ENAE 380 — Fall 2025 Midterm 1 Review

A set of vocabulary flashcards covering key concepts from ENAE 380 Fall 2025 Midterm 1, including Python syntax, Boolean logic gates, number systems, object-oriented concepts, sorting algorithms, and binary arithmetic representations.

variable_1

A valid variable name in Python that conforms to naming rules by using alphanumeric characters and underscores without starting with a digit or containing hyphens and spaces.

def

The reserved keyword used to define a function in Python.

Class

A programming construct in Python that is not considered a core built-in data type, unlike lists, dictionaries, and tuples.

String Repetition Operator

The multiplication operator (*) used with a string and an integer, such as "Hello" * 3, producing "HelloHelloHello".

Tuple

An immutable Python core sequence data type created using parentheses, such as (1, 2, 3).

==

The relational comparison operator used to check value equality in Python.

lower()

The built-in Python string method used to return a copy of a string converted into lowercase characters.

input()

A built-in Python function that accepts user input and always returns it as a string (str) data type.

complex

The Python numerical data type assigned to values that include a real component and an imaginary component denoted with a j, such as $2 + 3j$.

dict

The core built-in Python collection type used to represent associative mappings of key-value pairs.

2-input XOR Gate

A digital logic gate that outputs $0$ when both of its inputs are set to $1$.

A or not A

A Boolean logic expression that always evaluates to True regardless of the Boolean value of A.

2-input NOR Gate

A digital logic gate that produces an output of $0$ when one input is $1$ and the other input is $0$.

hex()

A built-in Python function that converts an integer to a lowercase hexadecimal string; for example, evaluating the expression for $255$ yields 0xFF.

Hexadecimal Digit B

A base-16 numeral equivalent to decimal $11$, with a 4-bit binary representation of 1011.

0xAB + 0x5

A hexadecimal addition operation evaluating to the sum 0xB0.

0x100 - 0x1

A hexadecimal subtraction operation evaluating to the difference 0xFF.

self

The parameter conventionally used as the first argument in an instance method within a Python class to reference the instance itself.

Private Attribute Notation (Python)

The convention of starting an attribute or method name with two underscores (e.g., __attribute) to designate it as private.

Merge Sort Worst-Case Time Complexity

The upper-bound computational performance for Merge Sort, given as $O(n \times \text{log}(n))$.

Bubble Sort Best-Case Time Complexity

The optimal performance for Bubble Sort when an array is already sorted, given as $O(n)$.

Insertion Sort

An algorithm that builds the final sorted array one item at a time by inserting the current element into its correct position within the sorted portion.

Two's Complement

A signed integer representation method that simplifies addition and subtraction by utilizing the same circuitry for both operations and treating the sign bit like any other bit.

Sign-Magnitude Format

A signed binary representation system where the most significant bit designates the sign while the remaining bits designate the absolute magnitude.

Difference Between Two's Complement and Sign-Magnitude (10110101)

An arithmetic evaluation of the 8-bit binary string 10110101 yielding an absolute difference of $22$ between its two's complement value ($-75$) and its sign-magnitude value ($-53$).

8-bit Floating-Point (00101011)

A floating-point representation with a 1-bit sign, 3-bit exponent, and 4-bit mantissa that evaluates to the decimal value $0.84375$.

8-bit Floating-Point (11101000)

A floating-point representation with a negative sign bit that evaluates to the decimal value $\text{-}12.0$.