Computational Thinking and Programming Basics

A comprehensive set of vocabulary flashcards derived from the lecture notes on computational thinking and programming basics.

Computer

A programmable electronic device designed to accept data, perform operations, and display results.

Hardware

The physical components of a computing system, such as circuit boards, wires, and keyboards.

Software

The programs that provide instructions for a computer to execute.

CPU

Central Processing Unit, the core component of a computer that performs arithmetic and logic operations.

ALU

Arithmetic and Logic Unit, part of the CPU that carries out arithmetic and logic operations.

Binary System

A numbering system that uses only two digits: 0 and 1.

Decimal System

A numbering system that uses ten digits: 0-9.

Hexadecimal System

A base-16 numbering system that uses digits 0-9 and letters A-F.

Programming Language

A formal language comprising a set of instructions that can be used to produce various kinds of output.

Compiler

A program that translates high-level programming languages into machine code.

Interpreter

A program that directly executes instructions written in a programming language without converting them to machine code.

Machine Language

A low-level programming language consisting of binary code that the CPU can execute directly.

Assembly Language

A low-level language that uses mnemonics to represent machine-level instructions.

High-Level Language

A programming language that is easy for humans to read and write.

Syntactic Error

A mistake in the code that violates the rules of the programming language.

Semantic Error

An error that occurs when the program runs successfully but produces incorrect results.

Turing Completeness

A property of a programming language that can simulate a Universal Turing Machine.

Universal Turing Machine (UTM)

A theoretical machine that can simulate any other Turing machine.

Algorithm

A step-by-step procedure for solving a problem or performing a computation.

Data Representation

How data is formatted and processed in a computing system.

Dynamic Typing

A feature of some programming languages where variable types are determined at runtime.

Static Semantics

Rules that define which syntactically valid strings have meaning.

Object-Oriented Programming

A programming paradigm based on the concept of objects, which can contain data and code.

Boolean Logic

A form of algebra that deals with true or false values.

Debugging

The process of finding and fixing errors in software.

Source Code

The original code written by a programmer in a programming language.

Expression

A combination of values and operators that results in a value.

Statement

A single instruction in a program that performs a specific action.

Variable

A storage location paired with an associated name that contains some known or unknown quantity.

Library

A collection of pre-written code that can be used by programs to perform common tasks.

Framework

A platform for developing software applications that includes libraries and tools.

Source Control

The management of changes to documents, computer programs, and other collections of information.

Continuous Integration

A development practice of merging code changes frequently, leading to more reliable software.

Data Structure

A specific way of organizing and storing data in a computer so that it can be accessed and modified efficiently.

Operating System (OS)

Software that manages computer hardware and software resources and provides common services for computer programs.

User Interface (UI)

The space where interactions between humans and computers occur.

Network Protocol

A set of rules or standards that define how data is transmitted over a network.

Agile Development

An iterative approach to software development that emphasizes flexibility and customer satisfaction.

Software Development Life Cycle (SDLC)

A process for planning, creating, testing, and deploying software.

Version Control

A system that records changes to a file or set of files over time.

Machine Code

The lowest-level programming language, consisting of binary or hexadecimal instructions that the CPU can execute.

Byte Code

An intermediate representation of code which is not directly executable but can be executed by a virtual machine.

Functional Programming

A programming paradigm that treats computation as the evaluation of mathematical functions.

Recursion

A programming technique where a function calls itself in order to solve a problem.

Syntax

The set of rules that defines the combinations of symbols that are considered to be correctly structured programs.

Loop

A programming construct that repeats a block of code as long as a specified condition is true.

Exception Handling

A programming construct that handles exceptions or errors that occur during program execution.

API (Application Programming Interface)

A set of rules and tools for building software applications.