Computer Programming Review Exam

a general description of a task that can (or cannot) be solved with an algorithm

• Problem

• Algorithm

• Efficiency

a finite set of instructions that accomplish a task.

• Efficiency

• Algorithm

• Problem

a measure of how many steps are needed to complete an algorithm

• Problem

• Efficency

• Algorithm

a search algorithm which checks each element of a list, in order, until the desired value is found or all elements in the list have been checked.

• Linear Seach

• Binary Search

• Algorithm

a search algorithm that starts at the middle of a sorted set of numbers and removes half of the data; this process repeats until the desired value is found or all elements have been eliminated. (its split into two and compared)

• Linear Search

• Binary Search

• Problem

Provides a "good enough" solution to a problem when an actual solution is impractical or impossible

• Problem

• Algorithms

• Heuristics

algorithms with exponential or factorial efficiencies are examples of algorithms that run in an unreasonable amount of time.

• Reasonable Time

• Unreasonable Time

• Problem

A problem for which no algorithm can be constructed that is always capable of providing a correct yes-or-no answer

• Unreasonable Time

• Reason

• Undecidable Problem

a model in which programs run in order, one command at a time.

• Parallel Computing

• Sequential Computing

• Undecidable Problem

a model in which programs are broken into small pieces, some of which are run simultaneously

• Parallel Computing

• Sequential Computing

• Algorithms