AP CSP Vocabulary Review

Introduction

• Overview of key vocabulary from the AP Computer Science Principles (AP CSP) exam, focusing on new terminology for students.

Big Idea 1: Creative Development

• Syntax Error: Errors in code violating programming language rules causing failure to run.
• Logic Error: Mistakes causing incorrect behavior or output.
• Run-time Error: Errors occurring during program execution, e.g., accessing non-existent memory.
• Overflow Error: When the bit number is insufficient to represent a number (e.g., odometer rollover).

Big Idea 2: Data

• Bit: A binary digit, 0 or 1.
• Byte: Sequence of 8 bits.
• Roundoff: Error from insufficient bits to fully represent a number.
• Analog Data: Continuously changing values over time (e.g., volume changes in a concert).
• Lossless Compression: Data compression allowing full recovery of original data.
• Lossy Compression: Compression losing some data, preventing full recovery.
• Metadata: Data providing information about other data.

Big Idea 3: Algorithms and Programming

• Sequencing: Orderly execution of algorithmic steps.
• Selection: Boolean conditions guiding algorithm paths.
• Iteration: Repeating steps in algorithms until a condition is met.
• Linear Search: Sequentially searching list items.
• Binary Search: Searching a sorted list by splitting into halves repeatedly.
• Reasonable Time: Algorithm runtime increasing polynomially with input size.
• Heuristic: Strategy to find good solutions in complex problems.
• Undecidable: Problems too complex to yield a definitive algorithmic answer.
• Library: Collection of program procedures.
• API: Application Programming Interface, detailing callable procedures.
• Modularity: Dividing programs into independent, function-specific modules.
• Traversal: Iterating over list items, either fully or partially.

Big Idea 4: Computer Systems and Networks

• Computing Device: A device capable of running programs (e.g., computers, smartphones).
• Computer Network: Interconnected devices for data exchange.
• Bandwidth: Maximum data transfer rate over a network.
• Protocol: Rules governing system behavior.
• Scalability: System's ability to adapt to increased demands.
• IP (Internet Protocol): Protocol for addressing and routing data on networks.
• TCP: Reliable packet transmission protocol.
• UDP: Lightweight, minimal error-checking data transport protocol.
• World Wide Web (WWW): Hypertext system of interlinked web pages over HTTP.
• HTTP: Protocol for web communication and data submission.
• Parallel Computing: Model splitting programs into simultaneous tasks.
• Speedup: Performance improvement from parallelizing program execution.
• Distributed Computing: Using multiple devices for program execution.

Big Idea 5: Impact of Computing

• Digital Divide: Inequality in computing access across communities.
• Crowdsourcing: Collective online efforts for funding, idea generation, or creation.
• Citizen Science: Public volunteer participation in scientific research.
• Creative Commons: Copyright alternative allowing specified sharing and remixing of works.
• Open Access: Free access to documents or data for reading and analysis.
• PII (Personally Identifiable Information): Unique identifying information about individuals.
• Multifactor Authentication (MFA): Authentication requiring multiple evidence types.
• Encryption: Process of data scrambling to prevent unauthorized access.
• Symmetric Encryption: Using the same key for data encryption and decryption.
• Public Key Encryption: Asymmetric technique with different keys for encryption and decryption.
• Cookie: Small text files tracking user info on websites.
• Virus: Self-replicating malware.
• Phishing: Deceptive attack for acquiring private info.
• Rogue Access Point: Unauthorized network access point used by attackers.