APCSP 1st 9 weeks exam

Overflow Error

an error that occurs when calculated data cannot fit within the designated field.  

Roundoff Error

error that is produced when a computer is used to perform real number calculations because many real numbers can not be represented exactly on a computer. 

Underflow Error

 occurs in a computer or similar device when a mathematical operation results in a number which is smaller than what the device is capable of storing. 

Heuristic

a problem solving approach (algorithm) to find a satisfactory solution where finding an optimal or exact solution is impractical or impossible.

Lossless Compression

a data compression algorithm that allows the original data to be perfectly reconstructed from the compressed data.

Lossy Compression

a data encoding and compression technique that deliberately discards some data in the compression process

Bit

(short for binary digit) is the smallest unit of data in a computer. A bit has a single binary value, either 0 or 1

Byte

 a unit of data that is eight binary digits long. Bytes are often used to represent a character such as a letter, number, space

Binary

a numbering scheme in which there are only two possible values for each digit: 0 and 1.

Bandwidth

the maximum amount of data that can be sent in a fixed amount of time, usually measured in bits per second.

URL

 uniform resource locator

Packet

a small chunk of any kind of data: text, numbers, lists, etc

Redundant

There are multiple pathways among the physical connections of the Internet to create redundancy. Even if one pathway is unavailable, there is still another way to transmit a message from sender to receiver (as shown right).

Expression

a combination of operators and values that evaluates to a single value.

Variable

 an abstraction inside the program that can hold a value. Each variable has associated data storage that represents one value at a time.

Assignment operator

allows a program to change the value represented by a variable.

Increment

add one to a number

Assignment

storing or updating a value in a named variable

Statement

a line of executable code

Sequential

execution of an algorithm or program, step by step, from top to bottom, where one line of code finishes before the one below it begins. One of the 3 fundamental algorithms or programming structures.

Operators

are used to script math equations and string handling

Iteration

the fundamental program structure that repeats an algorithm for a purpose - either a set number of times or until a condition is met. One of the 3 fundamental algorithm or programming structures.