1. Introduction

Question 1

Examples of Data

Answer 1

Images, names, addresses

Question 2

What are files used for?

Answer 2

Files are used so store chunks of related data

Question 3

What are text files used for? What is the most interesting example of a text file in the context of Java programming?

Answer 3

Text files are stored directly in characters that are in a human readable form. The most interesting example of a text file in the context of Java is LaTeX.

Question 4

What are binary files used for? What is the most interesting example of a binary file in the context of Java programming?

Answer 4

Binary numbers are stored as binary (base 2) numbers, and it is not human readable. The most interesting example is the machine code instructions of a program.

Question 5

What can you do to hardware that you cannot do to software?

Answer 5

Unlike software, you can see and touch hardware. They’re physical objects.

Question 6

What does the central processing unit actually do, and how clever it is?

Answer 6

CPU is a part of the hardware that actually obeys instructions.

Question 7

Why is computer memory called RAM and what is the consequence of it being volatile?

Answer 7

It is called RAM (Random Access Memory), because it is able to access and change its contents in any order required. (A lot faster than to do it in a specific order).

Due to it being volatile, it forgets its contents when the power is turned off.

Question 8

What does persistent storage have that RAM does not, and vice verse?

Answer 8

Persistent storage enables us to store data for longer term. It is also capable of holding much more information than RAM. However, it takes a lot longer to store and retrieve data when compared to RAM.

Question 9

Name two input devices and two output devices.

Answer 9

Input: Keyboard & Mouse
Output: Display & Printer

Question 10

Where does software live?

Answer 10

Software is stored on computer media, such as DVD ROMs, and ultimately inside the computer, as lots of numbers. (The numbers are the instructions that the computer will obey)

Question 11

Give two examples of what a machine code instruction might be.

Answer 11

Addition of two numbers or sending a byte to a printer.

Question 12

Name two operating systems.

Answer 12

Microsoft Windows, Mac OS X, Linux

Question 13

What is the difference between an application program and an operating system?

Answer 13

Operating system is a collection of software which is dedicated to making the computer generally usable.

Application programs are, however, a piece of software, which are dedicated to solving a particular task, or application.

Question 14

In the context of Java programming, what is a text editor used for?

Answer 14

The text editor is used to write source code in the context of Java programming.

Question 15

What files are produces by the javac compiler?

Answer 15

It will produce the byte code version of the program in a .class file.

Question 16

Which filename suffix is not needed when using java?

Answer 16

When using java to run a program, we do not need to use the .java suffix.

Question 17

What happens when a program is executed?

Answer 17

When a program is executed, the name of it is passed to the OS which finds and loads the file with that name, and then starts the program.

Question 18

What is the standard output used for?

Answer 18

Standard output is used to produce text results after a program has been executed.

Question 19

What are command lines arguments used for? Give an example of one.

Answer 19

Command line arguments enable us to vary the behaviour of programs. (In the snake game, when we used ./run 10, then the command line argument 10, represented the grid size of the entire snake game)