ch 1 Flashcards
A Computer Program
is a set of instructions that you write to tell a computer what to do.
Hardware/Software
Computer equipment, such as a monitor or keyboard, is hardware, and programs are software.
System Software
a program that manages the computer itself (such as Windows or Linux) is system software.
logic
The ____ behind any computer program, whether it is an application or system program, determines the exact order of instructions needed to produce desired results.
You can write computer programs in a __________ language such as Java, Visual Basic, C++, or C#. A high-level programming language allows you to use English-like, easy-to-remember terms such as read, write, and add.
high-level programming language
a language that corresponds closely to a computer processor’s circuitry.
low-level language
circuitry-level language; a series of on and off switches. Compare with low-level programming language.
Machine language
machine code
machine language
the rules that define how language elements are used together correctly to create usable statements.
syntax
similar to English sentences; instructions that carry out the tasks that programs perform.
program statements
a program that translates language statements into machine code, translating an entire program before executing it. Contrast with interpreter.
compiler
a program that translates language statements into machine code. An interpreter translates and executes one statement at a time. Contrast with compiler.
interpreter
describes the period of time during which a program executes.
at run time
a programming error that occurs when a program contains typing errors or incorrect language use; a program containing syntax errors cannot be translated into an executable program.
syntax error
the process of locating and repairing a program’s errors.
debugging
