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Ece115 > ECE Anki Cards > Flashcards

ECE Anki Cards Flashcards

1
Q

What does computing even mean?,

A

Computing refers to using algorithmic, mathematical, or logical processes to manipulate and process information, historically evolving from mechanical calculation to complex digital computation.

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2
Q

Why do we use base 10 (decimal) in everyday life?,

A

Because humans have historically counted using their ten fingers, making base 10 a natural and intuitive system for everyday arithmetic.

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3
Q

Why do we perform computation in base 2 (binary) in modern computers?,

A

Modern computers use binary (0s and 1s) because it directly corresponds to the on/off states of electronic components, making it reliable and efficient for digital circuits.

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4
Q

What did the term ‘computer’ mean back in the 1800s?,

A

In the 1800s, a ‘computer’ referred to a person who performed calculations by hand or with mechanical tools.

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5
Q

What was Babagge’s main motivation for working on a mechanical computer?,

A

Charles Babbage wanted to reduce human calculation errors by automating arithmetic with a reliable, mechanical computing machine.

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6
Q

Why do we perform computations in electrical forms instead of mechanical forms?,

A

Electrical signals switch much faster, scale down more easily, and are more reliable and efficient than mechanical components.

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7
Q

What are the two main inventions that revolutionized computing? Why are they important?,

A

Transistors and integrated circuits revolutionized computing by making it possible to create smaller, faster, more reliable, and more powerful computing devices.

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8
Q

What’s the benefit of a transistor over a vacuum tube?,

A

Transistors are smaller, produce less heat, consume less power, are more reliable, and switch faster than vacuum tubes.

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9
Q

Why do computational demands get heavier as time goes by?,

A

As technology and needs evolve, we tackle more complex problems and process larger data sets, continually increasing computational requirements.

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10
Q

When will we have enough computation? How much is enough?,

A

There is no fixed point at which computation is ‘enough.’ As capabilities grow, new applications emerge, perpetually increasing demand.

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11
Q

How do you define a computer?,

A

A computer is an electronic device that accepts input, processes data according to instructions, stores information, and produces output.

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12
Q

State two example of input devices.,

A

Keyboard, Mouse.

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13
Q

State two example of output devices.,

A

Monitor, Printer.

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14
Q

What does ‘CPU’ stand for? What is the role of CPU?,

A

CPU stands for Central Processing Unit. It executes instructions, performs arithmetic/logic operations, and acts as the ‘brain’ of the computer.

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15
Q

Why do modern computers need ‘memory’?,

A

Memory stores instructions and data for quick access, enabling the CPU to execute programs efficiently.

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16
Q

What does ALU stand for? Where do the terms ‘Arithmetic’ and ‘Logic’ come from?,

A

ALU stands for Arithmetic Logic Unit, named because it performs arithmetic operations (e.g., addition) and logical operations (e.g., comparisons).

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17
Q

What parameters distinguish different CPUs? state two parameters.,

A

Parameters include clock speed (in GHz) and number of cores.

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18
Q

What does ISA stand for? What does it mean?,

A

ISA stands for Instruction Set Architecture, defining the set of instructions and operations a CPU can execute.

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19
Q

Why do we need both ‘RAM’ and ‘SSD’?,

A

RAM is fast, volatile memory for active computation, while SSD provides slower but persistent, non-volatile storage for programs and data.

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20
Q

What does memory hierarchy mean? How can it improve performance? Make a real-life analogy.,

A

The memory hierarchy layers storage by speed and cost (registers, cache, RAM, SSD/HDD). Frequently used data stays in faster memory to improve performance. Analogy: Like keeping frequently needed items on your desk and less-used documents in a filing cabinet.

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21
Q

How many different things can you encode with n bits?,

A

2^n different values.

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22
Q

What does a program mean?,

A

A program is a sequence of instructions a computer can execute to perform a task.

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23
Q

What does software mean?,

A

Software is a collection of programs, data, and instructions that run on hardware, enabling various functionalities.

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24
Q

What is an operating system?,

A

An operating system manages hardware resources, provides common services for software, and facilitates user interaction with the computer.

