Project Ideas

Description

This article is a selection of project ideas and concepts, initially posted by the user LacViet on the C++ forums (Post here) designed to get a user from knowing absolutely nothing about a programming language (C++ in this example but it works for any) to relative competency.

Beginner

1. Write a program which finds the factorial of a number entered by the user.

2. Develop a program to convert currency X to currency Y and visa versa.

3. Write a program that print out the following, user will input the top number:

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1. Write a program that print out the following, user will input the bottom number:

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1. Write a program that prints out the following triangle, the user will input the bottom number:

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1. Develop a program that uses a randomly generated number to select 1 of 3 (or more) functions to show the user.

2. Guessing game. Write a game that asks the user to guess a number between 1 and a 100. If you guessed correctly, it will say you win. If your too high or too low it will also let you know.

3. Create a program which generates Fibonacci series till a number 'n' where 'n' is entered by the user. For eg. if the user enters 10 then the output would be: 1 1 2 3 5 8

4. Determine how many of the characters are vowels and how many are consonants in a given line of text. Also terminate the string when the input character encountered is other than the alphabet.

5. Find the Fifth root of the sum of the squares of the first 100 ODD numbers only.

6. Perform 4-letter WORD UNSCRAMBLING i.e. List all possible combinations of 4-letters in a word. Ex: The word 'TEST' can be unscrambled as TEST, TETS, TSET, TSTE, TTSE, TTES, etc.

7. Make a program that allows the user to input either the radius, diameter, or area of the circle. The program should then calculate the other 2 based on the input.

8. READ a line of text and WRITE it out BACKWARDS using RECURSIVE Function.

9. Write a program to SWAP the contents of 3 variables without using the temporary (or extra) variables.

10. Write a program which reverses the numerals in an integer, that is 326 becomes 623, etc..

11. The program will tell the user each time whether he guessed high or low. The user WINS the game when the number guessed is same as randomly generated number.

12. Write a program to simulate a simple calculator. It should accept two number from the user along with the required operation to be performed. Addition, Subtraction, Division and Multiplication are the basic operations that should be implemented. Feel free to implement the other operations

13. Determine how much money is in a piggy bank that contains several 50 piece coins, 25 piece coins, 20 piece coins, 10 piece coins and 5 piece coins. Use the following values to test your program : Five 50 piece coins, Three 25 piece coins, Two 20 piece coins, One 10 piece coin and Fifteen 5 piece coins.

14. Create a simple Palindrome checker program. The program should allow the user to enter a string and check whether the given string is a palindrome or not. Only digits and alphabets should be considered while checking for palindromes -- any other characters are to be ignored.

15. Write a program that allows you to input students' scores and weights. The program should then calculate a weighted average and score based on the data inputted by the user.

Intermediate

1. Write a program which will print all the pairs of prime numbers whose sum equals the number entered by the user. (suggested by Aniseed)

2. Develop a animal classification program base on the animal kingdom. (for practice the use of inhabitant classes).

3. Write a quiz program, which retrieve question, and answer from a file. Then allow the user to take the quiz/count point and return score.

4. Write a program that accepts XHTML, parses and removes the tags. Then it prints out the remaining text.

5. Write a program which performs addition, subtraction, multiplication of matrices. The dimensions of both the matrices would be specified by the user (dynamic memory allocation required). Use of structure or a class to define the matrix would be a good idea.

6. Write a program which will perform the job of moving the file from one location to another. The source and destination path will be entered by the user. Perform the required error checking and handle the exceptions accordingly.

7. Create a sophisticated linked list class. You should be able to insert and delete nodes anywhere in the list, and the nodes should have pointers to nodes both in front and behind them.

8. Create a program that implements a database. The fields are hard-coded, and the data is saved in a binary file. Although this isn't really flexibility, you aren't relying on any external libraries or functions.

Expert

1. Implement your own strstr.

2. Write a program which acted like a personal planner. In which a user can input in event, note of thing to-do on certain date.

3. Tic Tac Toe program.

4. Simple file encryption (using something simple like ROT13).

5. Write a phone/address book program, with data save in binary files. The users should be able to add/delete/change the data.

6. Write a simple payroll program, that would include pay rates, and hours work for employees.

7. Create a few classes that model playing cards. Then use this framework to create your favourite card game. Blackjack..etc.

8. Create a few classes that model chess pieces. Then develop a real chess game.

9. Create a binary tree which has search and sorting functions.

10. Create a Quine, that is, a program that prints out its own source code.

11. Implement your own version of the Standard Template Library.

Graphics

1. Write a program to draw a rectangle, ellipse, square, circle, point and line based on user input.

2. Write a program to emulate Microsoft Paint. It should be possible to switch between different tools (circle, rectangle, eraser...) using pre-defined key strokes.

3. Write a program to plot a simple x-y graph for a hardcoded function (e.g. y=cos(x)). It should be possible to zoom in on any part of the graph.

4. Write a program to plot a graph of given equation of form y=f(x) and a range for x as command line arguments. (e.g. my_graph_plotter -eq="y=x*x" -xmin=-10, -xmax=10). (PS: more to do with equation solving than graphics)

5. Write the classic brick-break-out game. E.g. see DX Ball.