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A level Computer Science textbook > Section 1: Fundamentals of programming > Flashcards

Section 1: Fundamentals of programming Flashcards

Chapters 1- 4 as of 12/10/23 12:52pm

1
Q

What is memory?

A

Where instructions & data are stored on a computer

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2
Q

What is an algorithm?

A

A series of instructions that can be followed to complete a task that always terminates

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3
Q

What is syntax?

A

The rules of how words are used within a given programming language

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4
Q

What is a memory address?

A

A specific location in memory where instructions or data are stored

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5
Q

What is assignment?

A

The process of giving a value to a variable or constant

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6
Q

What is a constant?

A

An item of data of which’s value does not change

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7
Q

What is a variable?

A

An item of data of which’s value may change while the program is being run

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8
Q

What is debugging?

A

The process of finding and correcting errors within a program

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9
Q

What does declaration mean?

A

The process of defining variables and constants in terms of their name and data type

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10
Q

What does data type mean?

A

The category of the data which determines how it will be handled by the program

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11
Q

What is a “float” data type?

A

A number that has a decimal or fractional part

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12
Q

What is a “string” data type?

A

Usually a group of characters, e.g. letters or numbers

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13
Q

What is a “boolean” data type?

A

Simplest data type, yes/no or true/false

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14
Q

What is a “character” data type?

A

A singular character, e.g. “9” or “A”

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15
Q

What is a “pointer/reference” data type?

A

A data type used to store a value that is a reference to a memory location on the computer

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16
Q

What is a pointer?

A

A value that identifies an element in a data structure, usually the front or rear

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17
Q

What is an array?

A

A set of related data items stored under a single identifier

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18
Q

What is an element?

A

A single value within a set or list

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19
Q

What is a record?

A

A basic data structure used to store related items of different data types

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20
Q

What is a built-in data type?

A

A data type that is predefined by the programming language you are using

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21
Q

What is a user-defined data type?

A

A data type that is defined/created by the user as they are programming

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22
Q

What is meant by “sequencing instructions”?

A

The process of making sure instructions are executed in the correct order

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23
Q

What is meant by “selection”?

A

The process of choosing which instructions to execute based on a defined criteria

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24
Q

What is meant by “nesting” ?

A

Putting one set of instructions within another set of instructions

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25
What is meant by "iteration"?
The process of repeating a set of instructions
26
What is meant by "indefinite iteration"?
A process that repeats until a certain condition is met
27
What is meant by "definite iteration"?
A process that repeats a defined number of times
28
What is a loop?
A repeated process
29
What is a nested loop?
A loop written into a loop
30
What is meant by "truncating"?
The process of cutting off a number after a certain number of characters/decimal places
31
What is meant by "random number generation"?
A function that produces a completely random output
32
What is meant by "pseudo-random number generation"?
A function that produces an output that is not 100% random
33
What is meant by "relational operations"?
Expressions that compare two values, e.g. "greater than" or "less than"
34
What is meant by a "boolean operation"?
Expressions that result in a TRUE or FALSE value
35
What is meant by "string handling functions"
Actions that can be carried out on sequences of characters
36
What is a character code?
A binary representation of a character
37
What does the function "Chr()" output?
The character code value of a character
38
What does the function "Ord()" output?
The integer value of a character
39
What does the function "int()" output?
Converts a string value to an integer value
40
What does the function "str()" output?
Converts an integer value to a string value
41
What does the function "float()" output?
Converts a string value to a float value
42
What is a subroutine?
A named block of code designed to carry out a specific task
43
What is a procedure?
Another word for a subroutine
44
What is a subprogram?
Another word for a subroutine
45
What is a routine?
Another word for a subroutine
46
What is meant by a "local variable" ?
A variable only available in specified subroutines & functions
47
What is meant by a "global variable"?
A variable available throughout the entire program
48
What is meant by an "event"?
Something that happens when the program is being run
49
What is a module?
Multiple subroutines that form a part of a program
50
What is a function?
A subroutine that returns a value
51
What is meant by "functional programming"?
A programming model that uses functions to make up a program
52
What is a parameter?
Data being passed into a subroutine
53
What is meant by an "argument"?
An item of data being passed to a subroutine
54
What is meant by a "block interface"?
Code that describes the data type & characteristics of the data as it is being passed between subroutines
55
What is meant by "exception handling"?
The process of dealing with events that cause the current subroutine to stop
56
What is meant by a "procedural programming language"?
A language where the user specifies the steps that must be carried out in order to achieve a result
57
What is meant by an "imperative programming language"?
A language based on giving the computer commands or procedures to follow
58
What is a hierarchy chart?
A diagram that shows the design on a system from the top down
59
What is a structure chart?
A diagram that shows the design of a system from the top down and shows how data is passed around the system
60
What is meant by a "top-down approach"?
Designing a system by starting at the top of the process and working your way down into smaller and smaller sub-processes
61
What is meant by a "system flow chart"?
A diagram that shows the individual processes within a system
62
What is pseudo-code?
A method of writing code that does not require knowledge of a particular programming language
63
What is meant by a "dry run"?
The process of looking through each line of code to see what will happen before the program is run
64
What is a trace table?
A method of recording the result of each step that takes place when dry running code
65
What is meant by "modular design"?
A method of system design that breaks down a system into smaller units
66
What is encapsulation?
The concept of putting properties, methods & data in one object
67
What is a method?
The code or routines contained within a class
68
What are properties in programming?
The defining features of an object or class in terms of its data
69
What is a class?
A blueprint that defines a related group of things, it contains properties, which describe what the data are, methods which describe how the data can behave. However it does not store any data.
70
What is an object?
An instance of a class - is created using a class so will have the same properties & methods from the class it was instantiated
71
What is meant by "inheritance"?
The concept that properties & methods in one class can be shared with a subclass
72
What is a class diagram?
A diagram that represents the relationship between classes
73
What is instantiation?
The process of creating an object from a class
74
What is polymorphism?
The ability of different types of data to be manipulated using the same method
75
What is meant by "overriding"?
Where a method described in the subclass takes precedence over a method with the same name in the base class
76
What is meant by a "static method"?
A method that can be used without an object of the class being instantiated
77
What is meant by a "virtual method"?
A method defined in the base class but can be overridden by the method in the subclass where it will be used
78
What is meant by an "abstract class"?
The method is not supplied in the base class, which means it must be provided in the subclass
79
What is aggregation?
A method of creating new objects that contain existing objects based on which objects are related
80
What is meant by "composition aggregation"?
The concept of creating an object that contains other objects & will cease to exist if the containing object is destroyed
81
What is meant by "association aggregation"?
The concept of creating an object that contains other objects, which can continue to exist even if the containing object is destroyed
82

A level Computer Science textbook (2 decks)

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