VCE Applied Computing Unit 3 Software Development

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Questions and Answers

Which of the following is NOT a characteristic of functional requirements?

  • They specify the desired functionality of the system.
  • They focus on what the software should do.
  • They describe the features the software must have.
  • They define how well the software performs. (correct)

Mock-ups are used to visually represent user interfaces.

True (A)

What is the purpose of a data dictionary?

A data dictionary documents the structure and meaning of data used in a system.

The ______ data type can store only positive whole numbers.

<p>Unsigned Integer</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which data type is most suitable for storing a person's name?

<p>Text (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Match the following data source types with their file extensions:

<p>Plain text = .txt Delimited = .csv XML = .xml</p> Signup and view all the answers

Naming conventions for solution elements should be consistent and easy to understand.

<p>True (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is the main purpose of internal documentation?

<p>Internal documentation explains the logic, structure, and functionality of code for future maintenance and development.</p> Signup and view all the answers

What data type is used in Example 1 to represent a student record?

<p>Dictionary (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

In the dictionary example, the initial age of the student is set to 18.

<p>False (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is the key used to access the student's name in the dictionary?

<p>name</p> Signup and view all the answers

A class is more structured for defining records when multiple ________ are needed.

<p>instances</p> Signup and view all the answers

Match the programming concepts with their descriptions:

<p>Dictionary = A collection of key-value pairs Class = A blueprint for creating objects Field = An attribute of a record Instance = A specific realization of a class</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary advantage of using arrays?

<p>They allow for the effective organization and retrieval of related data. (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

A two-dimensional array can be accessed using a single index.

<p>False (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What does a record consist of?

<p>fields</p> Signup and view all the answers

An array that contains multiple rows and columns is called a __________.

<p>two-dimensional array</p> Signup and view all the answers

Match the following descriptions with their corresponding data structures:

<p>Array = Grouped data of the same type Two-dimensional array = Data stored in a table format Record = Collection of related elements Field = Individual data item in a record</p> Signup and view all the answers

In the example provided, how is the score of Student 3 modified?

<p>By directly changing the value at the specific row and column. (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Records can contain elements of different data types.

<p>True (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is a primary function of arrays in programming?

<p>To efficiently organize and order related data.</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary purpose of a null-terminated string in programming?

<p>It ends with a special character ( extbackslash 0) for efficient storage and handling of strings. (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Boolean data type can represent multiple values such as 'True', 'False', and 'Maybe'.

<p>False (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What character signifies the end of a null-terminated string?

<p>\0</p> Signup and view all the answers

A data structure is a method of organizing data to enable __________ operations.

<p>efficient</p> Signup and view all the answers

Match the following data types or structures with their descriptions:

<p>Boolean = Represents true/false values. Null-terminated String = Ends with a null character to signify termination. Array = A collection of elements identified by index. Record = A composite data structure that can hold mixed data types.</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which encoding supports a broader range of characters, including special symbols for different languages?

<p>UTF-8 (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

The null character can be part of the data in a null-terminated string.

<p>False (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

In programming languages like C and C++, null-terminated strings are used for __________ string handling.

<p>efficient</p> Signup and view all the answers

Flashcards

Record

A way to represent data in a structured format, where each item has a unique name (key) and associated value.

Dictionary

A data structure used to organize data as key-value pairs.

Representing a record with a dictionary

A record can be represented as a dictionary, where keys are field names and values are the corresponding data.

Accessing data from a record

Access data within a record by using the key associated with that data.

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Class

A more structured way to define records by providing a template. This allows for creating multiple instances (records) of the same type.

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Text/Strings

A sequence of characters, often implemented as arrays in programming languages.

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What is a null-terminated string?

It ends with a special character (\0) for efficient storage and handling of strings.

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Character Encoding

Translates binary data into characters, with schemes like ASCII and UTF-8.

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Character Data Type

Represents single meaningful units like letters, numbers, symbols, punctuation, or spaces.

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Data Structure

A method of organizing data to enable efficient operations, more complex than data types.

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Boolean Data Type

Has two values, 0 (False) and 1 (True), often used for decision-making and logical operations.

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Boolean Data Type origin

Named after George Boole, who developed an algebraic system of logic.

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Boolean Data Type operations

Supports comparison operators (e.g., ==, !=) and logical operators (and, or, not).

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Data Types

Data types determine the kind of data variables can store and how they can be manipulated.

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Array

A data structure that groups together data of the same type. For example, a list of numbers, a list of student names, or a list of Boolean values. It can also hold other data structures like fields, records, or even other arrays.

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Numeric Data Type

A numeric data type holds numbers, including integers and floating-point numbers, as well as dates and times stored as integers.

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One-Dimensional Array

A one-dimensional array is like a single row or column. You can access elements using one index.

