1. Why Should You Learn to Write Programs? Flashcards
bug
An error in a program.
central processing unit
The heart of any computer. It is what runs the software that we write; also called “CPU” or “the processor”.
compile
To translate a program written in a high-level language into a low-level language all at once, in preparation for later execution.
high-level language
A programming language like Python that is designed to be easy for humans to read and write.
interactive mode
A way of using the Python interpreter by typing commands and expressions at the prompt.
interpret
To execute a program in a high-level language by translating it one line at a time.
low-level language
A programming language that is designed to be easy for a computer to execute; also called “machine code” or “assembly language”.
machine code
The lowest-level language for software, which is the language that is directly executed by the central processing unit (CPU).
main memory
Stores programs and data. Main memory loses its information when the power is turned off.
parse
To examine a program and analyze the syntactic structure.
portability
A property of a program that can run on more than one kind of computer.
print function
An instruction that causes the Python interpreter to display a value on the screen.
problem solving
The process of formulating a problem, finding a solution, and
expressing the solution.
program
A set of instructions that specifies a computation.
prompt
When a program displays a message and pauses for the user to type some input to the program.
secondary memory
Stores programs and data and retains its information even when the power is turned off. Generally slower than main memory. Examples of secondary memory include disk drives and flash memory in USB sticks.
semantics
The meaning of a program.
semantic error
An error in a program that makes it do something other than what the programmer intended.
source code
A program in a high-level language.
What is the function of the secondary memory in a computer?
Store information for the long term, even beyond a power cycle.
What is a program?
The definition of a program at its most basic is a sequence of Python statements that have been crafted to do something.
What is the difference between a compiler and an interpreter?
An Interpreter reads the source code of the program as written by the programmer, parses the source code, and interprets the instructions on the fly.
Compiler needs to be handed the entire program in a fil, and then it runs a process to translate the high-level source code into machine language and then the compiler puts the resulting machine language into a file for later exection.
Which of the following contains “machine code”?
a) The Python interpreter
b) The keyboard
c) Python source file
d) A word processing document
a) The Python interpreter
What is wrong with the following code:
>>> primt 'Hello world!' File "", line 1 primt 'Hello world!' ^ SyntaxError: invalid syntax >>>
It should be print and not primt.
print ‘Hello world!’
Where in the computer is a variable such as “x” stored after the following Python line finishes?
x = 123
Main Memory
What will the following program print out:
x = 43
x = x + 1
print (x)
44
Explain each of the following using an example of a human capaibility:
1) Central processing unit
2) Main Memory
3) Secondary Memory
4) Input Device
5) Output Device.
For example, “What is the human equivalent to a Central Processing Unit”?
- CPU = Heart
- Main Memory = Brain (subconscious)
- Secondary Memory = Brain (Conscious Thought)
- Input Device = Ears, Hands
- Output Device = Mouth
How do you fix a “Syntax Error”?
The line and character that Python indicates in a syntax error may just be a starting point for your investigation.
