Reverse Engineering and Analysis of Python Code Snippets

Purpose

This assignment encourages students to explore and analyze code by breaking down its structure, identifying its underlying algorithms, and evaluating its effectiveness. Students will also learn to spot areas for improvement, such as exception handling and memory optimization, promoting a deeper understanding of robust programming practices.

This assignment emphasizes the human ability to critically evaluate and improve problem-solving processes, leveraging analytical reasoning and judgment to optimize code for both functionality and efficiency.

Learning Outcomes

• LO 1: Analyze and explain the functionality and structure of existing code snippets.
• LO 2: Identify opportunities for improving code with enhanced exception handling and memory management techniques.
• LO 3: Critically evaluate code algorithms and propose justified optimizations.

Instructions

1. Analyze Code Snippets: You will be given a set of Python code snippets that perform various tasks. Start by understanding each snippet’s functionality, identifying the core algorithms, and documenting each line or section’s purpose.
2. Explain Key Components: For each snippet, provide an explanation of the code’s structure and algorithms. Describe how different elements work together to achieve the intended functionality.
3. Identify and Document Issues: Review each snippet for:
   • Exception Handling: Note any areas where potential errors could occur (e.g., division by zero, invalid input, file handling issues). Suggest appropriate try and except blocks or other error-handling techniques.
   • Memory Management: Identify any parts of the code that may lead to high memory consumption (e.g., inefficient data storage, large loops). Suggest ways to optimize memory usage if applicable.
4. Propose Enhancements: For each code snippet, list at least two recommended improvements and provide a brief rationale for each suggestion.
5. Submit Documentation: Compile your explanations, identified issues, and proposed improvements into a concise, well-organized report.

Example Code Snippet for Analysis

# Example Snippet 1: A function to calculate the sum of squares for a list of numbers
def sum_of_squares(numbers):
    result = 0
    for num in numbers:
        result += num ** 2
    return result

Example Analysis

• Explanation: This function iterates through a list of numbers, squaring each number and adding it to a cumulative result.
• Potential Issues
  • Exception Handling: No error handling is in place for non-numeric inputs. A try block could help handle cases where the list contains invalid data.
  • Memory Concerns: This function could consume excessive memory if the input list is very large. Using a generator might optimize memory usage.
• Proposed Enhancements
  • Add a try block to handle non-numeric values.
  • Modify the function to use a generator expression for memory efficiency.

Grading Criteria

• Completeness: Each code snippet is fully analyzed, with key components explained.
• Issue Identification: Thorough identification of potential issues in exception handling and memory usage.
• Proposed Improvements: Clear, logical, and practical recommendations for code enhancements.
• Clarity and Organization: The report is well-organized, with explanations and suggestions that are easy to understand and follow.