CSP Units 1-5

Binary

A way of representing information using only two options.

Bit

A contraction of "Binary Digit". A bit is the single unit of information in a computer, typically represented as a 0 or 1.

Byte

8 bits

Overflow Error

Error from attempting to represent a number that is too large.

Round-off Error

Error from attempting to represent a number that is too precise. The value is rounded.

Analog Data

Data with values that change continuously, or smoothly, over time. Some examples of analog data include music, colors of a painting, or position of a sprinter during a race.

Digital Data

Data that changes discreetly through a finite set of possible values

Sampling

A process for creating a digital representation of analog data by measuring the analog data at regular intervals called samples.

Lossless Compression

A process for reducing the number of bits needed to represent something without losing any information. This process is reversible.

Lossy Compression

A process for reducing the number of bits needed to represent something in which some information is lost or thrown away. This process is not reversible.

Intellectual property

A work or invention that is the result of creativity, such as a manuscript or a design, to which one has rights and for which one may apply for a patent, copyright, trademark, etc.

Creative Commons

A collection of public copyright licenses that enable the free distribution of an otherwise copyrighted work, used when an author wants to give people the right to share, use, and build upon a work that they have created

Computing device

A machine that can run a program, including computers, tablets, servers, routers, and smart sensors

Computing System

A group of computing devices and programs working together for a common purpose

Computing network

A group of interconnected computing devices capable of sending or receiving data.

Path

The series of connections between computing devices on a network starting with a sender and ending with a receiver.

Bandwidth

The maximum amount of data that can pass from one point to another in a unit of time

Protocol

An agreed-upon set of rules that specify the behavior of some system

IP address

The unique number assigned to each device on the Internet.

Internet Protocol (IP)

A protocol for sending data across the Internet that assigns unique numbers (IP addresses) to each connected device

Router

A type of computer that forwards data across a network

Packet

A chunk of data sent over a network. Larger messages are divided into packets that may arrive at the destination in order, out-of-order, or not at all.

Redundancy

The inclusion of extra components so that a system can continue to work even if individual components fail, for example by having more than one path between any two connected devices in a network.

Fault tolerant

Can continue to function even in the event of individual component failures. This is important because elements of complex systems like a computer network fail at unexpected times, often in groups.

HTTP

HyperText Transfer Protocol - the protocol used for transmitting web pages over the Internet

Internet

A computer network consisting of a worldwide network of computer networks that use the TCP/IP network protocols to facilitate data transmission and exchange

World Wide Web

A system of linked pages, programs, and files

Digital divide

Differing access to computing devices and the Internet, based on socioeconomic, geographic, or demographic characteristics

User Interface

The inputs and outputs that allow a user to interact with a piece of software. User interfaces can include a variety of forms such as buttons, menus, images, text, and graphics.

Input

Data that are sent to a computer for processing by a program. Can come in a variety of forms, such as tactile interaction, audio, visuals, or text.

Output

Any data that are sent from a program to a device. Can come in a variety of forms, such as tactile interaction, audio, visuals, or text.

Program Statement

A command or instruction. Sometimes also referred to as a code statement.

Program

A collection of program statements. Programs run (or "execute") one command at a time.

Sequential Programming

Program statements run in order, from top to bottom.

Event-driven programming

Some program statements run when triggered by an event, like a mouse click or a key press

Documentation

A written description of how a command or piece of code works or was developed.

Comment

A form of program documentation written into the program to be read by people and which does not affect how a program runs

Pair Programming

A collaborative programming style in which two programmers switch between the roles of writing code and tracking or planning high level progress

Debugging

Finding and fixing problems in your algorithm or program.

Development process

The steps or phases used to create a piece of software. Typical phases include investigating, designing, prototyping, and testing

Event

Associated with an action and supplies input data to a program. Can be generated when a key is pressed, a mouse is clicked, a program is started, or by any other defined action that affects the flow of execution.

Expression

A combination of operators and values that evaluates to a single value

Assignment Operator

Allows a program to change the value represented by a variable

Variable

A named reference to a value that can be used repeatedly throughout a program.

String

An ordered sequence of characters.

Boolean Value

A data type that is either true or false.

Comparison Operators

Logical operators

&& [and]|| [or]! [not]

Conditional Statement

Affect the sequential flow of control by executing different statements based on the value of a Boolean expression.

Function

A named group of programming instructions. Also referred to as a "procedure".

Function call

A command that executes the code within a function

List

An ordered collection of elements

Element

An individual value in a list that is assigned a unique inde

Index

A common method for referencing the elements in a list or string using numbers

Iteration

A repetitive portion of an algorithm which repeats a specified number of times or until a given condition is met.

Infinite loop

Occurs when the ending condition will never evaluate to true.

Traversal

The process of accessing each item in a list one at a time

Data Abstraction

Manage complexity in programs by giving a collection of data a name without referencing the specific details of the representation.