[Notes for Computing] All Definitions/ Terms

Definitions of terms for ease of reference, ripped directly out of the textbook. Made by Elvberth Yobel Rondonuwu Module 1: Computing Fundamentals Computer Architecture [ Computer ] - Device that receives and processes data according to a set of instructions and produces the processed data [ Computer architecture ] - Description of how a computer is designed and built to function, including how its various parts are designed, organised and connected [ Data (singular: datum)] - Information used in a computer program [ Bit ] - Binary digit, value of either 0 or 1 [ Byte ] - Binary number made of 8 bits [ Processor ] - Processes data and follows instructions [ Execute ] - To follow or perform an instruction [ Software ] - A set of instructions to perform specific tasks on a computer [ Main Memory ] - Stores data and instructions temporarily for immediate use by the processor [ Address ] - Number used to locate a byte in memory [ Volatile ] - Lost power when power supply is interrupted [ Secondary Storage ] - Stores large amounts of data that will not be lost when the power supply is interrupted [ Hard disk/drive ] - Secondary storage where data is stored on rigid rotating disks coated with magnetic material [ Data Bus ] - Transports data between memory and processor; bi-directional [ Bi-directional ] - Able to work in two directions, to and fro [ Address Bus ]- Transports required memory location from processor to memory; uni-directional [ Uni-directional ] - Able to work in one direction only [ Input ] - Data or instructions that the computer receives for processing [ Output ] - Intermediate or final results produced by the computer; usually in the form or processed data [ Hardware ] - Physical components of computer [ Input device ] - Hardware device that allows user to enter data and instructions into a computer [ Output device ] - Hardware device used to display, project or print processed data from a computer [ Lane, PCI Express ] - Interface for transferring data between a computer and an expansion card [ Motherboard ] - Main circuit board in computer that connects all the components together

Data Representation [ Denary number system (or decimal number system) ] - A number system that is made up of 10 unique digits [ Leading zero ] - The zero digit (0) that is to the left of the first non-zero digit in a number [ Binary number system ] - A number system that is made up of two unique digits [ Hexadecimal number system ] - A number system that is made up of 16 unique digits [ Integer overflow ] - Result when an operation produces an integer that exceeds the limits of the representable range [ Two’s complement ] - System used by computers to represent both positive and negative numbers [ Character (text) ] - A unit of textual data, usually a symbol, letter, digit or space [ Character encoding ] - The assignment of numbers to characters [ American Standard Code for Information Interchange (ASCII) ] - A common character encoding method for English characters, including upper-case and lower-case letters Logic Gates [ Boolean ] - Data type representing either True or False [ Logic gate ] - Electrical circuit that performs logical operations based on one or more inputs and produces a single output [ Logical operation ] - Operation that acts on binary inputs to produce an output according to the laws of Boolean logic [ Logic circuit ] - Circuit that consists of only one logic gate or multiple connected logic gates [ Logic circuit diagram ] - Visual representation using symbols to show how the component logic gates are connected together in a logic circuit [ Truth table ] - Table showing the resulting output for every possible combination of inputs Module 2: Algorithms and Programming Problem Analysis [ Input (algorithm) ] - Data used by an algorithm that can affect what is required for correct output [ Output ] - Results produced by an algorithm [ Solution ] - Algorithm that always gives correct outputs when provided with valid inputs

Constructs [ Control flow ] - The order in which instructions of a program are run [ Flow line ] - An arrow that indicates the order in which stages steps should be followed [ Flowchart ] - A visual representation of an algorithm using symbols to show the flow of a sequence of steps [ Symbol (flowchart) ] - A special shape to represent an action or step in a flowchart [ Construct ] - An algorithm structure with exactly one entry point and one exit point [ Sequence construct ] - A construct for performing multiple instructions in a fixed order [ Iteration construct ] - A construct for repeated instructions while a particular condition is true [ Selection construct ] - A construct for choosing between two or more branches based on a particular condition [ Structured programming language ] - A programming language that encourages or is limited to the use of sequence, selection and iteration constructs that have exactly one entry point and one exit point [ Branch ] - A sequence of instructions that serves as one option out of two or more choices [ Iterate ] - To repeat [ Loop ] - Instructions that are repeated until a condition is met Python Code [ Program ] - Set of instructions written to perform specific tasks on a computer [ Source code ] - Instructions written in a programming language [ Command line interface ] - A means of interacting with a program such that commands are given as lines of text [ Graphical user interface ] - A means of interacting with a program such that commands are given using visual elements such as windows, icons, menus and mouse pointers [ Syntax highlighting ] - Displaying different parts of source code differently (such as using different colours and fonts) in a text editor based on the rules of the programming language to make reading easier [ Kernel (Jupyter) ] - A program that runs the code embedded in a notebook [ Notebook (Jupyter) ] - A file where executable code is embedded in formatted documents that may contain text, images and other media [ Comment ] - A piece of source code that explains the program but is ignored by Python [ Literal ] - A value that is represented directly in source code [ Syntax ] - Rules that determine how the words and symbols in a valid instruction are arranged

[ Identifier ] - A sequence of characters that follows certain rules and can be used as a variable name [ Initialise ] - To store or assign a value to a variable for the first time [ Keyword ] - A word that has a special meaning in a programming language and cannot be used as an identifier [ Statement ] - Code that instructs the computer to perform a specific action [ Variable ] - A name with an associated value that can be changed while the program is running [ Expression ] - Code that pro