ICT oxford school Azuero

Have you ever wondered how your computer, phone or games console works? It is all down to programming. A computer program is a series of  algorithms  written in a language that tells a computer what to do. Programs have to be very precise because computers can’t think for themselves. They are great at following instructions but computers will follow instructions even if they are wrong. The best programs are often those which use the quickest possible way to complete a task. Sequences - what comes first? Instructions usually have to be completed in the  correct order . Computers can’t normally work out this order for themselves, so you need to program them so that they know what to do. If you don’t get the order right when writing your program, computers can make silly mistakes. When you get dressed in the morning, you know that you put on your underwear first and your clothes afterwards. There is an order, or  ‘sequence’ , to follow. But, unlike you, computers don’t ...

  What is decomposition? When we solve computer programming problems we need to make choices about what to do and what order to do them in. Sometimes the problem is so big or complex that we don’t know where to start. Decomposition is when we break a problem down into smaller parts to make it easier to tackle. You break down problems all the time to help you solve them.  Imagine you want to organise all your DVDs alphabetically and you have a lot of them! Where would you start? Chances are you already know the answer. You might decompose the task into the following steps: Organising DVDs Take all the DVDs off your shelf. Sort the DVDs into piles based on the first letter of the title. Start with the 'A' pile. Organise this group into alphabetical order by second and third letters. Place them on the shelf. Repeat for the rest of the alphabet. Find out more about breaking down problems and decomposition. How computer programmers use decomposition Computer programmers do exactly ...