NIMCET Computer Awareness Syllabus

What is a flowchart and what does the diamond symbol represent?

A flowchart is a graphical/diagrammatic representation of an algorithm; the diamond symbol represents a decision (condition/branch).

In a flowchart, what do the oval and parallelogram symbols represent?

The oval represents start/stop (terminal); the parallelogram represents input/output operations.

What is pseudocode?

An informal, language-independent description of an algorithm using plain-language structured statements, not meant to be compiled.

What are the three fundamental control structures in programming?

Sequence, selection (decision/branching), and iteration (looping).

Differentiate between an entry-controlled loop and an exit-controlled loop.

Entry-controlled (e.g., while, for) tests the condition before the loop body; exit-controlled (e.g., do-while) tests after, so it executes at least once.

What is the difference between 'break' and 'continue' statements?

'break' terminates the loop entirely; 'continue' skips the rest of the current iteration and proceeds to the next.

What is a function (or procedure) in programming?

A self-contained, named block of code that performs a specific task and can be reused/called multiple times.

Differentiate between call by value and call by reference.

Call by value passes a copy of the argument (original unchanged); call by reference passes the address, so changes affect the original variable.

What is recursion?

A technique where a function calls itself to solve smaller instances of a problem, requiring a base case to terminate.

What is the difference between a function's parameters and arguments?

Parameters are variables in the function definition; arguments are the actual values passed during the function call.

What is an array?

A collection of elements of the same data type stored in contiguous memory locations, accessed by an index.

For a 1D array with base address B, index i, and element size W, what is the address of element A[i] (base index = LB)?

Address = B + (i - LB) * W.

Differentiate between a one-dimensional and a two-dimensional array.

A 1D array is a linear list of elements; a 2D array is a matrix-like structure with rows and columns (array of arrays).

What is the main advantage and disadvantage of arrays?

Advantage: O(1) random access by index. Disadvantage: fixed size and costly insertion/deletion (O(n)) due to shifting.

What is a stack and which principle does it follow?

A stack is a linear data structure following LIFO (Last In, First Out); insertion and deletion occur at one end called the top.

Name the two primary operations of a stack.

Push (insert an element at the top) and Pop (remove the top element).

What is a queue and which principle does it follow?

A queue is a linear data structure following FIFO (First In, First Out); insertion is at the rear and deletion at the front.

What is a circular queue and what problem does it solve?

A queue where the last position connects to the first, solving the wasted-space problem of a linear queue by reusing freed front slots.

Give one common application each of a stack and a queue.

Stack: function call management / expression evaluation / undo. Queue: CPU/process scheduling / printer spooling / BFS.

What is a linked list?

A linear data structure where elements (nodes) are stored non-contiguously; each node holds data and a pointer to the next node.

Differentiate between a singly linked list and a doubly linked list.

A singly linked list has one pointer (to next node); a doubly linked list has two pointers (to both next and previous nodes).

State one advantage of a linked list over an array.

Dynamic size and efficient O(1) insertion/deletion at known positions without shifting elements.

What is a tree data structure?

A hierarchical, non-linear data structure of nodes with one root and parent-child relationships, having no cycles.

What is the maximum number of nodes in a binary tree of height h (root height = 0)?

2^(h+1) - 1 nodes.

What is a Binary Search Tree (BST)?

A binary tree where each node's left subtree contains smaller values and right subtree contains larger values, enabling O(log n) search.

Name the three depth-first tree traversal methods.

Inorder (Left-Root-Right), Preorder (Root-Left-Right), and Postorder (Left-Right-Root).

What is a graph and how does it differ from a tree?

A graph is a set of vertices connected by edges; unlike a tree it can have cycles, no hierarchy, and multiple paths between nodes.

Differentiate between a directed and an undirected graph.

In a directed graph edges have direction (one-way); in an undirected graph edges are bidirectional (two-way).

What are BFS and DFS in graph traversal?

BFS (Breadth-First Search) explores level by level using a queue; DFS (Depth-First Search) explores as deep as possible using a stack/recursion.

What is an operating system?

System software that manages hardware and software resources and acts as an interface between the user and the computer.

Name common types of operating systems by processing mode.

Batch, Time-sharing (multitasking), Real-time, Distributed, Network, and Multiprocessing operating systems.

What is a real-time operating system (RTOS)?

An OS that processes data and responds within strict time constraints (deadlines), used in embedded/control systems like medical and avionics devices.

What is the difference between multiprogramming and multitasking?

Multiprogramming keeps multiple programs in memory to maximize CPU use; multitasking (time-sharing) rapidly switches the CPU among tasks to serve multiple users/programs interactively.

What is virtual memory?

A memory-management technique that uses disk space as an extension of RAM, allowing execution of programs larger than physical memory.

What is paging in memory management?

A technique that divides logical memory into fixed-size pages and physical memory into frames, eliminating external fragmentation.

Differentiate between internal and external fragmentation.

Internal fragmentation is unused space within an allocated block; external fragmentation is unused space scattered between allocated blocks.

What is thrashing in an operating system?

A condition where excessive paging (page faults) causes the system to spend more time swapping pages than executing processes, sharply reducing performance.

Define the term 'process' in an operating system.

A process is a program in execution, including its code, current activity, and associated resources (registers, stack, data).

Differentiate between preemptive and non-preemptive scheduling.

In preemptive scheduling the CPU can be taken from a running process (e.g., Round Robin); in non-preemptive a process keeps the CPU until it finishes or blocks (e.g., FCFS).

Name four common CPU scheduling algorithms.

First-Come First-Served (FCFS), Shortest Job First (SJF), Priority Scheduling, and Round Robin (RR).