Chapter 1 Introductions to Computers and Programming Flashcards
A(n) ___ is a set of instructions that a computer follows to perform a task.
a. compiler
b. program
c. interpreter
d. programming language
program
Chapter 1 (page 1)
A program is a set of instructions that a computer follows to perform a task. Programs are commonly referred to as software. Software is essential to a computer because it controls everything the computer does.
The physical devices that a computer is made of are referred to as ___.
a. hardware
b. software
c. the operating system
d. tools
hardware
Chapter 1 (page )
The part of a computer that runs programs is called ___.
a. RAM
b. secondary storage
c. main memory
d. the CPU
Chapter 1 (page
Today, CPUs are small chips known as ___.
a. ENIACs
b. microprocessors
c. memory chips
d. operating systemes
CPU
Chapter 1 (page )
The computer stores a program while the program is running, as well as the data that the program is working with, in ___.
a. secondary storage
b. the CPU
c. main memory
d. the microprocessor
Chapter 1 (page)
This is a volatile type of memory that is used for temporary storage while a program is running.
a. RAM
b. secondary storage
c. the disk drive
d. the USB drive
RAM
Chapter 1 (page )
A type of memory that can hold data for long periods of time, even when there is no power to the computer, is called ___.
a. RAM
b. main memory
c. secondary storage
d. CPU storage
secondary storage
Chapter 1 (page# 5 )
Programs are normally stored in secondary memory and loaded into main memory as needed.
A component that collects data from people or other devices and sends it to the computer is called ___.
a. an output device
b. an input device
c. a secondary storage device
d. main memory
an input device
Chapter 1 (page 6)
A video display is a(n) ___ device.
a. output
b. input
c. secondary storage
d. main memory
output
Chapter 1 (page 6 )
Common output devices are video displays and printers.
A ___ is enough memory to store a letter of the alphabet or a small number.
a. byte
b. bit
c. switch
d. transistor
byte
Chapter 1 (page 7)
A computer’s memory is divided into tiny storage locations known as bytes. One byte is only enough memory to store a letter of the alphabet or a small number.
A byte is made up of eight ___.
a. CPUs
b. instructions
c. variables
d. bits
bits
Chapter 1 (page 7)
Each byte is divided into smaller storage locations known as bits. The term bit stands for binary digit.
In the ___ numbering system, all numeric values are written as sequences of 0s and 1s.
a. hexadecimal
b. binary
c. octal
d. decimal
binary
Chapter 1 (page 8)
In the binary numbering system (or binary, as it is usually called), all numeric values are written as sequences of 0s and 1s.
A bit that is turned off represents the following value: ___ .
a. 1
b. -1
c. 0
d. “no”
0
Chapter 1 (page 8)
In computer systems, a bit that is turned off represents the number 0, and a bit that is turned on represents the number 1.
A set of 128 numeric codes that represents the English letters, various punctuation marks, and other characters is ___.
a. binary numbering
b. ASCII
c. Unicode
d. ENIAC
ASCII
Chapter 1 (page 11)
ASCII which stands for American Standard Code for Information Interchange is a set of 128 numeric codes that represent the English letters, various punctuation marks, and other characters.
An extensive coding scheme that can represent characters for many languages in the world is ___.
a. binary numbering
b. ASCII
c. Unicode
d. ENIAC
Unicode
Chapter 1 (page 11)
Unicode is an extensive encoding scheme that is compatible with ASCII, but can also represent characters for many of the languages in the world. Today, Unicode is quickly becoming the standard character set used in the computer industry.
Negative numbers are encoded using the ___ technique.
a. two’s complement
b. floating point
c. ASCII
d. Unicode
two’s complement
Chapter 1 (page# 11 )
Negative numbers are encoded using a technique known as two’s complement, and real numbers are encoded in floating-point notation.
Real numbers are encoded using the ___ technique.
a. two’s complement
b. floating point
c. ASCII
d. Unicode
floating-point
Chapter 1 (page# 11)
Negative numbers are encoded using a technique known as two’s complement, and real numbers are encoded in floating-point notation.
The tiny dots of color that digital images are composed of are called ___.
a. bits
b. bytes
c. color packets
d. pixels
pixels
Chapter 1 (page 12)
The term pixel stands for picture element.
If you were to look at a machine language program, you would see ___.
a. Python code
b. a stream of binary numbers
c. English words
d. circuits
a stream of binary numbers
Chapter 1 (page 13)
It is written in 0s and 1s because CPUs only understand instructions that are written in machine language, and machine language instructions always have an underlying binary structure.
In the ___ part of the fetch-decode-execute cycle, the CPU determines which operation is should perform.
a. fetch
b. decode
c. execute
d. deconstruct
decode
Chapter 1 (page 14)
Fetch - a program is a long sequence of machine language instructions. The first step of the the cycle is to fetch, or read, the next instruction from memory into the CPU.
Decode - a machine language instruction is a binary number that represents a command that tells the CPU to perform an operation. In this step, the CPU decodes the instruction that was just fetched from memory, to determine which operation it should perform.
Execute - The last step in the cycle is to execute, or perform, the operation.
Computers can only execute programs that are written in ___.
a. Java
b. assembly language
c. machine language
d. Python
machine language
Chapter 1 (page 15)
Computers can only execute programs that are written in machine language. It is impractical for people to write programs in machine language, for this reason, assembly language was created in early days of computing.
The ___ translates an assembly language program to a machine language program.
a. assembler
b. compiler
c. translator
d. interpreter
assembler
Chapter 1 (page 15)
A special program known as an assembler is used to translate an assembly language program to a machine language program.
The words that make up a high-level programming language are called ___.
a. binary instructions
b. mnemonics
c. commands
d. key words
key words
Chapter 1 (page 16)
Each high-level language has its own set of predefined words that the programmer must use to write a program. the words that make up a high-level programming language are known as keywords or reserved words. Each key word has a specific meaning, and cannot be used for any other purpose.
The rules that must be followed when writing a program are called ___.
a. syntax
b. punctuation
c. key words
d. operators
syntax
Chapter 1 (page# 18 )
Each language also has its own syntax, which is a set of rules that must be strictly followed when writing a program. The syntax rules dictate how key words, operators, and various punctuation characters must be used in a program..
