Evolution of Programming Languages
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Questions and Answers

What is the primary function of a programming language?

  • To act as a bridge between human understanding and computer understanding (correct)
  • To translate high-level languages into machine code
  • To execute machine code directly
  • To communicate directly with the processor

    • What was the main drawback of early computers?

  • They required complex instructions written in binary code (correct)
  • They were too fast and efficient
  • They were only accessible to expert programmers
  • They were only able to understand high-level languages

    • What is the primary characteristic of a low-level language?

  • It is written for specific processors
  • It translates to machine code understood by the processor (correct)
  • It is a high-level language
  • It resembles human language

    • What is machine code?

    <p>A first-generation language</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the purpose of assembly code?

    <p>To write human-readable programs that correspond to machine code</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is a characteristic of assembly code?

    <p>It uses mnemonics to represent machine code instructions</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What needs to be done to assembly code before it can be executed by a computer?

    <p>It needs to be translated into machine code</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the relationship between assembly code and machine code?

    <p>One assembly code instruction translates to one machine code instruction</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the primary limitation of RAM in modern computers?

    <p>The amount of physical RAM available is limited</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What happens when the physical RAM is full and a program needs more memory?

    <p>Virtual memory is used to supplement the RAM</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the purpose of page switching in virtual memory?

    <p>To transfer data between RAM and virtual memory</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Why is virtual memory important for computer systems?

    <p>It prevents the computer system from crashing when RAM is full</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What type of data is stored in RAM?

    <p>Current data and program instructions in use</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What happens when the operating system swaps an inactive page from RAM to virtual memory?

    <p>The page is replaced with a new one from virtual memory</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Study Notes

    Programming Languages as a Bridge

    • A programming language acts as a bridge between human understanding and computer understanding.

    Evolution of Programming Languages

    • Early computers required instructions to be written in binary code (0s and 1s), making it a slow process that took days to program simple tasks.
    • New generations of programming languages have enabled people to program faster and more efficiently, with languages resembling human language.

    Generations of Programming Languages

    • Generations of programming languages can be split into two categories: low-level and high-level languages.
    • Low-level languages include first and second generation languages.
    • High-level languages include third generation languages.

    Low-Level Languages

    • A low-level language is a programming language that directly translates to machine code understood by the processor.
    • Low-level languages allow direct control over hardware components such as memory and registers.
    • These languages are written for specific processors to ensure they embed the correct machine architecture.

    First Generation Language

    • Machine code is a first-generation language.
    • Instructions are directly executable by the processor.
    • Machine code is written in binary code.

    Second Generation Language

    • Assembly code is a second-generation language.
    • The code is written using mnemonics, abbreviated text commands such as LDA (Load) and STA (Store).
    • Assembly language instructions translate to one machine code instruction.
    • Assembly code needs to be translated into machine code for the computer to execute it.

    RAM and Virtual Memory

    • The primary function of RAM is to store current data and program instructions in use.
    • The amount of physical RAM available is limited, typically ranging from 4GB to 16GB in modern desktop computers.
    • Some programs exceed the available RAM, making virtual memory necessary.

    Virtual Memory

    • Virtual memory is a part of secondary storage that acts as RAM when physical RAM is full.
    • It prevents the computer system from crashing when RAM is full by providing additional storage.
    • The operating system manages virtual memory, swapping data between RAM and virtual memory as needed.

    Page Switching

    • When the CPU needs to access data directly, the operating system switches it from virtual memory into RAM.
    • Inactive pages are swapped from RAM to virtual memory, a process known as page switching.
    • This process enables efficient use of RAM and prevents system crashes.

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    Description

    Discover how programming languages have evolved from binary code to human-like languages, enabling faster and more efficient programming. Learn about the generations of programming languages and how they bridge human and computer understanding.

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