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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

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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
Q

What is meant by “iteration”?

A

The process of repeating a set of instructions

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26
Q

What is meant by “indefinite iteration”?

A

A process that repeats until a certain condition is met

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27
Q

What is meant by “definite iteration”?

A

A process that repeats a defined number of times

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28
Q

What is a loop?

A

A repeated process

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29
Q

What is a nested loop?

A

A loop written into a loop

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30
Q

What is meant by “truncating”?

A

The process of cutting off a number after a certain number of characters/decimal places

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31
Q

What is meant by “random number generation”?

A

A function that produces a completely random output

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32
Q

What is meant by “pseudo-random number generation”?

A

A function that produces an output that is not 100% random

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33
Q

What is meant by “relational operations”?

A

Expressions that compare two values, e.g. “greater than” or “less than”

34
Q

What is meant by a “boolean operation”?

A

Expressions that result in a TRUE or FALSE value

35
Q

What is meant by “string handling functions”

A

Actions that can be carried out on sequences of characters

36
Q

What is a character code?

A

A binary representation of a character

37
Q

What does the function “Chr()” output?

A

The character code value of a character

38
Q

What does the function “Ord()” output?

A

The integer value of a character

39
Q

What does the function “int()” output?

A

Converts a string value to an integer value

40
Q

What does the function “str()” output?

A

Converts an integer value to a string value

41
Q

What does the function “float()” output?

A

Converts a string value to a float value

42
Q

What is a subroutine?

A

A named block of code designed to carry out a specific task

43
Q

What is a procedure?

A

Another word for a subroutine

44
Q

What is a subprogram?

A

Another word for a subroutine

45
Q

What is a routine?

A

Another word for a subroutine

46
Q

What is meant by a “local variable” ?

A

A variable only available in specified subroutines & functions

47
Q

What is meant by a “global variable”?

A

A variable available throughout the entire program

48
Q

What is meant by an “event”?

A

Something that happens when the program is being run

49
Q

What is a module?

A

Multiple subroutines that form a part of a program

50
Q

What is a function?

A

A subroutine that returns a value

51
Q

What is meant by “functional programming”?

A

A programming model that uses functions to make up a program

52
Q

What is a parameter?

A

Data being passed into a subroutine

53
Q

What is meant by an “argument”?

A

An item of data being passed to a subroutine

54
Q

What is meant by a “block interface”?

A

Code that describes the data type & characteristics of the data as it is being passed between subroutines

55
Q

What is meant by “exception handling”?

A

The process of dealing with events that cause the current subroutine to stop

56
Q

What is meant by a “procedural programming language”?

A

A language where the user specifies the steps that must be carried out in order to achieve a result

57
Q

What is meant by an “imperative programming language”?

A

A language based on giving the computer commands or procedures to follow

58
Q

What is a hierarchy chart?

A

A diagram that shows the design on a system from the top down

59
Q

What is a structure chart?

A

A diagram that shows the design of a system from the top down and shows how data is passed around the system

60
Q

What is meant by a “top-down approach”?

A

Designing a system by starting at the top of the process and working your way down into smaller and smaller sub-processes

61
Q

What is meant by a “system flow chart”?

A

A diagram that shows the individual processes within a system

62
Q

What is pseudo-code?

A

A method of writing code that does not require knowledge of a particular programming language

63
Q

What is meant by a “dry run”?

A

The process of looking through each line of code to see what will happen before the program is run

64
Q

What is a trace table?

A

A method of recording the result of each step that takes place when dry running code

65
Q

What is meant by “modular design”?

A

A method of system design that breaks down a system into smaller units

66
Q

What is encapsulation?

A

The concept of putting properties, methods & data in one object

67
Q

What is a method?

A

The code or routines contained within a class

68
Q

What are properties in programming?

A

The defining features of an object or class in terms of its data

69
Q

What is a class?

A

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
Q

What is an object?

A

An instance of a class - is created using a class so will have the same properties & methods from the class it was instantiated

71
Q

What is meant by “inheritance”?

A

The concept that properties & methods in one class can be shared with a subclass

72
Q

What is a class diagram?

A

A diagram that represents the relationship between classes

73
Q

What is instantiation?

A

The process of creating an object from a class

74
Q

What is polymorphism?

A

The ability of different types of data to be manipulated using the same method

75
Q

What is meant by “overriding”?

A

Where a method described in the subclass takes precedence over a method with the same name in the base class

76
Q

What is meant by a “static method”?

A

A method that can be used without an object of the class being instantiated

77
Q

What is meant by a “virtual method”?

A

A method defined in the base class but can be overridden by the method in the subclass where it will be used

78
Q

What is meant by an “abstract class”?

A

The method is not supplied in the base class, which means it must be provided in the subclass

79
Q

What is aggregation?

A

A method of creating new objects that contain existing objects based on which objects are related

80
Q

What is meant by “composition aggregation”?

A

The concept of creating an object that contains other objects & will cease to exist if the containing object is destroyed

81
Q

What is meant by “association aggregation”?

A

The concept of creating an object that contains other objects, which can continue to exist even if the containing object is destroyed

82
Q
A

A level Computer Science textbook (2 decks)

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