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AP * Computer Science Principles * Flashcards

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9864497522Agile software developmentAn approach to software development that emphasizes a flexible and ready response to meet a shifting target.0
9864497523BenchmarkingRunning a program on many data sets to be sure its performance falls within required limits; timing the same algorithm on two different machines.1
9864497524Code libraryA collection of thoroughly tested object code for various useful tasks.2
9864497525CodingThe process of translating the detailed designs into computer code.3
9864497526Divide-and-conquerA program design strategy in which tasks are broken down into subtasks, which are broken down into sub-subtasks, and so on, until each piece is small enough to code comfortably. These pieces work together to accomplish the total job.4
9864497527Empirical testingDesigning a special set of test cases and running the program using these test data.5
9864497528Executable moduleThe resulting object code after a linker inserts requested code from code libraries.6
9864497529External documentationAny materials assembled to clarify the program's design and implementation.7
9864497530Feasibility studyA step in the software development life cycle that evaluates a proposed project and compares the costs and benefits of various solutions.8
9864497531Integrated development environment (IDE)A collection of programs that support software development, such as debuggers, editors, toolkits, and libraries, that lets programmers perform several tasks within the shell of a single application.9
9864497532Integration testingAfter unit testing, integration testing is done to see that the modules communicate the necessary data between and among themselves and that all modules work together smoothly.10
9864497533Internal documentationDocumentation that is part of the program code itself.11
9864497534Logic errorAn error in the algorithm used to solve a problem.12
9864497535Object codeMachine language instructions.13
9864497536Pair programmingInvolves two programmers at a single workstation. At any given point in time, one is writing code and the other is actively observing, watching for possible errors but also thinking about the overall approach.14
9864497537Problem specificationA step in the software development life cycle that involves developing a clear, concise, and unambiguous statement of the exact problem the software is to solve.15
9864497538Procedural languageA program written in a procedural language consists of sequences of statements that manipulate data items.16
9864497539Program design phaseA step in the software development life cycle that plans the structure of the software to be written.17
9864497540Program maintenanceThe process of adapting an existing software product due to errors, new system requirements, or changing user needs.18
9864497541Program verificationUsed to prove that if the input data to a program satisfies certain conditions, then, after the program has been run on these data, the output data satisfies certain other conditions.19
9864497542Regression testingIf anything is changed on an already-tested module, regression testing is done to be sure that this change has not introduced a new error into code that was previously correct.20
9864497543Runtime errorAn error that occurs when the program is run using certain sets of data that result in some illegal operation, such as dividing by zero.21
9864497544SemanticsThe meaning of correctly written programming statements.22
9864497545Source codeHigh-level language instructions.23
9864497546Syntax errorAn error that occurs because a program statement fails to follow the correct rules of syntax.24
9864497547Technical documentationDocumentation that enables programmers who later have to modify the program to understand the code.25
9864497548Third-generation languageAnother name for high-level programming language as opposed to machine language (first generation) or assembly language (second generation).26
9864497549Top-down decompositionA program design strategy in which tasks are broken down into subtasks, which are broken down into sub-subtasks, and so on, until each piece is small enough to code comfortably. These pieces work together to accomplish the total job.27
9864497550SyntaxThe rules for exactly how programming statements must be written; the grammatical structure of a programming language28
9864497551Application(Java) A complete standalone program that resides and runs on a self-contained computer.29
9864497552External libraryA well-written, efficient, and thoroughly tested code module that is separately compiled and then drawn on by any program that wishes to use its capabilities.30
9864497553Functional programming languagesViews every task in terms of functions. In this context, function means something like a mathematical function—a recipe for taking an argument (or possibly several arguments) and doing something with them to compute a single value.31
9864497554Knowledge baseFacts and rules about a certain domain of interest.32
9864497555Open sourceSoftware whose source code is freely available and may be used, distributed, or modified by anyone.33
9864497556RecursiveSomething that is defined in terms of "smaller versions" of itself.34
9864497557Computational modelA model constructed using algorithmic procedures implemented as computer programs.35
9864497558Computational steeringA procedure for using a computational model to improve the design of an actual system by continually resetting model parameters to improve system performance.36
9864497559Computer graphicsThe field of computer science that examines the technical problems of displaying visual images on a computer screen.37