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25
Q

State two roles of the operating system.,

A

Managing resources (CPU, memory, I/O) and providing interfaces (GUI, CLI) for users and applications.

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26
Q

What does ‘standard input’ refer to? what does ‘standard output’ refer to?,

A

Standard input typically refers to the keyboard input stream. Standard output typically refers to the screen/console output stream.

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27
Q

What does ‘GUI’ stand for? what does it mean?,

A

GUI stands for Graphical User Interface, an interface that uses visual elements like windows and icons.

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28
Q

What does ‘CLI’ stand for? What does it mean?,

A

CLI stands for Command Line Interface, an interface where the user types text commands.

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29
Q

What does the drone hovering condition mean?,

A

Hovering means the drone stays stable in mid-air, not moving up, down, or sideways.

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30
Q

Why do we need propellers on a drone? At a high level, how could a drone fly upwards? How could it move left or right? How could it land?,

A

Propellers generate lift. Increasing propeller speed lifts the drone, adjusting thrust distribution moves it sideways, and reducing thrust allows it to descend and land.

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31
Q

Why do the rotational direction of propellers matter for a stable flight operation?,

A

Opposite rotational directions counteract torque, preventing uncontrolled spinning and ensuring stable flight.

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32
Q

What does ‘Abstraction’ mean? How is it useful?,

A

Abstraction hides complexity by providing simpler interfaces, making systems easier to understand, use, and maintain.

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33
Q

What does programming even mean?,

A

Programming is creating a set of instructions that a computer follows to perform tasks or solve problems.

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34
Q

Why do we need programming languages?,

A

They provide a human-readable way to write instructions for computers and bridge the gap between human logic and machine execution.

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35
Q

What does ‘machine code’ or ‘object code’ mean?,

A

Machine code is the low-level, binary form of a program that the CPU can execute directly.

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36
Q

What is the difference between a high-level and a low-level programming language?,

A

High-level languages are more abstract, human-readable, and portable. Low-level languages are closer to hardware, less portable, and harder to read.

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37
Q

Which one is portable? Which one is more human readable? Which one needs a comprehensive knowledge of hardware? etc.,

A

High-level languages are portable and human-readable; low-level languages require deep hardware knowledge.

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38
Q

What is the difference between a compiler and an interpreter?,

A

A compiler translates the entire program before execution; an interpreter executes the program line-by-line at runtime.

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39
Q

Which one is faster? Which one is more interactive?,

A

Compiled programs often run faster; interpreters are more interactive and suitable for rapid development.

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40
Q

What does Java’s ‘WORA’ concept mean?,

A

‘Write Once, Run Anywhere’ means Java code can run on any platform with a compatible JVM, without modification.

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41
Q

What was the main motivation behind Java’s invention?,

A

To create a portable, secure, and network-friendly language suitable for a wide range of devices and environments.

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42
Q

Define the following terms associated with a programming language: Universality (Turing Completeness), Syntax, Semantics,

A

Universality (Turing Completeness) means the language can theoretically solve any computable problem. Syntax defines the structure of code. Semantics defines the meaning or behavior of that code.

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43
Q

How does Java aim to implement the ‘WORA’ concept?,

A

By compiling source code into platform-independent bytecode that runs on the JVM, ensuring code portability.

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44
Q

What is the name of the java compiler?,

A

The Java compiler is called ‘javac’.

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45
Q

What does a byte code mean?,

A

Bytecode is a platform-independent intermediate code executed by the JVM.

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46
Q

What does JVM stand for? On a high-level, what’s the job of JVM?,

A

JVM stands for Java Virtual Machine. It runs Java bytecode, provides memory management, and ensures platform independence.

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47
Q

What does an IDE stand for? What’s its job?,

A

IDE stands for Integrated Development Environment. It provides tools (editor, debugger, compiler) to streamline software development.

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48
Q

What does a Java package mean?,

A

A package is a namespace to group related classes and avoid naming conflicts.

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49
Q

Which package is imported by default?,

A

java.lang is imported by default.

