Computer Science Term 1

• What is abstraction in problem-solving?

  It is the process of removing unnecessary details from a problem.
• Why is abstraction important in programming?

  It simplifies the problem and leaves only essential information required to solve it.
• How does decomposition help in problem-solving?

  It breaks a problem down into smaller tasks that are easier to solve.
• What is pattern recognition in programming?

  It is spotting patterns to code solutions more efficiently.
• What is the purpose of creating algorithms?

  To design and implement the steps required to complete a task.
• What is an algorithm?

  It is a series of steps that should be followed to complete a task.
• What is the linear search method?

  It finds an item by comparing each item in turn starting from the first item.
• How does the binary search method work?

  It finds the midpoint in the data and discards half the list until the value is found.
• What are logic gates?

  They are the building blocks of electronic circuits used in computers.
• What is the function of an AND gate?

  Both inputs must be true for the output to be true.
• What does an OR gate do?

  Either input must be true for the output to be true.
• What is the function of a NOT gate?

  It reverses the input.
• What are the key terms related to computational thinking?

  • Computational thinking: Solving problems by breaking them down into steps defined by algorithms.
  • Abstraction: Removing detail within a problem, leaving only essential information.
  • Decomposition: Breaking a problem down into smaller sub-problems.
  • Pattern recognition: Spotting patterns within an algorithm.
  • Algorithm: A set of steps/instructions to complete a task.
• What is a bubble sort?

  It is a method of sorting data by comparing adjacent items and swapping them if in the wrong order.
• What is a Boolean expression?


  It is an expression that produces a Boolean value as output.
• What does a truth table show?

  It shows all possible outputs for a Boolean expression.
• What are the definitions of key terms related to logic gates?

  • AND gate: Both inputs must be TRUE (1) for the output to be TRUE.
  • OR gate: Either or both inputs must be TRUE (1) for the output to be TRUE.
  • NOT gate: Negates the input to the logic gate.
  • Logic gate: A device that performs a Boolean function; takes in 2 inputs and outputs 1.
  • Logic circuit: Combining multiple logic gates together into a circuit.