GCSE Computing - Algorithms

GCSE Computing - Algorithms

1. Flowchart Shapes

   • Start/ End
   • Arrows
   • Input/Output
   • Process
   • Decision

2. High Level Language

   • Understandable by humans
   • Contains words and phrases from the English language
   • Computer doesn't understand it
   • Also called : Source Code

3. Machine Code

   • A collection of binary digits or bits
   • The computer only understands this
   • Can be written in C++, Java or Visual Basic

4. Assembler

   • Coverts assembly language into machine codes
   • It takes the basic commands and converts them into binary code
   • Similar to Compilers
   • More simplistic since they only convert low-level code to machine code
   • Assembly language = low level code

5. IDE

   • Integrated Drive Electronnics
   • An interface for mass storage devices in which controller is integrated into the disk or CD-ROM drive

6. Variable

   • A location in memory where you can temporarily store text or numbers
   • Can change throughout the program
   • global variable = available to use in any part of the program
   • local variable = only available to use in one particular part of the group
   • Variable types = Data Types

7. Constant

   • Always the same
   • it is set by the programmer and cannot be changed by the user

8. Type of Errors

   • Syntax
     • Similar to spelling and grammar errors.
     • program can crash
     • Different sequences of characters or symbols must be written in a particular order to avoid this
   • Logic
     • Endless loop
     • When can it occur
       • Missing data
       • mistake in function
       • incorrect value
     • Partial success - there is an outcome but not the expected one

9. Interperter

   • Translates statement by statement
   • takes less time to analyse but overall slower execution
   • Memory efficient
   • Stops when meets an error - good for bug fixing
   • A program that converts program written in high level code to machine code

10. Compiler

    • translates the whole
    • more time to analyse but overall faster execution
    • requires more memory
    • debugging is hard - only generates error message after scanning the whole program

11. Data types

    • Integer
      • Stores positive or negative WHOLE numbers
    • Real/ Decimal
      • Stores numbers that contain decimal places/values
      • Can also store integers
    • Character
      • Stores a single character (can be a letter, a number or a symbol
    • String
      • Stores alphanumeric cominations and text.
      • A group of characters stored together basically
      • Numbers to be used for calculations should be stored as an integer or real/decimal
    • Boolean
      • Stores True/False only

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