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50
Q

What does Java class library mean?,

A

It’s a collection of pre-written classes and interfaces providing core functionality (data structures, I/O, networking, etc.).

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51
Q

What does ‘import java.util.ArrayList;’ do?,

A

It allows the direct use of the ArrayList class without needing to fully qualify its name.

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52
Q

What does ‘import java.util.*’ do?,

A

It imports all classes and interfaces in the java.util package.

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53
Q

What are the purpose of adding comments to codes? How can you make a single line or multi-line comment?,

A

Comments clarify code. Single-line: // comment. Multi-line: /* comment */.

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54
Q

What does javadoc mean? How can you create comment that can be used by javadoc?,

A

Javadoc is a documentation tool. Use /** … */ comments before classes, fields, and methods to generate documentation.

55
Q

What does an algorithm mean?,

A

An algorithm is a step-by-step procedure to solve a problem or perform a task.

56
Q

What are the three basic control structures for implementing an algorithm?,

A

Sequence, Selection (if/else), and Iteration (loops).

57
Q

What is the main motivation behind defining variables?,

A

Variables allow storing and reusing data under symbolic names, making programs flexible and maintainable.

58
Q

What happens in hardware when we declare a variable (e.g., after int i = 20;)?,

A

Memory is allocated for an integer, and the value 20 is stored at that memory location. The variable name maps to this location.

59
Q

What does a data type mean?,

A

A data type specifies the kind of data stored and operations allowed on that data.

60
Q

What are the two main data types in Java?,

A

Primitive types (int, double, etc.) and Reference types (objects, arrays).

61
Q

Amount of memory used in Java for int, double, char, and boolean data types,

A

int: 4 bytes, double: 8 bytes, char: 2 bytes, boolean: not strictly defined but typically 1 byte or optimized.

62
Q

Is 5 the same as 5.0 in java?,

A

No, 5 is an int literal, 5.0 is a double literal.

63
Q

Variable declaration and assignment,

A

For example: int i = 20; declares i as an integer and assigns 20.

64
Q

Operations on the data types: e.g., 1+3*4%3 = ?,

A

3*4=12, 12%3=0, 1+0=1, so result is 1.

65
Q

j = i++; vs j = ++i;,

A

j = i++ returns i then increments i, j = ++i increments i first then returns the new value.

66
Q

Shorthand operators (*=, +=, etc.),

A

x += 5; is x = x + 5; and similarly for other operators.

67
Q

NaN & Infinity,

A

Floating-point types can represent NaN (Not a Number) and ±Infinity for out-of-range or undefined operations.

68
Q

Why do we need ASCII? What standard does Java use to represent characters? Why?,

A

ASCII standardizes character codes. Java uses Unicode for broader language support and global compatibility.

69
Q

Why would opening an image with a text reader display gibberish?,

A

Because image files are binary data, not text. A text reader interprets bytes as characters, producing nonsense.

70
Q

What is an ‘Escape Sequence’? What does \n do?,

A

Escape sequences represent special characters. \n inserts a newline.

71
Q

What is the type and value of (‘b’ - ‘a’)?,

A

Type: int. Value: 1 (since ‘b’ is one code unit after ‘a’).

72
Q

What is the type and value of (6 | 8) in java? What about (6 & 8)? What about (6 ^ 8)?,

A

6|8 = 14, 6&8 = 0, 6^8 = 14. All results are int.

73
Q

Comparison operators,

A

==, !=, <, >, <=, >= compare values and produce boolean results.

74
Q

Is String a reference type or a primitive type?,

A

String is a reference type.

75
Q

What package contains the String class?,

A

The java.lang package.

76
Q

What does ‘+’ do with String operands?,

A

It concatenates the strings.

77
Q

How do we ask for the end-user’s input in Java?,

A

Typically using a Scanner object with System.in.

78
Q

What’s the difference between next() and nextInt() when asking for user’s input?,

A

next() reads a String token, nextInt() reads an integer value.

79
Q

What does a ‘literal’ mean?,

A

A literal is a fixed value in code, like 42 or ‘Hello’.

80
Q

String indices…,

A

Strings are zero-indexed, first character at index 0.

