IB Computer Science Topic A1: Computer Fundamentals Key Definitions

Abstraction can be defined as hiding intricate details beneath a simpler, more manageable layer (or interface).

Devices that effect changes in a system based on controller signals.

Binary is a base-2 number system, using only two digits: 0 and 1. Each digit in a binary number is called a bit (short for binary digit).

Buses are communication pathways that transfer data between CPU components and other parts of the computer.

An intermediate instruction set produced by compiling source code ahead of time, aimed at a virtual machine rather than at any real processor. One bytecode file runs on every platform that has the virtual machine installed, and the virtual machine interprets it at run time.

Cache memory is a high-speed memory located close to the CPU, designed to store frequently accessed data and instructions.

Continuously monitor output and adjust inputs based on feedback.

A program that translates an entire source file into machine code before execution begins, writing the result to a separate executable file. Because it sees the whole program at once, it can report every syntax and type error before anything runs and optimize across the program.

Compression is the process of reducing the size of data files to save storage space and improve transmission efficiency.

A mathematical formula or logic that determines the system's output based on input data.

A control system is a set of devices that manage, direct, or regulate the behavior of other systems using control loops.

The instruction set is the collection of basic machine-level commands that a CPU is designed to understand and execute. such as load, store, add, compare, and jump.
It forms the CPU’s vocabulary and defines what operations it can perform.

Computers store and process data as numbers, specifically in binary. Since modern computer architecture relies on transistors which are either On (1) or Off (0)

Deadlock occurs when processes are stuck waiting for resources held by each other.

Software that translates the operating system's generic commands into the exact signals one model of hardware understands, so applications can use a device without knowing anything about it.

Embedded Multimedia Cards (eMMCs) are a type of flash storage integrated directly onto a device's motherboard.

Monitoring and evaluating the output to influence future behavior.

The basic operational process of a computer's Central Processing Unit (CPU), in which instructions are carried out:

1. Fetch: The CPU retrieves an instruction from memory.
2. Decode: The CPU interprets (decodes) the instruction to determine what action is required.
3. Execute: The CPU performs the specified action, such as a calculation, data movement, or decision-making.

This cycle repeats continuously, allowing the computer to run programs and process data.

Processes are executed in the order they arrive, with no pre-emption.

Flash drives, also known as USB drives, are portable storage devices that use NAND flash memory.

Hard Disk Drives (HDDs) are traditional storage devices that use magnetic platters and a read/write head to store and retrieve data.

Hexadecimal is a base-16 number system, using 16 digits: 0–9 and A–F (where A = 10, B = 11, ..., F = 15).

Data or signals fed into the system.

A program that translates and executes source code one statement at a time while the program runs, producing no executable file. It must be installed on every machine that runs the program, and it re-translates a statement each time execution reaches it.