9864497560Continuous modelA model of a system using mathematical equations that describe system performance as a continuous function of time t.38
9864497561Discrete event simulationA computational modeling technique that simulates the behavior of a system only at discrete points in time.39
9864497562Garbage in, garbage outThe term for the fact that the output coming out of a computer model is only as accurate as the assumption used to build the model.40
9864497563Scientific visualizationThe use of images and visualization techniques to make scientific data easier to interpret and understand.41
9864497564Simulation modelAnother term for a computational model.42
9864497565Statistical distributionThis is a mathematical function that describes the probability of a random quantity taking on certain values.43
9864497566Stochastic componentsParts of a model that display random behavior.44
9864497567Uniform random numberEvery value in the range from a to b has the same chance of occurring.45
9864497568AnalogyArguing about a problem by comparing it to a related problem, which you claim is very similar in terms of its ethical implications and consequences.46
9864497569ConsequentialismA school of thought in ethics that focuses on the consequences of an act to determine if the act is good or bad.47
9864497570CyberbullyingHumiliating, taunting, threatening or invading someone's privacy using the Internet, Web, or other type of electronic technology.48
9864497571EthicsThe study of how to decide if something is morally right or wrong.49
9864497572HacktivismHacking that is intended as political activism.50
9864497573Peer-to-peer file sharingThe sharing of files between two equal participants on a network. This is distinct from the client-server model in which the two sides serve very different roles--one side only sending information (the server) and the other side only receiving information (the client).51
9864497574Computer scienceThe study of algorithms, including their mathematical properties, hardware and linguistic realizations, and their applications.52
9864497575Computing agentThe entity (machine, robot, person, or thing) that executes the steps of an algorithm.53
9864497576High-level programming languageA programming language that uses both natural language constructs and mathematical notation.54
9864497577Infinite loopThe repetitive execution of a block of operations that will never end. This is a fatal error when it occurs in an algorithm.55
9864497578Sequential operationAn algorithmic operation that carries out a single task and then moves on to the next operation in sequence.56
9864497579Algorithm discoveryThe process of finding an algorithmic solution to a given problem. Computation: An algorithmic operation that carries out a single numeric computation and stores the result.57
9864497580ComputationAn algorithmic operation that carries out a single numeric computation and stores the result.58
9864497581Conditional statementsOperations that ask a question and select the next instruction to carry out based on the answer to that question.59
9864497582Continuation conditionThe true/false condition that will determine when the iteration has been completed.60
9864497583Control operationsOperations that alter the normal sequential flow of control within an algorithm.61
9864497584InputAn operation that causes data values from the outside world to be brought into the algorithm.62
9864497585IterationThe repetitive execution of a block of operations.63
9864497586OutputAn operation that causes computed values to be sent to the outside world for viewing or saving.64
9864497587Primitive operationAn operation that can be directly understood by the computing agent executing the algorithm and which does not have to be further clarified or explained.65
9864497588PseudocodeA notation used to design algorithms. It uses English constructs, mathematical notation and an informal algorithmic structure designed to look like a high-level programming language.66
9864497589SortingThe task of putting a list of values into numeric or alphabetical order.67
9864497590Boolean expressionAn expression that can evaluate only to true or false.68
9864497591GigabyteOne billion bytes.69
9864497592Programan algorithm that is written in a programming language that runs on a computer70
9864497593Control Structuresa block of programming that determines which part of the program is executed next. There are three types of structures: sequence, selection, and repetition.71
9864497594Computational Artifactan object created by a human being that involves the use of computation in some way, for example a mobile app or a web page.72
9864497595Event Driven Programminga programming approach whereby the program's behavior is controlled by writing code that responds to various events that occur, such as Button clicks.73
9864497596Hardwarethe large and small physical components that make up a computers such as the computer's keyboard or its processor.74
9864497597Softwarethe computer programs that make up a computer system such as the mobile apps we will be creating in this course.75
9864497598Abstractionone of the seven big ideas of the CS Principles curriculum. An abstraction is a simplified and general representation of some complex object or process. One example --we'll encounter many in this course, including abstractions used in computer programming -- would be a Google map.76
9864497599Binary Numbera number written in the binary system, a system that uses only two digits, 0s and 1s.77
9864497600Blacklistin internet terminology, a generic term for a list of email addresses or IP addresses that are origination with known spammers78
9864497601Characterany symbol that requires one byte of storage79
9864497602Cyberspacea metaphor for describing the non-physical terrain created by computer systems80
