Flashcards
These flashcards came from this link on Studyclix
Computational Thinking
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| Computational Thinking | Using techniques such as abstraction, decomposition, and algorithmic thinking to solve a complex problem |
| Abstraction | Picking out the most important elements of a problem and ignoring the irrelevant details |
| Decomposition | Breaking down a complex problem into smaller, more manageable problems |
| Algorithm | A series of logical steps which can be taken to solve a problem |
| Pseudocode | A simplified coding language without any specific syntax |
| Flowchart | A diagram used to show a process. Often used to show algorithm functionality using shapes and arrows. |
| Variable | A data value that can be changed |
| Constant | A data value that always remains the same |
Agent-Based Modelling
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| Agent-based Modelling | A simulation method to examine interaction between a group of ‘agents’ in order to understand their behaviour |
| Model | A representation of a real-life system or situation using technology |
| Agent | In the context of ABMs, the agent makes decisions based on the environment they are in |
| Emergent behaviour | A behaviour noticed when a group of agents are observed interacting with each other |
ASCII/Unicode
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| American Standard Code for Information Interchange | A character set more commonly known as ASCII |
| ASCII | The most popular English character set which represents 128 different characters using 7-bit binary codes |
| Extended ASCII | Uses 8-bit binary codes, allowing for the representation of 128 more characters than the original ASCII character |
| Unicode | A character set which can represent emojis and characters from most major world languages |
Communication Protocols
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| Protocol | A set of rules which determine the way data is transmitted across a network |
| HTTP | Protocol seen at the beginning of a web address used communicate with a web server |
| HTTPS | Secure version of HTTP. Necessary for online payments and access to online banking |
| Internet Protocol | Governs the sending of data over the Internet |
| VoIP | Sends voice data over the Internet. Used in many communication applications such as Skype and WhatsApp |
| Transmission Control Protocol | Ensures correct transmission of data packets over a network |
| MAC address | An address that is used to identify a device on a network |
| Uniform Resource Locator | The unique address of a web page or resource on the Web |
Computers and Society
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| Artificial Intelligence | Enabling computers to carry out tasks that humans do, to the same standard as a human |
| Machine Learning | Computer systems and programs gradually becoming more accurate and precise without direct input from a programmer |
| Alan Turing | The developer of the Turing Machine (an important mathematical machine in the development of computers as they are today) |
| Augmented Reality | An enhanced version of the real world created using technology |
| A-0 | The first high-level programming language, created by Grace Hopper in 1953 |
| Cloud Computing | Using services hosted on the Internet |
| Von Neumann Architecture | The most common computer architecture used. It is composed of the CPU, input and output devices, a bus and memory |
| Cryptography | The encryption and decoding of messages sent through a computer |
Ethics
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| Ethics | The morals that govern the decisions we make (i.e. what is considered to be right and wrong) |
| Stakeholder | Someone who has interest in or is affected by a particular situation |
| Environment | Where we live and our surroundings (which we must aim to conserve and protect |
| Tim Berners-Lee | The inventor of the World Wide Web (1989) |
| Censorship | The controlling of what people can view on the Internet |
| Surveillance | The monitoring of what people are viewing on the Internet |
| Cyberbullying | The use of social media to intentionally cause harm to someone else |
| General Data Protection Regulation Act | An act brought in to protect people’s personal information when it is collected and processed |
Data
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| Binary | Base 2 number system. Represented by the digits 1 and 0 |
| Denary | Base 10 number system, also known as decimal. The number system we use in daily life (1,2,3,4,5,etc.) |
| Hexadecimal | Base 16 number system. Represented by digits 1-9 and letters A-F |
| Bit | One single binary digit (1 or 0) |
| Nibble | 4 bits (binary digits) |
| Byte | 8 bits (binary digits) |
| Kilobyte | 1024 bytes |
| Megabyte | 1024 kilobytes |
| Gigabyte | 1024 megabytes |
| Terabyte | 1024 gigabytes |
| Petabyte | 1024 terabytes |
| Data type | Used to classify data based on its intended use. (E.g. strings are used to store text whilst integers and floats are used for number data) |
| String | Data type used to store text (such as names and surnames) |
| Integer | Data type used to store positive and negative whole numbers |
| Float | Data type used to store numbers with decimal points. Also known as a floating point number |
| Boolean | Data type used for true/false statements |
Key Abbreviations
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| AI | Artificial Intelligence |
| ALU | Arithmetic Logic Unit |
| ASCII | American Standard Code for Information Interchange |
| BIOS | Basic Input Output System |
| CPU | Central Processing Unit |
| CSS | Cascading Style Sheets |
| CSV | Comma-separated values |
| GB | Gigabyte |
| GDPR | General Data Protection Regulation |
| GUI | Graphical User Interface |
| HTML | HyperText Markup Language |
| HTTP | HyperText Transfer Protocol |
| HTTPS | HyperText Transfer Protocol Secure |
| IoT | Internet of Things |
| IP | Internet Protocol |
| JS | JavaScript |
| KB | Kilobyte |
| LAN | Local Area Network |
| LED | Light Emitting Diode |
| MB | Megabyte |
| OS | Operation System |
| PC | Personal Computer |
| PNG | Portable Network Graphics |
| RAM | Random Access Memory |
| ROM | Read Only Memory |
| TCP | Transmission Control Protocol |
| UI | User Interface |
| URL | Uniform Resource Locator |
| USB | Universal Serial Bus |
| WAN | Wide Area Network |
| WIMP | Windows, Icons, Menus and Pointers |
| WWW | World Wide Web |
Software Design and Development
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| User-centred Design | A design process that prioritises the needs and wants of the user |
| Universal Design | The designing of a product so that anyone can use it |
| User Interface | What the user sees and interacts with when using a device |
| IDE | Integrated Development Environment |
| Iteration | The repetition of steps in a process |
| High-level Programming Language | Programming language that is easy to write in for humans. It must be converted into machine code for the computer to understand it |
| Recursion | When an algorithm (or function) calls itself until a particular condition (termination condition) is met |
| SQL | Structured Query Language |
World Wide Web and Internet
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| World Wide Web | A system of connected files and web pages hosted on the Internet |
| Internet | A global network of networks which connects devices all over the world |
| Cloud | A server which utilises the Internet to store files and data |