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KEY PRIMARY COMPUTING TERMS AND CONCEPTS EXPLAINED

Abstraction

Taking the detail out of a 'problem' to make it easier to solve

Algorithm

Steps to follow to achieve a task

Artificial Intelligence (AI)

Computer systems that can behave intelligently, reason, and learn like humans.

Incl. understanding language, recognising images, solving problems and making decisions

Boolean

A variable whose value can only be true or false

Browser

A computer program used to access the World Wide Web

Checksum

The total number of packets sent to/from a router

Code

See Program

Computer

A device that takes input, processes it, then produces output

Computational Thinking

An analytical approach to 'problem' solving (involving abstraction, decomposition, logical thinking, pattern, evaluation, generalisation)

Condition

Statements that only run under certain conditions (e.g. IF...THEN...ELSE)

CSS

Cascading Style Sheets – How web content is styled (Eg. font, colour etc.)

Debug

Finding and correcting errors

Data

Numbers that represent images, video, text and sound

Decomposition

Splitting things into smaller parts

Evaluation

Is this 'good'? Can it be improved?

FTP

File Transfer Protocol. A service for moving files

Function

A set of commands in computer programs that are grouped together and given a name so that they can be used more than once in a program

Generalisation

Creating a general solution that can be applied to a variety of specific problems

Hub

A device that joins a group of computers together

HTML

Hyper Text Markup Language: the 'code' used to create and lay out web pages

Information

Data processed and/or presented to users in a meaningful way. For example, a large list of numbers is meaningless unless it is presented as, say, the ages of pupils in a class

Input

A method of computers receiving data (Eg. keyboard, mouse, touch, sensors etc,)

Internet

A network of connected computers

IP Address

Numerical label assigned to each device on a computer network

ISP

Internet Service Provider. The company you pay to connect you to the Internet

LAN

Local Area Network. Computers connected together that are geographically close to each other (e.g. home or school)

Logical Reasoning/Thinking

Using rules to solve problems

Machine Learning (ML)

The process of teaching a computer to solve a problem. Incl. learning and improving with experience using input data and algorithms.

Model

A pretend version of something that we can use to help us understand how it works. It can be used to explore different ideas and scenarios.

Network

A group of computers that are connected (including the Internet)

Output

A response made by computers to the user (Eg. audio (sound), visual (images), motion)

Packet

Small pieces of data (text, pictures, sound)

Pattern

Finding and using repetition

Program

Instructions written in a language (code) computers can understand

PRIMM

An approach for teaching programming.

Predict ➜ Run ➜ Investigate ➜ Modify ➜ Make

Repetition

Instructions that can be repeated until a condition is met – i.e. a loop

Search

Finding data that satisfies condition(s)

Selection

A way in computer programs to make choices (e.g. IF..THEN)

Sequence

A set of instructions that are followed in order

Simulation

A type of computer model that shows how something might work in the real world. You interact with the model and make changes to see what happens

Software

Computer programs and applications (apps)

TCP/IP

Language computers use to communicate

URL

Uniform Resource Locator: a nickname (address) for a website

Variables

Names given to things we want the computer to store (remember). Eg. scores.

WAN

Wide Area Network. Computers connected together that are geographically far apart, even in different countries. The Internet is an example.

Web Server

A computer connected to the Internet that provides access to (hosts) websites

Web Site

A collection of web pages

World Wide Web (WWW)

All of the web pages on the Internet, accessed using a web browser

Wired

Devices that are connected using wires, usually cables

Wireless

Devices that are connected without wires or cables. They communicate via radio waves