Key terms

• Programming is the process of writing instructions that can be executed by a computer.
• An algorithm is a sequence of instructions that can be followed to solve a problem, and that always terminates.  
• Pseudocode is used to write instructions using statements that are somewhere between English and a programming language.  There are guidelines for writing pseudocode, but no strict rules. Pseudocode is an aid to work out the steps needed to solve a problem before beginning to code.  
• A flowchart is a diagram used to illustrate the steps of an algorithm.  Flowcharts are made up of symbols, each containing a single step of the algorithm. The shape of the symbol represents the type of process that the symbol contains. Arrows are used to show the flow of execution.