Topic 1-Algorithms

Question 1

What is an algorithm?

Answer 1

An algorithms is a series of step by step instructions to complete a task.

Question 2

What is abstraction?

Answer 2

Abstraction is removing any unnecessary details to focus on the relevant parts and make the problem more simple.

Question 3

What is decomposition?

Answer 3

Decomposition is breaking down a complex problem into smaller, more manageable, subproblems. Each sub-solution can be combined to solve the problem.

Question 4

What is pattern recognition?

Answer 4

Pattern recognition is finding cimilarities between problems that are decomposed to help us solve more complex problems with more efficiency.

Question 5

Name an example of abstraction.

Answer 5

A tube map details tube lines, services and the stations but does not feature above ground landmarks or shops to make planning a journey easier, this means it is an example of abstraction.

Question 6

Name an example of decomposition.

Answer 6

A bicycle is an example of decomposition as all of the complex details come together to make it rideable.

Question 7

What is computational thinking?

Answer 7

Computational thinking is combining pattern recognition, algorithms, abstraction and decomposition to complete a task.

Question 8

Name an example of computational thinking.

Answer 8

Cleaning your room.

Question 9

What is an input?

Answer 9

Indicates a user will be inputting something.

Question 10

What is an output?

Answer 10

Indicates that an output will appear on the screen.

Question 11

What is a for iteration?

Answer 11

A counting iteration that has a defined set of loops. This means it is definite.

Question 12

What are while and repeat until iterations?

Answer 12

They are indefinite.

Question 13

What is a while loop?

Answer 13

Iteration with condition at start.

Question 14

What is a repeat until loop?

Answer 14

Iteration with condition at end.

Question 15

What is the difference between a while loop and a repeat until loop?

Answer 15

A while loop may never be executed however with a repeat until loop the code is always executed atleast once.

Question 16

What are trace tables used for?

Answer 16

Used to check code/algorithms.

Question 17

What are the pros and cons of a bubble sort?

Answer 17

+less storage space

-takes longer as it is one by one

Question 18

What are the pros and cons of a merge sort?

Answer 18

+quicker

-more storage space

Question 19

Explain the bubble sort?

Answer 19

Compares two pieces of data and switches them depending on which one has a greater value.

Question 20

Explain the merge sort?

Answer 20

Divideand conquer technique that only checks half of the data.

Question 21

Explain the linear search?

Answer 21

uses brute force to check every piece of data sequentially from left to right.

Question 22

Explain the binary search?

Answer 22

Half n half method where the data is cut in half and one half is discarded and so on.

Question 23

What are the pros and cons of linear search?

Answer 23

+good for smaller or unsorted data sets

-can take longer

Question 24

What are the pros and cons of binary search?

Answer 24

+good for larger or sorted data sets

-can’t do unsorted data sets

Question 25

If John made a brochure advertising his concert, what abstraction and decomposition could he use?

Answer 25

Decomposition-Break it down into sections and headings with different bits of information.

Abstraction-Do not need to tell them exact time to the second the concert starts.