CAT Grade 11 Paper 2 (Theory) Comprehensive Study Flashcards

Comprehensive vocabulary flashcards covering the Computer Applications Technology (CAT) Grade 11 Paper 2 Theory syllabus, including hardware, networking, social implications, and software concepts.

Data

Raw, unorganized facts, numbers, or symbols.

Information

Processed, organized, and structured data that has context and is useful for decision making.

L1 (Knowledge/Remembering)

A cognitive demand level focused on basic definitions and recalling facts.

L2 (Understanding/Applying)

A cognitive demand level focused on explaining concepts and applying knowledge to simple scenarios.

L3 (Analysing/Evaluating/Creating)

A cognitive demand level focused on complex problem solving, comparing, and providing motivated opinions.

Input Devices

Hardware used for sending data to a computer, such as a Keyboard, Mouse, Scanner, or Microphone.

Output Devices

Hardware used for getting information from a computer, such as a Monitor, Printer, or Speakers.

Hard Disk Drive (HDD)

A storage device using magnetic platters with moving read/write heads; it is fragile and susceptible to physical shocks.

Solid State Drive (SSD)

A rugged storage device using electronic microchips (flash memory) with no moving parts, offering significantly faster boot times.

Resolution

The amount of detail a screen can display, measured in pixels.

CPU Speed

Measured in Gigahertz ($GHz$), it represents how many billions of cycles per second the processor can execute.

CPU Core

An independent processing unit; multi-core processors allow for multitasking and faster processing.

RAM (Random Access Memory)

Temporary, volatile storage measured in Gigabytes ($GB$) where the CPU fetches instructions and open programs.

ROM (Read-Only Memory)

Non-volatile memory chip containing the BIOS/UEFI and boot instructions to start the computer.

Motherboard

The large printed circuit board that connects all components together so they can communicate.

HDMI

High-Definition Multimedia Interface; a cable that carries high-quality video and audio signals in one cable.

USB-C

A reversible, fast connector that can carry data, power, and video simultaneously.

DisplayPort

A connection type similar to HDMI that often supports higher refresh rates and multiple monitors on one cable.

Lumens

A measure of brightness; a higher count means a projector can be used in brighter rooms.

Keystoning

An issue where a projected image is wider at the top or bottom; fixed by adjusting the keystone setting.

DSLR

Digital Single-Lens Reflex; a high-quality camera with interchangeable lenses and manual controls.

Optical Zoom

Magnification that uses physical movement of glass lenses to enlarge a subject without losing quality.

Digital Zoom

Magnification that crops the image and enlarges pixels, resulting in a blurry or pixelated image.

Megapixels (MP)

A unit of resolution where $1\,MP$ equals $1$ million pixels.

ISO

The sensitivity of an image sensor to light; low values are for bright daylight, while high values are for dark rooms.

Video on Demand (VOD)

Systems that allow users to select and watch video content whenever they want rather than at scheduled times.

LAN (Local Area Network)

A network covering a small geographical area like a school or office, allowing for hardware and file sharing.

UTP Cable

Unshielded Twisted Pair; copper wiring transmitting electrical signals, limited to $\sim 100\,m$ and susceptible to interference.

Fibre Optic Cable

Transmission medium using light pulses over thin glass strands; immune to electromagnetic interference (EMI) and lightning.

VPN (Virtual Private Network)

A technology that encrypts internet traffic to protect data on public networks.

Task Definition

An outline of the research problem, focus, and target audience used to guide an investigation.

Closed Questions

Survey questions providing specific options (Yes/No, Multiple Choice) that are easy to analyze and graph.

Open Questions

Survey questions allowing free-text answers; good for gathering opinions but difficult to analyze statistically.

CRAAP Test

A tool for evaluating source reliability based on Authority, Currency, Accuracy, and Objectivity.

Phishing

A scam where fake emails pretend to be from a bank to steal login credentials.

Pharming

A social engineering attack where malicious code redirects a user to a fake website even if they typed the correct URL.

Ransomware

Malware that encrypts files and demands payment, usually in Bitcoin, for the unlock key.

Geo-tagging

Attaching GPS coordinates to photos; a security risk because it reveals your exact location to strangers.

Green Computing

Practices aimed at reducing environmental damage, such as recycling e-waste and using power-saving modes.

Ergonomics

The science of designing the workplace to be comfortable and safe to prevent RSI and Carpal Tunnel Syndrome.

Primary Key

A field that uniquely identifies each record in a database table.

Lookup Field

In Access, a field that creates a drop-down list of values to speed up data entry and prevent errors.

NAME?

An Excel error caused by a typing error in the name of a formula.

REF!

An Excel error caused by an invalid cell reference, usually due to a deleted row or column.

DIV/0!

An Excel error caused by attempting to divide a number by zero or an empty cell.

#

An Excel display error occurring when a column is too narrow to display a number.

COUNT

An Excel function that only counts cells that contain numbers.

COUNTA

An Excel function that counts all cells that are not empty (containing numbers or text).

NFC (Near Field Communication)

A short-range wireless standard used for tap-to-pay with smartphones.

Shaping

An ISP practice of giving priority to certain types of traffic, such as Zoom calls over Torrents.

Throttling

The deliberate slowing down of an internet connection by an ISP because a data cap has been exceeded.

IoT (Internet of Things)

Everyday physical objects connected to the internet to exchange data.

Plug and Play (PnP)

Technology that allows an operating system to automatically detect and configure new hardware without user intervention.

Device Drivers

Small software programs that tell the Operating System how to communicate with specific hardware.

Big Data

Massive datasets analyzed by computers to reveal patterns, trends, and human behavior.