9864497603Datadata is distinct information that is formatted in a special way. Data exists in a variety of forms, like text on paper or bytes stored in electronic memory81
9864497604Data Centerare physical or virtual infrastructures used by enterprises to house computer, server and networking systems and components for the company's IT (information technology) needs82
9864497605Data Networka telecommunications network which allows computers to exchange data83
9864497606Disk Drivea randomly addressable and rewritable storage device84
9864497607Intellectual Propertyrefers to any property that is created using original thought. Traditional intellectual property include patents, copyrights, and trademarks.85
9864497608Networka group of two or more computer systems linked together86
9864497609Processorshort for microprocessor or CPU87
9864497610Social Networkinga social structure made of nodes that are generally individuals or organizations. A social network represents relationships and flows between people, groups, organizations, animals, computers, or other information/knowledge processing entities88
9864497611Whitelista generic name for a list of email address or IP addresses that are considered to be spam free89
9864497612Analoga device or system that represents changing values as continuously variable physical quantities90
9864497613Cloud Computingcomparable to grid computing, cloud computing relies on sharing resources rather than having local servers handle applications.91
9864497614Cryptographythe art of protecting information by transforming it into an unreadable format, called cipher text92
9864497615Digitalany system based on discontinuous data or events. Computers are digital machines because at the basic level they can distinguish between just two values, 0 and 1.93
9864497616Digital Signal Processing(DSP) refers to manipulating analog information94
9864497617Downloadto copy data (usually an entire file) from a main source to a peripheral device95
9864497618Megabyteused to describe data storage, 1,048,576 bytes (abbreviated MB)96
9864497619Megapixelone million pixels, used in reference to the resolution of a graphics device97
9864497620Modelingprocess of representing a real-world object of phenomenon as a set of mathematical equations.98
9864497621OCRoptical character recognition, the branch of computer science that involves reading text from paper and translating the images into a form that the computer can manipulate99
9864497622Rasterthe rectangular area of a display screen actually being used to display images100
9864497623Renderrefers to the process of adding realism to a computer graphics by adding 3-D qualities, such as shadows and variations in color and shade.101
9864497624Spamspam is electronic junk mail or junk newsgroup postings102
9864497625Steganographythe art and science of hiding information by embedding messages within other, seemingly harmless messages103
9864497626Uploadto transmit data from a computer to a bulletin board service, mainframe, or network.104
9864497627BitSingle unit of information on a computer represent as a 0 or 1105
9864497628Bit RateThe number of bits that are conveyed or processed per unit of time106
9864497629LatencyThe time it takes for a signal to arrive107
9864497630BandwidthTransmission capacity, measured by bit rate108
9864497631FiberopticsMethod of transmitting data that utilizes light109
9864497632Copper WireMethod of transmitting data that utilizes electricity110
9864497633WiFiA wireless networking technology that utilizes radio waves to transmit information/data111
9864497634PrototypeA preliminary sketch of an idea or model for something new. It's the original drawing from which something real might be built or created.112
9864497635IP AddressA number assigned to any item that is connected to the Internet.113
9864497636PacketsSmall chunks of information that have been carefully formed from larger chunks of information.114
9864497637RouterA computer which receives messages travelling across a network and redirects them towards their intended destinations based on the addressing information included with the message.115
9864497638Transmission Control Protocol (TCP)Provides reliable, ordered, and error-checked delivery of a stream of packets on the internet. TCP is tightly linked with IP and usually seen as TCP/IP in writing.116
9864497639Domain Name System (DNS)An abbreviation for Domain Name System, the Internet's system for converting alphabetic names into numeric IP addresses.117
9864497640Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP)The protocol used by the World Wide Web. It describes how messages are formatted and interchanged, and how web servers respond to commands.118
9864497641ServerA computer that awaits and responds to requests for data.119
9864497642ClientA computer that requests data stored on a server.120
9864497643Net NeutralityThe principle that Internet service providers should enable access to all content and applications regardless of the source, and without favoring or blocking particular products or websites.121
9864497644Internet CensorshipThe control or suppression of what can be accessed, published, or viewed on the Internet. It may be carried out by governments or by private organizations at the behest of government, regulators, or on their own initiative.122
9864497645NodeVertex; Represented by a labeled circle123
9864497646EdgeA line connecting two nodes124
9864497647CostWeight; The number associated with an edge that indicates distance, time, or estimated cost125
9864497648CycleA set of edges that begin at one node and can be followed through other nodes back where you started126
9864497649EfficiencyA measure of the number of steps per input size needed to complete an algorithm127
