Final AP CSP '24

Abstraction

The process of reducing complexity by removing unnecessary details to focus on essential features.

Algorithm

A step-by-step procedure or formula for solving a problem.

Ambiguity

The quality of being open to more than one interpretation; in computing, it refers to issues that can arise in code or logic.

Boolean

A data type that has two possible values: true or false.

Debug

The process of identifying and removing errors or bugs from a computer program.

Float

A data type that represents real numbers and can contain fractions.

High-level Language

A programming language that is user-friendly (readable/easiest for humans to understand), often abstracting away the hardware details.

Example: Text-based code

Input

The data fed into a program for processing.

Integer

A data type used to represent whole numbers.

Iteration

The process of repeating a set of instructions until a specific condition is met.

Loop

A programming structure that repeats a sequence of instructions.

Low-level Language

A programming language that is closer to machine code and hardware operations.

Output

The data produced by a program after processing the input.

Program

A set of instructions that a computer follows to perform a task.

Program documentation

Written text that explains the purpose, functionality, and usage of a program.

Selection

A programming structure that chooses between different paths of execution based on conditions.

Sequencing

The order in which instructions are executed in a program.

String

A sequence of characters used to represent text.

Variable

A named storage location in a program that can hold different values during execution.

Conditionals

Statements that perform different actions based on whether a specified condition is true or false.

Flowchart

A visual representation of a process or algorithm, using symbols to denote operations and flow direction.

Heuristics

Problem-solving methods that use practical approaches and shortcuts to find adequate solutions.

If block or statement

A conditional statement that executes a certain block of code if a specified condition is true.

If else block or statement

A conditional statement that executes one block of code if a condition is true and another block if it is false.

Indefinite Loop

A loop that continues until it is explicitly terminated, often based on an external condition.

Parameter

A variable used in a function that allows the user to pass data into that function.

Procedure

A set of coded instructions that performs a specific task, also known as a function or method.

ASCII

A character encoding standard that uses numerical values to represent text in computers.

Binary code

A system of representing data using two symbols, typically 0 and 1.

Bit

The smallest unit of data in a computer, representing a binary value of either 0 or 1.

Bit sequence

A sequence of bits that can represent various forms of data.

Bitstring

A contiguous sequence of bits.

Decimal

A base-10 numeral system that uses digits from 0 to 9.

Element

An individual item within a data structure, such as in a list or array.

Index value

A numerical representation of the position of an element in a data structure.

List

A data structure that holds an ordered collection of items.

Simulate

To imitate the operation of a real-world process or system using a computer program.