2.2 Programming Fundamentals

Question 1

Initialisation

Answer 1

Setting the initial value for a variable.

Question 2

Variable

Answer 2

An identifier associated with an area of computer memory in which data is stored. The data can change during program execution.

Question 3

Sequence

Answer 3

The order. A set of instructions that will be carried out, one after the other, in the stated order.

Question 4

Constant

Answer 4

An identifier associated with an area of computer memory in which data is stored. The data CANNOT change during program execution.

Question 5

Selection

Answer 5

A program control structure with a logical test, or sequence of tests, that evaluate(s) to True or False. It allows subsequent statements to be run selectively depending on the outcome of the test(s).

Question 6

Condition

Answer 6

An expression that evaluates to True or False (such as within an ‘if’ statement)

Question 7

Selection with multiple conditions

Answer 7

Multiple statements take the form of else if and act as additional conditions that are checked in the order in which they are written in the selection block

Question 8

Expression

Answer 8

Combination of variables, constants, values, or operators that is evaluated to produce a result.

Question 9

Loop

Answer 9

A sequence of instructions that is repeated. This can be a fixed number of repetitions (count-controlled loop) or the number of repetitions can be controlled by a condition (condition-controlled loop)

Question 10

Integer

Answer 10

A whole number, such as 5. It can be positive or negative.

Question 11

Integer Division / Floor Division / Quotient

Answer 11

A division where the quotient (result) is an integer and any remainders are discarded. The operator is often represented by the abbreviation DIV or in Python it uses the // sign.

Question 12

Modulo operation

Answer 12

An operation that returns the remainder of a division. The modulo operator is often represented by the abbreviation MOD or in Python it uses the % sign.

Question 13

Real / Float

Answer 13

Real is also referred to as float. Real numbers include numbers with decimal places. A real number can be positive or negative.

Question 14

Boolean

Answer 14

The Boolean data type is based on logic and can have one of only two values, True or False

Question 15

Char

Answer 15

Char refers to a single character. The character can be any letter, digit or symbol

Question 16

String

Answer 16

The string data type refers to text. A string is a collection of characters and includes spaces, punctuation, numeric digits and any other symbols. The numeric digits would be handled as text characters, not integers.

Question 17

Null

Answer 17

A null value is used to indicate ‘nothing’; the lack of any value, of any type of data.

Question 18

Data Type

Answer 18

An attribute of a data item that determines the values that can be stored and the operations that can be carried out on that data item. Examples include string, character, integer, float (real) and Boolean.

Question 19

Casting

Answer 19

Changing the data type of a piece of data. For example, converting a string to an integer using int()

Question 20

Concatenation

Answer 20

Joining two or more strings together to make a new string.

Question 21

Index

Answer 21

A number that describes the position of an item within an array. Starts at zero for the first item.

Question 22

Substring

Answer 22

A part of a string.

Question 23

Function

Answer 23

A named block of code that performs a task and returns one or more values.

Question 24

Procedure

Answer 24

A named section of code that can be called (executed) to perform a specific task by using the identifier (name of the procedure) in a program statement. It does not return a value.

Question 25

Argument

Answer 25

A data value or reference passed to a subroutine as required by its defined parameters.

Question 26

Local Variable

Answer 26

A variable that is only defined and visible for use in specific parts of a program, e.g. within a subprogram (procedure or function)

Question 27

Global Variable

Answer 27

A variable that is accessible from all parts of a program.

Question 28

Parameters

Answer 28

Part of the definition of a subprogram that specifies the data value(s) or reference(s) to be passed to the subprogram when it is called. When calling a subroutine (such as procedure or function), the values of the parameters are passed into the subroutine as arguments.

Question 29

Array

Answer 29

A data structure whose elements can be accessed directly by an index. The position of each element is computed at runtime.

Question 30

Data Persistence

Answer 30

The characteristic of a state that outlives the program that created it. If a python file creates a text or CSV file, the data in that file has data persistence. It isn’t wiped when the python code stops running.

Question 31

Database

Answer 31

An organised collection of data that can be as simple as a single file, and as complex as a set of related tables

Question 32

Primary Key

Answer 32

A field (column) that uniquely identifies a record (row) in a database table.

Question 33

Foreign Key

Answer 33

FYI - an attribute (field, column) in one table that is the primary key in another table, and used to link the tables together.

Question 34

Record

Answer 34

A data structure that can be used to store multiple pieces of data that relate to the same thing. Each piece of data can have a different data type. For instance, name, surname, telephone number for the same person.

Question 35

Field

Answer 35

A column in a database, a category heading. Like telephone, surname.

Question 36

Flat file database

Answer 36

A database in which all data is held in a single table.