D684 - Computational Thinking and the Software Development Lifecycle

end user

the person who ultimately uses a software application or system

Debugging

the process of identifying and fixing errors or 'bugs' in the code that cause unexpected behavior or incorrect results

documentation

all the paperwork needed to produce a program

high-level programming language

a type of programming language designed to be easy for humans to read and write

low-level programming language

a type of programming language closer to the machine's native language

software development lifecycle

a systematic process consisting of several phases that are followed to produce high-quality software

algorithm

a step-by-step procedure or set of rules designed to solve a specific problem or perform a particular task

analysis

examining and understanding the problem thoroughly to identify its requirements, constraints, and objectives

design

planning and creating a solution to the problem based on the analysis; often involves the creation of algorithms and data structures

implementation

writing code or programming to execute the designed solution using a specific programming language or tool

maintenance

the ongoing process of keeping a system, machine, or software in good working condition

testing

evaluating the solution by running the program with different inputs to ensure it produces the expected outputs and behaves correctly

What does computational thinking involve?

Solving problems using logical steps. Rationale: Computational thinking involves simplifying problems into logical steps that a computer can execute.

What is the software development lifecycle (SDLC) primarily concerned with?

Managing the software development process from conception to deployment.

What do problem-solving methodologies in computational thinking emphasize?

Approaching problems systematically.

What are the four steps of George Pólya's problem-solving method?

Understanding the problem, devising a plan, executing the plan, and reviewing the solution.

Which step involves coming up with possible strategies to solve the problem?

Devising a plan. Rationale: Devising a plan involves brainstorming and selecting possible strategies to address the problem effectively.

What is the purpose of the maintenance phase in the computer problem-solving process?

To ensure the continued functionality of the software. Rationale: The maintenance phase ensures the continued functionality of the software by making updates and addressing any issues that arise after the software is deployed.

Which step in George Pólya's problem-solving process involves understanding the context of the problem, identifying what is being asked, and recognizing any constraints?

Understanding the problem. Rationale: It focuses on comprehending the problem's context, identifying what is being asked, and recognizing any constraints before devising a plan to solve the problem.

Hannah is troubleshooting a software issue where a program crashes on startup. She needs to identify the root cause of the problem and find a solution. Which step in George Pólya's problem-solving process involves analyzing the software issue to determine the cause and develop a solution?

Understanding the problem.

Ahmed needs to optimize the performance of a web application that is experiencing slow loading times. Which step in George Pólya's problem-solving process involves analyzing the factors contributing to the slow loading times and devising strategies to improve performance?

Devising a plan. Rationale: Involves strategizing how to approach solving the problem, such as identifying performance bottlenecks and implementing optimizations.

Mei needs to design an algorithm to sort a large dataset efficiently. Which step in George Pólya's problem-solving process involves understanding the requirements of the sorting algorithm and devising a plan to implement it?

Devising a plan. Rationale: Involves strategizing how to approach solving the problem, such as identifying performance bottlenecks and implementing optimizations.