9864497650Routing TableA data table stored in a router that lists the routes to particular network destinations128
9864497651Minimum Spanning TreeDictates the shortest aggregate path from one node to every node A spanning tree connecting all nodes together with the minimum aggregate value of its edges.129
9864497652IETFA group of volunteers, private citizens, government officials, etc. who promote internet standards130
9864497653IETF stands for...Internet Engineering Task Force131
9864497654AlgorithmA precise sequence of instructions for processes that can be executed by a computer132
9864497655FunctionA piece of code that you can easily call over and over again.133
9864497656APIa collection of commands made available to a programmer134
9864497657Documentationa description of the behavior of a command, function, library, API, etc.135
9864497658ParameterAn extra piece of information that you pass to the function to customize it for a specific need136
9864497659For LoopA particular kind of looping construct provided in many languages. Typically, a for loop defines a counting variable that is checked and incremented on each iteration in order to loop a specific number of times.137
9864497660LoopThe action of doing something over and over again.138
9864497661Bytetechnical term for 8 bits of data139
9864497662Kilobyte (KB)1000 bytes140
9864497663Megabyte (MB)1,000 kilobytes141
9864497664Terabyte (TB)1,000 gigabytes142
9864497665Petabyte (PB)1,000 terabytes143
9864497666.bmp(bitmap image file or bitmap) is a raster graphics image file format used to store digital images.144
9864497667.gif(acronym for Graphics Interchange Format) a bitmap image format which uses the LZW lossless data compression technique to reduce the file size without degrading the visual quality. Supports 8 bits per pixel for each image and animations.145
9864497668.jpg or .jpeg(acronym for Joint Photographic Experts Group), a commonly used lossy compression format for digital images, particularly for those images produced by digital photography. The format supports adjustable degrees of compression.146
9864497669.mp3an audio coding format for digital audio which uses a form of lossy data compression which works by reducing (or approximating) certain components of the audio that are considered to be beyond audible human hearing.147
9864497670.wav(Waveform Audio File Format) an audio coding format standard for storing an audio bitstream of uncompressed audio data.148
9864497671.txta computer format that is structured as a sequence of lines of electronic text.149
9864497672.zipan archive file format that supports lossless data compression; may contain one or more files or directories.150
9864497673.png(Portable Network Graphics) a raster graphics file format that supports lossless data compression.151
9864497674Heuristica problem solving approach (algorithm) to find a satisfactory solution where finding an optimal or exact solution is impractical or impossible.152
9864497675ImageA type of data used for graphics or pictures.153
9864497676MetadataData that describes other data. For example, a digital image my include metadata that describe the size of the image, number of colors, or resolution.154
9864497677PixelShort for "picture element" it is the fundamental unit of a digital image, typically a tiny square or dot which contains a single point of color of a larger image.155
9864497678Hexadecimal Number SystemA number system consisting of 16 distinct symbols — 0-9 and A-F — which can occur in each place value.156
9864497679Lossless compressionA compression scheme in which every bit of the original data can be recovered from the compressed file.157
9864497680Lossy compressionA compression scheme in which "useless" or less-than-totally-necessary information is thrown out in order to reduce the size of the data. The eliminated data is unrecoverable.158
9864497681RGBthe color model that uses varying intensities of (R)ed, (G)reen, and (B)lue light added together in order to reproduce a broad array of colors.159
9864497682File extensionsthe endings of file names that indicate to the computer the format for how the underlying bits are organized.160
9864497683Computationally Hard ProblemA problem that can not be solved in a reasonable amount of time. Heuristics are often used to create an approximate or good enough solution.161
9864497684InnovationA novel or improved idea, device, product, etc. or the development thereof162
9864497685Moore's Lawthe observation that computing power roughly doubles every two years.163
9864497686Big Dataa broad term for datasets so large or complex that traditional data processing applications are inadequate.164
9864497687Cipherthe generic term for a technique (or algorithm) that performs encryption165
9864497688Cracking encryptionWhen you attempt to decode a secret message without knowing all the specifics of the cipher.166
9864497689Decryptiona process that reverses encryption, taking a secret message and reproducing the original plain text167
9864497690Encryptiona process of encoding messages to keep them secret, so only "authorized" parties can read it.168
9864497691Asymmetric encryptionused in public key encryption, it is scheme in which the key to encrypt data is different from the key to decrypt.169
9864497692Public Key EncryptionUsed prevalently on the web, it allows for secure messages to be sent between parties without having to agree on, or share, a secret key. It uses an asymmetric encryption scheme in which the encryption key is made public, but the decryption key is kept private.170
9864497693Digital Dividethe gulf between those who have ready access to computers and the Internet, and those who do not.171
9864497694HypothesisA proposed explanation for some phenomenon used as the basis for further investigation.172
9864497695Search TrendsComparison of the popularity of topical queries in an online search engine as they relate to time.173
