Pseudocode Puzzles
This type of error occurs when parentheses are mismatched in an arithmetic expression.
(Bonus for double the points: Name, define, and provide examples for 2 additional error types)
What is a syntax error?
(Bonus: What are examples of logic and runtime errors?)
This type of loop repeats a block of code until a condition is reached.
What is a repeat until loop?
This data type is used to store decimal values with fractional parts.
What is a float?
This search algorithm checks each element one by one.
What is linear search?
This acronym stands for the part of a computer that executes instructions.
What is CPU, a.k.a. central processing unit?
This flowchart symbol is used to represent a decision or conditional branch.
What is a diamond?
Recursion differs from iteration because it uses this feature to call itself.
(Bonus for 100 points: Name all the key features of a recursive function)
What is a base case?
(Bonus: What are the following three key features: it must call itself, it must have a base case to stop the recursion, and it must change its state to move towards that base case?)
This unit of digital information consists of 8 bits.
What is a byte?
Binary search requires this condition to work correctly.
What is a sorted array?
In object-oriented programming, this term refers to a blueprint for creating objects.
What is a class?
Analyze this pseudocode and provide the outcome:
int x <- 1
for (int i <- 2; i <= 4; i <- i +1)
x = x * i
end for
return x
What is 24?
These two types of parameters are used in function calls—one is defined in the function header, and the other is passed in during the call.
What are formal and actual parameters?
In 8-bit ASCII, characters are assigned binary values starting with 01000000 for @, 01000001 for A, and continuing sequentially. What character is represented by the binary value 01000100?
What is 'D'?
Analyze the following pseudocode and identify its time complexity:
int total <- 0
for (int i <- 0; i < n; i <- i +1)
total <- total + i
end for
return total
What is O(n)?
This IDE tool helps find and fix errors in code by stepping through execution.
What is a debugger?
This loop type is best when the number of iterations is known ahead of time.
(Options: for, while, do-while, or repeat-until)
What is a for loop?
In a recursive function calculating factorial, what is the value of mystery(3) if:
mystery(n) <- n * mystery(n-1) and mystery(1) <- 1
What is 6?
This data type would be most appropriate for storing a true/false value.
What is a boolean?
Given the array {1, 3, 5, 7, 9}, this is how many comparisons binary search makes to find 7.
(Bonus: This is a description of binary search, how it works and its runtime efficiency.)
What is 2?
(Bonus: What is a description fact checked by the group and an efficiency of O (log n)?)
This concept allows a child class to modify a method from its parent class.
What is method overriding?
Analyze this pseudocode and provide the outcome:
int sum <- 0
for (int i <- 1; i <= 5; i <- i +1)
if (i % 2 == 0)
sum <- sum + i * 2
end if
end for
return sum
What is 12?
Convert the provided flowchart into pseudocode.
(See Google Slides)
What is the following pseudocode?
int n <- 5
while (n > 0)
print n
n <- n - 1
end while
This is the decimal value of the binary number 00101101.
What is 45?
Analyze the following pseudocode that processes a 2D array and decipher what values are printed:
int[][] grid = {{1, 2}, {3, 4}, {5, 6}}
for (int i <- 0; i < 3; i <- i + 1)
for (int j <- 0; j < 2; j <- j+1)
print(grid[i][j])
end for
end for
What are 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6?
This software development practice involves testing individual units of code.
What is unit testing?