Fundamentals Of Programming - Chapter 1

Front 1

algorithm

Back 1

The sequence of steps necessary to solve any problem.

Front 2

assignment operator

Back 2

The equal sign; it always requires the name of a memory location on its left side.

Front 3

assignment statement

Back 3

A statement that stores the result of any calculation performed on its right side to the named location on its left side.

Front 4

binary

Back 4

A numbering system that uses two values, 0s and 1s.

Front 5

binary decision

Back 5

A yes-or-no decision; so called because there are two possible outcomes.

Front 6

camel casing

Back 6

The format for naming variables in which the initial letter is lowercase, multiple-word variable names are run together, and each new word within the variable name begins with an uppercase letter.

Front 7

central processing unit (CPU)

Back 7

The piece of hardware that processes data.

Front 8

character

Back 8

A letter, number, or special symbol such as “A”, “7”, or “$”.

Front 9

coding

Back 9

To write the statements of a program in a programming language.

Front 10

command prompt

Back 10

The location on your computer screen at which you type entries to communicate with the computer’s operating system using text.

Front 11

compiler

Back 11

Software that translates a high-level language into machine language and tells you if you have used a programming language incorrectly. Similar to an interpreter. However, a compiler translates all the statements in a program prior to executing them.

Front 12

connector symbol

Back 12

A flowchart symbol used when limited page size forces you to continue the flowchart elsewhere on the same page or on another page.

Front 13

compiler

Back 13

Software that translates a high-level language into machine language and tells you if you have used a programming language incorrectly. Similar to an interpreter. However, a compiler translates all the statements in a program prior to executing them.

Front 14

conversion

Back 14

The entire set of actions an organization must take to switch over to using a new program or set of programs.

Front 15

connector symbol

Back 15

A flowchart symbol used when limited page size forces you to continue the flowchart elsewhere on the same page or on another page.

Front 16

data

Back 16

All the text, numbers, and other information that are processed by a computer.

Front 17

conversion

Back 17

The entire set of actions an organization must take to switch over to using a new program or set of programs.

Front 18

data hierarchy

Back 18

Represents the relationship of databases, files, records, fields, and characters.

Front 19

data

Back 19

All the text, numbers, and other information that are processed by a computer.

Front 20

data type

Back 20

The characteristic of a variable that describes the kind of values the variable can hold, the amount of memory it occupies, and the types of operations that can be performed with it.

Front 21

data hierarchy

Back 21

Represents the relationship of databases, files, records, fields, and characters.

Front 22

database

Back 22

A logical container that holds a group of files, often called tables, that together serve the information needs of an organization.

Front 23

data type

Back 23

The characteristic of a variable that describes the kind of values the variable can hold, the amount of memory it occupies, and the types of operations that can be performed with it.

Front 24

decision symbol

Back 24

A symbol that represents a decision in a flowchart, and is shaped like a diamond.

Front 25

database

Back 25

A logical container that holds a group of files, often called tables, that together serve the information needs of an organization.

Front 26

declaration

Back 26

A statement that names a variable and tells the computer which type of data to expect.

Front 27

decision symbol

Back 27

A symbol that represents a decision in a flowchart, and is shaped like a diamond.

Front 28

declaring variables

Back 28

The process of naming program variables and assigning a type to them.

Front 29

declaration

Back 29

A statement that names a variable and tells the computer which type of data to expect.

Front 30

declaring variables

Back 30

The process of naming program variables and assigning a type to them.

Front 31

desk-checking

Back 31

The process of walking through a program solution on paper.

Front 32

dummy value

Back 32

A preselected value that stops the execution of a program.

Front 33

eof

Back 33

An end-of-data file marker, short for “end of file.”

Front 34

executing

Back 34

To have a computer use a written and compiled program. Also called running.

Front 35

external storage

Back 35

Persistent, relatively permanent storage outside the main memory of the machine, on a device such as a floppy disk, hard disk, or flash media.

Front 36

field

Back 36

A single data item, such as lastName, streetAddress, or annualSalary.

Front 37

flat file

Back 37

A data file that can only be written or read sequentially and is not part of a relational database.

Front 38

floating-point value

Back 38

A fractional, numeric value that contains a decimal point.

Front 39

flowchart

Back 39

A type of pictorial representation of the logical steps it takes to solve a problem.

Front 40

flowline

Back 40

An arrow that connects the steps in a flowchart.

Front 41

graphical user interface (GUI)

Back 41

A program interface that uses screens to display program output and allows users to interact with a program in a graphical environment.

Front 42

hardware

Back 42

The equipment of a computer system.

Front 43

high-level programming language

Back 43

A programming language that is English-like, as opposed to a low-level programming language.

Front 44

identifier

Back 44

A variable name.

Front 45

infinite loop

Back 45

A repeating flow of logic without an end.

Front 46

input device

Back 46

Hardware such as keyboards and mice; through these devices, data items enter the computer system. Data can also enter a system from storage devices such as magnetic disks and CDs

Front 47

input symbol

Back 47

A symbol that indicates input operations and is represented as parallelograms in flowcharts.

