Computer Science Unit 1

Unit 1 - Under the Hood of a Computer

• Data: A collection of facts without context (values, measurements, files, emails, video games, etc.) processed by the CPU.
• Compute: Carry out mathematical calculations, using computers to solve problems.
• Input Device: Enables input of data into a computer (e.g., keyboard).
• Memory: Stores data and application results temporarily (lost when power off).
• Storage Device: Stores data and software for long-term use.
• Processor (CPU): Processes data according to instructions, providing user information.
• Output Device: Enables output of information from a computer (e.g., headphones).
• CPU (Central Processing Unit): Interprets and executes instructions.
• Decimal: Number system using 10 digits (0-9), commonly used for counting.
• Binary: Number system using 2 digits (0 and 1), used for all computer calculations.
• Bit: A single binary digit (0 or 1).
• Byte: A string of 8 bits (e.g., 10010101).

Unit 1.1 - Under the Hood of a Computer

• Compute: To count, sum, or reckon together. Electronic computers are not the first devices used to compute.
• Early mathematics used by civilizations like Egyptians and Greeks.
• Important figures in mathematics from different eras (Pythagoras, Lui Hui, etc.)

Unit 1.2 - Code Breakers

• World War II: Nazi submarines targeted supplies from Britain to the USA.
• Bletchley Park: The location where codebreakers worked to decrypt Nazi communications.
• Enigma Machine: The machine used by the Nazis to encrypt messages.
• Lorenz Machine: A more advanced encryption machine used by the Nazis.
• Decimal System: A number system with 10 digits (0-9), often referred to as base-10.
• Binary System: Computer use a binary system, as 0 and 1 numbers are used for representing information, also called base-2.

Unit 3 - Shapes, Patterns, and Algorithms

• Abstraction: Focus on general ideas, ignoring details.
• Generalization: Applying solutions from one problem to similar ones.
• Geometrical Shapes: Shapes defined by mathematical rules.
• Decomposition: Breaking down a problem into smaller parts.
• Iteration: Repeating a process.
• Coordinates: Used to show exact positions (X, Y axis).
• Computer Science Links: Connections between math, art, and computer science; concepts like abstraction are present in each.

Unit 4 - Creating an Animation

• Dry Run: Testing a program on paper to see how it works.
• Execute: Carrying out instructions in a program.
• Sequence: A set of instructions followed in a specific order.
• Procedure: A set of program instructions that can be reused.
• Function: A sequence of program instructions that can be reused and passed information from other parts of the program.
• Procedural Abstraction: Hiding details of a process in a named procedure.
• Selection: Choosing which path to take in a program.
• Iteration: Repeating instructions in a program.

Unit 11 - Programming a Calculator

• Operation : Doing a calculation or processing in a computer.
• Variable : A named space in computer memory to store data.
• Flowchart : A diagram representing a series of events using shapes (e.g., rectangles, ovals).

Unit 12 - Programming a Quiz

• Debugging : The process of fixing mistakes in computer code.
• Abstraction : Working with general concepts instead of details.
• Decomposition : Breaking a problem into smaller parts.
• Generalization : Applying solutions to similar problems.
• Variables: Named storage spaces in a computer.