WACE Applied IT flashcards

35 cards. Read the term and the definition here. The deck at the top of this page is optional.

Critical path

The longest sequence of dependent activities through a project network. Its total duration determines the shortest possible project completion time, and any delay on it delays the whole project.

Work breakdown structure

A hierarchical decomposition of project deliverables into smaller, manageable work packages. Each work package can be estimated, scheduled, assigned to a person, and tracked.

Float (slack)

The amount of time an activity can be delayed without delaying the project finish. Calculated as late start minus early start, or late finish minus early finish.

Scope creep

Uncontrolled expansion of project scope through added features or requirements without corresponding adjustment to time, cost, or resources, usually causing overruns.

Prototyping in design

Building a preliminary working model to test functionality or usability before full production. Feedback from testing informs refinement or a return to earlier design stages.

Von Neumann architecture

A computer design in which program instructions and data share the same memory and travel over the same bus, processed by a CPU containing control unit, ALU, and registers.

Volatile memory

Memory that loses its stored contents when power is removed. RAM is volatile and holds programs and data currently in use by the processor.

Solid state drive

A storage device using flash memory with no moving parts. It offers faster random access, quieter operation, and greater shock resistance than a magnetic hard disk.

Utility software

System software that maintains and optimises the computer, including antivirus tools, backup programs, disk defragmenters, compression tools, and file managers.

Lossy compression

A compression method that permanently discards some data to reduce file size, trading quality for space. Common examples are JPEG images and MP3 audio.

Primary key

A field or combination of fields that uniquely identifies each record in a database table. It cannot contain duplicate values or null entries.

Foreign key

A field in one table that references the primary key of another table, establishing a relationship between the tables and enforcing referential integrity.

Validation versus verification

Validation checks that entered data meets predefined rules such as type, range, or format. Verification checks that data accurately matches the original source.

Incremental backup

A backup that copies only files changed since the most recent backup of any type. It is fast and space-efficient but restoration requires the last full backup plus all increments.

Symmetric encryption

An encryption method using a single shared key for both encryption and decryption. It is fast but requires secure distribution of the key to all parties.

Ransomware

Malicious software that encrypts a victim's files or locks a system and demands payment for restoration. Backups stored offline are the primary mitigation.

Normalisation

Organising database tables to reduce redundancy and avoid anomalies. First, second, and third normal forms progressively remove repeating groups, partial dependencies, and transitive dependencies.

Star topology

A network layout where every device connects to a central switch or hub. Failure of one cable affects one device, but failure of the central device affects the whole network.

TCP versus UDP

TCP is connection-oriented, guaranteeing ordered delivery with acknowledgement and retransmission. UDP is connectionless, faster, and used where slight data loss is acceptable.

DNS

The Domain Name System translates human-readable domain names into IP addresses, allowing users to reach servers without remembering numeric addresses.

DHCP

The Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol automatically assigns IP addresses, subnet masks, gateways, and DNS servers to devices joining a network, reducing manual configuration.

Bandwidth versus throughput

Bandwidth is the maximum theoretical data capacity of a connection. Throughput is the actual rate achieved, reduced by latency, congestion, interference, and protocol overhead.

IPv6

The successor to IPv4 using 128-bit addresses, providing an enormously larger address space and removing the need for network address translation in most cases.

Absolute cell reference

A spreadsheet reference such as $A$1 that does not change when the formula is copied to another cell, because both column and row are locked.

Mail merge

A word processing feature combining a main document containing fixed text with a data source of variable fields to produce personalised copies such as letters or labels.

VLOOKUP function

A spreadsheet function searching the first column of a range for a value and returning a value from a specified column in the same row, usually with exact matching.

Scatter chart

A chart plotting pairs of numeric values as points to reveal correlation or relationship between two variables, unlike line charts which show trend over time.

CSV file format

A plain text format storing tabular data with values separated by commas. It preserves data but not formatting, formulas, or multiple worksheets.

Digital divide

The gap between groups with reliable access to technology, connectivity, and digital skills and those without, driven by income, geography, age, and education.

Digital footprint

The persistent trail of data created by a person's online activity, including posts, searches, and transactions, which can be viewed by others and is difficult to erase.

Copyright

Automatic legal protection granted to creators of original works, controlling reproduction, distribution, and adaptation for a defined period without requiring registration.

E-waste

Discarded electronic equipment containing hazardous materials such as lead, mercury, and cadmium. Responsible management involves certified recycling and manufacturer take-back programs.

Blockchain

A distributed, append-only ledger of records grouped into cryptographically linked blocks and maintained by consensus across many nodes, making past entries very difficult to alter.

Edge computing

Processing data near the device where it is generated rather than in a distant data centre, reducing latency and network bandwidth consumption for time-sensitive applications.

Cloud service models

IaaS supplies virtual infrastructure, PaaS supplies development platforms, and SaaS supplies complete applications over the internet, with decreasing user management responsibility.