CSE101: Introduction to Computer Science Flashcards

A set of vocabulary flashcards covering the basics of computer science, including hardware/software definitions, data representation, OS functions, and algorithm components.

Computer Science (CS)

The study of processes that interact with data and that can be represented as data in the form of programs.

Input Unit

A unit that takes data or information from the user and stores it into the memory in the form of digital data.

Processing Unit

The component that performs processes as per the instructions or program given to the computer.

Output Unit

A unit (e.g., monitor, printer) that provides the results of the computer process to the users.

Central Processing Unit (CPU)

The workhouse of a computer system; the component that executes a program by performing arithmetic and logical operations on data.

Memory Unit

The storage area where all inputs are stored before processing and outputs are stored after processing.

Arithmetic and Logical Unit (ALU)

The part of the CPU responsible for performing arithmetic operations (like addition) and logical operations (like identification of the greater number).

ASCII

American Standard Code for Information Interchange; a code used for data representation of characters in a computer.

Image Data Representation

Data stored as a $2D/3D$ matrix of pixels; can be represented as binary (black-white), grayscale ($0-255$), or color (RGB).

Video Data

Dynamic motion of images typically represented at a rate of approximately $30$ fps (frames per second).

Internal Hardware

Hardware surrounded by the computer's casing, such as the Processor, RAM, and Hard disc.

External Hardware

Computer devices that can be seen from the outside, such as the Keyboard, Mouse, Monitor, and Speaker.

Software

A set of instructions, often called a program, that tells the computer how to do certain tasks.

System Software

The operating system and utility programs (including compilers, loaders, linkers, and debuggers) that manage computer resources at a low level.

Application Software

Programs designed for an end user, such as word processors, database systems, and spreadsheet programs.

Device Drivers

System software components that allow input/output devices to communicate with programs and other system components.

Kernel

A program which remains in main memory while the computer is running and directs nonresident programs to perform tasks that support application programs.

Booting Process

The process of transferring the main part of the operating system from secondary storage to RAM when the computer is first turned on.

Process

An instance of a program running in a computer, associated with a particular set of data so it can be tracked.

Task

A basic unit of processing that an operating system controls.

Multi-tasking

Running more than one task or process simultaneously by sharing CPU time slices.

Context Switching

Switching from one process or user to another (e.g., from a word processor to a spreadsheet) within RAM.

Data Compression Utility

A program that removes redundant elements and unnecessary data from storage space so that fewer bits are required to store or transmit data.

Defragmenter Utility

A program that finds all scattered files on a hard disk and reorganizes them as contiguous files to improve access speed.

Compiler

A translator that converts the entire source code into machine code in one step (e.g., Java, $C++$).

Interpreter

A translator that converts and executes source code one statement at a time interactively (e.g., Python, GO, R).

Algorithm

A sequence of finite instructions used for calculation and data processing.

Pseudocode

A generic way of describing an algorithm using syntax borrowed from programming languages to help plan program logic.

Flowchart Diamond

A shape used to denote a Decision in a program flow, where one arrow enters and two arrows (Yes/No or True/False) exit.

Loop Initialization

The component of a loop that defines one or more variables to keep track of the loop's execution.