2.2 Programming Fundamentals

Question 1

What are programs?

Answer 1

Sequences of instructions for a computer.

Question 2

What is a variable ?

Answer 2

A named memory address that holds a value.

Question 3

What is a global variable ?

Answer 3

Variable that can be accessed and changed throughout the program

Question 4

What is a local variable ?

Answer 4

variables are confined to a loop or subprogram

Question 5

What are the three basic programming constructs ?

Answer 5

• Sequence
• Selection
• Iteration

Question 6

What is a sequence ?

Answer 6

A set of instructions that follow on one from another

Question 7

What is a selection ?

Answer 7

A decision where the program decides to move on based on the results of an event.

Question 8

What is an iteration ?

Answer 8

The repetition of a block of statements within a computer program.

Question 9

What are the two types of iteration ?

Answer 9

• Count-controlled
• Condition-controlled

Question 10

How does a selection work ?

Answer 10

By testing a condition

Question 11

What is a count-controlled iteration ?

Answer 11

• repeatedly executes a section of code a fixed number of predetermined times
• for loop

Question 12

What is a condition-controlled iteration ?

Answer 12

• repeatedly executes a section of code until a condition is met - or no longer met
• while loop

Question 13

What is nesting ?

Answer 13

Including one programming construct within another.

Question 14

What are the two types of nesting ?

Answer 14

• Nested selection
• Nested Iteration

Question 15

What is an operator ?

Answer 15

a character that determine what action is to be performed.

Question 16

What is a data type ?

Answer 16

data is divided up and organised according to type

Question 17

What are the 5 main data types ?

Answer 17

• Integer
• Float
• Character
• String
• Boolean

Question 18

What is casting ?

Answer 18

Changing the data type of a variable

Question 19

How to check length in Python ?

Answer 19

len()

Question 20

What is concatenation ?

Answer 20

connecting strings of characters next to each other

Question 21

How to open a file in python ?

Answer 21

• file = open(“FileName.csv”,”a”)
• “a” = append
• “w” = writes
• “r” = read

Question 22

How to write to a file in python ?

Answer 22

• file.append() = Lists
• file.write() = Files

Question 23

How to close a file in Python ?

Answer 23

• file.close()

Question 24

What is SQL ?

Answer 24

Structured Query Language

Question 25

What is the structure of a SQL query ?

Answer 25

• SELECT
• FROM
• WHERE

Question 26

What are the two boolean operators that can be used in a SQL query ?

Answer 26

• AND
• OR

Question 27

What is an array ?

Answer 27

A set of data values of the same type, stored in a sequence

Question 28

What are the two types of subprograms ?

Answer 28

• Procedures
• Functions

Question 29

What is a procedure ?

Answer 29

A section of code that performs a specific task.

Question 30

What is a function ?

Answer 30

code that can be called by another part of the program with the purpose of returning one single value.

Question 31

What is the difference between a function. and procedure ?

Answer 31

Function requires a return

Question 32

What is a library ?

Answer 32

A collection of functions stored in a separate file.

Question 33

How to use a random feature in python ?

Answer 33

• import random
• random.randint(0,9)

Question 34

What are three common built-in functions ?

Answer 34

• int
• str
• asc

Question 35

What is a 2D array ?

Answer 35

An array declared using two values