Computer Science & Principles Unit 1 Vocabulary - Mr. Daniel

Bit (short for binary digit)

- The smallest unit of data in a computer

- Has a single binary value, either 0 or 1

Byte

- A unit of data that is eight binary digits long

- Often used to represent a character such as a letter, number, space

Binary

A numbering scheme in which there are only two possible values for each digit: 0 and 1

Algorithm

A complete, well-defined sequence of steps for completing a task or solving a problem

Program

A sequence of instructions or steps, written in a language that can be understood by a computer, that will be used by the computer to complete a task or solve a problem

Blocks

Puzzle-piece shapes that are used to create code in Snap!

Scripts

Different types of blocks linked together

Sprites

An object in Snap! which performs functions controlled by scripts

Stage

The background of a project, performs functions through scripting

Logic error

A mistake in the algorithm or program that causes it to behave incorrectly or unexpectedly

Tracing

Hand simulating the execution of program code in order to manually verify that it works correctly

Debugging

The process of identifying and removing errors from computer hardware or software

ASCII

American Standard Code for Information Interchange, a character encoding standard for electronic communication

Overflow Error

An error that occurs when calculated data cannot fit within the designated field

Roundoff Error

Error that is produced when a computer is used to perform real number calculations because many real numbers can not be represented exactly on a computer

Underflow Error

Occurs in a computer or similar device when a mathematical operation results in a number which is smaller than what the device is capable of storing

pixel

A minute area of illumination on a display screen, one of many from which an image is composed

RGB

- (red, green, and blue) refers to a system for representing the colors to be used on a computer display

- Red, green, and blue can be combined in various proportions to obtain any color in the visible spectrum

Heuristic

A problem solving approach (algorithm) to find a satisfactory solution where finding an optimal or exact solution is impractical or impossible

Lossless Compression

A data compression algorithm that allows the original data to be perfectly reconstructed from the compressed data

Lossy Compression

A data encoding and compression technique that deliberately discards some data in the compression process

Creative Commons public copyright license

- Enables the free distribution of an otherwise copyrighted work

- This is used when the content creator wants to give others to right to share, use, and build upon the work they have created

open source

Programs that are made freely available and may be redistributed and modified

open access

Online research output free of any and all restrictions on access and free of many restrictions on use, such as copyright or license restrictions