ICS (Intermediate in Computer Science) Computer Science (Part II) Flashcards

24 sample cards from the Computer Science (Part II) deck

Sampled from the end of the deck, so these are different cards from the ones shown on the syllabus page.

1. What is the selection control structure?

   A structure that chooses between alternative paths based on a condition (e.g., if, if-else, switch).

2. What is the iteration (loop) control structure?

   A structure that repeats a block of statements while a condition is true (e.g., for, while, do-while).

3. What is problem analysis in program development?

   Studying and understanding the problem to determine its inputs, required outputs, and the processing needed to get from input to output (IPO).

4. What three components are identified during problem definition (IPO)?

   Input (given data), Process (steps/computation), and Output (required results).

5. What is an algorithm?

   A finite, step-by-step set of well-defined instructions to solve a problem or perform a task.

6. List three essential properties of a good algorithm.

   It must be finite (terminate), have clearly defined (unambiguous) steps, and accept input and produce correct output.

7. What two common tools are used to represent an algorithm?

   Flowcharts and pseudocode.

8. What is a flowchart?

   A graphical (pictorial) representation of an algorithm using standard symbols connected by arrows to show the flow of control.

9. Which flowchart symbol represents Start/Stop (terminal)?

   The oval (rounded/ellipse) symbol.

10. Which flowchart symbol represents input/output?

    The parallelogram.

11. Which flowchart symbol represents a process (calculation/assignment)?

    The rectangle.

12. Which flowchart symbol represents a decision?

    The diamond (rhombus).

13. What does an arrow (flow line) represent in a flowchart?

    The direction and flow of control from one step to the next.

14. What is pseudocode?

    An informal, English-like description of an algorithm's steps that is not bound by any programming language's syntax.

15. State one advantage of pseudocode over a flowchart.

    Pseudocode is easier and quicker to write and modify, and translates more directly into actual program code.

16. What are the basic sections of a C/C++ program?

    Preprocessor directives (header files), the main() function, declarations, statements, and (optionally) user-defined functions.

17. What is the purpose of #include <iostream> in a C++ program?

    It is a preprocessor directive that includes the input/output stream header file needed for cin and cout.

18. What is the role of the main() function in a C/C++ program?

    It is the entry point where program execution begins; every C/C++ program must have exactly one main() function.

19. What is a data type?

    A classification that specifies the kind of data a variable can hold and the operations that can be performed on it.

20. Name four fundamental (built-in) data types in C/C++.

    int (integer), float (real number), char (character), and double (double-precision real).

21. What is a constant in a program?

    A fixed value that does not change during program execution (e.g., 100, 3.14, 'A').

22. What is a variable?

    A named memory location whose value can change during program execution.

23. What is an identifier, and state one rule for naming it.

    An identifier is a name given to a variable, function, or constant. Rule: it must begin with a letter or underscore and cannot be a keyword.

24. Which statements are used for input and output in C++ (and which operators do they use)?

    cin (with the extraction operator >>) for input and cout (with the insertion operator <<) for output.

What this deck covers

Computer Science (Part II) flashcards FAQ