CS50 Week 0: Introduction to Computer Science

Vocabulary terms and definitions from the introductory lecture of CS50, covering basic computer science concepts, binary representation, and programming logic.

CS50

Harvard University's introduction to the intellectual enterprises of computer science and the arts of programming.

Computational Thinking

The application of ideas from computer science to solve problems generally in the real world.

Bit

Short for binary digit, the smallest unit of information in a computer, representing a $0$ or a $1$.

Byte

A unit of digital information that consists of $8$ bits.

Binary

Otherwise known as base two, a number system that uses only two digits, $0$ and $1$, to represent information.

Transistors

Millions of tiny switches inside a computer that represent data by turning on to allow electricity to flow or turning off to dissipate it.

ASCII

The American Standard Code for Information Interchange; a system that maps specific patterns of zeros and ones to English characters.

Unicode

A superset of ASCII that uses more bits ($16$, $24$, or $32$) to represent all human languages, symbols, and emoji.

Emoji

Standardized patterns of zeros and ones that are displayed as colorful, graphical characters or icons.

Pixel

Individual dots or squares that collectively compose an image, with colors often represented by a combination of red, green, and blue (RGB).

RGB

A color model that uses three bytes of data to represent the intensity of red, green, and blue to create various colors.

Algorithm

Step-by-step instructions for solving a problem.

Pseudocode

An English-like or human-like formulation of step-by-step instructions for an algorithm.

Function

A verb or action in programming that performs a specific piece of work.

Argument

An input to a function that influences its behavior, such as specific text to be displayed or spoken.

Side Effect

An observable result of a function, such as text appearing on a screen or a sound playing from a speaker.

Return Value

Information handed back by a function to the program that can be stored or used for further processing.

Variable

A named placeholder used in a program to store a value, such as a number or a piece of text.

Boolean Expression

A question that results in a binary answer, such as true or false, yes or no, or $1$ or $0$.

Conditionals

Programming constructs that allow a program to follow different paths or make decisions based on whether a condition is met.

Loop

A programming construct that induces cyclical behavior, allowing a set of instructions to repeat multiple times or forever.

Compiler

A program that translates source code written in a high-level language like C into low-level instructions the computer understands, such as zeros and ones.

Abstraction

The process of hiding low-level implementation details to allow programmers to build more complex systems using simpler building blocks.

Sprite

A character or object in a graphical programming environment, like the Scratch cat, that can be programmed and animated.

System Prompt

Standardized instructions provided to an artificial intelligence to dictate its behavior, personality, or constraints.