Principles of Computer Science Flashcards
Paper 1 (36 cards)
What is decomposition?
Breaking down a complex problem into smaller, more manageable parts that are easier to solve
What is abstraction?
The process of removing unnecessary detail to focus only on the relevant aspects of a problem.
What is algorithmic thinking?
The process of creating a step-by-step solution to solve a problem or complete a task.
What is a flow chart?
A diagram that visually represents an algorithm using standardized symbols and shapes.
What are the four basic operations in algorithms?
Sequence, selection (if/else), iteration (loops), and subroutines (procedures/functions).
What is a variable?
A named storage location in memory that holds a value that can change during program execution.
What is the difference between an integer and a float?
Integers are whole numbers without decimal points, while floats (floating-point numbers) can represent fractional values.
What is a string?
A sequence of characters stored as a data type, typically enclosed in quotes.
What is a constant?
A value that cannot be altered during program execution.
What is concatenation?
Joining two or more strings together to form a single string.
What is a Boolean?
A data type that can only have one of two values: True or False.
What is a conditional statement?
A statement that performs different actions depending on whether a condition evaluates to true or false.
What is an array?
A data structure that stores a fixed-size sequential collection of elements of the same type, accessed using an index.
What is the difference between a FOR loop and a WHILE loop?
A FOR loop runs for a predetermined number of iterations, while a WHILE loop continues running as long as a specified condition remains true.
What is a function/procedure?
A named block of code that performs a specific task and can be called from elsewhere in the program.
What is the difference between a function and a procedure?
A function returns a value after performing its operations, while a procedure performs operations without returning a value.
What are parameters/arguments?
Values passed to a function or procedure when it is called.
What is a LAN?
Local Area Network - a network confined to a small geographical area like a home, office, or school.
What is a WAN?
Wide Area Network - a network that covers a large geographical area, such as connecting LANs across different cities or countries.
What is a packet?
A unit of data transmitted over a network, containing both header information and the payload.
What is an IP address?
A unique numerical label assigned to each device on a computer network that uses the Internet Protocol for communication.
What is the difference between a hub and a switch?
A hub broadcasts data to all connected devices, while a switch forwards data only to the specific intended recipient.
What is a router?
A device that forwards data packets between computer networks.
What is a MAC address?
A unique identifier assigned to a network interface controller (NIC) for use as a network address in communications.
