Think Python Vocabulary 2

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. 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.”

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

   High-Level Language

3. To iterate through the items in a sequence, performing a similar operation on each.

   Traverse

4. Define: Traverse

   To iterate through the items in a sequence, performing a similar operation on each.

5. The process of formulating a problem, finding a solution, and expressing the solution.

   Problem Solving

6. Define: high-level language

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

7. A rectangle that encloses a set of items, usually specified by two opposing corners.

   Bounding Box

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

   Low-Level Language

9. Define: Immutable

   The property of a sequence whose items cannot be assigned.

10. Define: Problem Solving

    The process of formulating a problem, finding a solution, and expressing the solution.

11. A variable used to count something, usually initialized to zero and then incremented.

    Counter

12. The property of a sequence whose items cannot be assigned.

    Immutable

13. A string with no characters and length 0, represented by two quotation marks.

    Empty String

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

    Portability

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

    interpret

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

    Compile

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

    Source Code

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

    Object Code

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

    Executable

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

    Prompt

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

    script

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

    interactive mode

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

    script mode

24. A set of instructions that specifies a computation.

    program

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

    algorithm

26. An error in a program.

    bug

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

    debugging

28. The structure of a program.

    syntax

29. Define: Veneer

    A method or function that provides a different interface to another function without doing much computation.

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

    syntax error

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

    Exception

32. The meaning of a program.

    semantics

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

    semantic error

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

    natural language

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

    Formal Language

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

    Token

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

    parse

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

    print statement

39. Define: Instance Attribute

    An attribute associated with an instance of a class.

40. Define: Portability

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

41. Define: Interpret

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

42. 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.

43. Define: Source Code

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

44. Define: Object Code

    The output of the compiler after it translates the program.

45. Define: Executable

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

46. Define: List

    A sequence of values.

47. Define: Prompt

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

48. Define: Script

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

49. Define: Interactive Mode

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

50. Define: Script Mode

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

51. Define: Program

    A set of instructions that specifies a computation.

52. Define: Algorithm

    A general process for solving a category of problems.

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

    Value

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

    Type

55. A type that represents whole numbers.

    Integer

56. A type that represents numbers with fractional parts.

    Floating-Point

57. A type that represents sequences of characters.

    String

58. A name that refers to a value.

    Variable

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

    Statement

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

    Assignment

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

    State Diagram

62. 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

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

    Operator

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

    Operand

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

    Floor Division

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

    Expression

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

    Evaluate

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

    Rules of Precedence

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

    Concatenate

70. 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

71. Define: Bug

    An error in a program.

72. Define: Debugging

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

73. Define: Syntax

    The structure of a program.

74. Define: Syntax Error

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

75. Define: Exception

    An error that is detected while the program is running.

76. Define: Semantics

    The meaning of a program.

77. Define: Semantic Error

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

78. Define: Natural Language

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

79. 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.

80. Define: Token

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

81. Define: Parse

    To examine a program and analyze the syntactic structure.

82. Define: Print Statement

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

83. Define: Value

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

84. 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).

85. Define: Floating-Point

    A type that represents numbers with fractional parts.

86. Define: String

    A type that represents sequences of characters.

87. Define: Variable

    A name that refers to a value.

88. Define: Statement

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

89. Define: Assignment

    A statement that assigns a value to a variable.

90. Define: State Diagram

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

91. 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.

92. Define: Operator

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

93. A condition that should always be true during the execution of a program.

    Invariant

94. Define: Operand

    One of the values on which an operator operates.

95. Define: Floor Division

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

96. Define: Expression

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

97. Define: Evaluate

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

98. Define: Rules of Precedence

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

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

    Instance

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

     Loop