Creative Development
Error that results when the number of bits is not enough to represent the number (like a car’s odometer “rolling over”).
overflow error
A binary digit, either 0 or 1
bit
A Boolean condition to determine which of two paths are taken in an algorithm or program.
selection
An agreed upon set of rules that specify the behavior of a system.
protocol
The idea that some communities or populations have less access to computing than others, typically due to limitations of Internet speed or computer hardware access.
the action of working with someone to produce or create something.
collaboration
Error that results when the number of bits is not enough to represent the number with full precision (like using 3 digits to represent \piπpi as 3.14).
roundoff error
An algorithm that searches a sorted list for a value by repeatedly splitting the list in half
binary search
The ability of a system to adjust in scale to meet new demands
A model in which many online users combine efforts to help fund projects, generate ideas, or create goods or services (like Wikipedia).
crowdsourcing
a programmer-readable explanation or annotation in the source code of a computer program.
comments
Compressing data in a way that preserves all data away and allows full recovery of the original
lossless
A technique that helps an algorithm find a good solution in a hard problem (like always walking toward the north star when you are stuck in a forest).
heuristic
A computational model which splits a program into multiple tasks, some of which can be executed simultaneously.
parallel computing
Crowdsourcing for science! The participation of volunteers from the public in a scientific research project (like collecting rain samples or counting butterflies).
citizen science
the process of finding and resolving bugs within computer programs, software, or systems.
debugging
Data about data, like descriptive information about a file or a row in a database.
metadata
The repetition of steps in an algorithm or program for a certain amount of times or until a certain condition is met.
iteration
The maximum amount of data that can be sent in a fixed period of time over a network connection, typically measured in bits per second
bandwidth
A small amount of text that tracks information about a user visiting a website.
cookies
an error in the syntax of a sequence of characters or tokens that is intended to be written in compile-time.
syntax error
A system of linked pages, media, and files, browsable over HTTP.
World Wide Web
A type of computer malware that can make copies of itself.
virus
A data transport protocol that includes mechanisms for reliably transmitting packets to a destination.
TCP
A technique for encrypting data where the same key is used to both encrypt and decrypt data.
symmetric encryption