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COP2220 Ch2
Computer Science I Chapter 2 Terms
Term | Definition |
---|---|
address list | in C: function parameter list that consists of variable address |
address operator | in C: the ampersand(&) |
ASCII | the American Standard Code for Information Interchance. An encoding scheme that defines control characters and graphic characters for the first 128 values in a byte. The first 128 characters in Unicode |
binary stream | a stream in which data is represented as it is stored in the memory of a computer |
block comment | a comment that can span one or more lines, contrast with line comment |
Boolean | a variable or expression that can assume only the values true or false |
character constant | a constant that defines one character enclosed in two single quotes |
character set | the set of values in a computer's alphabet |
comment | in a C program, a note to the program reader that is ignored by the compiler |
complex type | a data type consisting of a real and an imaginary type and representing a complex number in mathematics |
constant | a data value that cannot change during the execution of the program, contrast with variable |
conversion code | is formatted input and output, the code in the format specification that identifies the data type |
conversion specification | the specification that defines how data are to be represented in an input or output operation |
data encapsulation | the software engineering concept in which data are hidden from an application program's access |
data hiding | the principle of structured programming in which data are available to a function only if it needs them to complete its processing; data not needed are "hidden" from view |
declaration | in C, the association of a name with an object, such as a type, variable, structure or function |
definition | in C, the process that reserves memory for a named object, such as a variable or constant |
derived type | a composite data type constructed from other types (array, structure, union, pointer and enumerated type) |
end of file (EOF) | the condition that occurs when a read operation attempts to read after it has processed the last piece of data |
escape character | in C, the backslash (\) character used to identify a special interpretation for the character that follows it |
flag modifier | the input/output format specification that supresses input or modifies output formatting |
floating-point number | a number that contains both an integral and a fraction |
format control string | in a formatted input/output function, the string that is used for formatting data |
function | a named block of code that performs a process within a program; an executable unit of code, consisting of a header, function name, and a body that is designed to perform a task within the program |
global declaration selection | the declaration and/or definition of a variable or function outside the boundaries of any function - that is, before main or between function definitions, contrast with local declaration |
header file | in C, a file consisting of prototype statements and other declarations and placed in a library for shared use |
identifier | the name of an object. in C, identifiers can consist only of digits, letters and the underscore |
imaginary type | the data type in C that can represent an imaginary number in mathematics |
include | in C, a preprocessor command that specifies a library file to be inserted into the program |
initializer | in C, any value assigned to a constant or variable when it is defined |
integral type | a data type that can store only whole numbers |
intellegent data name | a software engineering principle that requires the identifier to convey the meaning or use of an object |
justification | an output formatting parameter that controls the placement of a value when it is shorter than the specified output width |
Latin character set | the extended ASCII character set in Unicode |
line comment | a comment that spans only to the end of the current line, contrast with block comment |
literal | an unnamed constant coded in an expression |
logical data | data whose values can be only true or false |
memory constant | a C type defined using the type qualifier const. |
padding | extra zeros or spaces added to the left or right of a data item |
parameter | a value passes to a function |
parameter list | a list of values passed to a function (the values may be data or addresses) |
precisions modifier | the print format string modifier that specifies the number of decimal places to be printed in a floating-point value |
program documentation | comments placed within a program to help the reader understand the purpose of the program or a portion of its implementation |
real type | a data type representing a number with a fraction |
reserved word | the set of words in C that have a predetermined interpretation and cannot be used in the definition of an object |
sign flag | the flag value (+) in the conversion code of a print format string that indicates that positive numbers must be printed with a plus sign |
size modifier | the data formatting token that modidies the conversion code |
standard input stream | the text file automatically opened by C for input to a program (stdin) |
standard output stream | the text file automatically opened by C for output from a program (stdout) |
statement | a syntactical construct in C that represents one operation in a function |
standard type | one of the intrinsic C types that are considered atomic; that is, that cannot be broken down (void, char, int, float) |
statement section | the section in a program where the executable statements are written |
stream | in C, the flow of data between a file and the program; a sequence of bytes in time |
string | in C, a variable-length sequence of characters delimited by a null character |
string constant | a constant comprised of a sequence characters enclosed in double quotes |
syntax | the "grammatical" rules of a language. In C, the set of keywords and formatting rules that must be followed when writing a program |
token | in C, a syntactical construct that represents an operation or a flag, such as the assignment token (=) |
type | a set of values and a set of operations that can be applied on these values |
type qualifier | a modifier used in the definition of an object |
variable | a memory storage object whose value can be changed during the execution of a program, contrast with constant |
width modifier | in a format string, a conversion code modifier that specifies the input maximum or output minimum size |