Think Python Vocabulary

Flashcards to accompany Downey's open source book, Think Python. Covers the vocabulary used in the book. Attribution: Imported from ankiweb

450 flashcards · Programming Languages · by kgashok

1. A programming language like Python that is designed to be easy for humans to read and write.

   High-Level Language

2. A programming language that is designed to be easy for a computer to execute; also called machine languageor assembly language.

   Low-Level Language

3. A property of a program that can run on more than one kind of computer.

   Portability

4. To execute a program in a high-level language by translating it one line at a time.

   interpret

5. To translate a program written in a high-level language into a low-level language all at once, in preparation for later execution.

   Compile

6. A program in a high-level language before being compiled

   Source Code

7. The output of the compiler after it translates the program.

   Object Code

8. Another name for object code that is ready to be executed.

   Executable

9. Characters displayed by the interpreter to indicate that it is ready to take input from the user.

   Prompt

10. A program stored in a file (usually one that will be interpreted).

    script

11. A way of using the Python interpreter by typing commands and expres- sions at the prompt.

    interactive mode

12. A way of using the Python interpreter to read and execute statements in a script.

    script mode

13. A set of instructions that specifies a computation.

    program

14. A general process for solving a category of problems.

    algorithm

15. An error in a program.

    bug

16. The process of finding and removing any of the three kinds of programming errors.

    debugging

17. The structure of a program.

    syntax

18. An error in a program that makes it impossible to parse (and therefore im- possible to interpret).

    syntax error

19. An error that is detected while the program is running.

    Exception

20. The meaning of a program.

    semantics

21. An error in a program that makes it do something other than what the programmer intended.

    semantic error

22. Any one of the languages that people speak that evolved naturally.

    natural language

23. Any one of the languages that people have designed for specific pur- poses, such as representing mathematical ideas or computer programs

    Formal Language

24. One of the basic elements of the syntactic structure of a program, analogous to a word in a natural language.

    Token

25. To examine a program and analyze the syntactic structure.

    parse

26. An instruction that causes the Python interpreter to display a value on the screen.

    print statement

27. Define: Problem Solving

    The process of formulating a problem, finding a solution, and express- ing the solution.

28. Define: high-level language

    A programming language like Python that is designed to be easy for humans to read and write.

29. Define: Low-Level Language

    A programming language that is designed to be easy for a computer to execute; also called “machine language” or “assembly language.”

30. Define: Portability

    A property of a program that can run on more than one kind of computer.

31. Define: Interpret

    To execute a program in a high-level language by translating it one line at a time.

32. Define: Compile

    To translate a program written in a high-level language into a low-level language all at once, in preparation for later execution.

33. Define: Source Code

    A program in a high-level language before being compiled.

34. Define: Object Code

    The output of the compiler after it translates the program.

35. Define: Executable

    Another name for object code that is ready to be executed.

36. Define: Prompt

    Characters displayed by the interpreter to indicate that it is ready to take input from the user.

37. Define: Script

    A program stored in a file (usually one that will be interpreted).

38. Define: Interactive Mode

    A way of using the Python interpreter by typing commands and expressions at the prompt.

39. Define: Script Mode

    A way of using the Python interpreter to read and execute statements in a script.

40. Define: Program

    A set of instructions that specifies a computation.

41. Define: Algorithm

    A general process for solving a category of problems.

42. One of the basic units of data, like a number or string, that a program manipulates.

    Value

43. A category of values. The ____ we have seen so far are integers ( ____ int), floating-point numbers ( ____ float), and strings ( ____ str).

    Type

44. A type that represents whole numbers.

    Integer

45. A type that represents numbers with fractional parts.

    Floating-Point

46. A type that represents sequences of characters.

    String

47. A name that refers to a value.

    Variable

48. A section of code that represents a command or action. So far, the ____ we have seen are assignments and print ____.

    Statement

49. A statement that assigns a value to a variable.

    Assignment

50. A graphical representation of a set of variables and the values they refer to.

    State Diagram

51. A reserved word that is used by the compiler to parse a program; you cannot use ____ like if, def, and while as variable names.

