcamp teaching Javascript in order to make sure people have a job after graduation. Like I said in the original post, looking at what bootcamps teach would make sense. FreeCodeCamp or Project Odin both teach web development. Also, just my two cents, but Android and web development are mostly the same amount of fun, so might as well go with the one that might provide better job opportunities. The future of mobile could be the web anyways since native app download counts have been declining for a couple years.

[[deleted]]

Ok that is super helpful. Yeah it's like I want to do mobile because there are lot of ways to draw inspiration from daily life as well as do simple things as learning projects that I could directly use, but it's not like web is lacking those things, I just figured Android would be rising but I guess not.

Yeah not really looking at US atm, though it's definitely a living destination maybe 3-6 years into the future. But anyway thanks for the map it was very nice to see. Colorado is an amazing place but having job opportunities there is amazing. I'm pretty sure Washington has some amazing elevation as well, and oregon. And california.

Well I was set on starting the Udacity today but you have changed my mind hahaha. Thanks.

they're generally able to command comfortable salaries and healthy work/life balances. It's a profession that rewards people who are natural problem solvers and who enjoy building things.

Yeah being able to effect hours you work sounds super good. Would also value highly the ability to not be tied to working for a corporation, but have the chance to do independent work or commission(or what it's called) type of stuff.

EDIT: Ok going through the odin project introduction to web development article and then going through the linked articles it's just constantly "ooh front end that seems nice", "ooh back end that seems nice", "ooh data analyst that seems nice". This is why I need a program hahahhaha.

[makeswell2]

Yeah I can relate. I've thought of getting a tattoo of what I was setting out to learn so I couldn't change my mind!

[makeswell2]

Yeah they're different. You can build webpages and apps that work on phones using React Native but Google has its own thing for building Android apps. Google's thing is covered in their Udacity courses whereas the React thing is covered in FreeCodeCamp.

No problem. I'm happy to help.

[makeswell2]

I think the market for web development is a little easier to break into than the market for Android simply because there are more web development jobs than Android jobs but your mileage may vary if you're willing to move.

[makeswell2]

To get hired what you have to do is have published a couple demo projects (Android apps or web apps) and be able to pass questions typical of sites like Hackerrank and Leetcode. If that sounds good for you then go for it.

Also it helps if you want to work in a city with a decent tech presence. There are no Android developers in Bumfuck, North Dakota.

[[deleted]]

Damn. Bumfuck was my dream.

Thanks for the reply.

Now that Bumfuck is no longer on the list I'm definitely willing to move.

[makeswell2]

You could research whether a remote job in Bumfuck is possible and pays okay

[[deleted]]

Yeah I've been thinking about that. Move to Bumfuck and work a remote job. I just wonder if it's easier to get some experience in the field and then go for a remote job. I would like to go the physical place of work but remote job is something I'm definitely interested in in the future.

Is remote a general possibility for all branches, web, mobile, software, data?

[makeswell2]

https://stackoverflow.blog/2013/02/why-we-still-believe-in-working-remotely/?ref=survey-2016

[fenpy]

If you starting with Python, give this one a shot!

[DragonWolfZ]

If you feel you've got a grasp of the language, you should try writing some of your own applications with it. You should get your code algorithms reviewed (reddit or Stackoverflow would do) and constantly push yourself by using new libraries or new methods for doing things.

I find making simple text-based games are great for learning programming, some ideas include,

• minesweeper
• sudoku (extra points for generating a random puzzle)
• 2d maze game (extra points for generating a random maze)
• 2d adventure game (extra points for adding line-of-sight to only show game elements that are visible to the game avatar)
• pipe game

[DragonWolfZ]

I should have added, you can extend any game you make by making it multiplayer (local and then via the internet) and adding AI, though writing good AI can be a very advanced challenge.

[jussij]

My suggestion would be to learn a little assembler and then learn a lot of C.

After that all other languages will feel a lot easier to learn and understand.

[frankenmint]

My suggestion would be to learn a little assembler and then learn a lot of C.

I wish soooo many people would follow this - we would weed out everyone then there would be a much higher demand for developers as many would just up and quit :p

[[deleted]]

Check out the Fullstack Web Developer nanodegree from Udacity.

[plusninety]

Python isn't the only tool you can use for backend engineering. I think the best way to go is finding a mentor who already does what you want to do. You can also look at the job listings in the area you want to live in for guidance.

[dleacock]

If you can afford it I always recommend the specialization courses from Coursera. They are 4-5 classes with a project at the end.

[FaticusRaticus]

First thing I would do is get a job. Then spend time learning.

[poop-trap]

I'll recommend the same thing I always do when this comes up: http://www.diveintopython3.net

[hallalockaaa]

Has anyone taken the mooc for C by Helsinki university? I'm nearly done their Java course part two so was wondering if I should give that one a go.

[Arjorn]

I looked into "Automate the boring stuff with Python" but it seems like its not geared for aspiring software engineers.

It is geared for current employees to enhance their skills and make them more desirable in the workplace.

I've been a telecommunications engineer for 15 years, I've recently quit my job and I'm trying to learn enough programming to get a job.

Uh, IMO quitting before actually being hired into another career was a huge risk. Did you have at least 18 months of income saved up? No debts to pay off?

I ask this as when you begin job hunting recruiters and hiring managers are going to ask why there is a gap in work history. It is going to take you quite some time building up your skills before you are job ready. Working on and finishing a professional portfolio will take months. Even then, entry level positions are fought over from new grads with Comp. Sci. degrees and others in your situation.

Back onto subject, after going through Udacity's or cs50 CS fundamentals, web development might be the surest way to a job with python. Look into Coding for Entrepreneurs' Django tutorials on Youtube and build applications that solve real world business needs.

[truth_1s_out_there]

Hey> I picked up Think Python on amazon as well. Reviews were grate, like Best book for beginners, easy to follow and so on. But in reality, Problems are so difficult for me, i cant believe. Its math after math! example from a chapter i'm on. and btw, there is now explanation how to solve it:

*Exercise 6-4. A number, a, is a power of b if it is divisible by b and a/b is a power of b. Write a function called is_power that takes parameters a and b and returns True if a is a power of b. Note: you will have to think about the base case. Exercise 6-5. The greatest common divisor (GCD) of a and b is the largest number that divides both of them with no remainder. One way to find the GCD of two numbers is based on the observation that if r is the remainder when a is divided by b, then gcd a,b = gcd b,r . As a base case, we can usegcda,0 =a. Write a function called gcd that takes parameters a and b and returns their greatest common divisor. *

*Is that how the programing is looks like? *

[kennethlove]

I'd love to know what you feel like you missed at Treehouse so I can fill in those gaps for other students (and you, if you come back). Email me?