Introduction to Programming and Program Development

Question 1

What are the five key steps in developing an embedded application?

Answer 1

Define requirements, design software (flowcharts/pseudocode), translate to code, test and debug, document the software.

Question 2

Why is defining system requirements important?

Answer 2

To determine needed inputs, outputs, speed, storage, and suitable hardware.

Question 3

What tools help plan software before coding?

Answer 3

Flowcharts and pseudocode.

Question 4

What is testing and debugging?

Answer 4

Identifying and removing errors or unexpected behaviour (bugs) in code.

Question 5

Why must code be documented?

Answer 5

So future developers (or yourself) can understand and modify it.

Question 6

What is a program?

Answer 6

A recorded sequence of instructions that performs tasks to produce a specific result.

Question 7

What is software?

Answer 7

Collections of programs, libraries, and related data.

Question 8

What is a programming language?

Answer 8

A formal notation with instructions and rules for writing programs.

Question 9

What are high-level languages?

Answer 9

Languages close to human language that hide hardware details (e.g., Python, C++, Java).

Question 10

What are low-level languages?

Answer 10

Languages close to machine instructions (e.g., Assembly, Machine Code).

Question 11

How is C often described in terms of language level?

Answer 11

A mid-level language.

Question 12

Why is C widely used in embedded systems?

Answer 12

It allows control close to hardware while remaining structured and powerful.

Question 13

What is a flowchart?

Answer 13

A pictorial representation of program logic and flow.

Question 14

Why are flowcharts useful?

Answer 14

They allow visualising program structure without writing code, helping planning and debugging.

Question 15

Do flowcharts require knowledge of a specific programming language?

Answer 15

No.

Question 16

What are the basic flowchart symbols?

Answer 16

Start/End (terminal), Process, Decision, I/O, Subprocess, Flow arrows.

Question 17

What are the rules for drawing flowcharts?

Answer 17

Start and end with terminals, consistent spacing, clear arrows, no overlapping lines, tidy layout.

Question 18

What are the three fundamental program constructs?

Answer 18

Sequence, Decision, Repetition.

Question 19

What is the Sequence construct?

Answer 19

Executes instructions one after another in order.

Question 20

What is the Decision construct?

Answer 20

Executes tasks based on a test condition.

Question 21

What is the Repetition construct?

Answer 21

Repeats tasks until a stopping condition is met.

Question 22

What does the sequence example (sum 1 to 10) demonstrate?

Answer 22

A brute-force approach with no decisions or loops.

Question 23

What does the decision + repetition example (sum 1 to 10) demonstrate?

Answer 23

A more efficient approach using a counter and condition.

Question 24

In repetition examples, what does the counter do?

Answer 24

Tracks progress through repeated loops.

Question 25

What is the “sum numbers up to a limit” program an example of?

Answer 25

Combining user input, sequence, and repetition.

Question 26

In the variation table, what three parts can be rearranged?

Answer 26

Sum (S), Increment (I), Check (C).

Question 27

How many possible variations exist for ordering S, I, and C?

Answer 27

Six.

Question 28

What does Variation 6 represent?

Answer 28

Sum → Increment → Check.

Question 29

What does Variation 4 represent?

Answer 29

Increment → Sum → Check.

Question 30

What does Variation 2 represent?

Answer 30

Check → Increment → Sum.

Question 31

What is the backwards-counting variation?

Answer 31

Summing n + (n−1) + … + 1 by decrementing from n downward.

Question 32

What is modular programming?

Answer 32

Breaking a program into smaller modules or subprograms.

Question 33

Why use modular programming?

Answer 33

Makes programs easier to read, maintain, test, and modify.

Question 34

What is a module?

Answer 34

A self-contained section of code that performs a specific task.

Question 35

What is the advantage of using a module for delays?

Answer 35

Changing the delay requires editing code in only one place.

Question 36

What is the problem with a non-modular delay approach?

Answer 36

Repeated identical code must be edited in multiple places when requirements change.

Question 37

How does a modular delay function improve maintainability?

Answer 37

It centralises the logic into one reusable component.

Question 38

What does the example of modular programming demonstrate?

Answer 38

Replacing repeated code with a single reusable block improves efficiency.

Question 39

Why are sub-process blocks shown in flowcharts?

Answer 39

To represent modules or repeated tasks.

Question 40

What does the Summary slide emphasise?

Answer 40

Programming terminology, high vs low-level languages, flowchart symbols, example programs, multiple approaches to the same problem, and modular programming.

Question 41

What should students do for self-directed learning?

Answer 41

Write alternative flowcharts, practice decomposition (like for making tea), and participate in discussion forums.