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Introduction to Computer Science > Chapter 1 > Flashcards

Chapter 1 Flashcards

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1
Q

What are the common misconceptions about computer science

A

Computer science is the study of computers.
Computer science is the study of how to write computer programs.
Computer science is the study of the uses and applications of computers and software.

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2
Q

What is computer science a study of

A

The study of algorithims

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3
Q

What aspects of algorithims are studied in computer science

A

Their formal and mathematical properties
Their hardware realizations
Their linguistic realizations
Their applications

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4
Q

What is the informal definition of an algorithm

A

An ordered sequence of instructions that is guaranteed to solve a specific problem.

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5
Q

What are some examples of an algorithm

A

Step 1: Do something
Step 2: Do something
Step 3: Do something

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6
Q

What are the three types of operations used to construct algorithms

A

Sequential operations
Conditional operations
Iterative operations

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7
Q

What is the definition of a sequential operation

A

Carries out a single well-defined task

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8
Q

What is the definition of a conditional operation

A

Ask a question and the next operation is then selected on the basis of the answer to that question

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9
Q

What is the definition of an iterative operation

A

Looping instructions that tell not to go on but go back and repeat the execution of a previous block of instructions

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10
Q

What is an example of a sequential operation

A

A cookbook recipe

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11
Q

What is an example of a conditional operation

A

A cookbook recipe that states that if you have a breadmaker then you will proceed with a different step (ex: a condition that changes the procedure)

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12
Q

What is an example of an iterative operation

A

A computer writes hello over and over again and never preforms any other function

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13
Q

Why are formal algorithms so important in computer science?

A

If we can specify an algorithm to solve a problem, then we can automate its solution

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14
Q

What is a Computing agent

A

Machine, robot, person, or thing carrying out the steps of the algorithm

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15
Q

What is an unsolved problem

A

Some problems are unsolvable, some solutions are too slow, and some solutions are not yet known

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16
Q

What is an example of an unsolvable problem

A

Solving world peace

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17
Q

What is the Formal Definition of an Algorithm

A

A well-ordered collection of unambiguous and effectively computable operations that, when executed, produces a result and halts in a finite amount of time

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18
Q

What is a Well-ordered collection

A

Upon completion of an operation, we always know which operation to do next

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19
Q

What does the statement unambiguous and effectively computable operations mean

A

It is not enough for an operation to be understandable, it must also be doable (effectively computable)

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20
Q

What does effectively computable mean

A

Doable

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21
Q

What are some examples of ambigious statements

A 
Go back and do it again (Do what again?)
Start over (From where?)
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22
Q

How do we know an a soltuion (algorithm ) is correct

A

To know whether a solution is correct, an algorithm must produce a result that is observable to a user:
A numerical answer
A new object
A change in the environment

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23
Q

What are three examples of observable results

A

A numerical answer
A new object
A change in the environment

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24
Q

What does an unambiguous operation/primitive operations mean

A

Can be understood by the computing agent without having to be further defined or simplified

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25
Q

Why is it not enough for an operation to be understandable

A

It must also be doable (effectively computable) by the computing agent

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26
Q

Describe an infinite loop (in relation to algorithims)

A

Runs forever

Generally a mistake in the programming

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27
Q

What occured during the industrial revolution (in relation to algorithims)

A

Mechanized and automated repetitive physical tasks

28
Q

What occured during the computer revolution of the twentieth and twenty-first centuries (in relation to algorithims)

A

Mechanized and automated repetitive mental tasks

Used algorithms and computer hardware

29
Q

What happened in the seventeeth century in relation to computers

A

automation/simplification of arithmetic for scientific research

30
Q

What occured in 1614 (history of computing)

A

John Napier invented logarithms as a way to simplify difficult mathematical computations (1614).

31
Q

What occured in 1622 (history of computing)

A

The first slide rule appeared around 1622.

32
Q

What happened in 1642 (history of computing)

A

Blaise Pascal designed and built a mechanical calculator named the Pascaline (1642).

33
Q

What happened in 1673 (history of computing)

A

Gottfried Leibnitz constructed a mechanical calculator called Leibnitz’s Wheel (1673).

