ITF+ Software Development Concepts Flashcards

A developer is creating a program that needs to execute a specific block of code repeatedly as long as a certain condition is true. Which of the following programming logic concepts should be used?

Answer: Looping

Looping is a control structure used in programming to repeat a sequence of instructions until a specific condition is met or for a set number of iterations. Branching directs the flow of execution to a different part of the code, a constant is a value that does not change, and an operator performs an operation on values.

Which of the following BEST describes the fundamental concept of object-oriented programming (OOP)?

Answer: Bundling data and the methods that operate on that data into a single unit.

Object-oriented programming (OOP) is a paradigm based on the concept of 'objects', which can contain data in the form of fields (often known as attributes or properties) and code in the form of procedures (often known as methods). A key feature of OOP is that it bundles data and the functions that work on that data within one unit.

A programmer is writing a script to automate a simple task. The script will be executed directly by a program that reads and carries out the instructions one line at a time. Which category of programming language is being used?

Answer: Interpreted language

An interpreted language is executed directly by an interpreter, which reads and executes the source code line by line without requiring it to be compiled into a machine-language program beforehand. Compiled languages are translated into machine code before runtime. Markup languages are for annotating documents, and query languages are for accessing databases.

In a program, a developer needs to store a user's age, which will be used in mathematical calculations. Which of the following data types is the MOST appropriate choice?

Answer: Integer

An integer is a data type used to store whole numbers, which is perfect for representing a person's age. A string is for text, a boolean is for true/false values, and a float is for numbers with decimal points, which is generally not needed for age.

A software developer is outlining the logic for a new program using simple, human-readable language before writing any actual code. This organizational technique is known as what?

Answer: Pseudocode

Pseudocode is an informal, high-level description of the operating principle of a computer program or other algorithm. It uses the structural conventions of a normal programming language but is intended for human reading rather than machine reading. A flowchart is a graphical representation, while compiling and debugging are later stages in the development process.

Which of the following is a primary characteristic of a compiled programming language?

Answer: The entire source code is translated into machine code by a compiler before execution.

A compiled language is one where the source code is converted into executable machine code by a compiler before the program is run. This results in a standalone executable file that can be run directly by the operating system, which is typically faster than interpreted languages that translate code on-the-fly.