Deck 1: Introduction to Computers and Programming

Question 1

The computer's main memory is commonly known as:

A) The hard disk
B) The floppy disk
C) RAM
D) Secondary storage
E) None of the above

Answer 1

C

Question 2

What statement best describes a variable and its primary purpose?

A) A variable is a structured, general-purpose language designed primarily for teaching programming.
B) A variable is a collection of eight bits.
C) A variable is a word that has a special meaning to the compiler.
D) A variable is a named storage location in the computer's memory used for holding a piece of information.
E) A variable is a "line" of code in the body of a program, that may change.

Answer 2

D

Question 3

This term refers to the programmer reading the program from the beginning and steping through each statement.

A) Pseudocoding
B) Software Engineering
C) Desk Checking
D) Spot Checking
E) None of the above

Answer 3

C

Question 4

What does the term hardware refer to?

A) The relative difficulty of programming
B) The physical components that a computer is made of
C) The way a computer's storage space is organized
D) The logical flow of instructions
E) None of the above.

Question 5

During which stage does the central processing unit retrieve from main memory the next instruction in the sequence of program instructions?

A) fetch
B) decode
C) execute
D) portability stage

Question 6

_______________ are used to translate each source code instruction into the appropriate machine language instruction.

A) Modules
B) Library routines
C) Compilers
D) Preprocessor directives
E) None of the above

Question 7

Internally, the CPU consists of two parts:

A) The Output Device and the Input Device
B) The Software and the Hardware
C) The Control Unit and the Arithmetic and Logic Unit
D) The Single-task Device and the Multi-task Device
E) None of the above

Question 8

This step will uncover any syntax errors in your program.

A) Editing
B) Compiling
C) Linking
D) Executing
E) None of these

Question 9

A set of well-defined steps for performing a task or solving a problem is known as a(n):

A) Hierarchy
B) Algorithm
C) Central Processing Unit
D) Encoded instruction
E) None of the above

Question 10

A(n) ____________ is a set of instructions that the computer follows to solve a problem.

A) Compiler
B) Linker
C) Program
D) Operator
E) None of the above

Question 11

The ________ decodes an instruction and generates electrical signals.

A) Arithmetic and Logic Unit
B) Main memory
C) BIOS
D) Control Unit
E) None of the above

Question 12

Programmer-defined names of memory locations that may hold data are:

A) Operators
B) Variables
C) Syntax
D) Operands
E) None of the above.

Question 13

The statements written by the programmer are called:

A) Syntax
B) Object code
C) Source code
D) Runtime libraries
E) None of the above

Question 14

This is used in a program to mark the beginning or ending of a statement, or separate items in a list.

A) Separators
B) Punctuation
C) Operators
D) Key Words
E) None of the above

Question 15

The programming process consists of several steps, which include:

A) Input, Processing, and Output
B) Key Words, Operators, and Punctuation
C) Design, Creation, Testing, and Debugging
D) Syntax, Logic, and Error Handling
E) None of the above

Question 16

Characters or symbols that perform operations on one or more operands are:

A) Syntax
B) Op codes
C) Operators
D) Program ops
E) None of the above

Question 17

At the heart of a computer is its central processing unit. The CPU's job is:

A) To fetch instructions
B) To carry out the operations commanded by the instructions
C) To produce some outcome or resultant information
D) All of the above
E) None of the above

Question 18

Even when there is no power to the computer, data can be held in:

A) Secondary storage
B) The Input Device
C) The Output Device
D) The Algorithm
E) None of the above

Question 19

Which of the following best describes an operator?

A) An operator is a rule that must be followed when constructing a program.
B) An operator allows you to perform operations on one or more pieces of data.
C) An operator marks the beginning or ending of a statement, or is used to separate items in a list.
D) An operator is a word that has a special meaning.
E) An operator is a symbolic name that refers to a variable.

Question 20

An Integrated Development Environment typically consists of:

A) A text editor
B) A compiler
C) A debugger
D) All of the above
E) None of the above

Question 21

An example of a secondary storage device is:

A) The computer's main memory
B) The keyboard
C) The monitor
D) A hard disk
E) None of the above

Question 22

This is a volatile type of memory, used for temporary storage.

A) A floppy disk
B) ALU
C) RAM
D) A hard disk
E) None of the above

Question 23

Unix and Windows 2000 are examples of _______________ operating systems.

A) single tasking
B) multi-tasking
C) Macintosh
D) command-driven
E) None of these

Question 24

The name for a memory location that may hold data is:

A) Key Word
B) Syntax
C) Operator
D) Variable
E) None of the above

Question 25

A variable declaration announces the name of a variable that will be used in a program, as well as:

A) The type of data it will be used to hold
B) The operators that will be used on it
C) The number of times it will be used in the program
D) The area of the code in which it will be used
E) None of the above

Question 26

This is a complete instruction that causes the computer to perform some action.

A) Line
B) Statement
C) Variable
D) Key Word
E) None of the above

Question 27

Words that have a special meaning and may be used only for their intended purpose are known as:

A) Operators
B) Programmer Defined Words
C) Key Words
D) Syntax
E) None of the above

Question 28

In programming, the terms "line" and "statement" always mean the same thing.

Question 29

In a broad sense, the two primary categories of programming languages are:

A) Mainframe and PC
B) Single-tasking and Multi-tasking
C) Low-level and High-level
D) COBOL and BASIC
E) None of the above

Question 30

Which of the following is a preprocessor directive?

A) pay = hours * rate;
B) cin >> rate;
C) // This program calculates the user's pay.
D) int main()
E) #include

Question 31

Pseudocode is a form of program statement that will always evaluate to "false."

Question 32

The programmer usually enters source code into a computer using:

A) Pseudocode
B) A text editor
C) A hierarchy chart
D) A compiler
E) None of the above

Question 33

During which stage does the central processing unit analyze the instruction and encode it in the form of a number, and then generate an electronic signal?

A) fetch
B) decode
C) execute
D) portability stage

Question 34

Which of the following is not one of the five major components of a computer system?

A) Preprocessor
B) The CPU (central processing unit)
C) Main memory
D) Input/Output device
E) Secondary storage device

Question 35

This is a set of rules that must be followed when constructing a program.

A) Syntax
B) Punctuation
C) Portability
D) Operators
E) Key words

Question 36

In the process of translating a source file into an executable file, which of the following is the correct sequence?

A) Source code, preprocessor, modified source code, linker, object code, compiler, executable code.
B) Preprocessor, source code, compiler, executable code, linker, modified source code, object code.
C) Source code, compiler, modified source code, preprocessor, object code, linker, executable code.
D) Source code, preprocessor, modified source code, compiler, object code, linker, executable code.
E) Source code, linker, object code, compiler, modified source code, preprocessor, executable code.

Question 37

Software engineering is a field that encompasses designing, writing, testing, debugging, documenting, modifying, and maintaining computer programs.

Question 38

Mistakes that cause a running program to produce incorrect results are called:

A) Syntax errors
B) Logic errors
C) Compiler errors
D) Linker errors
E) None of the above

Question 39

Computer programs are also known as

A) hardware
B) firmware
C) software
D) silverware
E) None of the above

Question 40

Three primary activities of a program are:

A) Variables, Operators, and Key Words
B) Lines, Statements, and Punctuation
C) Input, Processing, and Output
D) Integer, Floating-point and Character
E) None of the above

Question 41

Machine language is an example of a high-level language.

Question 42

A CPU really only understands instructions that are written in machine language.

Question 43

The preprocessor executes after the compiler.

Question 44

In C++, key words are written in all lowercase letters.