2.2 - Programming Fundamentals

Question 1

What are the main constructs?

Answer 1

• Sequence
• Selection
• Iteration

Question 2

What is a variable?

Answer 2

Data that can change in value as a program is being run

Question 3

What are local variables?

Answer 3

Declared within a specific subroutine
—> Can be only used within that subroutine

Question 4

What are global variables?

Answer 4

Can be used at any point within the whole program

Question 5

What are some advantages of local variables?

Answer 5

• Saves memory
• Easier to debug local variables
• You can reuse subroutines with local variables

Question 6

How do local variables save memory?

Answer 6

Only uses memory when that local variable is needed
—> Global variables use memory whether they are used or not

Question 7

How are local variables easier to debug?

Answer 7

As they can only be changed within one subroutine.

Question 8

What are some advantages of global variables?

Answer 8

• Makes maintenance easier
• Can be used anywhere in the whole program
• Can be used for constants

Question 9

How do global variables make maintenance easier?

Answer 9

As they are only declared once

Question 10

What does modular mean?

Answer 10

Split into subroutines with each subroutine having a dedicated purpose

Question 11

What is a constant?

Answer 11

Data that does not change in value as the program is run

Question 12

What are comparison operators used for?

Answer 12

Compare two data values

Question 13

What is the function of arithmetic operators?

Answer 13

Used to mathematically manipulate values

Question 14

What is modulus?

Answer 14

Reveals the remainder from the last whole number

e.g.
9 % 4 = 1 (4 goes into 9 twice (8) with a remainder of 1)

Question 15

What is the symbol for modulus?

Answer 15

%

Question 16

What is integer division?

Answer 16

Reveals the ‘whole number of times’ a number can be divided into another number

Question 17

What is integer division also known as?

Answer 17

Quotient

Question 18

What are logical operators?

Answer 18

Typically use Boolean or AND, OR, NOT

Question 19

What are the different data types?

Answer 19

• Character
• String
• Float
• Boolean

Question 20

What is a float also known as?

Answer 20

Real

Question 21

What is a string?

Answer 21

A sequence of characters
—> Including letter, numbers & punctation

Question 22

What is a character?

Answer 22

A single character (e.g. letter, number or punctuation symbol)

Question 23

What is casting?

Answer 23

Converting the value of one variable from one data type into another

Question 24

Give some examples of some python commands used for casting?

Answer 24

• str()
• float()
• int()

Question 25

What is an **array**?

Answer 25

A static data structure that can hold a fixed number of data elements

Question 26

What does **traverse** mean?

Answer 26

Move through

Question 27

How would you **traverse an array**?

Answer 27

A for loop can be used to display each data element in order

Question 28

How would you **insert a value** in an **array**?

Answer 28

You can change the value of elements that already exist by overwriting it ---> The size of the array is fixed so you can't insert new values

Question 29

How would you **delete a value** in an **array**?

Answer 29

You can 'delete' an elements by overwriting it as blank by using ""

Question 30

How would you **search** an **array**?

Answer 30

Question 31

How might a **two dimensional array** look like in **python**?

Answer 31

Question 32

How is **each value** in an **array represented**?

Answer 32

By indexes

Question 33

How would you **search** a **two-dimensional array**?

Answer 33

You will need two for loops - one for the row and the other for the values of each row

Question 34

How would you *print* a **value** from a **two dimensional array**?

Answer 34

Row index then column index

Question 35

What is **each row name** in a **record** called?

Answer 35

Field

Question 36

What is a **key field**?

Answer 36

A unique data that identifies each record

Question 37

How might a **record** look like?

Answer 37

Question 38

What is **SQL**?

Answer 38

A language that can be used to search for data in a database

Question 39

What does the **symbol * ** represent in **SQL**?

Answer 39

All fields

Question 40

What are **wildcards** in **SQL**?

Answer 40

Symbols used to substitute characters

Question 41

What is the **format** of an **SQL statement**?

Answer 41