Introduction to Python and computer programming

Question 1

What is an instruction list?

Answer 1

A complete set of know commands (commands the computer recognises) is called an instruction list.

Different types/models of computers may have different instruction lists

Question 2

What are the four elements of a language?

Answer 2

• Alphabet
• Lexis
• Syntax
• Semantics

Question 3

What is an alphabet?

Answer 3

A set of symbols used to build words of a certain language

Question 4

What is a lexis?

Answer 4

A set of words the language offers its users (a dictionary)

Question 5

What is syntax?

Answer 5

A set of rules used to determine if a certain string of words form a valid sentence

Question 6

What is semantics?

Answer 6

A set of rules determining if a certain phrase makes sense

Question 7

The alphabet of machine learning is….

Answer 7

The instruction list

Question 8

What is a source code?

Answer 8

A program written in a high-level programming language (python)

Question 9

What is a source file?

Answer 9

The file containing the source code

Question 10

How do we bridge the gap between computer and human language?

Answer 10

Machine language –> programming language (source code) –> natural language

Question 11

What are the two methods of transforming a program from high level programming language to machine language?

Answer 11

Compilation and interpretation

Question 12

What is compilation?

Answer 12

The source program (python) is translated once by getting a file containing the machine code the file can now be distributed world wide.

translated via a complier or translator

(every time the source code is modified the source program must be translated again)

Question 13

What is interpretation?

Answer 13

The user can translate the source program each time it has to be run

The program performing transformation is called an interpreter

Source code is distributed WITH interpreter to end user

Question 14

What does the interpreter do?

Answer 14

The interpreter reads the source code left to right, checks the lines are correct, then executes the code (or displays error)

Line by line (with some lines repeated e.g. functions)

Question 15

Pros and cons of compilation?

Answer 15

Pros:
- execution of translated code is usually faster
- only the user needs to have the complier (end user can use code without it )
- the translated code is stored using machine learning (hard to read therefore inventions and programming tricks kept secret)

Cons:
- the compilation itself may be a very time-consuming process
- you have to have as many compliers as hardware platforms you want your code to be run on

Question 16

Pros and cons of Interpretation?

Answer 16

Pros:
- can run code as soon as you complete it (no additional phases of translation)
- stored using programming language (python) not machine language therefore it can be run on computers using different machine languages

Cons:
- slower
- both you and the end user have to have the interpreter to run your code

Question 17

Is python interpreted or complied language?

Answer 17

Interpreted language

if you want to program in python you’ll need the python interpreter

Question 18

What are interpreted languages often called?

Answer 18

Scripting languages

while the source code programs encoded using them are called scripts (python script)

Question 19

Who created python?

Answer 19

Guido van Rossum

Question 20

Pros of python

Answer 20

Easy to learn, teach, use understand, obtain, install and deploy

Question 21

Cons of python

Answer 21

not a speed demon
in some cases it may be resistant to some simpler testing techniques (debugging can be harder)

Question 22

What are the two main kinds of python?

Answer 22

Python 2 and 3

They are not compatible with each other

Question 23

What is CPython?

Answer 23

Canonical Pythons/Reference pythons developed by the PSF (Python Software Foundation)

Guido used C programming language to implement the very first version of python. all pythons from PSF are written in C language

This is the most influential Python among all the Pythons in the world.

The default implementation of the python programming language

Question 24

What is Cython?

Answer 24

Automatically translates the Python code (clean and clear, but not too swift) into “C” code (complicated and talkative, but agile).

Question 25

What is Jython?

Answer 25

J is for Java - python written in java instead of C

Question 26

What is PyPy and RPython?

Answer 26

Python environment written in python like language named (RPython - restricted python)

The source code of PyPy is not run in the interpretation manner, but is instead translated into the C programming language and then executed separately.

PyPy is rather a tool for people developing Python than for the rest of the users.

Question 27

What does IDLE stand for?

Answer 27

Integrated Development and Learning Environment

Question 28

What is a debugger?

Answer 28

A tool that lets you launch your code step-by-step and inspect it at each moment of execution

Question 29

Define a script

Answer 29

It’s a text file that contains instructions which make up a python program

Question 30

What is machine code?

Answer 30

A low-level programming language consisting of binary digits/bits hat the computer reads and understands