Topic 4: Computational Thinking

Question 1

Computer program

Answer 1

Sequence of instructions, written to insctruct a computer to perform a specified task.

Question 2

Stages of problem solving

Answer 2

Identification
Development
Selection
Implementation

Question 3

Properties of algorythms

Answer 3

Finiteness
Definiteness
Input/Output
Effectiveness

Question 4

Ways of expressing algorithms

Answer 4

Simple English
Flowcharts
Pseudocode
Programming Language

Question 5

Subprocedures

Answer 5

Break the problem in pieces and then attack every piece instead of solving a big complex problem. It contains a series of commands that perform a task. It is also called modular programming.

Question 6

Iteration

Answer 6

Process of repeating a series of instructions. Is used to repeat a statement or a block of statements within an algorithm.

Question 7

Conditional statement

Answer 7

Perform different instructions depending on a Boolean test. This Boolean is evaluated and depends on if it is true or false the program does one thing or another. The if-then-else conditional statement is common across programming languages.

Question 8

Inpu/Output

Answer 8

An input is something that is put into a program while output is something that is produced by the program after a process.

Question 9

Pre-planning

Answer 9

Process of planning something in advance.

Question 10

Ghantt Chart

Answer 10

Type of bar chart that is widely used for project schedules and project management.

On the left, there is a list of the tasks, activities and events. Along the top there is the time scale. Each bar represents the time spent in one task.

Question 11

Complexities of searches and sorts

Answer 11

Binary O (Log n)
Sequential O(n)
Bubble O(n^2)
Slection O(n^2)

Question 12

Compiler

Answer 12

• Compiler transforms code written in a high-level programming language into the machine code, at once, before program runs
• Faster

Question 13

Interpreter

Answer 13

• Interpreter coverts each high-level program statement, one by one, into the machine code, during program run.
• Slower

Question 14

Fundamental operations

Answer 14

Operations that don’t require the processor to go through a large number of operations to reach a result f.e. add, retrieve, compare, store

Question 15

Compound operations

Answer 15

More complex operations which involve a number of stages with operations such as finding the largest number in an array.

Question 16

Array

Answer 16

• Fixed in size

- Holds same type data only

Question 17

Collection

Answer 17

• Growable

- Can hold same and different type data

Question 18

Advantages of sub-programs

Answer 18

• Can speed up the process because braking down a complex program means small pieces can be donde simultaneously.
• It enables reusing code accross multiple programs.
• Facilitates abstraction
• Improves maintainance and makes easier testing.

Question 19

Advantages of using collections

Answer 19

Collections are predefined algorithms that prorammers can use immediately.
- Increases performance
- Code reuse, saves time and money
-

Question 20

What’s abstraction and why should we use it?

Answer 20

Allows to create a general of what the problem looks and how to solve it.

• Removes all specific details so it helps forming a model.
• If it’s not used, designers may end up with the wrong solution.
• Widely used because there are several common patterns in programming.
• It’s one of the principles of OOP.