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AP Computer Science Vocabulary Flashcards

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8534628261BitBinary Digit, the single unit of information in a computer.0
8534628262Bit ratethe number of bits that are processed in a unit of time1
8534628263ProtocolA set of rules used for transmitting data.2
8534628264Routera computer designed to receive and redirect packets of information based upon the addressing information (IP address)3
8534628265PacketsSmall chunks of information that have been chunks of information formed from large chunks of information4
8534628266TCP (Transmission Control Protocol)Provides reliable, ordered and error checked delivery stream of packets on the Internet.5
8534628267DNS (Domain Name Service)the service that translates URLs to IP addresses6
8534628268HTTP (Hypertext Transfer Protocol)The protocol used for sending and receiving web pages -ASCII text- based protocol -At the same level as DNS7
8534628269CompressionRepresents the same data using fewer bits8
8534628270Pixelthe fundamental unit of a digital image a) short for picture element b) typically a tiny square or dot which contains a single point of color or larger image9
8534628271Metadatadata that describes other data a) Examples: size of number, number of colors, or resolution (how clear the image is)10
8534628272Internet PacketThe packet contains the data that needs to be sent, but also other data like the to and from address, and packet number.11
8534628273Lossless Compressiona data compression algorithm that allows the original data to be perfectly reconstructed from the compressed data.12
8534628274Lossy Compression(or irreversible compression) a data compression method that uses inexact approximations, discarding some data to represent the content. Most commonly seen in image formats like .jpg.13
8534628275Top Down Design ApproachA design process that begins by specifying complex pieces and then dividing them into smaller pieces.14
8534628276AbstractionPulling out specific differences to make one solution work for multiple problems. -a mental tool that allows us to ignore low-level details when they are unnecessary. -this ability to ignore small details is what allows us to develop complex encodings and protocols.15
8534628277AssumptionThe information collected that gave us a false representation of data.16
8534628278Digital Dividethe gulf between those who have ready access to computers and the Internet, and those who do not.17
8534628279Programming LanguageInstructional "code" where each has a precise, unambiguous meaning.18
8534628280SequencingSequencing is the application of each step of an algorithm in the order in which the statements are given.19
8534628281SelectionSelection uses a [true-false] condition to determine which of two parts of an algorithm is used.20
8534628282IterationIteration is the repetition of a part of an algorithm until a certain condition is met or for a specified number of times. In a computer program, a common form of iterations is a loop, which repeats code to determine values for multiple variables or sometimes just a single variable (adding up multiple values together).21
8534628283AlgorithmA precise sequence of instructions for processes that can be executed only by the computer.22
8534628284Functiona piece of code that you can call over and over again23
8534628285APIa collection of commands made available to a programmer24
8534628286Documentationa description of the behavior of a command, function, library, API, etc.25
8534628287Librarya collection of commands / functions, typically with a shared purpose26
8534628288ParameterAn extra piece of information that you pass to the function to customize it for a specific need.27

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