81
Q

String.subString(start, end), String.length(), String.indexOf(),

A

subString extracts a portion, length() returns length, indexOf() finds a character’s position.

82
Q

What do ‘Implicit’ and ‘Explicit’ casting mean?,

A

Implicit casting automatically converts types (int to double), explicit casting requires a cast operator (double to int).

83
Q

Assignment compatibilities,

A

Some types assign without casting (int to long), others require explicit casting.

84
Q

Explicit cast concepts,

A

(int)5.7 truncates to 5, for example.

85
Q

How do we cast a String as an integer or double?,

A

Use Integer.parseInt(string) or Double.parseDouble(string).

86
Q

Concepts about if , if / else, if / else if, Nested if / else, Ternary Operators, Switch / Case constructs,

A

These are conditional structures for branching logic based on conditions.

87
Q

Compound Boolean Expressions,

A

Use && (AND), || (OR) to combine multiple conditions.

88
Q

Testing equality for Strings,

A

Use str.equals(otherString) instead of ‘==’ which compares references.

89
Q

Concepts about while / do while / for / Nested loop constructs,

A

Loops repeat code execution until a condition is met. do-while executes at least once, for is often used with counters.

90
Q

Write code for finding max, min, average of 5 variables using loops,

A

Use an array, iterate, track max/min, sum for average.

91
Q

Definition and purpose of data structures,

A

Data structures organize and store data efficiently for access and modifications.

92
Q

Basic characteristics of arrays, including core properties, memory organization, Syntax and declaration, Indexing, Size limitations,

A

Arrays have fixed size, contiguous memory, zero-based indexing, and store elements of one type.

93
Q

Default values,

A

Numeric arrays default to 0, booleans to false, references to null.

94
Q

Array operations: How to create arrays, How to access elements, How to modify elements, How to iterate through arrays,

A

Created with new, accessed via arr[i], modified by assignment, iterated with loops or for-each.

95
Q

Multi-dimensional arrays: Basic concepts, Creation and access, Memory structure,

A

Arrays of arrays. int[][] arr = new int[m][n]. Access with arr[i][j].

96
Q

Array copying concepts: Difference between shallow and deep copies, Aliasing,

A

Shallow copy duplicates references, deep copy duplicates the data. Aliasing occurs when two references point to the same array.

97
Q

Common array-related errors: Index out of bounds, Null pointer exceptions,

A

Happen if you access invalid indices or use a null reference.

98
Q

Memory considerations: How arrays are stored, Reference vs primitive types,

A

Arrays are objects stored on the heap. Primitive arrays store values directly, reference arrays store references to objects.

99
Q

Basic comparison with other data structures: Linked Lists, Hash Tables,

A

Arrays have O(1) random access but fixed size, linked lists are flexible but slower for random access, hash tables handle fast lookups but need hashing.

100
Q

Basic array applications and use cases,

A

Storing collections of elements, iterating, sorting, searching.

101
Q

Basic function concepts: Definition and purpose, Mathematical vs programming perspective, Why we use functions,

A

Functions (methods) encapsulate code for reuse, clarity, and modularity.

102
Q

Function syntax in Java: Declaration, Components (access modifiers, return types, parameters), Naming conventions,

A

e.g., public static int add(int a,int b){…} defines a method named add with int parameters.

103
Q

Main method: Special characteristics, Role as entry point,

A

public static void main(String[] args) is where Java programs begin execution.

104
Q

Return values: void vs return types, Return statement behavior, Multiple returns,

A

void methods don’t return values; others must return a value matching their return type. Multiple returns allowed but must match declared type.

105
Q

Function overloading: Definition, Rules, Signatures,

A

Multiple methods with the same name but different parameter lists.

106
Q

Function calling: Within same class, From different classes, Parameter passing,

A

Methods are called by name and arguments passed by value.

107
Q

Variable scope: Local variables, Parameter scope, Access rules,

A

Local variables exist only within their method/block scope.

108
Q

Pass by value: Primitive types, Reference types, Behavior differences,

A

Java always passes by value. For primitives, value is copied; for references, the reference is copied, pointing to the same object.

