Business and Computer Science

Instructions are fetched one by one from main memory, decoded, and then executed by the processor. This cycle repeats until the program is complete.

A chip within the computer which controls the operation of all parts of the computer and decodes then executes program instructions.

The part of the CPU responsible for arithmetic and logical operations.

High speed memory built into the CPU. Instructions are copied to cache memory allowing them to be accessed more quickly and therefore increasing the speed of the CPU.

A small area of memory within the CPU where data is stored temporarily to avoid the delay in copying to and from main memory,

The design on which most computers are based. It defines several registers along with the fetch-execute cycle and how the CPU interacts with main memory.

A register. It contains the address of the instruction currently being read from or written to main memory.

A register. It contains the instruction which has just been copied from main memory.

A register. It contains the address of the next instruction to be fetched from memory. It is updated each time a new instruction is fetched to contain the address of the next needed instruction.

A register. Stores the result of the last operation.

Manages all of the components of the CPU. Decodes the instructions from the MDR.

How many instruction cycles the CPU can deal with in a second. Measured in MHz or GHz. Faster is better.

The larger the amount of cache the CPU has the more instructions it can store without having to transfer to main memory and therefore the faster it will perform.

Some CPUs have more than one core, each containing its own ALU and registers and therefore capable of carrying out instructions independently. The more cores, the more instructions the CPU can process at once and therefore the faster it performs.

Specialist hardware and software build into a device with a single specific purpose. They are usually found within appliances such as washing machines.

Also known as memory. Holds the data, programs and instructions currently in use.

Random Access Memory. Stores programs and data before they are processed by the CPU. Read/write memory, meaning the contents can be changed. The contents are lost when the computer is turned off.

Read Only Memory. Data can be retrieved but not changed and the contents are not lost when the computer is turned off. Used to store programs for embedded system.

Data stored in volatile memory is lost when the computer is turned off.

Data stored in non-volatile memory is not lost when the computer is turned off.

Space on the computer's hard drive used as main memory (RAM). Virtual memory is slower than main memory.

A type of secondary storage which stores data on a spinning plastic or metal disk. Data is read from and written to the disk using a laser.

A type of secondary storage which uses magnetic fields to store data. A read/write head reads and writes data from the media.

A type of secondary storage which uses flash memory to store data. They have no moving parts and are much faster than optical or magnetic storage.

A magnetic storage drive which can store large amounts of data and is often the main method of secondary storage in personal computers. The drive contains a number of internal disks and a read/write head used to read and write data.

A high capacity optical storage disk commonly used for video storage. A range of capacities are available up to 17GB.

An optical storage disk often used to store music. Capacity is usually around 800mb.

A solid state storage drive which carries out the function of a traditional HDD. They are much faster than HDDs and less easy to damage as they have no moving parts. They are also more expensive and usually lower capacity.

The smallest unit of storage, containing a binary 1 or 0.

4 bits (half a byte)

8 bits

1000 bytes

1000 KB

1000 MB

1000 GB

1000 TB

A number system used by computers. It contains only two symbols, 0 and 1 and is also known as base 2.

The number system most often used by people. It uses the digits 0 to 9 and is also known as base 10 decimal.

A whole number with no decimal point or fraction. E.g. 1, 100 or 88122

This happens when not enough space has been allocated to store the results of a calculation. For example, if one byte has been allocated but the result is 9 bits long.

A number system used by computers. It contains only two symbols, 0 and 1 and is also known as base 2.

A process used to perform maths on binary numbers. It involves moving all the digits to the left or right.

The furthest left digit in a string of binary numbers, its position means it has the highest value.

The furthest right digit in a string of binary numbers, its position means it has the lowest value.

A single symbol, for example a letter, number or punctuation mark.

A system for representing characters in binary, each character is assigned a unique binary number.

American Standard Code for Information Interchange. A 7 bit character set used to represent characters.

A much larger character set created to overcome the limited number of characters available in ASCII. It includes symbols from different language characters as well as symbols such as emoji.

Short for Picture Element. Pictures on a computer are divided into a grid, with each square in the grid being one pixel which can be a single colour.

Additional data about a file such as when it was created or who created it. Commonly used with photos to store things like the make of camera or location the photo was taken.