34
Q

What could the seventeeth century computing devices do

A

Could represent numbers
Could perform arithmetic operations on numbers
Did not have a memory to store information
Were not programmable (a user could not provide a sequence of actions to be executed by the device)

35
Q

What happened in 1801 (history of computing)

A

Joseph Jacquard designed an automated loom that used punched cards to create patterns (1801)

36
Q

What happened in the 1880s (history of computing)

A 
Herman Hollerith (1880s onward)
Designed and built programmable card-processing machines to read, tally, and sort data on punched cards for the U.S. Census Bureau
Founded a company that became IBM in 1924
37
Q

What was the original definition of a luddite

A

Originally opposed to the new manufacturing technology introduced by the Jacquard Loom

38
Q

What is the newer definition of a luddite

A

a term used to describe any group that is frightened or angered by the latest developments in any branch of science and technology, including computers

39
Q

What did charles babbage do

A

Created the Difference Engine designed and built in 1823

40
Q

What could the difference engine do

A

Could do addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division to six significant digits
Could solve polynomial equations and other complex mathematical problems

41
Q

Describe the analytical engine in relation to charles babbage

A

Designed but never built

Mechanical, programmable machine with parts that mirror that of a modern-day computer

42
Q

Describe nineteenth century devices

A

Were mechanical, not electrical

Had many features of modern computers

43
Q

What are the features of modern computers that nineteenth century devices had

A

Representation of numbers or other data
Operations to manipulate the data
Memory to store values in a machine-readable form
Programmable: sequences of instructions could be predesigned for complex operations

44
Q

What year was the Mark 1 created

A

1944

45
Q

What is the Mark 1

A

Electromechanical computer used a mix of relays, magnets, and gears to process and store data

46
Q

What year was the colossus created

A

1943

47
Q

What is the colossus

A

General-purpose computer built by Alan Turing for the British Enigma project

48
Q

What year was the ENIAC created

A

1946

49
Q

What does the ENIAC stand for

A

Electronic numerical integrator and calculator

50
Q

What is the ENIAC

A

First publicly known fully electronic computer

51
Q

What did John Von Neumann propose

A

A radically different computer design based on a model called the stored program computer

52
Q

Who built one of the first stored program computers

A

A research group at the university of pennsylvania

53
Q

What was the name of the first stored program computer built by the U of P and what year was it created

A

EDVAC and in 1949

54
Q

What was the name of the first commercially sold computer

A

UNIVAC 1 (a version of EDVAC)

55
Q

What type of architecture do all modern computers use

A

Von Neumann architecture

56
Q

What time period was represented by the first generation of computing

A

1950-1957

57
Q

Describe the first generation of computing

A

Similar to EDVAC
Vacuum tubes for processing and storage
Large, expensive, and delicate
Required trained users and special environments

58
Q

What time period was represented by the second generation of computing

A

1957-1965

59
Q

Describe the second generation of computing

A

Transistors and magnetic cores instead of vacuum tubes

Era of FORTRAN and COBOL

60
Q

What were FORTRAN and COBOL

A

Some of the first high level programming languages

61
Q

What time period was represented by the third generation of computing

A

1965-1975

62
Q

Describe the third generation of computing

A

Era of the integrated circuit
Birth of the first minicomputer: desk-sized, not room-sized, computers
Birth of the software industry

63
Q

What time period was represented by the fourth generation of computing

A

1975-1985

64
Q

Describe the fourth generation of computing

A

The first microcomputer: desktop machine
Development of widespread computer networks
Electronic mail, graphical user interfaces, and embedded systems

65
Q

What time period was represented by the fifth generation of computing

A

1985-

66
Q

Describe the fifth generation of computing

A

Massively parallel processors capable of quadrillions of computations per second
Handheld digital devices
Powerful multimedia user interfaces incorporating sound, voice recognition, video, and television
Wireless communications
Massive cloud storage devices
Ubiquitous computing
Ultra-high-resolution graphics and virtual reality

Introduction to Computer Science (7 decks)

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