Front 48

integer value

Back 48

A whole-number, numeric value.

Front 49

internal storage

Back 49

Temporary storage within the computer; also called memory, main memory, primary memory, or random access memory (RAM).

Front 50

interpreter

Back 50

Software that translates a high-level language into machine language and tells you if you have used a programming language incorrectly. Similar to a compiler. However, an interpreter translates one statement at a time, executing each statement as soon as it is translated.

Front 51

IPO chart

Back 51

A program development tool that delineates input, processing, and output tasks.

Front 52

literal numeric constant

Back 52

A specific numeric value. Also called a numeric constant.

Front 53

literal string constant

Back 53

A text constant. In most modern languages, a literal string is enclosed within quotation marks.

Front 54

logic

Back 54

Instructions given to the computer in a specific sequence, without leaving any instructions out or adding extraneous instructions.

Front 55

logical error

Back 55

An error that occurs when incorrect instructions are performed, or when instructions are performed in the wrong order. Contrast with syntax error.

Front 56

low-level language

Back 56

A programming language not far removed from machine language, as opposed to a high-level programming language.

Front 57

machine language

Back 57

A computer’s on/off circuitry language; the low-level language made up of 1s and 0s that the computer understands.

Front 58

maintenance

Back 58

All the improvements and corrections made to a program after it is in production.

Front 59

making a decision

Back 59

To test a value resulting in a true or false outcome.

Front 60

making declarations

Back 60

The process of naming program variables and assigning a type to them.

Front 61

mnemonic

Back 61

A memory device; variable identifiers act as mnemonics for hard-to-remember memory addresses.

Front 62

named constant

Back 62

A named memory location, similar to a variable, except its value never can change during the execution of a program. Conventionally, constants are named using all capital letters.

Front 63

numeric constant

Back 63

A variable that holds numeric values.

Front 64

object-oriented programming

Back 64

A programming technique that focuses on objects, or “things,” and describes their features, or attributes, and their behaviors. Contrast with procedural programming.

Front 65

output device

Back 65

A computer device such as a printer or monitor that lets people view, interpret, and work with information processed by the computer.

Front 66

output symbol

Back 66

A symbol that indicates output operations, and is represented as a parallelogram in flowcharts.

Front 67

Pascal casing

Back 67

The format for naming variables in which the initial letter is uppercase, multiple-word variable names are run together, and each new word within the variable name begins with an uppercase letter.

Front 68

procedural programming

Back 68

A programming technique that focuses on the procedures or modules that programmers create. Contrast with object-oriented programming.

Front 69

processing

Back 69

To organize data items, check them for accuracy, or perform mathematical operations on them.

Front 70

processing symbol

Back 70

A symbol that contains program processes, such as arithmetic statements, and is represented as a rectangle in flowcharts.

Front 71

programming language

Back 71

A language such as Visual Basic, C#, C++, Java, or COBOL, used to write programs.

Front 72

prompt

Back 72

A message that is displayed on a monitor, asking the user for a response.

Front 73

pseudocode

Back 73

An English-like representation of the logical steps it takes to solve a problem.

Front 74

query

Back 74

A question that pulls related data items together from a database in a format that enhances efficient management decision making.

Front 75

rules of precedence

Back 75

Rules that dictate the order the operations in the same statement are carried out.

Front 76

running

Back 76

To have a computer use a written and compiled program. Also called executing.

Front 77

saving

Back 77

To store a program on some nonvolatile medium.

Front 78

scripting language

Back 78

A language such as Python, Lua, Perl, or PHP used to write programs that are typed directly from a keyboard and are stored as text rather than as binary executable files. Also called scripting programming languages or script languages.

Front 79

semantic error

Back 79

An error that occurs when a correct word is used in an incorrect context.

Front 80

sentinel value

Back 80

A value that represents an entry or exit point.

Front 81

software

Back 81

The programs used by a computer.

Front 82

storage device

Back 82

A hardware apparatus that holds information for later retrieval.

Front 83

string variable

Back 83

A variable that holds character or text values.

Front 84

syntax

Back 84

The rules of a language.

Front 85

syntax error

Back 85

An error in language or grammar. Contrast with logical error.

Front 86

terminal symbol

Back 86

A symbol used at each end of a flowchart. Its shape is a lozenge. Also called a start/stop symbol.

Front 87

software

Back 87

The programs used by a computer.

Front 88

text constant

Back 88

A constant enclosed within quotation marks. A literal string.

Front 89

storage device

Back 89

A hardware apparatus that holds information for later retrieval.

Front 90

text variable

Back 90

A variable that holds character values. A string variable.

Front 91

string variable

Back 91

A variable that holds character or text values.

Front 92

TOE chart

Back 92

A program development tool that lists tasks, objects, and events.

Front 93

syntax

Back 93

The rules of a language.

Front 94

variable

Back 94

A named memory location of a specific data type, whose contents can vary or differ over time.