3.6.2.1 Classification of Programming Languages. Flashcards

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1
Q

Why did we write programs in a low level language?

A

Because there was limited speed and memory. These languages directly manipulated the processor, required a great deal of effort on the part of the programmer and were prone to errors.

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2
Q

Why were high level languages developed?

A

They were developed to allow for instructions to be communicated to a computers processor, making the job of programming far easier.

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3
Q

Outline what is meant by a low level language.

A

The earliest electronic computers could only be programmed with low-level languages.
Programs written in low-level languages are specific to the type of processor they are
written for and directly affect the computer’s processor.

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4
Q

Define what is meant by machine code.

A

Binary code that a machine can understand an execute.
Used to represent instructions.
Uses only the binary digits 1 and 0 to represent instructions aka binary code that a machine can underst Programs written in machine code are long and extremely difficult to understand. Because of this, machine code programs are prone to errors and difficult to debug.

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5
Q

Outline the two types of a lower-level language.

A

There are two categories of low-level languages, machine code and assembly language.

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6
Q

Why are programmers not constrained when using machine code?

A

Because the machine code directly manipulates a computers processor, it is a very powerful paradigm.

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7
Q

Do programmers have to translate machine code before execution?

A

There is no need to translate before execution, making the paradigm useful for embedded systems and real time applications, where speed of execution is paramount.

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8
Q

Give examples of a high-level programming language.

A

Java.

Python.

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9
Q

What is an imperative language?

A

A programming language that gives a command to do something.

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10
Q

Why are imperative languages high-level?

A

They allow a programmer to think about the program as an algorithm and to not be concerned about how each tiny step is executed in machine code.

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11
Q

What must be done to a program before execution?

A

The program must be translated into machine code.

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12
Q

What is 1GL?

A

An abbreviation for first generation language. Aka a low-level programming language such as machine code or assembly language.

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13
Q

What is a 2GL.

A

An abbreviation for second generation language. Aka a high-level programming language such as java or python.

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14
Q

Why was assembly language developed?

A

They were developed with the intention of simplifying the process of writing computer programs.

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15
Q

Define a mnemonic.

A

A system such as a pattern of letters, ideas, or associations which assists in remembering something.

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16
Q

Outline STO.

A

Mnemonic for storing the contents of the accumulator into the addressed location.

17
Q

Outline LDA.

A

Mnemonic for loading the contents of the memory address or integer into the accumulator.

18
Q

Define an instruction set.

A

the set of bit patterns/binary codes for the machine operations that a processor has been designed to perform

19
Q

Define an op-code.

A

The part of the machine code instruction that denotes the basic machine operation, e.g. ADD.

20
Q

Define and operand.

A

The part of the machine code instruction that represents a single item of binary data or the address of a single item of binary data.

21
Q

Outline the advantages and disadvantages of machine code.

A

Not portable.

Code is difficult for humans to understand.

Errors are very difficult to spot and correct.

Machine code is directly executed by processors.

22
Q

Outline the advantages and disadvantages of assembly code.

A

Programs are processor specific.

Mnemonics help to
make code slightly
easier for humans to
understand.

Debugging is easier
than with machine code
but still far more difficult
than with high-level
languages.
An assembler must be
used before a program
is executed, but each
instruction has a 1-to-1
correlation to a
machine code
instruction so
translation is quick
23
Q

Outline the advantages and disadvantages of a high-level language.

A

Portable. Programs are
not specific to certain
processors.

Code uses English,
making it easy for
humans to understand.

Named variables,
indentation and
commenting make
debugging fairly easy.

A compiler or interpreter
must be used to
translate source code
into object code before
it can be executed. This
can be time consuming
24
Q

Outline what is meant by a 1-to-1 correlation.

A

Each assembly language instruction has a 1-to-1 correlation to a machine code instruction.
For example, the assembly language instruction MOV R2, R1 might be the exact
equivalent of the machine code instruction 11011101.