Topic 4—Computational thinking, problem-solving and programming

Sub-procedures

In computer programming, a subprocedure is a sequence of program instructions that perform a specific task, packaged as a unit.

AND

The output is true when A and B is true.

OR

The output is true when A is true or B is true, or both are true.

NOT

The output is true when the input is false (unary operator).

NAND

The output is true only when when A and B are false

NOR

The output is true when A and B are false.

XOR

The output is true when only A or B is true (Note the "or both" condition does not apply).

Gantt Chart

A chart in which a series of horizontal lines shows the amount of work done or production completed in certain periods of time in relation to the amount planned for those periods.

Abstraction

The process of abstraction in programming is used to hide certain details and only show the essential features of the object.

Array

A data structure consisting of a collection of elements identified by an index or key.

Sequential search

This is a method for finding a target value within a list. It searches through teach element one by one until the target value is found.

Binary search

A search algorithm that finds the position of a target value within a sorted array. It uses a divide an conquer approach.

Bubble sort

This is a simple sorting algorithm that repeatedly steps through the list to be sorted, compares each pair of adjacent items and swaps them if they are in the wrong order.

Selection sort

This is a simple algorithm starts by finding the minimum value in the array and moving it to the first position. This step is then repeated for the second lowest value, then the third, and so on until the array is sorted.

Pseudocode

A notation resembling a simplified programming language, used in program design.

Flowchart

A graphical representation of a computer program in relation to its sequence of functions.

Higher level language

A programming language that is closer to human languages than machine languages.

Compiler

A special program that processes statements written in a particular programming language and turns them into machine language

Interpreter

A program that can analyze and execute a program line by line.

Virtual machine

A virtual machine is a software computer that, like a physical computer, runs an operating system and applications.

Variable

A storage location paired with an associated symbolic name (an identifier), which contains some known or unknown quantity of information referred to as a value.

Constant

A value that cannot be altered by the program during normal execution.

Operator

A symbol such as +, −, ×, etc

Object

A particular instance of a class which can be a combination of variables, functions, and data structures.

mod

It finds the remainder after division of one number by another

div

Integer division.

FOR loop

This statement provides a compact way to iterate over a range of values.

WHILE loop

This statement continually executes a block of statements while a particular condition is true.

Precondition

A condition that must be fulfilled before other things can happen or be done.

Postcondition

A condition that must always be true just after the execution of some section of code or after an operation in a formal specification.

Concurrent processes

Several computations are executed during overlapping time periods

Stepwise refinement

A way of developing a computer program by first describing general functions, then breaking each function down into details which are refined in successive steps until the whole program is fully defined.

Exceptions

An event, which occurs during the execution of a program, that disrupts the normal flow of the program's instructions.