Intro to Computers and Programming

Question 1

What is a Computer?

Answer 1

A programmable electronic device that can store, retrieve and process data.

Question 2

What are the advantages of a computer?

Answer 2

Reliable, Fast, Does not tire, Follows instructions precisely

Question 3

What are the disadvantages of a computer?

Answer 3

Cannot analyze problems, Follows instructions more precisely than humans do

Question 4

What can a computer do?

Answer 4

Simple aritmetic, Comparisons/decision making, Communication

Question 5

What are the Components of a Computer?

Answer 5

Input devices, CPU, Main Memory, Secondary Memory, Output devices

Question 6

What is a CPU

Answer 6

Central Processing Unit- fetches and follows a set of simple instructions(also called the processor)

Question 7

What is the Main Memory?

Answer 7

storage for the executing program and its data in RAM (random access memory). Volatile.

Question 8

What is secondary memory?

Answer 8

storage for permanent records (files). Non-volatile.

Question 9

What are the parts of a CPU?

Answer 9

ALU and Control Unit

Question 10

What is an ALU?

Answer 10

Arithmetic and Logic Unit- performs mathematical operations

Question 11

What is the Control Unit?

Answer 11

coordinates all of the computer’s operations, performs the fetch/decode/execute cycle.

Question 12

What are the two types of Software?

Answer 12

Operating Systems and Programs.

Question 13

What does an operating system do?

Answer 13

allocates the computer’s resources and allows communication between user and computer.

Question 14

What is a program?

Answer 14

a set of instructions to perform specific tasks.

Question 15

What is an algorithm?

Answer 15

a set of well defined steps for performing a task or solving a problem.

Question 16

What is the relationship between an algorithm and a program?

Answer 16

A program is an algorithm that has been translated into a programming language so that the computer and understand and perform the steps.

Question 17

What is a programming language?

Answer 17

a special language used to write programs.

Question 18

What are the three types of programming languages?

Answer 18

High-level, Low-level, and Machine

Question 19

What is a High-Level Language.

Answer 19

designed to be easy for humans to read and to write programs in, but too complicated for the computer to understand.

Question 20

What is a Low-Level Language?

Answer 20

consists of simple instructions which can be understood by the computer after a minor translation.

Question 21

What is Machine Language?

Answer 21

written in the form of zeros and ones, can be understood directly by the computer.

Question 22

What is the process in which source code becomes executable code?

Answer 22

Source Code goes through the preprocessor, becomes modified source, then the compiler, becomes object code, then the linker to become executable code.

Question 23

What are the main Language Elements?

Answer 23

Key Words, Programmer Defined Symbols, Operators, Punctuation, Syntax

Question 24

What are Key Words?

Answer 24

reserved words that have a special meaning.

Question 25

What are Programmer Defined Symbols?

Answer 25

words or names that have been defined by the programmer. May be variables, constants, or functions/routines.

Question 26

What are operators?

Answer 26

symbols to tell the computer to perform specific operations.

Question 27

What is punctuation in programming?

Answer 27

symbols to begin or end a statement or separate items of a list.

Question 28

What is syntax?

Answer 28

grammar rules for combining elements.

Question 29

What does the double slash (//) signify?

Answer 29

The beginning of a one line comment

Question 30

What does the slash asterisk (/* */) signify?

Answer 30

a comment is enclosed

Question 31

What does the octothorp (#) signify?

Answer 31

the beginning of a preprocessor directive.

Question 32

What do brackets (<>) signify?

Answer 32

an enclosed filename or datatype.

Question 33

What do parentheses signify?

Answer 33

contains the parameters for functions or changes the order of operations

Question 34

What do braces ({}) signify?

Answer 34

a group of statements being enclosed.

Question 35

What does a semicolon (;) signify?

Answer 35

The end of a C++ statement.

Question 36

What are the three phases of writing programs?

Answer 36

The Problem Solving Phase, Implementation Phase, and The Maintenance Phase.

Question 37

What steps occur in the Problem Solving Phase?

Answer 37

Analysis & Specification, General Solution, Verification

Question 38

What steps occur in The Implementation Phase?

Answer 38

Concrete solution, testing

Question 39

What steps occur in the Maintenance Phase?

Answer 39

Use, Maintain

Question 40

What are the three main types of Programming Errors?

Answer 40

Syntax errors, Logic errors, Run-time errors.

Question 41

What are syntax errors?

Answer 41

code that does not follow the grammar rules of the language. These are found by the compiler.

Question 42

What are logic errors?

Answer 42

Results are incorrect because of an error in implementation. These are found by using test data.

Question 43

What are run-time errors?

Answer 43

when the program causes the computer to perform an illegal operation, such as dividing by 0 or finding the square root of a negative number.

Question 44

What is Input?

Answer 44

data the user of the program will need to enter into the program.

Question 45

What is Output?

Answer 45

information the user expects to receive from the program.

Question 46

What is Processing?

Answer 46

What the program does to the input to produce the output.

Question 47

What is Procedural Programming?

Answer 47

focuses on the development of procedures (functions) to solve problems.

Question 48

What is Object Oriented Programming?

Answer 48

developing objects that are a combination of procedures.

Question 49

What are the four main parts of a program?

Answer 49

Comments, Preprocessor Directives, Functions, and Statements.

Question 50

What are comments?

Answer 50

describe what the program is supposed to do and what various portions do. Often used as documentation.

Question 51

What are Preprocessor Directives?

Answer 51

directions to perform before program starts.

Question 52

What are funcitons?

Answer 52

groups of statements to perform a specific task.

Question 53

What are Statements?

Answer 53

actions executed by the computer.