2.2 - Programming Fundamentals

Question 1

What are the three programming constructs?

Answer 1

• Sequence
• Selection
• Iteration

Question 2

What is sequencing?

Answer 2

Structuring code into a logical, sequential order one after the other

Question 3

What is selection?

Answer 3

Decision making using if or statements

Question 4

What is iteration?

Answer 4

Repeating code using for or while loops

Question 5

What do variables do?

Answer 5

Assign a data value (E.G: “Emily”) to an identifier (E.G: First_Name)

Question 6

What is a constant?

Answer 6

A variable that doesn’t change whilst the program is running

Question 7

What is a subroutine

Answer 7

Named out of line blocks of code that are called in the main program to execute

A sequence of instructions that perform a specific task

Question 8

What are local variables?

Answer 8

Variables declared within a specific subroutine that can only be used within that subroutine

Question 9

What are the advantages of using local variables?

Answer 9

• Saves memory
• Easier to debug local variables
• You can reuse subroutines with local variables in other programs

Question 10

What are global variables?

Answer 10

Variables that can be used at any point within the whole program

Question 11

What are the advantages of using global variables?

Answer 11

• Can be used anywhere in the program
• Makes maintenance easier
• Can be used for constants

Question 12

What are the most common arithmetic operators?

Answer 12

• Add (+)
• Subtract (-)
• Multiply (*)
• Divide (/)

Question 13

What is modulo division (AKA modulus)?

Answer 13

Reveals the remainder from the last whole number, E.G:
9 MOD 4 = 1 (4 goes into 9 twice (8) with a remainder of 1)

Operator: MOD or %

Question 14

What is integer division (AKA quotient)?

Answer 14

Reveals the whole number of times a number can be divided into another number, E.G:
9 DIV = 2 (4 goes into 9 fully, twice)

Operator: DIV or //

Question 15

What are logical operators?

Answer 15

TRUE or FALSE values (Boolean), E.G: AND, OR or NOT

Question 16

What is a character?

Answer 16

A single character, such as a letter, number or punctuation symbol, E.G:
- T
- 8
- ?

Question 17

What is a string?

Answer 17

A sequence of characters that can include letters, numbers and punctuation, E.G:
- Harry Waters
- 14:50pm
- Ice Age 4

Question 18

What is an integer?

Answer 18

A whole number, E.G:
- 475
- -8432
- 5

Question 19

What is a real number?

Answer 19

A decimal number, E.G:
- 65.3
- -321.1234
- 909.135

Question 20

What is boolean?

Answer 20

An answer that only has two possible values, E.G:
- True / False
- Yes / No
- 1 / 0

Question 21

What is casting?

Answer 21

Converting the value of a variable from one data type to another

Question 22

What is an array?

Answer 22

A list containing items of the same data type

Question 23

What is a two-dimensional array?

Answer 23

An array with multiple rows and columns that comes in the form of a table

Question 24

What are records?

Answer 24

Lists storing data of different data types

Question 25

What should we always assume indexing starts at?

Answer 25

0, unless told otherwise

Question 26

What is SQL (structured query language)?

Answer 26

A language that can be used to search for data in a database