CISS 241(PROGRAMMING I) FINALS STUDY
QUESTIONS
Hardware components - answers :central processing unit, main memory, secondary
storage device, input device, output device are all ____________ ______________ of a
computer system
Cpu consists of what 2 units - answers :arithmetic and logic unit and control unit
Fetch/decode/execute cycle - answers :1. Cpu retrieves the next instruction in the
sequence of program instructions and stores it in the main memory.
2. Control unit of the cpu decodes the number encoding and generates an electronic
signal.
3. The electronic signal is routed to the appropriate device and causes the devices to
perform an action
Memory address - answers :specific unique number which refers to one byte of
memory. Its purpose is to differentiate the large amount of cells located on a typical
stick of memory.
Volatile - answers :main memory is ___________ and when the computer is powered
off, the memory is reset. All data is cleared
Secondary storage - answers :able to hold data while the computer is off. When
powered on the memory can retrieve data from the this device, most commonly a hard
drive.
Operating system - answers :a piece of software that can either be designated to run a
single operation at once, commonly being called single tasking, or can run multiple
operations, commonly referred to as multitasking.
Application software - answers :is programs that makes the computer useful to the user.
Operating system - answers :what fundamental set of programs control the internal
operations of the computer's hardware?
Utility program - answers :) what do you call a program that performs a specialized task,
such as a virus scanner, a file-compression program, or a data-backup program?
Application software - answers :word processing programs, spreadsheet programs, e-
mail programs, web browsers, and game programs belong to what category of
software?
Algorithm - answers :a set of well-defined steps for performing a task or solving a
problem
,Computer programming language - answers :invented to ease the task of programming.
Low-level language - answers :close to the level of the computer, and resembles the
system's numeric machine language.
High-level language - answers :is closer to the level of human readability, and resemble
natural languages.
Portability - answers :when a program may be written on one type of computer and run
on another type.
Preprocessor - answers :reads the source file searching for commands that begin with
the # symbol. These are commands that cause modification to source file in some way
A programmer-defined identifier is a word or name defined by the programmer
Describe the difference between operators and punctuation symbols. - answers
:operators perform operations on one or more operands.
Punctuation symbols mark the beginning or ending of a statement, or separates items in
a list.
Describe the difference between a program line and a statement. - answers :a line is a
single line as it appears in the body of a program.
A statement is a complete instruction that causes the computer to perform an action.
Variables - answers :their content may change
What happens to a variable's current contents when a new value is stored there? -
answers :the original value is overwritten
_____________ must be defined in a program before it can be used - answers :a
variable
Input, processing, output - answers :the 3 primary activities of a program are...
The program's purpose, information to be input, the processing to take place, and the
desired output. - answers :4 things you should identify when defining what a program is
to do
Hierarchical chart - answers :a chart that depicts each logical step of the program in a
hierarchical fashion.
, Desk checking - answers :when a programmer steps through each statement in the
program from beginning to end. The contents of variables are recorded, and screen
output is sketched
What does a compiler do with a program's source code? - answers :translates each
source code statement into the appropriate machine language statement.
Run-time error - answers :a logical error that occurs while the program is running
Compiler - answers :translates each source code instruction into the appropriate
machine language instruction, and creates an object file
Linker - answers :combines the object file with necessary library routines.
Source file - answers :contains program statements written by the programmer
Object file - answers :machine language instructions, generated by the compiler
translated from the source file.
Executable file - answers :code ready to run on the computer. Includes the machine
language from an object file, and the necessary code from library routines.
Integrated development environment - answers :programming environment that
includes a text editor, compiler, debugger, and other utilities, integrated into one
package.
Describe the difference between a key word and a programmer-defined identifier -
answers :a key word has a special purpose, and is defined as part of a programming
language.
By the compiler - answers :is a syntax error (such as misspelling a key word) found by
the compiler or when the program is running?
To determine if a logical error is present in the program. - answers :what is the purpose
of testing a program with sample data or input?
Procedural and object-oriented - answers :____________ programs are made of
procedures, or functions. _________ _____________ programs are centered on
objects, which contain both data and the procedures that operate on the data
What is the difference between main memory and secondary storage? - answers :main
memory is like ram and secondary storage is like the hard drive.
System and application - answers :__________ software includes the operating
systems, utility programs, and software development tools.