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Integers

Integers are whole numbers, including positive and negative values.

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Two-Dimensional Array

A two-dimensional array is a table-like structure with rows and columns of data. You need two indices to access elements, one for the row and one for the column.

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Unsigned Integers

Unsigned integers store only positive whole numbers.

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Field

Individual components within a record. These fields hold specific data, like a person's name, age, or address.

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Signed Integers

Signed integers can store both positive and negative whole numbers.

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Floating-point Numbers

Floating-point numbers, often called decimals, are used to represent numbers with fractional parts, like 3.14.

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Inefficient Data Types for Numbers

Storing numbers as strings makes calculations more difficult and less efficient than using numeric types.

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Order of Operations

The order of operations in programming is BODMAS (Brackets, Orders, Division, Multiplication, Addition, Subtraction), just like in mathematics.

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Study Notes

VCE Applied Computing - Units 3&4 Software Development

  • This course covers software development, specifically programming.
  • Topics include Unit 3 Software Development, Area of Study 1 - Software Development: Programming.

Chapter 1 - Introduction to Programming

  • Key Knowledge Points:
    • Characteristics of functional and non-functional requirements, constraints, and scope.
    • Design tools for representing modules (data dictionaries, mock-ups, object descriptions, IPO charts, pseudocode).
    • Characteristics of data types (text, numeric, Boolean).
    • Types of data structures (one- and two-dimensional arrays, records, varying data types, field index).
    • Characteristics of data sources (plain text, delimited text, XML files).
    • Naming conventions for solution elements.
    • Purposes of internal documentation.

Data Types

  • Definition: A data type classifies a variable, dictating the kind of data it can hold and how it can be manipulated.
  • Consistency: Data types are consistent across programming languages, even though languages vary widely.
  • Importance: Choosing the correct data type is critical for efficiency in programming.
  • Efficiency Example: Using a numeric data type with decimal support for whole numbers is inefficient; storing numbers as strings is also less efficient.

Numeric Data Types

  • Includes integers, floating-point numbers (decimals), and date/time values (stored as integers).
  • Integers:
    • Unsigned: Stores only positive whole numbers.
    • Signed: Stores both positive and negative whole numbers.
  • Operations: Supports mathematical operations (addition, subtraction, multiplication, division, remainder, assigning values, powers).
  • Order of Operations: Follows BODMAS rules (Brackets, Orders, Division, Multiplication, Addition, Subtraction). Operations with the same precedence are evaluated from left to right.

Question

  • Which data type is most suitable for storing a person's age? Answer: Integer.
  • Storing whole numbers as floating-point is inefficient.

Text and Character Data Types

  • Character Data Type: Represents single meaningful units of information (e.g., letters, numbers, symbols).
  • Character Encoding: Translates binary data into characters (e.g., ASCII, UTF-8).
    • ASCII: For English characters.
    • UTF-8: Supports diverse languages and symbols.
  • Text/Strings: A sequence of characters, often implemented as arrays.

Null-Terminated Strings

  • Definition: A string ending with a special character (\0) to indicate the end of the string, used for efficient storage and handling.
  • Purpose: Efficiently determines the length of the string without needing additional information.
  • Usage: Commonly used in low-level programming for efficient string handling.

Boolean Data Types

  • Has two values: 0 (False) and 1 (True).
  • Used in decision-making and logical operations.
  • Uses comparison operators (e.g., <, >, ==) and logical operators (e.g., and, or, not).

Data Structures

  • A method for organizing data to enable efficient operations. Data structures are more complex than individual data types.
  • Types: One-dimensional arrays, two-dimensional arrays, and records.

Arrays

  • Contains grouped data of the same data type (e.g., character, numeric, Boolean).
  • Can store other data structures like fields, records.
  • Useful for efficiently organizing and ordering related data. Enables faster sorting and searching.
  • Example: Storing student heights more efficiently than separate variables.

Two-Dimensional Arrays

  • A table-like structure with rows and columns (array of arrays).
  • Accessing elements requires two indices (row and column).

Records and Fields

  • A basic data structure for collections of related elements (fields).
  • Fields have names and specific data types.
  • Example: A customer record with fields like firstName, lastName, and dateOfBirth.

Dictionaries

  • A data structure where keys are field names, and values are the corresponding data.
  • Example: Storing student data with keys like "name," "age," etc.

Classes

  • A more structured way to define records, particularly useful for multiple instances.
  • Example: Using a "Student" class to represent student data. Each student object will be an instance of the class.

Additional Notes

  • Review the example Python code to understand how arrays/dictionaries can store and manipulate data; each piece of data can be found using its index.
  • Complete the textbook questions (Page 23 – Q1-4) on your own exercise book.

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VCE Applied Computing Units 3&4 Software Development - Introduction to Programming PDF

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