Paper 2

Question 1

What is an algorithm?

Answer 1

An algorithm can be described as “A set of steps that show how to perform a task or reach a goal”.

Question 2

What is Binary search?

Answer 2

Binary search is an efficient algorithm for finding an item from a sorted list of items.

Question 3

How does Binary search work?

Answer 3

It works by repeatedly dividing in half the portion of the list that could contain the item, until you’ve narrowed down the possible locations to just one.

Question 4

What is linear search?

Answer 4

A linear search is the simplest method of searching a data set. Starting at the beginning of the data set, each item of data is examined until a match is made. Once the item is found, the search ends. If there is no match, the algorithm must deal with this.

Question 5

What are the types of translators in computer?

Answer 5

Compiler

Interpreter

Assembler

Question 6

What is the compiler?

Answer 6

A compiler translates a high-level language into machine code

Question 7

What is the interpreter?

Answer 7

An interpreter is another type of program that translates a high-level language into machine code

Question 8

What is the assembler?

Answer 8

An assembler translates assembly language into machine code. Assembly language is a low-level language written in mnemonics that closely reflects the operations of the CPU .

Question 9

What are 2D arrays?

Answer 9

A two-dimensional array is similar to a one-dimensional array, but it can be visualised as a grid (or table) with rows and columns. Positions in a two dimensional array are referenced like a map using horizontal and vertical reference numbers. They are sometimes called matrices.

Question 10

Examples of High-level Programming languages:

Answer 10

Python, Visual Basic, C#, Java, C++, PHP, Delphi, Logo

Question 11

Examples of Query languages:

Answer 11

SQL

Question 12

Examples of Markup languages:

Answer 12

HTML, XML

Question 13

Examples of Low-level Programming languages:

Answer 13

Assembly language

Question 14

What does Assembly language do?

Answer 14

Assembly language allows a programmer to create programs more easily than writing in machine code

Question 15

What does Assembly language have to do?

Answer 15

Translate into machine code before can be executed

Question 16

Describe High-level languages

Answer 16

High level languages generally have statements that look a bit like English or Maths

This makes these languages easier to learn and understand

Question 17

What have many high-level languages been designed to do?

Answer 17

To make it as easy as possible to write programs to solve certain types of problems

Question 18

Advantages of High-level languages:

Answer 18

A high-level language is easier to learn

Programs can be written faster on a high-level language

It is easier to understand and debug a high-level language

Question 19

Advantages of Low-level languages:

Answer 19

A program written in a low-level language can run very quickly

The code will usually require less RAM

Statements in a low-level language can be used to control and manipulate specific hardware components

Question 20

What is source code?

Answer 20

The code written by the programmer

Question 21

What is object code?

Answer 21

The code produced by the compiler

Question 22

What are the differences between compiler and interpreter?

Answer 22

Compiler translates the whole program to produce object code, Interpreter translates and executes one line at a time

A compiled program executes faster as it is already inmacbine code, Interpreter take more time to execute as each instruction is translates before it is executed

Question 23

What are the three Boolean Functions?

Answer 23

AND

OR

NOT

Question 24

What is a syntax error?

Answer 24

A syntax error is one where the code written doesn’t conform to the rules of the language

Question 25

What is a logical error?

Answer 25

The remaining error is a logical error

Question 26

Why is it important that programs are fully tested?

Answer 26

To find any logical errors

Question 27

What types of data is in the data plan?

Answer 27

Normal data Boundary data Invalid data Erroneous data

Question 28

What is a trace table useful for?

Answer 28

A trace table is useful for tracing through a program in order to find a logic error Determining the purpose of an algorithm Finding the output of an algorithm Finding errors in an algorithm

Question 29

What are the two types of testing?

Answer 29

Iterative testing - tests modules and parts of a program as the program is developed Final testing - tests the whole program at the end of production

Question 30

What are IDE's?

Answer 30

Integrated Development Environments

Question 31

What features do IDE's provide?

Answer 31

Line numbers Breakpoints Code folding Variable watching

Question 32

What do line numbers do?

Answer 32

Lune numbers allow a programmer to clearly see every new line of code.

Question 33

What is Syntax highlighting?

Answer 33

Syntax highlighting is where the colour of the text changes to show different parts of the program

Question 34

What do Error diagnostics do?

Answer 34

Error diagnostics help a programmer to find where they have made a mistake

Question 35

What do Breakpoints do?

Answer 35

Breakpoints are set by the programmer so that the IDE stops the program mid-way through running

Question 36

What is the difference between function and procedure?

Answer 36

A procedure is a block of code that is called to perform a task. A function is a block of code that is called to perform a task and will return one or more values.

Question 37

What is Bubble sort?

Answer 37

Bubble sort, sometimes referred to as sinking sort, is a simple sorting algorithm that repeatedly steps through the list, compares adjacent elements and swaps them if they are in the wrong order. The pass through the list is repeated until the list is sorted.

Question 38

What is Merge sort?

Answer 38

In computer science, merge sort is an efficient, general-purpose, and comparison-based sorting algorithm. Most implementations produce a stable sort, which means that the order of equal elements is the same in the input and output.

Question 39

What is Insertion sort?

Answer 39

Insertion sort is a simple sorting algorithm that builds the final sorted array one item at a time. It is much less efficient on large lists than more advanced algorithms such as quicksort, heapsort, or merge sort.