APCSP - Unit 3 Vocabulary Flashcards

Vocabulary flashcards covering key computer science terminology, data types, variable rules, operators, geometry graphics, and FRQ command terms for APCSP Unit 3.

Compiler

A special program that takes care of converting programs into binary machine code.

Variable

An abstraction inside a program that stores information in data storage representing one value at a time (or a collection of values) so that it can be used later.

Algorithm

A self-contained step-by-step set of instructions to solve a problem or accomplish a task, which can be constructed using sequencing, selection, and iteration.

String

An ordered sequence of characters.

Concatenation

The operation that joins together two or more strings end-to-end to make a new string.

Input Function

A function that prints a prompt and retrieves text from the user.

Mouse Events

Actions performed when a user does something with a mouse, such as clicking or moving.

Callback Function

A function that gets called by a program in response to some event.

Integer Data Type

A data type used when a value represents a whole number or countable quantity, such as the number of students, tickets, or complete groups.

Float Data Type

A data type used when a value can contain a decimal, such as a temperature, measurement, average, or price.

String Data Type

A data type used when a value represents text, such as a name, username, or message.

Appropriate Variable Name

A variable name that clearly and specifically describes the value being stored.

User Input

Information the user directly enters or selects while using the program.

Return Value of input()

The input() function always returns user input as a string.

int(input())

A combination that gets input from the user and converts that input into an integer.

float(input())

A combination that gets input from the user and converts it into a float so decimal values can be used in calculations.

Variable Reassignment

The process where a variable's old value is replaced by a new value. The right side of the assignment statement is calculated first, then stored in the left variable.

Variable Tracing

Going through code one line at a time and updating each variable's value immediately, always using its most recently assigned value.

Operator Precedence

The order of mathematical operations: Parentheses (), Exponents **, Modulo/Multiplication/Division (evaluated left to right), and Addition/Subtraction (evaluated left to right).

Regular Division (/)

Division operation that creates a floating-point number.

Floor Division (//)

Division operation that creates an integer and rounds down to the nearest whole number.

Modulo Operator (%)

An arithmetic operator that returns the remainder after division.

Exponentiation (**)

An arithmetic operator used to raise a number to a power.

Even Divisibility Test

If $n \% 3 = 0$, then $n$ is evenly divisible by 3 (the remainder is 0).

Nested Procedures

When one supplied procedure appears inside another, the inner procedure must be evaluated first.

Procedure Argument Order

The requirement that each argument in a procedure call must match its exact position in the procedure definition.

Circle Coordinates

On a coordinate graph, the $(x, y)$ values of a circle represent its center point.

Radius

The distance measured from the center of a circle to its edge.

Diameter

The distance all the way across a circle, which is equal to twice the radius.

Circle Centered at (4, 6) with Radius 2

Means the center is at $(4, 6)$, and the edge of the circle is 2 units away from the center.

FRQ Prompt: IDENTIFY

An FRQ directive requiring you to state the requested information directly and accurately.

FRQ Prompt: DESCRIBE

An FRQ directive requiring details about what something is or does, including how the relevant expression determines its value.

FRQ Prompt: EXPLAIN

An FRQ directive requiring you to connect cause and effect by showing how or why one part of the program leads to the requested result.

Difference Between DESCRIBE and EXPLAIN

DESCRIBE tells what the expression does and how it determines the value; EXPLAIN connects that value to what happens in the program or what is displayed.