QUESTIONS
Hardware components - answers :central processing unit, main memory, secondary
storage device, input device, output device are all ____________ ______________ of a
computer system
Cpu consists of what 2 units - answers :arithmetic and logic unit and control unit
Fetch/decode/execute cycle - answers :1. Cpu retrieves the next instruction in the
sequence of program instructions and stores it in the main memory.
2. Control unit of the cpu decodes the number encoding and generates an electronic
signal.
3. The electronic signal is routed to the appropriate device and causes the devices to
perform an action
Memory address - answers :specific unique number which refers to one byte of
memory. Its purpose is to differentiate the large amount of cells located on a typical
stick of memory.
Volatile - answers :main memory is ___________ and when the computer is powered
off, the memory is reset. All data is cleared
Secondary storage - answers :able to hold data while the computer is off. When
powered on the memory can retrieve data from the this device, most commonly a hard
drive.
Operating system - answers :a piece of software that can either be designated to run a
single operation at once, commonly being called single tasking, or can run multiple
operations, commonly referred to as multitasking.
Application software - answers :is programs that makes the computer useful to the user.
Operating system - answers :what fundamental set of programs control the internal
operations of the computer's hardware?
Utility program - answers :) what do you call a program that performs a specialized task,
such as a virus scanner, a file-compression program, or a data-backup program?
Application software - answers :word processing programs, spreadsheet programs, e-
mail programs, web browsers, and game programs belong to what category of
software?
Algorithm - answers :a set of well-defined steps for performing a task or solving a
problem
,Computer programming language - answers :invented to ease the task of programming.
Low-level language - answers :close to the level of the computer, and resembles the
system's numeric machine language.
High-level language - answers :is closer to the level of human readability, and resemble
natural languages.
Portability - answers :when a program may be written on one type of computer and run
on another type.
Preprocessor - answers :reads the source file searching for commands that begin with
the # symbol. These are commands that cause modification to source file in some way
A programmer-defined identifier is a word or name defined by the programmer
Describe the difference between operators and punctuation symbols. - answers
:operators perform operations on one or more operands.
Punctuation symbols mark the beginning or ending of a statement, or separates items in
a list.
Describe the difference between a program line and a statement. - answers :a line is a
single line as it appears in the body of a program.
A statement is a complete instruction that causes the computer to perform an action.
Variables - answers :their content may change
What happens to a variable's current contents when a new value is stored there? -
answers :the original value is overwritten
_____________ must be defined in a program before it can be used - answers :a
variable
Input, processing, output - answers :the 3 primary activities of a program are...
The program's purpose, information to be input, the processing to take place, and the
desired output. - answers :4 things you should identify when defining what a program is
to do
Hierarchical chart - answers :a chart that depicts each logical step of the program in a
hierarchical fashion.
, Desk checking - answers :when a programmer steps through each statement in the
program from beginning to end. The contents of variables are recorded, and screen
output is sketched
What does a compiler do with a program's source code? - answers :translates each
source code statement into the appropriate machine language statement.
Run-time error - answers :a logical error that occurs while the program is running
Compiler - answers :translates each source code instruction into the appropriate
machine language instruction, and creates an object file
Linker - answers :combines the object file with necessary library routines.
Source file - answers :contains program statements written by the programmer
Object file - answers :machine language instructions, generated by the compiler
translated from the source file.
Executable file - answers :code ready to run on the computer. Includes the machine
language from an object file, and the necessary code from library routines.
Integrated development environment - answers :programming environment that
includes a text editor, compiler, debugger, and other utilities, integrated into one
package.
Describe the difference between a key word and a programmer-defined identifier -
answers :a key word has a special purpose, and is defined as part of a programming
language.
By the compiler - answers :is a syntax error (such as misspelling a key word) found by
the compiler or when the program is running?
To determine if a logical error is present in the program. - answers :what is the purpose
of testing a program with sample data or input?
Procedural and object-oriented - answers :____________ programs are made of
procedures, or functions. _________ _____________ programs are centered on
objects, which contain both data and the procedures that operate on the data
What is the difference between main memory and secondary storage? - answers :main
memory is like ram and secondary storage is like the hard drive.
System and application - answers :__________ software includes the operating
systems, utility programs, and software development tools.