IT GACE Computer Science Practice Test

The main idea here is understanding what an algorithm is: a finite, well-defined set of step-by-step instructions that takes input and describes how to perform a task to produce a result. An algorithm lays out each precise action in order so that the task can be completed consistently, regardless of who follows it or when it’s used. A flowchart is a visual diagram of the steps and decisions in a process, useful for showing the sequence and branching, but it’s a representation of the algorithm rather than the instructions themselves. Pseudocode expresses the steps in a readable, code-like but language-agnostic form, making the logic easier to study without tying it to a specific programming language; it’s a descriptive depiction of the algorithm, not the formal name for the steps. A program is the actual implementation in a programming language that can be executed by a computer; it realizes the algorithm in runnable code, rather than being the abstract set of instructions.