Problem Solving and Programming 1

Question 1

What is a variable in programming?

Answer 1

A variable is a container that holds a value or data that can be changed during program execution.

Question 2

What is the difference between an integer and a float?

Answer 2

An integer is a whole number, while a float is a number that includes a decimal point.

Question 3

What is the purpose of the “if” statement in programming?

Answer 3

An “if” statement allows you to execute certain code only if a specified condition is true.

Question 4

What is a loop in programming?

Answer 4

A loop is a programming construct that repeats a block of code multiple times based on a condition.

Question 5

What is the difference between a “for” loop and a “while” loop?

Answer 5

A “for” loop repeats a block of code a set number of times, while a “while” loop repeats as long as a given condition is true.

Question 6

What is an algorithm in computer science?

Answer 6

An algorithm is a step-by-step procedure for solving a problem or performing a task.

Question 7

What is the purpose of a function in programming?

Answer 7

A function is a reusable block of code that performs a specific task, making the program more modular and easier to maintain.

Question 8

What is a parameter in a function?

Answer 8

A parameter is a variable in a function definition that receives a value when the function is called.

Question 9

What is a return value in a function?

Answer 9

A return value is the result that a function gives back after performing its task, often used to send data back to the calling code.

Question 10

What is debugging?

Answer 10

Debugging is the process of identifying and fixing errors or bugs in the code to ensure the program runs as expected.

Question 11

What is a syntax error?

Answer 11

A syntax error occurs when the code violates the rules of the programming language, such as missing parentheses or a misplaced semicolon.

Question 12

What is a logical error in programming?

Answer 12

A logical error happens when the code runs without crashing but produces incorrect results due to a flaw in the logic.

Question 13

What is a “while” loop used for?

Answer 13

A “while” loop is used to repeat a block of code as long as a specified condition remains true.

Question 14

What is a list in programming?

Answer 14

A list is an ordered collection of items, which can be of different data types, and is often used to store multiple values.

Question 15

How do you access an item in a list in Python?

Answer 15

You access an item in a list using its index, starting from 0.
Example: my_list[0] accesses the first item.

Question 16

What is an array?

Answer 16

An array is a data structure that stores multiple items of the same data type in contiguous memory locations.

Question 17

What is the difference between a list and an array?

Answer 17

A list is more flexible and can store different data types, while an array stores only the same data type and is often more efficient for large amounts of data.

Question 18

What does the “continue” statement do in a loop?

Answer 18

The “continue” statement skips the current iteration of the loop and moves to the next one.

Question 19

What is the purpose of the “break” statement in loops?

Answer 19

The “break” statement terminates the loop immediately and exits the loop, regardless of the loop’s condition.

Question 20

What is the difference between a “global” and “local” variable?

Answer 20

A global variable is declared outside of a function and can be accessed anywhere in the program, while a local variable is declared inside a function and can only be accessed within that function.

Question 21

What is a string in programming?

Answer 21

A string is a sequence of characters, such as text, enclosed in quotation marks.

Question 22

How do you concatenate two strings in Python?

Answer 22

You concatenate strings using the + operator.
Example: “Hello” + “ “ + “World” results in “Hello World”.

Question 23

What is a conditional expression?

Answer 23

A conditional expression is an expression that evaluates to one of two values depending on whether a condition is true or false.

Question 24

What is the purpose of the “else” clause in an “if” statement?

Answer 24

The “else” clause specifies code to execute if the condition in the “if” statement is false.

Question 25

What is the difference between “==” and “=” in programming?

Answer 25

”==” is a comparison operator that checks if two values are equal, while “=” is an assignment operator used to assign a value to a variable.

Question 26

What is a nested loop?

Answer 26

A nested loop is a loop inside another loop, used for iterating through multidimensional data structures like matrices.

Question 27

What is an infinite loop?

Answer 27

An infinite loop occurs when a loop’s condition is always true, causing it to run endlessly unless externally stopped.

Question 28

What does “try” and “except” do in Python?

Answer 28

“try” allows you to execute code that may raise an error, while “except” lets you handle the error without stopping the program.

Question 29

What is a comment in programming?

Answer 29

A comment is a non-executable line of code used to add notes or explanations for others or yourself.

Question 30

How do you write a single-line comment in Python?

Answer 30

You use the # symbol.
Example: # This is a comment.

Question 31

What is the difference between “==” and “is” in Python?

Answer 31

”==” compares values, while “is” checks if two variables point to the same object in memory.

Question 32

What is a method in programming?

Answer 32

A method is a function that is associated with an object and performs an action on that object.

Question 33

What is the purpose of the “len()” function in Python?

Answer 33

The “len()” function returns the number of items (length) in a list, string, or other iterable.

Question 34

What is a tuple?

Answer 34

A tuple is an ordered, immutable collection of items, often used to store multiple values that should not change.

Question 35

How is a tuple different from a list?

Answer 35

A tuple is immutable (cannot be modified), while a list is mutable (can be changed).

Question 36

What is the difference between “and” and “or” in Boolean expressions?

Answer 36

“and” returns True if both conditions are true, while “or” returns True if at least one condition is true.

Question 37

What is an exception in programming?

Answer 37

An exception is an error that occurs during program execution, which can be handled to prevent the program from crashing.