CSC 121: Computers and Scientific Thinking
Fall 2008

Test 1 Review

Thu, Oct 2
  • The test will include extra points (Mistakes Happen!), e.g., 52 or 53 points, but graded on a scale of 50.

Types of questions
  • factual knowledge: TRUE/FALSE, multiple choice

    TRUE or FALSE: A byte is a collection of 8 bits, allowing for the representation of 256 different values.
  • conceptual understanding: short answer, discussion

    What is the difference between a Web server and a Web browser? How do the two combine to make the Web function?
  • synthesis and application: draw/modify HTML page, trace/modify Javascript

    Draw a picture of the Web page that would be generated by the HTML document listed below...
Study advice
  • review online lecture notes (if not mentioned in class, won't be on test)
  • review text
  • look over chapter exercises, review questions, labs
  • reference other sources for examples, different perspectives
Course Material Computer Basics hardware vs. software von Neumann architecture: CPU + memory + I/O bits, bytes operating system History of Science & Computing Greek pre-science, Dark Ages, Renaissance, Scientific Revolution scientific method, experimentation (consistency vs. accuracy) computer generations: mechanical, vacuum tube, transistor, IC, VLSI, networks/parallelism Web & Internet History ARPANet development & growth, Internet Society key ideas: distributed network, packet-switching Internet protocols: TCP, IP Web development & growth, World Wide Web Consortium key ideas: hypermedia, Web server, Web browser Web protocols: HTTP, HTML Creating Interactive Web Pages static pages with HTML text layout: P, BR,   headings & alignment: H1, H2, ..., H6, STYLE, DIV font formatting: B, I, BIG, SMALL, SPAN hyperlinks: A, HREF images: IMG, SRC, ALT lists: UL, OL, LI tables: TABLE, TR, TD, BORDER dynamic pages with JavaScript SCRIPT tags, JavaScript statements input via prompt assignment statement, prompt function, variable, parseFloat function output via document.write document.write, strings + variables, integrating HTML tags data types: string, number, Boolean (true/false) predefined functions: Math.sqrt, Math.max, Math.pow, Math.random, ... errors & debugging: syntax error, run-time error, logic error