The amount of bits available for colours in an image. The higher the colour depth the more colours available and therefore the more realistic the image will appear.

The number of pixels an image is divided into. The higher the resolution the more pixels in the image and the clearer it will be.

The number of samples taken in one second. This is measured in hertz (Hz), 1Hz is one sample per second. The higher the sample rate the more samples per second and therefore the higher the quality of the file.

The number of bits available for each sample. The higher the bit depth, the more bits available and therefore the better the quality.

A way of reducing the size of a file. It is often used with photos, music and video files.

A compression method which reduces the file size by removing certain data. The original file cannot be restored from the compressed version but the file is reduced by more than with lossless compression.

A compression method which reduces the file size without losing any data. The original file can be restored from the compressed version, but the file size is not reduced by as much.

Two or more computers connected together for the purposes of sharing data or resources.

A network which covers a small geographic area such as a single building. Equipment owned by a single company.

A network which covers a large geographic area. Connections between site owned by third party.

A network setup where resources or processing are carried out by a central computer (called a server) with other devices (called clients) accessing resources via the network.

A network setup where all computers have an equal status and function as both client and server.

Uses a wireless network to allow devices to connect wirelessly to an existing network.

A device which connects two or more different networks together allowing them to communicate with one another. Uses IP Address.

A device which provides computers and other devices with a wired connection to a network. Uses MAC address.

A component within a computer or other device which allows it to connect to a network. The card provides the physical connection to the network. Provides MAC address.

The physical connection which carries data between network devices. This could be a cable (Ethernet) or wireless signals (Wi-Fi or Bluetooth) depending on the network.

A system which links a URL or other human readable name with an IP address.

The storing of files or other data on a server. The server storing the data is called the host.

A term for accessing storage or other resources remotely across the Internet.

A server which hosts websites and pages for users to access, usually via the Internet.

The way in which computers and other network devices are connected together.

A network topology where all devices connect back to a single central point. All communications travel via the central point.

A network topology where all devices are connected to each other rather than a central point.

The amount of data which can be transferred via a network in any given time. More bandwidth allows more data to travel across the network at the same time resulting in faster transfer speeds.

A global network connecting millions of computers and other devices.

A human readable name given to websites and other Internet resources. DNS is used to translate the URL into the IP of the web server.

A computer or other device which accesses data from a central server.

A physical copper cable used to connect devices on a network. The term also refers to the protocols and standards used to control how data is sent and received on the cable.

A technology which uses wireless signals to connect network devices.

A short-range wireless networking technology. It has relatively low range and speeds and is most often used for peripheral devices such as mice or headsets.

The process of converting data so that it cannot be easily read or understood without first being decrypted. It is often used to keep important data secure when sharing it over a network.

Stands for Internet Protocol Address. A unique address assigned to every computer on a network.

Answer

Internet Protocol Version 4. Devices are assigned addresses made up of four numbers separated by dots (e.g. 232.12.11.1), each number can be between 0 and 255.

Internet Protocol Version 6. Designed in response to the limited number of addresses in IPv4. Devices are assigned an address made up of eight groups of hexadecimal characters.

Media Access Control Address. A 12-digit hexadecimal number assigned to a network interface card. Each card has its own unique MAC address which is assigned when the card is made.

An agreed way of doing something allowing different people and organisations to make products and services which work together.

An agreed set of rules for how network communications should take place.

Transfer Control Protocol / Internet Protocol. A group of standards which control how data is sent and received over networks including the Internet.

Hypertext Transfer Protocol. A standard for transferring web pages between a client and web server. It is based around the idea that clients send a request which the server responds to.

Hypertext Transfer Protocol Secure. A version of HTTP with security added. Commonly used for accessing secure websites such as online banking.

File Transfer Protocol. A standard for file transfer over networks.

Post Office Protocol. A standard used by email clients to retrieve emails from an email server.

Internet Message Access Protocol. A standard used by email clients to access emails stored on an email server. It allows emails to be stored and organised on the mail server.

Simple Message Transfer Protocol. A standard used for the sending of emails over networks and the Internet.

A term for any software which is designed with malicious intent. Malware may damage the computer, monitor user activity and files, or delete or damage data. There are many different types of malware which behave in different ways.

