Lecture Notes Review: Computer Architecture & Programming Fundamentals (Video)

A set of fill-in-the-blank flashcards covering compiler, CPU, memory, algorithmic thinking, and basic programming concepts.

A compiler is a tool that converts a program into low-level machine instructions __.

understood by a computer

C++ is a compiled language – the code is not interpreted until it is compiled; one advantage is that it is __.

fast and space efficient

The file extension for C++ source code is __.

.cpp

The file extension for object code is __.

.obj

The file extension for executable code is __.

.exe

The CPU is the brain of the computer; a transistor is a __.

switch

The CPU has two parts: __ and the Arithmetic & Logic Unit.

Control unit

The Arithmetic & Logic Unit is optimized for high-speed numeric calculations and __ decisions.

true/false, yes/no

The Core is the physical processing unit of the CPU; Traditionally the 1945 __, the CPU contained ONE core.

Von Neumann Architecture

The solution to the power wall is __ processors.

multicore

Parallel Programming or Parallel Computing: Code can be written so that the instructions are executed in __ if there are more than one processor.

parallel (at the same time)

Sequential computing: standard programming model where the computer executes each operation of the program in __.

order

Memory is a circuit that can store 0s and 1s in an addressed location; Each section is 1 __.

byte

Programming is largely about __.

problem solving

An __ is a methodical set of steps to solve a problem.

algorithm

Computational thinking is the process of approaching a problem in a __ manner (step-by-step) and creating and expressing an algorithm that can be carried out by a computer.

systematic

Decomposition: take ideas and problems __.

apart

Pattern recognition: __ is the process of looking for similarities or trends.

Pattern recognition

Algorithmic design: __ is the process of creating step-by-step instructions.

Algorithmic design

Abstraction: __ is the process of focusing on what’s important.

Abstraction

Code: programming statements that follow the instructions in the __.

algorithm

Machine language is the elemental language of computers that is read by the CPU; long sequences of __.

ones and zeros

Program: runnable code (.exe) or executable file; also known as __.

app, application, software