Programming Languages

Question 1

What are the three generations of programming languages?

Answer 1

First Generation: Machine code, Second Generation: Assembler, Third Generation: Imperative high level programming languages

Question 2

What does ‘imperative’ mean in the context of high-level programming languages?

Answer 2

Command

Question 3

What is a key characteristic of high-level programming languages?

Answer 3

Closer to English language, easier to understand

Question 4

What is the role of a translator in high-level programming languages?

Answer 4

Converts instructions into code that the computer understands

Question 5

What advantage do high-level programming languages offer regarding processor architecture?

Answer 5

Greater portability

Question 6

What is one instruction in high-level programming languages mapped to in machine code?

Answer 6

Several machine code instructions

Question 7

What programming constructs do high-level languages support?

Answer 7

• Sequencing
• Selection
• Iteration
• Assignment
• Functions

Question 8

How do declarative programming languages operate?

Answer 8

Determine what is to be computed rather than how it is computed

Question 9

Name three examples of declarative high-level programming languages.

Answer 9

• SQL
• HTML
• CSS

Question 10

What do low-level programming languages refer to?

Answer 10

Machine code and assembly language

Question 11

What does ‘low level’ indicate in low-level programming languages?

Answer 11

A low level of abstraction

Question 12

What can low-level programming languages control?

Answer 12

The hardware of the computer

Question 13

Why are low-level programming languages considered not portable?

Answer 13

They depend on the architecture of the processor

Question 14

What are low-level programming languages appropriate for?

Answer 14

• Developing new operating systems
• Embedded systems
• Hardware device drivers

Question 15

In what format is machine code expressed?

Answer 15

Binary values 0 and 1

Question 16

What is the language that computers understand?

Answer 16

Machine code

Question 17

What are the two parts of a machine code instruction?

Answer 17

• Operator
• Operand

Question 18

What does the processor decode in a machine code instruction?

Answer 18

The operator to identify the task to be carried out

Question 19

What does the operand in a machine code instruction represent?

Answer 19

The value or memory address that the instruction is to be operated on

Question 20

Fill in the blank: Machine code instructions are made up of the ______ and the operand.

Answer 20

Operator

Question 21

Fill in the blank: Machine code is specific to a ______.

Answer 21

Processor

Question 22

What does assembly language provide?

Answer 22

Basic computer instructions for programs to run

Question 23

What is the relationship between machine code and assembly code?

Answer 23

One-to-one relationship; one assembly instruction maps to one machine code instruction

Question 24

How does assembly language differ from machine code in terms of readability?

Answer 24

Assembly language uses names (mnemonics), making it easier for programmers to understand

Question 25

What is unique about the instruction set of assembly language?

Answer 25

Each type of processor has its own instruction set and assembly language

Question 26

Fill in the blank: Assembly code developed for one processor architecture will not run on _______.

Answer 26

another

Question 27

What is a sample instruction to load a value in assembly language?

Answer 27

LOAD #23

Question 28

What does the instruction 'MOV a 23' do?

Answer 28

Transfers the number 23 into the variable a

Question 29

What does the instruction 'ADD 2 3' do?

Answer 29

Adds the two values 2 and 3

Question 30

What is the purpose of the 'STORE' instruction?

Answer 30

Store data in RAM

Question 31

What is one advantage of low-level languages?

Answer 31

Produces better optimized and more efficient code

Question 32

In what scenarios are low-level languages appropriate?

Answer 32

Developing new operating systems, embedded systems, and hardware device drivers

Question 33

What is a disadvantage of low-level languages?

Answer 33

Very difficult to understand and modify

Question 34

True or False: Assembly code is portable across different computer architectures.

Answer 34

False

Question 35

Why is writing assembly code time-consuming compared to high-level languages?

Answer 35

There is a one-to-one correspondence with machine code and instruction

Question 36

What is a disadvantage regarding the availability of compilers or interpreters for low-level languages?

Answer 36

Not always available, particularly for embedded systems

Question 37

How do high-level languages compare to low-level languages in terms of portability?

Answer 37

High-level languages are more portable across different computer systems

Question 38

What allows high-level code to be easier to understand?

Answer 38

More abstract and closer to natural language

Question 39

Fill in the blank: High-level languages take _______ time to write because a single instruction maps to several machine code instructions.

Answer 39

less

Question 40

What is one reason low-level code runs slower?

Answer 40

Layers of abstraction and inefficiency in the translator