Attempting to gain access to computer systems by targeting the people using the system instead of using technical measures to attack the system itself. People are often the weakest security point. Examples include watching someone enter their password or pretending to be their boss to trick them into acting.

Attempting to trick someone into revealing information such as passwords or financial details by pretending to be someone else. Phishing usually takes place by email and involves messages pretending to come from trusted organisations.

Attempting to guess a code or password by trying every possible solution until the correct one is found. This may involve using common passwords, dictionary words, or systematic combinations.

Attempting to send more traffic or data to a computer system than it can handle. If successful, parts of the system or the whole system may become slow or fail.

Attempting to access data while it is being transferred between devices, usually over a network. Attackers may steal usernames, passwords, or files without the user knowing.

Entering SQL code into a data input field on a website or application. If the system is not properly coded, the code may run on the database, allowing attackers to access, change, or delete data.

An authorised hacking attempt where a person or company attempts to hack into a system and reports their findings. This allows security weaknesses to be identified and fixed.

Software designed to detect, prevent, and remove malware from a computer system. Anti-virus software is a common example.

A network security device which checks traffic passing through it against a set of rules. Only permitted traffic is allowed through.

Controlling which parts of a system or network users can access. This prevents unauthorised access and reduces accidental damage.

Answer

The process of converting data so that it cannot be easily read without being decrypted. Used to protect data during storage or transmission.

Controls the operation of all aspects of the computer and provides an interface by which a user can interact with the computer.

A part of the operating system or other software which allows a user to interact with and control it. Usually includes graphical elements and methods such as typing commands, clicking, or touching the screen.

A function of the operating system which manages the computer’s memory, controlling how memory is used and which applications can access it.

The ability of an operating system to run more than one task or application at the same time.

The ability of an operating system to control and manage hardware devices such as printers, mice, or speakers connected to the computer.

Computer code which provides instructions for how the operating system should interact with a specific piece of hardware. Drivers are specific to the operating system and hardware device.

A function of the operating system which manages user accounts. Multiple users may have separate usernames, passwords, and access rights.

A function of the operating system which manages files and folders stored on internal or external storage devices.

A function of the operating system which controls the access different users and applications have to various parts of the system.

The process of converting data so that it cannot be easily read or understood without first being decrypted. It is often used to keep important data secure when sharing it over a network.

Software which reorders files stored on a hard disk so that they run in a sensible order to improve performance and efficiency.

Software which compresses data so that it takes up less storage space.

The idea of right and wrong by which people should behave. This is not the same as what is legal or illegal, but the idea of always doing the right thing.

A set of rules which lay out what people are not allowed to do and the punishments for breaking these rules. Laws vary from country to country.

A set of behaviours and expectations which people accept as normal within daily life. These are not enforced by law but influence how people expect things to work.

Matters relating to the natural world around us and making sure we take care of things like animals, the atmosphere, and the planet.

The expectation that certain information is kept secret, usually relating to personal information people would not want shared.

A UK law governing how organisations process personal data. It outlines requirements for handling data and the rights of individuals.

A UK law which makes misuse of computer systems illegal under defined criteria.

A UK law providing legal protection for creative works and materials. It explains available protections and registration requirements.

The legal right for a user or organisation to use software. It is an agreement outlining rules, restrictions, and possible fees.

Software where the source code is publicly available for anyone to view, modify, and use. Often free to use.

Software where the source code is owned and not available to the public.

The process of thinking about a problem using computational means in order to create a solution which a computer can implement.

The process of removing irrelevant or unnecessary information from a problem in order to better understand the basic parts of it.

The process of breaking a problem down into smaller parts to make it easier to solve.

The process of working out the individual steps needed to solve a problem in order to produce an algorithmic solution.

A sequence of logical instructions to carry out a particular task.

A diagram which shows in graphical format the steps needed to solve a problem. There are several different types of structure diagram and a flow chart is one example.

A way of writing out algorithms or computer programs in a way that sits between full sentences and computer code.

A way of using pictures and shapes to represent the steps needed to solve a problem or that a program will take.

A language which can be understood by computers to produce computer software.

Something wrong in computer code which causes it either not to run at all or to produce an incorrect output.

A table which records the values stored in each of a program’s variables at each stage of the program. It is a useful tool for finding errors in code.

