EDPT key terms

A finite, ordered set of unambiguous steps that transforms an input into a desired output. Every step must be executable without further interpretation, and the process must terminate.

A diagram using standardized symbols-ovals for start and end, rectangles for processes, diamonds for decisions, parallelograms for input and output-to show the sequence of steps in a procedure.

A structured, English-like notation for expressing an algorithm without the syntax rules of any particular programming language. It emphasizes logic and sequence rather than compiling or running.

A control structure that repeats a block of instructions while a condition holds or for a set number of iterations, avoiding the need to duplicate identical steps in writing.

A loop placed inside the body of another loop. The inner loop completes all its repetitions for each single pass of the outer loop, so total iterations multiply.

One complete pass through the body of a loop. Counting iterations is a common way to trace an algorithm's behavior and to estimate how much work it performs.

The diamond-shaped flowchart element containing a yes-or-no question. Two or more labeled exit paths leave it, and the path taken depends on whether the stated condition is true.

A construct that executes one block of instructions when a stated test is true and optionally a different block when it is false, allowing a program to choose among alternatives.

A manual table that records the value of each variable after every step of an algorithm, used to verify logic and locate the point where output diverges from expectation.

A named storage location whose contents can change while a program runs. It has an identifier, a data type, and a current value that instructions may read or replace.

An instruction that stores a value into a variable, replacing whatever was there before. The right side is evaluated first, then the result is placed in the named location.

A classification that determines what kind of values a variable may hold and which operations apply-for example integer, decimal, character, string, or true/false logical values.

A whole number with no fractional part, such as 7, 0, or −42. In many languages integers occupy a fixed range of storage, so overflow can occur beyond the maximum.

A numeric value stored as a sign, a mantissa, and an exponent, allowing very large and very small magnitudes with limited significant digits. Rounding error is inherent in such representation.

A sequence of characters treated as one value, such as a name or a code. Operations typically include finding length, extracting a substring, and joining two strings together.

An expression that evaluates to exactly one of two values, true or false, typically by comparing quantities or combining simpler conditions with AND, OR, and NOT.

A tabular listing of every combination of true and false inputs to a logical operation together with the resulting output, used to confirm the behavior of compound conditions.

The agreed ranking that determines which operation in an expression is performed first. Exponentiation ranks above multiplication and division, which rank above addition and subtraction.

Division in which any fractional part of the quotient is discarded, so 17 divided by 5 yields 3. The result is a whole number rather than a rounded or decimal value.

The remainder operation. It returns what is left over after integer division, so 17 modulus 5 equals 2. It is widely used to test divisibility and to wrap values within a range.

The condition in which a computed value exceeds the largest magnitude the storage format can hold, causing an incorrect wrapped or truncated result if not detected.

The small difference between an exact value and its stored approximation, arising when a number cannot be represented with the available significant digits, as with repeating decimals in binary.

Discarding digits beyond a chosen position without adjusting the last kept digit, so 3.789 truncated to two decimals becomes 3.78. It differs from rounding, which may increase the last digit.

Joining two character strings end to end to form a single longer string, so "DATA" joined with "BASE" produces "DATABASE". Order matters and no separator is inserted automatically.

A contiguous portion of a string identified by a starting position and a length, or by the positions of its first and last characters, counting from a defined origin.

A positional notation using only the digits 0 and 1, where each place value is a power of two. It is the native representation of data inside digital computers.

A base-16 notation using digits 0–9 and letters A–F. One hexadecimal digit corresponds exactly to four binary bits, making it a compact shorthand for memory addresses and byte values.

The smallest unit of digital information, holding a single value of either 0 or 1. Groups of bits encode numbers, characters, and instructions within a computer.

A group of eight bits treated as one unit. A byte can represent 256 distinct values, enough for one character code or a small unsigned integer from 0 to 255.

A numeric value assigned to a letter, digit, or symbol so it can be stored and compared. Common schemes include ASCII and Unicode, which map characters to standard numbers.

An ordered collection of elements of the same type, stored so each can be accessed by its position index. Indexing usually begins at 0 or 1 depending on the language.

The position number used to locate one element within an array or string. Valid indices run from zero (or one) up to one less than the number of elements.

A composite data structure grouping several related fields, possibly of different types, under one name-for example a student record holding name, identifier, and score.

One named component within a record, holding a single attribute of the entity the record describes. Each field has its own data type and length.

A named, persistent collection of related records or bytes stored on a storage device. Programs open, read, write, and close files to keep data after execution ends.

Arranging records or values into a specified order, such as ascending numeric or alphabetical, so that searching and reporting become faster and more convenient.

Examining a collection to locate a particular value or determine that it is absent. Linear search checks items one by one; binary search halves a sorted range repeatedly.

The process of finding, isolating, and correcting errors in a program by reading code, tracing variables, and comparing observed output with the expected result.

A violation of the grammar rules of a programming language, such as a missing parenthesis or misspelled keyword, which prevents the program from being translated and run.

A flaw in a program's reasoning that lets it run to completion but produce incorrect results, such as using the wrong comparison or an off-by-one loop boundary.