7. Variables in the World Around You

Today, you built a fun, colorful, and interactive project while you learned about an important computer science concept: variables.

Variables help people collect and utilize information, or data.

For example, computer scientists designed tools to help forecast the weather, such as the ones described in this video.

NASA satellites orbiting the Earth relay immense amounts of data back to scientists on the ground, who can then enter that data into computer models simulations.

We have then equations.

And then we have computer code, which solves those equations on a day-to-day basis.

The data meteorologists collect can be stored as variables.

Computer scientists use those variables in programs that help determine the likelihood of a given weather pattern.

Scientists and meteorologists use computer science to collect and analyze data, allowing them to forecast the weather.

Industries such as agriculture, emergency services, and airlines depend on these weather forecasts.

Knowledge of the weather helps people to plan better, keeps the public safe, and save money.

This is one example of how computer science directly impacts the world in which you live.

Next time, you will learn how to make an art application that allows you to create graffiti artwork.

Until then have fun creating and coding.