Csc202 Test 01 Terms

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Algorithm

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A logical sequence of discrete steps that describes a complete solution to a given problem computable in a finite amount of time and space.

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Abstraction

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A model of a system that includes only the details essential to the perspective of the viewer of the system.

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Class

Back 3

Java construct used to encapsulate an Abstract Data Type.

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Postcondition

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Statements that describe what results are to be expected at the exit of an operation or method.

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Desk check

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Working through the code of a program on paper to make sure that it works.

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Data structure

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Mechanism used to organize data to make it easier to process the data.

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Inheritance

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Programming mechanism allowing classes to share operations and build new classes from existing classes.

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Information hiding

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Keeping the details of an implementation from the client.

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Alias

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The relationship two identifiers have when they share the same address.

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Constructor

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Java operation that creates a new instance of a class and initializes the data of the class.

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Abstract data type

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A programmer created type that encapsulates data and the operations on that data.

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Data abstraction

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Separating the data type’s logical properties from its implementation.

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Data encapsulation

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The separation of the representation of data from the applications that use the data at a logical level; a programming language feature that enforces information hiding.

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Garbage collection

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The process of finding all the unreachable objects and deallocating their storage space.

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Object

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An instance of an Abstract Data Type.

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Interface

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Class-like structure containing method declarations without bodies.

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Abstract method

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Method declared in a class or an interface without a method body.

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Parameter

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Local variable of a method which receives a copy of the argument when the method is called.

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Big-O notation

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A notation that expresses computing time (complexity) of the term in a function that increases most rapidly relative to the size of a problem.

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Precondition

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Assumptions that must be true on entry into a method for it to work correctly.

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Method signature

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The distinguishing features of a method heading; the combination of a method name with the number and type(s)of its parameters in their given order.

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Overloading

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The repeated use of a method name with a different signature.

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Transformer

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An operation that changes the internal state of an object (setter method.)

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Observer

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An operation that allows us to observe the state of an object without changing it (getter method.)

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Stepwise refinement

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Process of breaking a problem up and solving each piece of the problem. These pieces can be further broken up until each piece is easily solved.

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Top-down

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Start with the whole problem and use stepwise refinement to break it up.

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Bottom-up

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Start with parts of the problem and use stepwise refinement to build the solution from the small pieces.

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Software validation

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The process of determining the degree to which software fulfills its intended purpose.

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Software verification

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The process of determining the degree to which a software product fulfills its specifications.

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Array

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Java provided data structure that holds multiple values of the same type with each value accessed with an index.

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Linked list

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Data structure consisting of zero or more nodes each of which holds values and a link to the next node.

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Stack

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Data structure that adds and removes values from the same location.

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Queue

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Data structure that adds values at one end and removes values at the other end.

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Tree

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Nonlinear data structure that holds values that are stored in a hierarchical pattern.

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Graph

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Nonlinear data structure of data nodes connected to one another. This connection is determined by the relationship one node has with another.

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Exceptional situation

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Associated with an unusual, sometimes unpredictable event, detectable by software or hardware, which requires special processing.