109
Q

Recursion: Basic concept, Base case, Recursive step, Common examples, Stack limitations,

A

A method calling itself with a base case to end recursion. Too deep recursion can cause stack overflow.

110
Q

Definition of signals,

A

Signals are varying quantities (e.g., voltage) representing information.

111
Q

Analog vs Digital,

A

Analog is continuous, digital is discrete.

112
Q

Sampling & Quantization,

A

Conversion of analog signals to digital form by sampling at intervals and rounding values.

113
Q

Why can’t we use digital computers to (naively) process analog signals? Where are the sources of loss of information?,

A

Because digital representations are discrete, continuous analog data must be sampled and quantized, losing detail if sampling is not high enough.

114
Q

Sensors vs Actuators,

A

Sensors convert physical quantities to signals; actuators convert signals to physical actions.

115
Q

Image Representation (How many bytes to store a m by n color image?),

A

For RGB (3 bytes per pixel), size = m * n * 3 bytes.

116
Q

Idea behind Caesar Ciphers algorithm,

A

Shift each letter by a fixed number in the alphabet.

117
Q

Why do we need to compress data?,

A

To reduce storage space and transmission time.

118
Q

What do lossy & loss-less compression mean?,

A

Lossless retains all data perfectly, lossy discards some data for smaller size.

119
Q

Concepts about representing numbers in hardware, Unsigned integers, signed integers (sign-magnitude and two’s complement format),

A

Binary representation, unsigned use all bits for value, signed integers can represent negatives using sign-bit or two’s complement for simpler arithmetic.

120
Q

Abstract Data Types (ADT): Definition and purpose, Relation to built-in data types,

A

ADTs define operations abstractly, without implementation details, guiding design and usage.

121
Q

What does OOP even mean?,

A

Object-Oriented Programming structures software around objects that combine data and methods.

122
Q

Difference between class, Object, Fields (Data Attributes) & Methods (behaviors),

A

A class is a template, objects are instances, fields hold data, methods define behavior.

123
Q

Class Components: Fields/Attributes, Methods/Behaviors, Constructors, Access modifiers,

A

Classes contain data (fields), operations (methods), constructors for initialization, and access modifiers for visibility.

124
Q

Special Methods: Constructor methods, toString(), equals(), Getters & Setters,

A

Constructors initialize objects, toString provides a string representation, equals checks content equality, getters/setters access fields.

125
Q

What does the static keyword mean?,

A

static members belong to the class, not instances.

126
Q

Differences between static and instance methods.,

A

Static methods don’t require an object, instance methods operate on a specific object’s data.

127
Q

Definition of the following OOP concepts: Encapsulation, Abstraction, Inheritance,

A

Encapsulation hides internal details, abstraction focuses on essential aspects, inheritance allows classes to derive from others.

128
Q

Java-specific OOP Implementation: Syntax for class definition, Object creation and manipulation,

A

Classes defined with ‘class’, objects created with ‘new’, fields/methods accessed via references.

129
Q

Java Generics: Purpose and benefits, Type parameters, Implementation in classes and methods,

A

Generics allow type-parameterized classes and methods, increasing safety and reusability.

130
Q

Wrapper classes vs primitive types,

A

Wrapper classes are object representations of primitives, enabling them to be used in collections. Autoboxing/unboxing convert between them automatically.

131
Q

Arrays of Objects: Declaration and initialization,

A

e.g., MyClass[] arr = new MyClass[5]; creates an array of references to MyClass objects.

132
Q

What does a Java interface mean?,

A

An interface defines methods (no implementation) that implementing classes must provide.

133
Q

Object Sorting: Arrays.sort() method, Comparable interface, compareTo() method for custom sorting logic,

A

Arrays.sort uses compareTo from Comparable to determine order. compareTo returns negative/0/positive values for sorting.

134
Q

Only concepts about designing a DFA (e.g., design a DFA to detect ‘100’ pattern).,

A

A DFA is a theoretical model with states and transitions used to recognize patterns in input strings by moving between states based on input symbols.

Ece115 (1 decks)

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