2.1 (computational thinking)

what is computational thinking?

problem solving methods to break down and solve complex problems

what is abstraction?

ignoring insignificant details of a problem

what is decomposition?

breaking down a problem into smaller problems

benefits of abstraction?

it simplifies the problem

benefits of decomposition?

it is simplified and multiple parts of problem can be worked on at once

what is algorithmic thinking?

finding a solution by identifying the steps to it

benefits of algorithmic thinking

solutions are automated

what is pattern recognition?

finding similarities in decomposed problems

benefits of pattern recognition?

problems are solved faster as they have similar solutions

what are the 2 types of search algorithms?

binary and linear

how does a binary search work?

1. it finds the midpoint of an organised list

2. it asks if the input if higher or lower

3. if higher, it discards the left side of the list

4. this is continued until input is found

benefits of a binary search?

efficient on large data sets and midpoint can be found quickly

disadvantages of a binary search?

it must be in chronological order before hand

how does a linear search work?

it compares the input with every item in the list from the beginning, in consecutive order

benefits of a linear search?

works on small data sets / if input is at the start of list and in any order

disadvantages of a linear search?

slow on large data sets

what are the 3types of sorting algorithms?

merge, bubble and insertion sort

how does merge sort work?

1. it halves the list until all items are individual

2. individual items are then put back into pairs and sorted

3. the algorithm continues to merge the mini data sets and sort them

4. this is done until all lists are sorted and are merged into a full sorted list

how do bubble sorts work ?

1. from the beginning of the list, the first item is compared with the next consecutive item in the list

2. if item is bigger than the next, it is sorted

3. this is continued until the first item is fully sorted

4. this is repeated until items are sorted

how does an insertion sort work?

1. the first value is linearly compared with the next consecutive value in the list and is swapped if it is bigger

2. it is focused on this item until it is in its correct place of the list

3. once one item is sorted, the list is expanded and this process repeats