Study Guide for Computing Units 1-9

Fetch-Decode-Execute-Store

The basic cycle of how computers process information.

Binary Number System

A base 2 system used by computers to represent data.

1 byte

Equals 8 bits.

Lossy Compression

A data compression method that reduces file size by removing some data.

Lossless Compression

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

CPU

the primary component of a computer that performs most of the processing.

HDD

a traditional storage device using spinning disks to read/write data.

SSD

Solid State Drive, a storage device that uses flash memory to store data.

Terminal

A text-based method of interacting with a computer.

GUI

Graphical User Interface, a visual way of interacting with a computer using windows, icons, and menus.

Logic Gates

Basic components of digital circuits used to perform logical operations.

AND Gate

A logic gate that outputs true only if all inputs are true.

OR Gate

A logic gate that outputs true if at least one input is true.

NOT Gate

A logic gate that outputs the inverse of the input.

Modem

A device that modulates and demodulates signals for data transmission.

Router

A device that routes data between networks.

UDP

User Datagram Protocol, a fast but unreliable data transfer method.

TCP

Transmission Control Protocol, a reliable but slower data transfer method.

Cookies

Small data files stored on the user's computer by the web browser.

Encryption

A method of securing data by converting it into a coded format.

DDoS Attack

Distributed Denial of Service, an attempt to make a machine or network resource unavailable.

Phishing

A fraudulent attempt to obtain sensitive information by disguising as a trustworthy entity.

Function

A block of code that performs a specific task and can be reused.

Variables

Storage locations identified by a name that hold data which can be changed during program execution.

Flow Chart

A diagram that represents a process or algorithm.

Loop

A programming construct that repeats a group of commands.

Function Parameters

Variables that are passed to a function to define its behavior.

Variable-Length Arguments

Allows a function to accept a variable number of arguments.