Computer Science Essentials - Python Programming Terminology

Flashcards for Python Programming Terminology

debugging

Identifying and fixing errors in computer hardware or programs.

function

A named section of a program that performs a specific task; a block of organized and reusable code.

variables

The smallest unit of data storage that a program can use, stores known or unknown information referred to as a “value.”

underscore_case

A style of writing where the underscore character (_) is substituted for spaces and everything is lowercase.

syntax

The set of rules that defines the combinations of symbols that are considered to be correctly structured in that language; the grammar and spelling of text-based programming languages.

assignment operator

An operator that assigns the value on the right side to the left side, represented by the equal sign (=).

equality operator

An operator that compares two values and returns true or false, represented by a double-equal sign (==).

data type

A classification of data that defines what a data item is, such as integer, float, string, or Boolean.

arguments

The values that a program provides to a function or subroutine.

return value

The value a computer returns after completing a function.

concatenation

A joining together of separate items into one place without changing them.

integer

A whole number that does not have a decimal or any digits after the decimal.

string

Text or characters displayed by a program.

Boolean value

One of two values, such as true or false, that allows a computer to know what step in the conditional statement process to execute next.

float-point

A type of number that provides very precise information by including all the numbers after the decimal.

nesting

Putting a function inside another function or a loop inside another loop; one method is contained within another one.

conditional statement

A programming statement that evaluates a true/false Boolean expression to determine the next steps in a program, often written as if-then or if-then-else statements.

output

Information or signals produced or delivered by a computer system.

abstraction

A technique or process that manages complexity in a program or computer system by hiding details or removing duplication.

list object

A collection of data values that do not have to be the same type.

Element

A single entry of a list. An element can be different data types, such as integer, float, string, or Boolean.

Index

A specific location by order for an individual element in a list.

classes

A template for creating objects, grouping functions and associated data into a cohesive unit.

methods

A function that is a member of a class.

object

An instance of a class.

iteration

A process of repeating a set of instructions a specified number of times or until a condition is met.

for loop

A control flow statement that allows a set of instructions to be executed repeatedly, usually when the number of iterations is predefined.

while loop

A control flow statement that is a repeating if statement, it will continue to execute indefinitely for as long as the condition being evaluated is true.

Modulo

A mathematical operator that performs division but returns the remainder.