AP Comp Sci Big Idea 1 and Big Idea 2 terms

Syntax Error

A mistake in typed code that violates the rules of the programming language. Typically, code with syntax errors will not run.

Logic Error

A mistake in an algorithm or program that causes it to behave unexpectedly or return the incorrect value.

Run-Time Error

A mistake in a program that happens only when the program is actually run, such as a program attempting to access memory that does not exist.

Overflow Error

Error that results when the number of bits is not enough to represent the number (like a car's odometer "rolling over").

Bit

A binary digit, either 0 or 1

Byte

A sequence of 8 bits

Roundoff

Error that results when the number of bits is not enough to represent the number with full precision (like using 3 digits to represent [\pi] as 3.14)

Analog Data

Values that change smoothly, rather than in discrete intervals, over time. For example, the pitch and volume of a live concert.

Lossless

Compressing data in a way that preserves all data away and allows full recovery of the original.

Lossy

Compressing data in a way that discards some data and makes it impossible to recover the original.

Metadata

Data about data, like descriptive information about a file or a row in a database.