TSA Coding

Date/time Variable

Date and time variables are used to store the date and time. It is often used as a way of time stamping when something was done or achieved.

Conditional

Evaluates the validity of one or more conditions and then executes one or more commands, whose nature depends now which condition is valid.

GUI

Graphical User Interface - an icon based interface that the user can interact with.

Pseudocode

Human-written code that describes what a program is supposed to do, or, more specifically, what the programmer wants the code to do.

Statements

Individual, specific instructions used in programming to accomplish specific tasks.

IDE

Integrated Development Environment. For example, Pycharm for Python or Visual studio for Visual Basic.

Inductive Reasoning

Involves testing the validity of an idea by making observations of circumstances in which the idea is relevant. It's useful for solving problems because it can be used to acquire the knowledge needed to do so.

For Loop

Loops that repeat a select number of times.

OOP

Object Oriented Programming - a style of programming that represents a program as a system of objects and enables code-reuse.

Syntax

Sentence structure in a programming language. If there is a syntax error it means that the code is not placed in the correct order.

Software

Set of instructions that tells the hardware what to do. It is what guides the hardware and tells it how to accomplish each task.

Structured Programming

Software that was designed to be easy to understand and modify.

Operating System (OS)

Software used to control the computer and its peripheral equipment.

Object Code

Source code that has been transformed by the computer into a low-level form that the CPU can understand and work with.

Array

A data structure with one, or more, elements of the same type.

Decimal

A data type that has a "." in it (e.g. 2.27).

Power Supply

A device that provides power to a computer.

Algorithm

A predefined procedure that aims to solve a problem or complete a task. It takes into account specific circumstances and has varying courses of action for each.

Debug

A process that aims to locate the exact source of bugs (i.e. errors or flaws) in the code.

Assembler

A program that converts basic, low-level instructions into machine code.

High-level Language

A programming language whose code has multiple layers of abstraction (i.e. the code has to be translated into a form that the computer can understand) and is thus more human-readable. With high-level languages, one does not directly manipulate the hardware and instead works with the logic of the program. Examples: FORTRAN, COBOL

Low-level Language

A programming language whose code is more similar to what the computer works with and is less human-readable; it is very specific and directly manipulates hardware. They are more efficient but harder to use. Examples: C, C++

Subroutine

A separate block of code containing a set of instructions

String

A sequence of characters often used to display text (e.g. "Hello World!").

Sequence

A set of commands is executed one after the other in the order in which they were provided.

Reserved Word

A special word that cannot be used as a user-defined named (e.g. a variable cannot be called 'if' because it's a reserved word).

Means-End Analysis

A strategy where the solution to the problem is treated as an overall goal and is broken down into more specific tasks or parts.

Computer Program

Any form of software that runs on top of the operating system

Wireless Network

Any type of computer network that is not connected to cables of any kind.

Integer

A WHOLE number (not a fraction or decimal!) that can be positive or negative.

Machine Code

A binary system that is made of a series of 1s and 0s. It is considered the lowest level of programming and is the set of instructions with which the computer's CPU works directly

Case

A case is like an if statement with multiple outputs.

Flowchart

A diagram used to describe algorithms and the structure of programs and programming languages. It consists of boxes that represent specific objects or steps and arrows and lines to represent the relationship between them.

Linear Program Flow Control

A flow diagram of a program that only has one direct path.

Branch Program Flow Control

A flow diagram that has multiple paths that the user can take.

Event Handler

A function that is called when a certain event occurs. Examples of these include button.onclick and window.onload.

Syntax Error

A mistake with the conventions and symbols of the programming language that leads to an error in the program.

Lateral Thinking

A strategy where you use creativity to solve a problem in a unique, indirect way. Requires creativity and does not always involve what is immediately apparent with the problem; solutions and insights devised using this strategy are not immediately clear and require some deeper thinking to figure out.

Programming Language

A system of conventions and symbols used to create instructions for computers, which read through and follow the instructions in the code (content written using a programming language)

Prototype

A test model of a program.

Variable

A value in code that is able to be stored and changed.

Global Variable

A variable defined outside all functions and is accessible to all functions in its scope.

Local Variable

A variable that is declared within a function and cannot be accessed by statements that are outside of the function. In addition, a local variable cannot be accessed by code that appears inside the function at a point before the variable has been created.

Run-time Error

An error that occurs when the program is running, after the code has already been compiled, or checked. Programs are able to recover from runtime errors.

Decimal Number System

Base10

Hexadecimal Number System

Base16

Binary Number System

Base2

Octal Number System

Base8

CPU

Central Processing Unit - Calculations and operations speed measured in gigahertz (GHz) - Faster CPU = Faster response from computer - "Brain" of the computer

Solve by Analogy

Consists of comparing the problem to something that is both similar and familiar to you. It requires you to draw knowledge from something that you know well and apply it to the task at hand.

Boolean

One of two values: TRUE or FALSE. It is often used to control an object's visibility in object-oriented programming (OOP).

Hardware

Physical elements of a computing system (ex: printer, circuit boards, wires, keyboard, etc.)

Motherboard

Printed circuit board on which the CPU, RAM chips and other electronic circuit elements of a digital computer are frequently located.

RAM

Random Access Memory - Temporarily stores data and programs currently in use - More RAM = More apps open - Storage measured in gigabytes (GB) - Erased when computer turns off

ROM

Read-Only Memory is a type of non-volatile memory used in computers and other electronic devices. Data stored in ROM cannot be electronically modified after the manufacture of the memory device.

Iterative

Repeatedly executes a set of one or more commands until one or more given conditions has been satisfied

Software Development Cycle

Requirements Analysis, Design, Coding, Unit Testing, Integration Testing, Formal/Acceptance Testing, Maintenance

Hard Drive

Storage device that stores digitally encoded data on rapidly rotating rigid disks with magnetic surfaces. The device is either permanently installed within the computer case or can be portable.

ASCII Code

System in which each English character is assigned a numerical code ranging from 0 to 127.

Documentation

Text written in normal language that describes software; it consists of comments found directly in the code as well as separate documents that describe the overall program.

While Loop

The code is repeated until the condition becomes false.

Source Code

The code that is written by the programmer and is in a form that can be understood and edited by humans.

If Statement

The common programming structure that implements "conditional statements". It will only complete if the condition is met.

Output

The product created by transforming the inputs. (ex: monitor, printer, projector, speakers)

Interpret

To convert the code into instructions as the program is running.

Compile

To convert the code into instructions before the program runs.

Looking at the Big Picture

To look at the problem in its entirety.

Execute

To run a program or a set of instructions given to a computer.

Interpreter/Compiler

Translates source code into machine code one line at a time.

Input

Whatever is typed, submitted, or transmitted to a computer. A user input. (ex: keyboard, mouse, microphone, scanner, voice recognition)