Fundamentals of Programming

Question 1

Pseudocode

Answer 1

Used to write instructions in statements that are somewhere between English and a programming language.

Question 2

Assignment Statements

Answer 2

= or 🡨

Question 3

Common Arithmetic Operations

Answer 3

+, -, *, / , **

Question 4

Output/Input Statements

Answer 4

OUTPUT “”
🡨 USERINPUT

Question 5

Identifier

Answer 5

A name that points to a memory location.

Question 6

Assignment

Answer 6

Assigning a value to the memory location to create a variable.

Question 7

Integer

Answer 7

Whole number.

Question 8

Decimal/Float

Answer 8

Decimal number.

Question 9

String

Answer 9

A collection of characters - a word.

Question 10

Character

Answer 10

A singular letter/symbol.

Question 11

Boolean

Answer 11

True or False value.

Question 12

Variable

Answer 12

The value can be changed while the program is running.

Question 13

Constant

Answer 13

To change the value of a constant, you have to change it in the source code and then recompile. Cannot be the target of assignment. Reduce the risk of errors by reducing access to the memory location.

Question 14

MOD

Answer 14

Finds the remainder in integer division.

Question 15

DIV

Answer 15

Returns the integer part of the division.

Question 16

.len

Answer 16

Returns the length of string.

Question 17

.find(“”)

Answer 17

Determines if “” occurs in the string.

Question 18

Relational Operators

Answer 18

> greater than
< less than
=> greater than or equal to
=< less than or equal to
= equal to (== in Python)
<> not equal to (!= in Python)

Question 19

IF…THEN…ELSE Statements

Answer 19

Control program
flow. Relational operators can be used to compare values within the
expression.

Question 20

Complex Boolean Expressions

Answer 20

Boolean expressions can include AND, OR and NOT.

Question 21

ELSE IF

Answer 21

Can be used to evaluate multiple expressions.

Question 22

CASE

Answer 22

Can be used to evaluate multiple expressions.

Question 23

Iteration

Answer 23

Repetition. A sequence of instructions is repeated multiple times. This is much more efficient than writing the instructions multiple times. The number of repetitions needed may vary.

Question 24

WHILE…ENDWHILE Loop

Answer 24

The condition is tested upon entry to the loop. It is possible that the instructions inside the loop might not be executed at all if the entry condition is not met.

Question 25

Infinite Loops

Answer 25

Infinite loops are often used in 2D games
An “outer” WHILE True… ENDWHILE loop runs the game.

Question 26

FOR…NEXT Loop

Answer 26

“Definite iteration”. Is used to repeat a block of instructions a specified number of times. The FOR loop uses a counter variable which is automatically incremented each time through the loop. Optionally, a STEP value can be specified to make the counter increase or decrease by any integer.

Question 27

Nested FOR Loop

Answer 27

These are particularly useful for looping through grids in two-dimensional arrays.

Question 28

3 Types of Iteration

Answer 28

Indefinite iteration with the condition tested at the start of the loop.
Indefinite iteration with the condition tested at the end of the loop. (Not supported in Python)
Definite iteration where the loop is performed a given number of times.

Question 29

Data Structures

Answer 29

Built-in structured data types such as arrays and records.

Question 30

Array

Answer 30

Built-in data structure. Items are referred to by an index using square brackets. The array is a set of elements with the same data type.

Question 31

2D Array

Answer 31

It is also possible to have two-dimensional arrays, just use two index positions.

Question 32

Multi-Dimensional Arrays

Answer 32

It is possible to define arrays with any number of dimensions.

Question 33

Subroutine

Answer 33

A set of instructions with a name. Program execution starts at the first statement in the main program. Program flow will “jump” to the subroutine when called
When the subroutine has finished, the program will continue from where it was called. Procedures and functions are types of subroutine.

Question 34

Function

Answer 34

A subroutine that returns one or more values. In some programming languages all subroutines are referred to as functions even if no value is returned.

Question 35

Library Subroutines

Answer 35

Programming languages also come complete with libraries of pre-defined subroutines. The module library has to be imported at the start of the program - like Random in Python.

Question 36

Parameters

Answer 36

Parameters in parentheses are used to pass data to a subroutine. The order of the parameters in parentheses is important. Parameters appear in subroutine definitions.

Question 37

Arguements

Answer 37

Arguments appear in subroutine calls. The arguments may vary from call to call, but the parameters are part of the subroutine definition.

Question 38

Functions returning a Value

Answer 38

A function can return one or more values using a RETURN statement.

Question 39

Variable Scope

Answer 39

When a variable is in scope the values can be accessed. The scope of a local variable is the subroutine in which it is declared. The variable does not exist outside the subroutine.

Question 40

Local Variables

Answer 40

A subroutine may have its own variables, these are known as local variables. When you use a name on the left-hand side of an assignment statement in a subroutine, a local variable is automatically created. A local variable can be used only in that subroutine.

Question 41

Global Variables

Answer 41

A global variable is defined in the main program and can be used in any subroutine called from the main program.

Question 42

Advantages of Local Variables

Answer 42

The subroutines will be independent of a particular program and can be re-used in different programs. There is no chance of accidentally changing a variable in the main program that is used in a subroutine or vice versa. Keep your subroutines self-contained! Pass as arguments any values that are needed.

Question 43

Modular Programming

Answer 43

Modular programming means breaking down a major task into smaller subtasks. These subtasks may be further broken down until each ‘module’ performs a single function.

Question 44

Advantages of Modular Programming

Answer 44

Programs are more easily and quickly written.
Large programs are broken down into subtasks that are easier to program and manage. Each module can be individually tested.
Modules can be re-used several times in a program. Large programs are much easier to debug and maintain.