Definitions

Question 1

Bit

Answer 1

A single unit of binary (binary digit)

Question 2

Binary

Answer 2

A numbering system consisting of 1s and 0s

Question 3

Byte

Answer 3

8 bits in a byte

Question 4

Binary shift left

Answer 4

Will double the number

Question 5

Binary shift right

Answer 5

Will divide the number by 2

Question 6

Pixel

Answer 6

The smallest representable part of an image. Stands picture element.

Question 7

Colour depth

Answer 7

The amount of bits needed to represent all the colours in an image.

Question 8

Image Resolution

Answer 8

The amount of pixels in a given area

Question 9

Analogue sound

Answer 9

A none digital sound wave

Question 10

Digital sound

Answer 10

A sound as represented by binary numbers.

Question 11

Sample rate

Answer 11

The amount of sound samples taken from an analogue every second. (Hertz)

Question 12

Sound resolution

Answer 12

The amount bits required to store all the sounds in an audio file.

Question 13

Lossy compression

Answer 13

Data is permanently removed from a file when it’s compressed.

Question 14

Lossless compression

Answer 14

No data is permanently removed from the when it’s compressed.

Question 15

Run length encoding

Answer 15

A form of lossless compression. Uses frequency of data pairs to shrink file size.

Question 16

Bit-depth

Answer 16

The amount of bits needed to store a given amount of combinations of binary.

Question 17

Hardware

Answer 17

The physical parts of a computer

Question 18

Software

Answer 18

The instructions carried out on a computer

Question 19

System Software

Answer 19

Software required for a computer to run

Question 20

Utility Software

Answer 20

A type of system software used to manage a computer system

Question 21

Operating System

Answer 21

Software that provides a user interface, manages memory, the processor, storage

Question 22

Application software

Answer 22

Software that carries out a specific task

Question 23

Peripheral

Answer 23

All devices apart from the processor and primary memory

Question 24

CPU

Answer 24

The brain of the computer. All inputs and outputs from a computer run through the CPU

Question 25

Register

Answer 25

High speed memory on the CPU. Stores data needed for the F-D-E cycle (instruction address, data being decided, outputs of calculations)

Question 26

Cache

Answer 26

High speed memory on the CPU. Stores instructions the processor is likely to reuse.

Question 27

Von Neumann Architecture

Answer 27

A computer architecture where data and instructions are stored on the same device.

Question 28

Arithmetic Logic Unit

Answer 28

A component of the CPU which carries out calculations

Question 29

Control Unit

Answer 29

Coordinates all the activities of a CPU

Question 30

CPU clock

Answer 30

Controls the timing of the processor – the speed of the clock is measured in hertz. Each pulse represents one CPU cycle

Question 31

Bus

Answer 31

A set of wires that connect components of a computer

Question 32

System bus

Answer 32

Includes the Address Bus (transfers memory address), Data Bus (transfers data) & Control Bus (transfers control signals)

Question 33

Virtual Memory

Answer 33

A partition of secondary storage which is used when RAM is full

Question 34

BIOS

Answer 34

Basic Input/Output System. Controls and coordinates hardware

Question 35

Primary Storage

Answer 35

Also known as primary memory, main memory, primary storage. Where instructions are kept for quick access from the CPU. Includes ROM & RAM

Question 36

Secondary Storage

Answer 36

Where long term instructions are held. For example, installed programs, saved documents and files. Includes magnetic disk, solid state drive & optical disk.

Question 37

Magnetic storage

Answer 37

A type of secondary storage which uses magnetised disks and a mechanical arm to represent 0s & 1s. (Hard disk drive)

Question 38

Solid State Storage

Answer 38

A type of secondary storage which uses a current to trap electrons. Trapped electrons can represent 0s & 1s

Question 39

Optical Storage

Answer 39

Secondary storage that uses pits and lands to represent 0s & 1s and uses a laser to read them

Question 40

Algorithm

Answer 40

A sequence of instructions carried out to solve a problem

Question 41

Decomposition

Answer 41

Breaking down a problem into a series of more manageable subproblems.

Question 42

Abstraction

Answer 42

Removing unnecessary detail from a problem.

Question 43

Pseudocode

Answer 43

One of the two ways of planning an algorithm. Uses ‘plain English’ text to describe the arrangement of an algorithm

Question 44

Efficiency of algorithms

Answer 44

The amount of steps required to complete an algorithm (fewer steps = more efficient).