Programming.

Programming.

1. Algorithms.

   • Algorithms are specific sets of instructions, that can either be written in either pseudocode or shown as flow diagrams.
   • Input - This suggests that a User will be inputting something into a program.
   • Output - This suggests that a User will be greeted with an output 'on-screen'.

2. Programming Languages.

   • High Level code.
     • Takes longer to process for a Computer than Machine Code, but it is much easier to understand due to it being displayed in full English and not just Binary.
   • Machine Code.
     • Easy to understand and be processed by a Computer system, due to it all being in 1s and 0s .
   • IDEs.
     • Integrated Development Environments allow for software to be written and tested.
   • Translators.
     • Assemblers translate assembly language into Machine Code, and reflect how a CPU functions.
     • Interpreters translate code into Machine code, instruction by intsruction.
     • Compilers translate entire programs into machine code before a program is to run.
     • These are needed to change High Level Code to Machine Code as without them, data transfer latency would increase drastically and operations would work at a much slower rate (due to it being much more complicated for a Computer System to decode it).

3. Control flow in imperative languages.

   • Input cost, IF cost = 5 Then Output £5 Note ElseIF cost = 10 Then Output £10 Note.
   • The order which data sets or instructions are executed in a Computer System.

4. Handling data in algorithms.

   • Constants are symbolic names given to data sets where the value of the data cannot change during the execution of the program.
   • Variables are symbolic names given to data where the value of the data stored may change during the execution of the program.
   • Data Types.
     • Integer - Stores positive or negative whole numbers.
     • String - A group of characters stored together as one data set.
     • Character - Stores a single letter or piece of punctuation as data.
     • Real - Stores numbers that contain decimal places/ values.
     • Boolean - Stores True or False values only.

5. Testing.

   • Syntax errors often occur when Users implement punctuation that isn't needed or incorrect grammar into their code.
   • Logic errors are produced when a bug causes a system to operate incorrectly. This is often produced when a desired outcome is unachievable or two tasks are trying to be outputted when one can be produced.
   • For example, if a user entered TextWindowWriteline("Hello") into Small Basic, a syntax error would occur due to the point being missing between TextWindow and Writeline.
   • An example of a logic error would be if a User wanted a program to output a certain instruction set but with no argument for it to either take place, or not take place.