2025 TSA Coding summary
COMPUTER PROGRAM
Any form of software that runs on top of the operating system
PROGRAMMING LANGUAGE
A system of conventions and symbols used to create instructions for computers,
which read through and follow the instructions in the code (content written using a
programming language)
MACHINE CODE
A binary system that is made of a series of 1s and 0s. It is considered the lowest level
of programming and is the set of instructions with which the computer's CPU works directly
LOW-LEVEL LANGUAGE
A programming language whose code is more similar to what the computer works
with and is less human-readable; it is very specific and directly manipulates hardware. They
are more efficient but harder to use. Examples: C, C++
HIGH-LEVEL LANGUAGE
A programming language whose code has multiple layers of abstraction (i.e. the code
has to be translated into a form that the computer can understand) and is thus more human-
readable. With high-level languages, one does not directly manipulate the hardware and
instead works with the logic of the program. Examples: FORTRAN, COBOL
SOURCE CODE
The code that is written by the programmer and is in a form that can be understood
and edited by humans.
OBJECT CODE
Source code that has been transformed by the computer into a low-level form that the
CPU can understand and work with.
STATEMENTS
Individual, specific instructions used in programming to accomplish specific tasks.
ALGORITHM A
predefined procedure that aims to solve a problem or complete a task. It takes into account
specific circumstances and has varying courses of action for each.
PSEUDOCODE
Human-written code that describes what a program is supposed to do, or, more
specifically, what the programmer wants the code to do.
FLOWCHART
A diagram used to describe algorithms and the structure of programs and
programming languages. It consists of boxes that represent specific objects or steps and
arrows and lines to represent the relationship between them.
DOCUMENTATION
Text written in normal language that describes software; it consists of comments
found directly in the code as well as separate documents that describe the overall program.
DEBUG
A process that aims to locate the exact source of bugs (i.e. errors or flaws) in the code.
SYNTAX ERROR
A mistake with the conventions and symbols of the programming language that leads
to an error in the program.
RUN-TIME ERROR
An error that occurs when the program is running, after the code has already been
compiled, or checked. Programs are able to recover from runtime errors.
COMPUTER PROGRAM
Any form of software that runs on top of the operating system
PROGRAMMING LANGUAGE
A system of conventions and symbols used to create instructions for computers,
which read through and follow the instructions in the code (content written using a
programming language)
MACHINE CODE
A binary system that is made of a series of 1s and 0s. It is considered the lowest level
of programming and is the set of instructions with which the computer's CPU works directly
LOW-LEVEL LANGUAGE
A programming language whose code is more similar to what the computer works
with and is less human-readable; it is very specific and directly manipulates hardware. They
are more efficient but harder to use. Examples: C, C++
HIGH-LEVEL LANGUAGE
A programming language whose code has multiple layers of abstraction (i.e. the code
has to be translated into a form that the computer can understand) and is thus more human-
readable. With high-level languages, one does not directly manipulate the hardware and
instead works with the logic of the program. Examples: FORTRAN, COBOL
SOURCE CODE
The code that is written by the programmer and is in a form that can be understood
and edited by humans.
OBJECT CODE
Source code that has been transformed by the computer into a low-level form that the
CPU can understand and work with.
STATEMENTS
Individual, specific instructions used in programming to accomplish specific tasks.
ALGORITHM A
predefined procedure that aims to solve a problem or complete a task. It takes into account
specific circumstances and has varying courses of action for each.
PSEUDOCODE
Human-written code that describes what a program is supposed to do, or, more
specifically, what the programmer wants the code to do.
FLOWCHART
A diagram used to describe algorithms and the structure of programs and
programming languages. It consists of boxes that represent specific objects or steps and
arrows and lines to represent the relationship between them.
DOCUMENTATION
Text written in normal language that describes software; it consists of comments
found directly in the code as well as separate documents that describe the overall program.
DEBUG
A process that aims to locate the exact source of bugs (i.e. errors or flaws) in the code.
SYNTAX ERROR
A mistake with the conventions and symbols of the programming language that leads
to an error in the program.
RUN-TIME ERROR
An error that occurs when the program is running, after the code has already been
compiled, or checked. Programs are able to recover from runtime errors.
