Algorithmic Thinking and Design

Flashcards covering key vocabulary and concepts from the lecture on Algorithmic Thinking and Design, including programming basics, pseudocode elements, and control structures.

Algorithmic Thinking

The ability to analyze and solve computational problems at a level of abstraction, without requiring implementation details.

Programming

The process of telling a computer what you want it to do.

Ada Lovelace

Considered the first computer programmer, associated with the Analytical Engine.

Natural Language

A language easy for humans but error-prone for computers when used for instructions.

Machine Language

A language easy for computers but error-prone for humans trying to write instructions.

High-level Language

A language that presents an acceptable tradeoff, with some difficulty for both humans and computers, but more efficient than natural or machine language for programming.

Algorithm

A step-by-step process of solving a problem.

Algorithm Development

A three-step process involving Analyze, Solve, and Evaluate, with feedback loops to refine the solution.

Computational Thinking (CT)

A set of problem-solving methods that involves expressing problems and their solutions in a way that can be translated to an algorithm and solved using a computer.

Stages of CT

Abstraction (problem formulation), Automation (expressing a machine-executable solution), and Analyses (solution execution and evaluation).

Pseudo Language (Pseudocode)

An informal high-level description of a computer program, intended for human reading rather than machine execution, which uses structural conventions similar to a programming language.

Software Design Cycle

A process where a pseudo language helps express the algorithm, aiding in avoiding expensive errors prior to coding.

Variable

An entity in programming that may change its value.

Constant

A value in programming that does not change.

Expression

Variables, constants, and operators grouped together to show the value of something.

Boolean Expression

An expression that evaluates to either TRUE or FALSE.

Statement

A combination of expressions that performs an action.

READ (Pseudocode)

An I/O operation in pseudocode that reads a value into a variable, typically from memory or an input device.

DISPLAY (Pseudocode)

An I/O operation in pseudocode that outputs a variable or constant to an output device.

SET (Pseudocode)

An initialization statement in pseudocode used to assign a value to a variable.

COMPUTE (Pseudocode)

A statement in pseudocode used to compute an expression and assign its result to a variable.

IF-THEN (Pseudocode)

A flow control statement for one-way branching, executing statements only if a Boolean expression is TRUE.

IF-THEN-ELSE (Pseudocode)

A flow control statement for two-way branching, executing one set of statements if a Boolean condition is TRUE and another if it is FALSE.

NESTED IF-THEN-ELSE (Pseudocode)

A flow control structure for multi-way branching, involving an IF-THEN-ELSE statement contained within another ELSE clause.

WHILE loop (Pseudocode)

An iteration control structure that repeatedly executes a sequence of statements as long as a Boolean expression remains TRUE.

REPEAT-UNTIL loop (Pseudocode)

An iteration control structure that executes a sequence of statements at least once and then repeats them until a Boolean expression becomes TRUE.

ADD (Pseudocode)

A statement in pseudocode used to increment a variable by a specified value.

SUBTRACT (Pseudocode)

A statement in pseudocode used to decrement a variable by a specified value.

NESTED-FOR (Pseudocode)

A control structure where one FOR loop is repeated entirely within another FOR loop.

NESTED-FOR-IF (Pseudocode)

A control structure where an IF condition check is performed within a FOR loop.

Comparison Operators

Operators (e.g., is, !=,

Modulus Operator (%)

An arithmetic operator that returns the remainder of a division operation.