Fundamentals of Programming – Vocabulary Flashcards

Vocabulary flashcards covering core terms from Lesson 1 of Fundamentals of Programming, including hardware/software, input-processing-output, memory types, programming concepts, pseudocode, flowcharts, and programming paradigms.

Hardware

The physical devices that make up a computer system (e.g., keyboards, mice, printers); comes in sizes from mainframes to embedded devices.

Software

Computer instructions that tell hardware what to do; programs written by programmers; can be bought or written.

Input

Data items that enter the computer and are placed in memory; input devices include keyboards and mice; data can be text, numbers, images, sounds.

Processing

Operations on data (sorting, checking, calculations) performed by the CPU; may involve multiple processors.

Output

Processed information sent to devices like printers or monitors; can also be stored for later use.

CPU (Central Processing Unit)

The hardware component that performs processing tasks; may be multiple CPUs in some devices.

RAM (Random Access Memory)

Volatile internal storage that holds running programs and data for quick access.

Nonvolatile storage

Permanent storage that retains data when power is lost (e.g., hard drives, flash memory, cloud storage).

Source code

Programming language statements written by the programmer; the text you write.

Object code

Machine-language instructions produced after translating source code.

Compiler

Software that translates source code into machine language and detects syntax errors.

Interpreter

Software that translates and runs code, often translating as the program executes.

Programming language

A language used to write computer instructions (e.g., Java, C++, Visual Basic); requires syntax rules.

Syntax

The rules governing word usage and punctuation in a programming language.

Syntax errors

Mistakes in language usage that prevent translation; typically flagged by a compiler or interpreter.

Text editor

A program used to create simple text files (e.g., Notepad); lightweight and low on disk space.

Integrated Development Environment (IDE)

A package with editor, compiler, debugger, and tools; provides features like syntax highlighting and debugging.

Graphical User Interface (GUI)

A graphical environment for user interaction; input via text boxes, buttons, or pointing devices.

Command line

A text-based interface where users type commands to interact with the OS.

Pseudocode

An English-like representation of the steps to solve a problem; planning tool not bound to exact syntax.

Flowchart

A visual representation of the steps in a program, using shapes and arrows to show flow.

Flowchart symbols

Parallelogram for input/output, rectangle for processing; I/O symbol often used for both input and output.

Start/stop (terminal) symbols

Markers at the beginning and end of a flowchart or pseudocode, often racetrack-shaped.

Module

A named section of code with a return, used to organize programs.

Algorithm

The sequence of steps or rules used to solve a problem.

Desk-checking

Manually tracing the logic on paper before coding to verify correctness.

Program Development Cycle

Seven-step process: understand the problem, plan the logic, code, translate, test, production, maintenance.

Sentinel value

A preselected dummy value used to signal the end of input (e.g., 0, 999); may be eof.

eof (end of file)

Marker indicating the end of data in a file; used as a sentinel in some contexts.

Procedural programming

A paradigm focusing on procedures (actions) performed on data.

Object-oriented programming

A paradigm focusing on objects with attributes and behaviors to build applications.

Terminal symbol

The start/stop symbol in a flowchart, used to mark the beginning and end of the flow.