Computer Science Quiz

Why might using a flowchart be more effective than pseudocode for explaining a complex decision-making process to a beginner?

• Flowcharts always run faster than pseudocode

• Flowcharts visually show branches, making logic clearer

• Pseudocode is illegal for beginners

• Flowcharts can compile directly into machine code

You are designing an algorithm to sort a list of student grades. Which would be the best initial step?

• Implement a binary search

• Write a program without planning to save time

• Draw a flowchart to visualize sorting steps

• Delete the list to start from scratch

If your flowchart has multiple decision diamonds pointing to the same process box, this most likely indicates:

• The algorithm may have redundant checks

• There is no possible output

• The program will always crash

• You must convert it into pseudocode immediately

A student writes pseudocode with an IF without an ELSE. This is:

• Always wrong

• Sometimes correct if the alternative does nothing

• Illegal in any programming context

• Faster for the computer to execute

Which scenario best uses a WHILE loop?

• Displaying a message exactly 5 times

• Continuously reading sensor data until a stop button is pressed

• Printing 'Hello World!' once

• Choosing between two options

What’s a likely risk of using a WHILE loop with a condition that never becomes false?

• Infinite loop consuming CPU resources

• Compiler will correct it automatically

• It prints nothing by default

• It resets the program automatically

Why would you choose a FOR loop over a WHILE loop?

• When the exact number of repetitions is known in advance

• When the program needs to run forever

• FOR loops can only handle text data

• Because WHILE loops require more storage

What is a variable most similar to?

• A fixed constant like π

• A labelled container that can change contents

• A flowchart shape

• A printer setting

Which binary number is largest?

• 1001

• 0111

• 0010

• 0001

Why is binary used inside computers?

• It is easier for humans to read

• Electrical circuits have two stable states

• It uses less memory than decimal

• It’s required by internet protocols