Matric Notes Computer Notes Glossary

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Algorithm

A series of instructions or procedural steps for the solution of a specific problem.

Algorithm Code

A system of coding data by the use of combination of letters to represent item of information.

Alphanumeric Code

Pertaining to character set or field of data in which the coded characters may represent numerals or letters of the alphabets.

Analog Computers

Analog computers are machines designed to perform arithmetical functions upon numbers where the numbers are represented by some physical quantity.

Antivirus Utility

A program that scans disks and memory for virus, detects and remove them.

Application Program

A program forming part of a user’s job and written by the user. As distinct from program forming part of the general purpose software used to manage the operation of the total computer system.

ASCII Code

Acronym for American Standard Code for Information Interchange.

Assembler

A computer program that converts the assembly language program into machine on a language.

Assembly Language

Any symbolic language used for programming which must go through an assembler in order to be converted into the machine code required for operation on a computer.

BASIC

An acronym for Beginner’s All-purpose Symbolic Instruction Code. It is a high level programming language. Because of its simplicity and comparative power, the language is much used on personal computers.

BIT

An acronym for Binary digit, one of the two digits (0 and 1) used in binary notation.

BUG

Any mistake or malfunction of a computer program or system.

BYTE

A set of bits considered as a unit, normally consist of 8 bits and corresponds to a single character of information.

Character

One of a set of symbols in a data processing system used to denote, for example the numerals 0-9, the letters of the alphabet, punctuation marks, etc.

COBOL

COBOL is an acronym for Common Business Oriented Language. It is an internationally accepted programming language developed for general commercial use.

Code

The representation of data or instruction in symbolic form.

Coding

The written instruction for a computer coding is the part of activity of programming.

Compilation

The process of using a compiler to create an object program from a source language.

Compile

To create an object program by means of a compiler.

Compiler

A complex program which converts computer instructions written in a source language into machine code.

Computer

Any machine which can accept data in a prescribed form process the data and supply the results of the processing in a specific format as information or as signals to control automatically some further machine or process.

Computer Program

A program written in a computer language. Computer Simulation, Representing a system or a process by a computer model constructed from a computer program.

Computer Word

A fixed sequence of bits, bytes, or characters treated as a unit and capable of being stored in one storage location.

Constants

In a program constants are items of data which remain unchanged for each run.

Cursor

A special character, usually a flashing square block or underline, which indicates the position on a screen at which the next information character will displayed.

Data

A general expression used to describe any group of operands or factors consisting of numbers, alphabetic characters or symbols which denote any conditions, value or state.

Data processing

The operations performed on data, usually by automatic electronic equipment, in order to derive information or to achieve order among files.

Debugging

Debugging is the technique of detecting, diagnosing and correcting errors or bugs which may occur in programs or system.

Decision Symbol

A flow charting symbol used to indicate a choice or branching in the information processing path. A diamond shape figure is used to represent this symbol.

Difference

The result obtained in the arithmetic operation of subtraction.

Digit

A component of an item of data.

Digital Computer

A digital computer is a machine capable of performing operations on data represented in digital or number form, Disk: A revolving plate upon which data and programs are stored.

DOS

An acronym for Disk Operating System.

Document

Any form or voucher containing detail of some factors.

Documentation

It is the process of collecting, organizing and storing all the information related to a specific program like flowchart, algorithm, coding sheets, manuals etc, on papers.

EBCDIC

EBCDIC a data communication code in which 8 information bits are used to form 256 unique character codes. The term is an abbreviation of Extended Binary Coded Decimal Interchange Code.

EOF BASIC

EOF BASIC reserved word which is an abbreviation of End Of File.

Equivalence

A logical relationship in which two statement are said to be equivalent.

Error

Any condition in which the unexpected results of an compiled object code is obtained.

Expression

The symbolic representation of a mathematical or logical statement.

Field

A sub division of a record containing a unit of information.

File

An organized collection of records.

Floating Point Number

A form of number representation in which quantities are represented by a number called the mantissa multiplied by a power of the number base called exponent.

Flow Chart

The diagrammatic representation of a sequence of events, usually drawn with conventional symbol representing different types of events and their interconnection.

Format

The predetermined arrangement of data.

Function

That part of a computer instruction which specifies the operation to be performed.

Giga

A prefix denoting one thousand million.

Graphics

The use of images generated by software for output to a graphic display.

Hard Disk

A magnetic disk which is rigid.

High Level Language

A computer language which is nearest to human language. A language in which each instruction or statement corresponds to several machine code instructions.

Hybrid Computer

Any mixed computer system in which analog and digital computing devices are combined.

Hz

Abbreviation of Hertz.

Information

These are the result which is derived from the processing of data.

Input

The process of transferring data, or program instructions, into memory from sone peripheral unit.

Instruction

That part of a computer program which tells the computer what function to perform at that stage.

Interpreter

Software that translates each statement of source program into a sequence of machine instructions and executes these machine instructions one by one before translating the next source language statement.

Jump

Synonymous with branch.

Keyboard

An input device to feed alphabetic and numeric data.

Kilobyte

1024 bytes.

Label

It is a DOS command which is used to assign a lable to the disk.

Load

This is BASIC command which is used to load a BASIC program from a secondary storage device to computer’s memory.

Locate

This is BASIC command which is used to show the location of cursor on the screen.

Loop

A series of instructions which are performed repeatedly until some specified condition is satisfied.

Machine Language

The coding system adopted in the design of a computer to represent the instruction of the computer.

Magnetic Disk

A storage device consisting of a number of flat circular plates each coated on both surface with some magnetable material.

Main Storage

The store from which instructions are executed.

Megabyte

A million bytes.

Memory

This term is usually reserved for describing the internal store of a computer.

Microcomputer

A computer based on microprocessor.

Modem

A device which transmits over distances without error.

Nested Loop

Programs fling technique in which a loop of instructions contains another loop, which may in turn contain another, and so on.

Numeral

One of a set of digits that may be used in a particular system of number system.

Numerical Data

Any field of characters which contains numeric digits only.

Object Program

A program in which language produced by translating the program written in source language through the use of a compiler.

Operating System

A set of programs which manages resources of computer include hardware, programs, data and operators.

Output

Result produced by a computer.

Output Device

The device which produces the results from the computer in human readable form.

Printer

An output device which produce results in printed form.

Procedure

The sequence of steps required in order to solve a problem.

Program

A set of instructions composed for solving a given problem by computer.

Programming Language

A language used for writing computer programs.

Prompt

Any message given to an operator by an operating system.

RAM

Abbreviation of Random Access Memory. Memory into which data can be written and from which data can be read.

Reserved Word

In a programming language, a data name not available to the user because it has some specific significance to the computer.

Resolution

The number of individually addressable and variable picture elements available in a graphic display.

ROM

Acronym for Read only Memory. Memory containing information which is permanent and which cannot be written to, but can be read by program functions.

RUN

The performance of one program or routine.

Soft Copy

Output from a computer process which is displayed on a visual display unit.

Software

The term is applied to all those programs which in some way can assist all users of a particular type of computer to make the best use of their machine.

Source Program

A program written in a source language.

Statement

A source language instruction.

Structured Programming

A methodology for programming which involves systematic described in increasing detail until the final stage of coding is required.

Subroutine

Part of a program which performs a logical section of the overall function of the program and which is available whenever the particular set of instructions is required.

Subscripted Variable

Whose numeric value can change? It is denoted by an array name followed by a subscript; e.g. A(5) or AB$(22).