APCSP Exam Prep Questions with 100% Correct
Answers.
Abstraction - Correct Answer-When you name something, removing all the details of
something else. For example, "make a sandwich" removes all the details of getting bread,
putting on mustard, and so on. Abstraction is used to simplify things.
aliasing - Correct Answer-When you call the same object by a different name. Aliasing is
important with lists. If you do b = a (b and a are both lists), and you change a, then b
changes also.
Amazon EC2 - Correct Answer-An example of a cloud service where one can buy
computer time.
append - Correct Answer-To add something to the end of something else. In Python, we
talk about "append" when we add items to the end of a list. "Append" is a common term in
computers.
argument - Correct Answer-A value that is passed into a function.
Asymmetric Key Encryption - Correct Answer-A type of encryption where you use two
keys to encrypt and decrypt a message. One is public (known to all) and one is private
(known only to recipient). Also called Public key encryption. Almost always more
complicated than substitution, symmetric key encryption.
big data - Correct Answer-Data that has Volume (very big), Velocity (how fast it grows),
and Variety. Big data is used to mine information.
binary search - Correct Answer-Looking for a particular item in a sorted list by starting at
the middle and splitting the difference between each end. This process repeats until the
item is found. The list needs to be sorted first. Also called "bisection method".
Bits - Correct Answer-a BInary digiT. Computers communicate in bits . Bits are either 0 or
1. Computers use bits (0-1) instead of decimal (0-9) because it mirrors electrical circuitry
which is either on or off
Boolean - Correct Answer-An expression that evaluates to true or false.
, bubblesort - Correct Answer-a method of sorting that is (in general) slow. Bubblesort
takes the largest elements to the top, hence "bubble".
Byte - Correct Answer-8 bits of data. Abbreviated with B (capital B). 1B = 8b.
Caesar Cipher - Correct Answer-a type of substitution cipher that shifts the alphabet by
some number of characters.
calling - Correct Answer-When you run a function.
Casting - Correct Answer-Converting from one type to another.
Certificate Authority (CA) - Correct Answer-A trusted third party that issues Digital
Certificates (or public key certificates). These certificates verify the ownership of the
public key.
Cipher - Correct Answer-the generic term for a technique (or algorithm) that performs
encryption.
Client - Correct Answer-A computer that requests data stored on a server.
Cloning - Correct Answer-Creating another copy of something. It's important to know the
difference between aliasing and cloning when looking at lists. To clone a list, do b = a[:]
The cloud - Correct Answer-A complicated way of saying using somebody else's
computer.
comments - Correct Answer-commands not executed, often used for documentation. In
python, anything after the pound symbol (#) is a comment.
conditionals - Correct Answer-When a computer program does certain things based on
booleans. Implemented using if/elsif/else statements in python.
correlation - Correct Answer-Relationship between two variables. For example, exercise
is correlated being able to lift more weight.
Answers.
Abstraction - Correct Answer-When you name something, removing all the details of
something else. For example, "make a sandwich" removes all the details of getting bread,
putting on mustard, and so on. Abstraction is used to simplify things.
aliasing - Correct Answer-When you call the same object by a different name. Aliasing is
important with lists. If you do b = a (b and a are both lists), and you change a, then b
changes also.
Amazon EC2 - Correct Answer-An example of a cloud service where one can buy
computer time.
append - Correct Answer-To add something to the end of something else. In Python, we
talk about "append" when we add items to the end of a list. "Append" is a common term in
computers.
argument - Correct Answer-A value that is passed into a function.
Asymmetric Key Encryption - Correct Answer-A type of encryption where you use two
keys to encrypt and decrypt a message. One is public (known to all) and one is private
(known only to recipient). Also called Public key encryption. Almost always more
complicated than substitution, symmetric key encryption.
big data - Correct Answer-Data that has Volume (very big), Velocity (how fast it grows),
and Variety. Big data is used to mine information.
binary search - Correct Answer-Looking for a particular item in a sorted list by starting at
the middle and splitting the difference between each end. This process repeats until the
item is found. The list needs to be sorted first. Also called "bisection method".
Bits - Correct Answer-a BInary digiT. Computers communicate in bits . Bits are either 0 or
1. Computers use bits (0-1) instead of decimal (0-9) because it mirrors electrical circuitry
which is either on or off
Boolean - Correct Answer-An expression that evaluates to true or false.
, bubblesort - Correct Answer-a method of sorting that is (in general) slow. Bubblesort
takes the largest elements to the top, hence "bubble".
Byte - Correct Answer-8 bits of data. Abbreviated with B (capital B). 1B = 8b.
Caesar Cipher - Correct Answer-a type of substitution cipher that shifts the alphabet by
some number of characters.
calling - Correct Answer-When you run a function.
Casting - Correct Answer-Converting from one type to another.
Certificate Authority (CA) - Correct Answer-A trusted third party that issues Digital
Certificates (or public key certificates). These certificates verify the ownership of the
public key.
Cipher - Correct Answer-the generic term for a technique (or algorithm) that performs
encryption.
Client - Correct Answer-A computer that requests data stored on a server.
Cloning - Correct Answer-Creating another copy of something. It's important to know the
difference between aliasing and cloning when looking at lists. To clone a list, do b = a[:]
The cloud - Correct Answer-A complicated way of saying using somebody else's
computer.
comments - Correct Answer-commands not executed, often used for documentation. In
python, anything after the pound symbol (#) is a comment.
conditionals - Correct Answer-When a computer program does certain things based on
booleans. Implemented using if/elsif/else statements in python.
correlation - Correct Answer-Relationship between two variables. For example, exercise
is correlated being able to lift more weight.
