Chapter 8 Definitions

Question 1

Define variable

Answer 1

A named data store that contains a value that may change during the execution of a program

Question 2

Define constant

Answer 2

A named data store that contains a value that does not change during the execution of a program

Question 3

Define declare

Answer 3

Define the value and data type of a variable or constant

Question 4

Define integer

Answer 4

A positive or negative whole number that can be used with mathematical operators

Question 5

Define real number

Answer 5

A positive or negative number with a fractional part; Real numbers can be used with mathematical operators

Question 6

Define char

Answer 6

A variable or constant that is a single character

Question 7

Define string

Answer 7

A variable or constant that is several characters in length. Strings vary in length and may even have no characters (an empty string); the characters can be letters and/or digits and/or any other printable symbol

Question 8

Define sequence

Answer 8

The order in which the steps in a program are executed

Question 9

Define selection

Answer 9

Allowing the selection of different paths through the steps of a program

Question 10

Define iteration

Answer 10

A section of programming code that can be repeated under certain conditions

Question 11

Define counting

Answer 11

Keeping track of the number of times an action is performed

Question 12

Define totalling

Answer 12

Keeping a total that values are added to

Question 13

Define operator

Answer 13

A special character or word in a programming language that identifies an action to be performed

Question 14

Define arithmetic operator

Answer 14

An operator that is used to perform calculations

Question 15

Define logic operator

Answer 15

An operator that is used to decide the path to take through a program if the expression formed is true or false

Question 16

Define Boolean operator

Answer 16

An operator that is used with logical operators to form more complex expressions

Question 17

Define nesting

Answer 17

The inclusion of one type of code construct inside another

Question 18

Define procedure

Answer 18

A set of programming statements grouped together under a single name that can be called to perform a task in a program, rather than including a copy of the code every time the task is performed

Question 19

Define function

Answer 19

A set of programming statements grouped together under a single name which can be called to perform a task in a program, rather than including a copy of the code every time; just like a procedure except a function will return a value back to the main program

Question 20

Define parameters

Answer 20

The variables in a procedure or function declaration that store the values of the arguments passed from the main program to a procedure or function

Question 21

Define MOD

Answer 21

An arithmetic operator that returns the remainder of a division; different languages use different symbols for this operation

Question 22

Define DIV

Answer 22

An arithmetic operator that returns the quotient (whole number part) of a division; different languages use different symbols for this operation

Question 23

Define ROUND

Answer 23

A library routine that rounds a value to a given number of decimal places

Question 24

Define RANDOM

Answer 24

A library routine that generates a random number

Question 25

Define array

Answer 25

A data structure containing several elements of the same data type; these elements can be accessed using the same identifier name

Question 26

Define index

Answer 26

Identifies the position of an element in an array

Question 27

Define file

Answer 27

A collection of data stored by a computer program to be used again