AP Computer Science Principles Vocabulary

A complete set of vocabulary flashcards covering key computer science principles and programming concepts from the AP CSP lecture notes.

computer science

the study of the ideas, ways of thinking, languages, software, and hardware needed to solve problems with computers.

Imagination Age

a theoretical period beyond the information age where creativity and imagination will become the primary creators of economic value.

Information Age

a shift in human history from traditional industry to an economy based on information computerization using analysis and thinking - AKA: Digital Age

program

a systematic plan or sequence of instructions for a computer to solve a problem.

programming

the action or process of writing computer programs.

computational thinking

understanding the logic and processes computers use to solve problems and run programs.

innovating

the process of imagining something that does not yet exist, but that has potential value, and making it real through the application of design, implementation, and production

iteration

repeatedly applying a process with the goal of coming closer and closer to a solution; or repetition - one complete step of a loop, repeated until a certain condition is met.

iterative development process

the process by which computer programs are designed, developed and tested in repeated cycles

debug

to identify and remove errors from a computer program

algorithm

a finite set of instructions that accomplish a specific task.

sequencing

executes statements one at a time - in order, one after another.

selection

uses "if…then" to tell a computer how to select a step or to tell the sequence that it should be executed.

imperative statement

a command statement with a verb phrase that indicates an operation to perform (example: move forward).

descriptive qualifier

a specific adverb or adjective that further qualifies or limits the meaning of a word (example: left shoe).

natural language

a complex, but structured language, both written and spoken, that has evolved naturally in humans through use, repetition, and adaptation.

binary

machine code that is a direct, low-level translation from the high-level source code, and is a pattern of 0s and 1s.

abstraction

the process of removing or suppressing details to create a manageable level of complexity.

artificial language

a limited size language, usually developed by a small group for specific purposes. Usually much simpler and structured.

ambiguity

uncertainty or being open to more than one interpretation.

visual programming language

a programming language that lets users drag and drop icons into organized blocks of code to create programs rather than typing text.

high-level language

a programming language that is easier for humans to read, write, and parse. Guaranteed to be unambiguous.

low-level language

a programming language that has little or no abstraction and communicates closely to the hardware using machine language. Less natural for humans.

compilation

the process of source code being translated into machine code.

bit

binary digit - a 0 or 1.

source code

programs written in high-level languages.

machine code

machine-level instructions that are uniquely read by computer processors using patterns of 1s and 0s.