JCE Computer Studies flashcards
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32 cards. Read the term and the definition here. The deck at the top of this page is optional.
- Von Neumann architecture
- A computer design where the CPU, memory, and I/O share a single memory for both instructions and data, executing the fetch-decode-execute cycle.
- Cache memory
- A small, fast memory between the CPU and RAM that stores frequently used instructions and data to reduce average access time.
- RISC vs CISC
- RISC uses simple fixed-length instructions and a load/store design; CISC uses complex variable-length instructions that may operate directly on memory.
- Clock speed
- The rate at which a CPU executes cycles, measured in hertz; cycle time is the reciprocal of clock speed.
- Operating system
- System software that manages hardware, processes, memory, files, and devices, and provides a user interface for running applications.
- Virtual memory
- A technique that uses secondary storage to extend apparent RAM, mapping logical addresses to physical frames via page tables.
- Process states
- The lifecycle stages of a process: new, ready, running, waiting, and terminated, managed by the operating system scheduler.
- Deadlock conditions
- Four simultaneous conditions-mutual exclusion, hold-and-wait, no preemption, and circular wait-that must all hold for deadlock to occur.
- Two's complement
- A signed binary representation where the leftmost bit indicates sign; negation is performed by inverting all bits and adding one.
- ASCII
- A 7-bit character encoding standard defining 128 codes for letters, digits, punctuation, and control characters.
- Hexadecimal
- A base-16 number system using digits 0–9 and letters A–F, commonly used as a compact notation for binary values.
- Binary overflow
- An error occurring when a computed result exceeds the range representable by the fixed number of bits allocated.
- OSI model
- A seven-layer reference model for network communication: Physical, Data Link, Network, Transport, Session, Presentation, and Application.
- TCP vs UDP
- TCP is connection-oriented and reliable with acknowledgments; UDP is connectionless and best-effort without delivery guarantees.
- IP address
- A numeric identifier assigned to a device on a network; IPv4 uses 32 bits and IPv6 uses 128 bits.
- DNS
- The Domain Name System translates human-readable domain names into IP addresses needed for routing packets.
- Primary key
- A column or set of columns that uniquely identifies each row in a relational table and cannot contain null values.
- Foreign key
- An attribute in one table that references the primary key of another table, enforcing referential integrity between related records.
- Normalization
- The process of organizing relational tables to reduce redundancy and anomalies, typically through first, second, and third normal forms.
- ACID properties
- Transaction guarantees: Atomicity, Consistency, Isolation, and Durability, ensuring reliable database operations.
- Binary search
- A search algorithm that repeatedly halves a sorted list, comparing the target with the middle element, achieving O(log n) time.
- Recursion
- A programming technique where a function calls itself with a smaller input until reaching a base case that stops the calls.
- Algorithm
- A finite, definite sequence of steps that transforms input into output and terminates after a bounded number of operations.
- Absolute cell reference
- A spreadsheet reference such as $A$1 that remains fixed when a formula is copied to another cell.
- Mail merge
- A word-processing feature that combines a main document with a data source to produce personalized copies for many recipients.
- Vector graphics
- Images defined by mathematical paths and shapes rather than pixels, allowing scaling without loss of quality.
- Ransomware
- Malware that encrypts a victim's files and demands payment for the decryption key, often spreading through phishing.
- Two-factor authentication
- A security method requiring two different authentication factors, such as a password plus a one-time code.
- Symmetric encryption
- An encryption method where the same secret key is used for both encryption and decryption, requiring secure key distribution.
- Cloud computing
- The delivery of computing services over the internet, offered as IaaS, PaaS, or SaaS and deployed publicly, privately, or hybrid.
- Internet of Things
- A network of physical devices embedded with sensors and software that collect and exchange data over the internet.
- Digital divide
- The gap between groups with and without reliable access to computers, internet connectivity, and digital skills.