    Keyword

52. A special symbol that represents a simple computation like addition, multiplication, or string concatenation.

    Operator

53. One of the values on which an operator operates.

    Operand

54. The operation that divides two numbers and chops off the fraction part.

    Floor Division

55. A combination of variables, operators, and values that represents a single result value.

    Expression

56. To simplify an expression by performing the operations in order to yield a single value.

    Evaluate

57. The set of rules governing the order in which expressions involving multiple operators and operands are evaluated.

    Rules of Precedence

58. To join two operands end-to-end.

    Concatenate

59. Information in a program that is meant for other programmers (or anyone reading the source code) and has no effect on the execution of the program.

    Comment

60. Define: Bug

    An error in a program.

61. Define: Debugging

    The process of finding and removing any of the three kinds of programming errors.

62. Define: Syntax

    The structure of a program.

63. Define: Syntax Error

    An error in a program that makes it impossible to parse (and therefore impossible to interpret).

64. Define: Exception

    An error that is detected while the program is running.

65. Define: Semantics

    The meaning of a program.

66. Define: Semantic Error

    An error in a program that makes it do something other than what the programmer intended.

67. Define: Natural Language

    Any one of the languages that people speak that evolved naturally.

68. Define: Formal Language

    Any one of the languages that people have designed for specific purposes, such as representing mathematical ideas or computer programs; all programming languages are formal languages.

69. Define: Token

    One of the basic elements of the syntactic structure of a program, analogous to a word in natural language.

70. Define: Parse

    To examine a program and analyze the syntactic structure.

71. Define: Print Statement

    An instruction that causes the Python interpreter to display a value on the screen.

72. Define: Value

    One of the basic units of data, like a number or string, that a program manipulates.

73. Define: Type

    A category of values. The types we have seen so far are integers (type int), floating point numbers (type float), and strings (type str).

74. Define: Floating-Point

    A type that represents numbers with fractional parts.

75. Define: String

    A type that represents sequences of characters.

76. Define: Variable

    A name that refers to a value.

77. Define: Statement

    A section of code that represents a command or action. So far, the statements we have seen are assignments and print statements.

78. Define: Assignment

    A statement that assigns a value to a variable.

79. Define: State Diagram

    A graphical representation of a set of variables and the values they refer to.

80. Define: Keyword

    A reserved word that is used by the compiler to parse a program; you cannot use keywords like if, def, and while as variable names.

81. Define: Operator

    A special symbol that represents a simple computation like addition, multiplication, or string concatenation.

82. Define: Operand

    One of the values on which an operator operates.

83. Define: Floor Division

    The operation that divides two numbers and chops off the fraction part.

84. Define: Expression

    A combination of variables, operators, and values that represents a single result value.

85. Define: Evaluate

    To simplify an expression by performing the operations in order to yield a single value.

86. Define: Rules of Precedence

    The set of rules governing the order in which expressions involving multiple operators and operands are evaluated.

87. A member of a set. The TurtleWorld in this chapter is a member of the set of TurtleWorlds.

    Instance

88. A part of a program that can execute repeatedly.

    Loop

89. The process of transforming a sequence of statements into a function definition.

    Encapsulation

90. The process of replacing something unnecessarily specific (like a number) with something appropriately general (like a variable or parameter).

    Generalization

91. An argument that includes the name of the parameter as a "keyword."

    Keyword Argument

92. A description of how to use a function, including the name and descriptions of the arguments and return value.

    Interface

93. The process of modifying a working program to improve function interfaces and other qualities of the code.

    Refactoring

94. A process for writing programs.

    Development Plan

95. A string that appears in a function definition to document the function's interface.

    Docstring

96. A requirement that should be satisfied by the caller before a function starts.

    Precondition

97. A requirement that should be satisfied by the function before it ends.

    Postcondition

98. Define: Concatenate

    To join two operands end-to-end.

99. Define: Comment

    Information in a program that is meant for other programmers (or anyone reading the source code) and has no effect on the execution of the program.

100. Define: Function

     A named sequence of statements that performs some useful operation. Functions may or may not take arguments and may or may not produce a result.