Programming Paradigms

Question 1

What is branching?

Answer 1

This is an instruction in a program that can cause a computer to begin executing a different instruction sequence, executing instructions in the order that is right.

Question 2

What is a language-defined data type?

Answer 2

Also known as a built-in data type, these are data types that are included with the language that you are using to write code.

Question 3

Alphanumeric Strings?

Answer 3

A string that contains both letters and numbers, and sometimes also special characters.

Question 4

Boolean?

Answer 4

A result that can only have one of two possible values: true or false.

Question 5

Characters?

Answer 5

A unit of information that roughly corresponds to a grapheme, grapheme-like unit, or symbol.

Question 6

Floating Point (Real)?

Answer 6

A function or reusable code in the python programming language that converts values into floating point numbers.

Question 7

Integers?

Answer 7

A sequence of digits optionally prefixed with + or -. Also only whole numbers.

Question 8

Strings?

Answer 8

A string data type used in programming, that is used to represent text rather than numbers.

Question 9

What is a user-defined data type?

Answer 9

The opposite of built-in data types is user-defined data types.
Of which these data types have to be defined by the user.

Question 10

Array?

Answer 10

A data structure consisting of a collection of elements (values or variables), each identified by at least one array index or key.

Question 11

Objects?

Answer 11

An object is a data structure or abstract data type containing fields (state variables containing data) and methods (subroutines or procedures defining the object’s behavior in code).

Question 12

Records?

Answer 12

A record is a programmer-defined data type.

Question 13

Sets?

Answer 13

A mutable collection of distinct (unique) immutable values that are unordered.

Question 14

Different types of variables?

Answer 14

• Local variables
• Global variables

Question 15

Difference between variables and constants?

Answer 15

A constant is a named data item with a predefined value, while a variable is a named data item whose value can change during program execution.

Question 16

What is a local variable?

Answer 16

A local variable is declared within one specific sub-program of a larger main program.

Question 17

What is a global variable?

Answer 17

A variable with global scope, meaning that it is visible (hence accessible) throughout the program, unless shadowed.

Question 18

What is an Arithmetic Function?

Answer 18

Arithmetic functions deal with numbers. Below are three common arithmetic built-in functions that you will be expected to know for your exam.

Question 19

What is a random number generator?

Answer 19

A built-in function, given a minimum and maximum range, it will produce a new random number when the function is called.

Question 20

What are string-handling functions?

Answer 20

• Length ()
• Position ()
• Concatenate ()

Question 21

What is a FOR loop?

Answer 21

A loop that will run a set amount of times based on the values it is given upon installation.

Question 22

What is a WHILE loop?

Answer 22

A loop where the syntax begins with a condition being evaluated which will become the limit of the loops run cycle.

Question 23

What is a REPEAT loop?

Answer 23

Also known as the DO UNTIL loop, this iterative technique uses the same structure as a WHILE loop except that the condition is evaluated at the end of the block.

Question 24

What is a BREAK?

Answer 24

If using a FOR loop to iterate a process and you are using a conditional statement, then it may also be useful to be able to break the loop if the condition is met.

Question 25

What is a subroutine?

Answer 25

These are blocks of code which are independent of anything external to them; they can have their own variables, and they can be passed data using arguments to perform a task or even return a value.

Question 26

What is a function and procedure?

Answer 26

Function - A subroutine, separated from the main program, that returns a value.
Procedure - A subroutine, separated from main program that does not return a value.

Question 27

What is a sequence control structure?

Answer 27

The order of a set of instructions in the correct order.

Question 28

What is a conditional control structure?

Answer 28

Statements such as IF statements, which select a function based on what condition is met.

Question 29

What is an iterative control structure?

Answer 29

A statement or block of code that is executed until the program reaches a certain result. Such as LOOPs.

Question 30

What are blocks?

Answer 30

Procedure which are discrete blocks of code that carry out a single task.

Question 31

What is a statement?

Answer 31

A single instruction that performs a specific and small task.