Abstraction

Question 1

what is abstraction?

Answer 1

the process of strategically removing details that are not relevant with regard to a particular goal

Question 2

what is refinement?

Answer 2

the process of adding more detail to an algorithm

Question 3

what is stepwise refinement?

Answer 3

a process where we repeatedly replace actions that are too abstract with a sequence of less abstract, more detailed actions until we reach a level of detail such that the actions are both feasible and self-explanatory for the algorithm’s audience

Question 4

what is encapsulation?

Answer 4

a process in which several related actions are grouped together and given a name

Question 5

what is an algorithm’s input?

Answer 5

specifies resources or information that need to exist in advance before the algorithm can be carried out

Question 6

what is an algorithm’s output?

Answer 6

specifies the results that must have occurred by the time the algorithm is finished