APCPS unit 1

Bit: (short for binary digit) is the smallest unit of data in a computer. A bit has a single
binary value, either 0 or 1

Byte: a unit of data that is eight binary digits long. Bytes are often used to represent a
character such as a letter, number, space

Binary: a numbering scheme in which there are only two possible values for each digit: 0
and 1.

Algorithm: a complete, well-defined sequence of steps for completing a task or solving a
problem

Program: a sequence of instructions or steps, written in a language that can be
understood by a computer, that will be used by the computer to complete a task or solve
a problem

Blocks: Puzzle-piece shapes that are used to create code in Snap!.

Scripts: Different types of blocks linked together.

Sprites: An object in Snap! which performs functions controlled by scripts.

Stage: The background of a project, performs functions through scripting.

Logic error: a mistake in the algorithm or program that causes it to behave incorrectly or
unexpectedly

Tracing:   hand simulating the execution of program code in order to manually verify that
it works correctly

Debugging: the process of identifying and removing errors from computer hardware or
software

ASCII: American Standard Code for Information Interchange, a character encoding
standard for electronic communication

Overflow Error: an error that occurs when calculated data cannot fit within the
designated field. 

Roundoff Error: error that is produced when a computer is used to perform real number
calculations because many real numbers can not be represented exactly on a computer.

Underflow Error: occurs in a computer or similar device when a mathematical operation
results in a number which is smaller than what the device is capable of storing.
pixel - a minute area of illumination on a display screen, one of many from which an
image is composed.

RGB - (red, green, and blue) refers to a system for representing the colors to be used on
a computer display. Red, green, and blue can be combined in various proportions to
obtain any color in the visible spectrum.

Heuristic: a problem solving approach (algorithm) to find a satisfactory solution where
finding an optimal or exact solution is impractical or impossible.

Lossless Compression: a data compression algorithm that allows the original data to be perfectly reconstructed from the compressed data.

Lossy Compression: a data encoding and compression technique that deliberately
discards some data in the compression process

Creative Commons public copyright license that enables the free distribution of an
otherwise copyrighted work. This is used when the content creator wants to give others
to right to share, use and build upon the work they have created; 

open source - programs that are made freely available and may be redistributed and
modified;  

open access - online research output free of any and all restrictions on access and free
of many restrictions on use, such as copyright or license restrictions