9864497696VisualizationImages, diagrams, tables, etc created from information extracted from a given data set, with the express intention of highlighting a data story.174
9864497697Pivot TableThe name of the tool used by most spreadsheet programs to create a summary table.175
9864497698READMEA document providing background information about a dataset.176
9864497699CSVAbbreviation of "comma-separated values," this is a widely-used format for storing data.177
9864497700Raw dataThe original data as it was collected.178
9864497701Summary tableA table of aggregate information about a dataset (e.g., the average, sum, count of some values).179
9864497702Filtertool/technique using dynamic parameters for reducing a data set to viewing only similar items in a row or column.180
9864497703AggregationA computation in which rows from a data set are grouped together and used to compute a single value of more significant meaning or measurement. Common aggregations include: Average, Count, Sum, Max, Median, etc.181
9864497704Binary questiona question where there are only two possible answers182
9864497705ProtocolA set of rules governing the exchange or transmission of data between devices.183
9864497706ASCIIThe universally recognized raw text format that any computer can understand184
9864497707What does ASCII stand for?American Standard Code for Information Interchange185
9864497708HTTP stands for...Hypertext transfer protocol186
9864497709code(slang) to write instructions for a computer187
9864497710Redundancyrepetition of information or the inclusion of additional information to reduce errors in transmission.188
9864497711DNSThe service that translates URL's to IP addresses189
9864497712DNS stands for...Domain name service190
9864497713TCPprovides reliable, ordered and error checked delivery of a stream of packets in the internet191
9864497714URLan easy to remember address for calling a web page192
9864497715OctalThe octal number system is base 8, using only digits 0 through 7.193
9864497716DecimalTraditional number system using digits 0-9.194
9864497717Iterative innovationIncremental or small improvement to an item195
9864497718Novel innovationImprovement that is new, creative and has not been done before "outside the box thinking."196
9864497719Vint CerfInternet pioneer who believed the Internet should be free and available to everyone197
9864497720__________ level protocols use __________ levels without needing to understand precisely how they work. (space between each term)Higher lower198
9864497721__________ level protocols guarantee __________ level protocols will function without stating specifically how this will be accomplished.Lower Higher199
9864497722Creative Commonsone of several public copyright licenses that enable the free distribution of an otherwise copyrighted work. A CC license is used when an author wants to give people the right to share, use, and build upon a work that they have created.200
9864497723High Level Programming LanguageA programming language that enables a programmer to write programs that are more or less independent of a particular type of computer. Such languages are considered high-level because they are closer to human languages and further from machine languages. Examples: JavaScript, Java, FORTRAN201
9864497724Low Level Programming LanguageA programming language that provides little or no abstraction from a computer's instruction set architecture—commands or functions in the language map closely to processor instructions. Generally this refers to either machine code or assembly language.202
9864497725Fault tolerant networkThe ability to route around broken servers on the internet.203
9864497726Global VariableA variable whose scope is "global" to the program, it can be used and updated by any part of the code. Its global scope is typically derived from the variable being declared (created) outside of any function, object, or method.204
9864497727If StatementThe common programming structure that implements "conditional statements".205
9864497728Local VariableA variable with local scope is one that can only be seen, used and updated by code within the same scope. Typically this means the variable was declared (created) inside a function; includes function parameter variables.206
9864497729Callback functiona function specified as part of an event listener; it is written by the programmer but called by the system as the result of an event trigger.207
9864497730EventAn action that causes something to happen.208
9864497731User InterfaceThe visual elements of an program through which a user controls or communications the application. Often abbreviated UI.209
9864497732Data Type(ex: Number, Boolean, or String) a value's property that dictates how the computer will interpret it. For example 7+5 is interpreted differently from "7"+"5"210
9864497733ExpressionAny valid unit of code that resolves to a value.211
9864497734VariableA placeholder for a piece of information that can change.212
9864497735DebuggingFinding and fixing problems in your algorithm or program.213
9864497736Conditionalsstatements that run under only certain conditions214
9864497737SelectionA generic term for a type of programming statement (usually an if-statement) that uses a Boolean condition to determine, or select, whether or not to run a certain block of statements.215
9864497738Concatentateto link together or join. Typically used when joining together text Strings in programming (e.g. "Hello, "+name)216
9864497739byte8 bits one letter https://www.computerhope.com/issues/chspace.htmv217
9864497740Lossless Compressiona data compression algorithm that allows the original data to be perfectly reconstructed from the compressed data.218

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