Finding a value or piece of information within a set of data.

A method of searching an ordered list by checking the middle item, then repeatedly searching either the upper or lower half depending on whether the target value is higher or lower, until found.

A method of searching through a list by checking each item one at a time until the required value is found.

A method of arranging information into a specific order, such as alphabetical or numerical order.

A sorting method that compares items in a list two at a time and swaps them if they are in the wrong order. The process repeats until the list is sorted.

A sorting method that divides a list into smaller parts until individual items remain, then merges them back together in the correct order.

A sorting method that builds a sorted list one item at a time by placing each item into its correct position.

A named value in which data can be stored by a computer program. The data can be changed as the program runs.

A named value which is accessed by a computer program but is fixed and cannot be changed.

Symbols or words that compare or modify values in computer code, such as +, <, or NOT.

Data or information that is put into a program, either by a user or from a device such as a sensor.

Data or information that a program produces. It may be displayed on a screen, printed, or saved to a file.

The process of placing a value into a variable. Uses the single equal sign.

Executing a set of steps in a specific order.

Choosing different paths through code depending on a condition.

Repeating a set of steps multiple times

A loop that repeats a set number of times using a counter. A for loop.

A loop that repeats until a specified condition is met.

An operator that performs mathematical calculations, such as +, -, *, or /.

An operator that uses logical conditions to compare values, such as <, AND, OR, or NOT.

A whole number without a decimal point or fraction, e.g. 1,100 or 88122.

A number which may include a decimal point, such as 11.2.

A value which can only be TRUE or FALSE.

A single symbol, for example a letter, number or punctuation mark.

A sequence of characters joined together, usually forming a word or sentence.

The process of converting a value into a different data type, for example storing a telephone number as a string instead of an integer.

A broad term for the different ways of changing or modifying strings.

The process of joining two or more strings together.

The process of splitting a string into two or more parts.

Methods that allow computer code to interact with files on storage devices, such as opening, reading, or writing data.

A single row of related information in a database table.

A collection of records and fields stored together in a database.

A specific piece of information within a record, such as a name or address.

Structured Query Language. A programming language used to manage and query databases.

A collection of data items stored under one name and accessed by a program.

A smaller section of a program designed to perform a specific task.

A type of subprogram that performs a task and always returns a value when called.

A type of subprogram that performs a task but does not necessarily return a value.

A number generated by a computer unpredictably.

Designing and building computer code with security, robustness, and ease of maintenance as priorities.

A security method that requires a password, code, fingerprint, or another factor to gain access to a system.

The process of checking data entered into a program against rules to ensure it is valid and will not cause errors or damage.

The ability to keep code updated, fix bugs, and add new features easily.

Agreed rules for naming variables or subprograms so they are clear and easy to understand. Camel- and snake-case

Answer

Adding spaces at the start of lines of code to group statements and improve readability.

Notes within code that are not executed but explain how the code works.

The process of trialling a program to ensure it performs as expected.

Testing carried out during development while the program is being created.

Testing carried out at the end of development just before the program is released.

An error that breaks the rules of the programming language and prevents the code from running.

An error that causes the program to produce an incorrect or unexpected output even though it still runs.

Data that the program should accept and process without error.

Data at the extreme limits of what the program should accept without error.

Data of the correct type but not suitable for the program and should be rejected.

Data of the wrong type which should be rejected.

A logic gate with two inputs that outputs 1 only if both inputs are 1.

A logic gate with two inputs that outputs 1 if at least one input is 1.

A logic gate with a single input that outputs the opposite value of the input.

A table showing all possible input combinations and their corresponding outputs for a logic gate.

An electronic component or operator such as AND, OR, or NOT that performs a logical function on input values.

A diagram that shows how one or more logic gates are connected together.

A language that can be understood by computers to create software.

A programming language that uses English-like commands, making it easier to learn and understand.

A programming language closer to machine code, using fewer English-like commands and harder to understand.

Software that converts programming language into machine code so the computer can execute it.

A translator that converts the entire program into machine code in one go.

A translator that converts and runs code line by line.

Software used to write and develop code, often including features such as translators and syntax highlighting.

Software used to write computer code.

Tools that help locate and fix errors in code.

Software that allows programs to run on systems they were not originally designed for.