Introduction to Computers and Programming

These flashcards cover essential terms and definitions related to the introduction of computers and programming, including key concepts in hardware, software, and programming languages.

Program

A set of instructions that a computer follows to perform a task.

Software

Commonly referred to as programs, it is the collection of instructions that allow a computer to perform tasks.

Hardware

The physical devices that make up a computer.

CPU (Central Processing Unit)

The part of the computer that actually runs programs and is the most important component.

Main Memory (RAM)

Where a computer stores a program while it is running and the data used by that program.

Secondary Storage

Can hold data for long periods of time, such as programs stored on disk drives.

Input Device

A component that collects data from users and other devices, e.g., keyboard or mouse.

Output Device

Formats and presents output from the computer, e.g., video display or printer.

High-Level Language

A programming language that allows easy creation of programs without needing to understand CPU architecture.

Compiler

A program that translates high-level programming language into machine language.

Interpreter

A program that translates and executes instructions in a high-level language one at a time.

Byte

A unit of digital information that consists of 8 bits, enough to store one character.

ASCII

A character encoding standard for electronic communication that defines codes for 128 characters.

Unicode

A character encoding standard that can represent characters from many languages and is compatible with ASCII.

Fetch-Decode-Execute Cycle

The process by which the CPU retrieves an instruction from memory (fetch), interprets it (decode), and performs the operation (execute).