3.1.1 - 3.2.3 APCSE

spreadsheets

A program that helps efficiently organize and find trends in information.

information

The collection of facts and patterns extracted from data.

correlation

An association between two or more things. Digitally processed data may show a correlation between variables. A correlation found in data does not necessarily indicate that a causal relationship exists. Additional research is needed to understand the exact nature of the relationship.

continuous

Varying smoothly from one value to another. Opposite of discrete.

analog

A continuous method of representing information.

discrete

Jumping from one value to another without taking on all intermediate values. Opposite of continuous.

linear search

A search in which algorithms check each element of a list in order until the desired value is found or all elements in the list have been checked. Also called a "sequential search."

binary search

A method that works on sorted data. It compares the middle element of the data set to its search value to determine the next search set, cutting the search set in half at each iteration.

big data

Data that are beyond the resources of one computer to store, especially intensive to analyze, or difficult to reconcile among complementary data sets.

distributed

When storage or processing is handled by multiple independent machines in a coordinated fashion.

artificial intelligence

Intelligent behavior demonstrated by machines, in contrast to the natural intelligence of humans.

algorithmic efficiency

An estimation of the amount of computational resources used by an algorithm. Efficiency is typically expressed as a function of the size of the input and describes how quickly an algorithm executes.

problem

A general description of a task that can (or cannot) be solved algorithmically. An instance of a problem also includes specific input. For example, sorting is a problem; sorting the list (2,3,1,7) is an instance of the problem.

reasonable time

Algorithms with efficiencies that grow at a polynomial rate or slower (constant, linear, square, cube, etc.) are said to run in a reasonable amount of time.

binary search

A method that works on sorted data. It compares the middle element of the data set to its search value to determine the next search set, cutting the search set in half at each iteration.

linear search

A search in which algorithms check each element of a list in order until the desired value is found or all elements in the list have been checked. Also called a "sequential search."