Glossary

Acronyms

CLI (command-line interface): A text-based interface in which a user runs programs by typing commands.
CT (computational thinking): A way of formulating problems and representing solutions so that a person, computer, or combination of both can carry them out and check them.
IEM (Industrial Engineering and Management): A field that combines engineering, operations, data, technology, and organizational decision making.

Terms

absolute reference: A cell reference whose row and column remain fixed when copied.
abstraction: Keeping the details that matter for the current purpose while leaving out details that do not.
acceptance criterion: A condition used to decide whether a result satisfies a specification.
action: An operation or output that an algorithm may carry out.
action entry: The instruction in a decision rule that says whether an action is performed.
aggregation: A calculation such as Sum, Count, or Average that combines values from several records.
algorithm: A clear sequence of steps that takes allowed input, produces the required result, and stops.
arithmetic operator: An operator used for a numeric calculation, such as addition, division, or exponentiation.
assembly language: A low-level symbolic notation whose instructions correspond closely to the machine instructions of a particular processor family.
assignment: Binding a name to a value in a program.
assignment operator: The equals sign (=) used in Python to bind a name to a value.
assignment statement: A statement that binds a name to a value, usually with the assignment operator.
assumption: A condition treated as true when formulating or evaluating a problem, even though it may require verification.
augmented assignment: An assignment that updates a name using its current value, such as count += 1.
Average: A PivotTable aggregation that averages numeric values.
Boolean value: One of the 2 logical values True and False.
boundary: The line that states what a computational task or representation includes and excludes.
boundary case: A test case at or immediately beside a threshold where behavior may change.
boundary-value analysis: Selecting tests at and immediately beside an ordered threshold where required behavior changes.
built-in function: A function supplied by Python and available without importing another module.
bytecode: An intermediate instruction representation designed for execution by a virtual machine rather than directly by a hardware processor.
cell: An addressed location in a worksheet, such as G2.
chained comparison: Two or more comparisons written together, such as 10 <= age <= 17.
code: Text or other notation written in a programming language as part of a program.
code cell: A notebook section containing code that can be run.
code editor: A text editor designed for writing source code.
coding: Writing instructions or other text in a programming language; one part of programming.
collection: One value or structure that groups multiple items so they can be handled together.
Columns: The PivotTable area that spreads categories horizontally.
comparison operator: An operator that compares values, such as ==, <, or >=.
compile time: The phase in which source code is translated or analyzed before the relevant instructions execute.
compiler: A program that translates source code into another representation before execution, such as bytecode or machine code.
computational task: A task that clearly states the information it receives, the required result, and the rules, so that a person or computer can carry it out consistently.
condition: A question or logical statement whose result controls which instruction or action applies.
condition entry: The result required for one condition in a decision rule, such as Yes, No, or Any.
conditional aggregation: Applying a measure to records selected by stated criteria.
Conditional formatting: Formatting that draws attention to values that meet a rule.
confirmation test: A failed test repeated after a correction to check that the specific defect has been addressed.
constant: A named value that a program is expected to leave unchanged.
constraint: A condition that a permitted input, state, action, or result must satisfy.
control flow: The order in which an algorithm or program executes operations and follows decisions or repetitions.
control total: An independently calculated value used to check a reported result.
Count: A PivotTable aggregation that counts nonempty entries in the selected field.
CPython: The standard Python implementation, which compiles Python source code to bytecode and executes that bytecode.
CSV: A text file containing a flat table, with fields separated by a delimiter such as a comma.
dashboard: One worksheet that brings together the measures and comparisons needed for a stated analytical purpose.
data: Recorded facts, measurements, observations, or symbols that can be organized and processed.
data pipeline: A repeatable sequence that imports, cleans, combines, checks, and reports data.
data type: A classification of values according to the operations they support and how they behave.
Data Validation: A command that can restrict manually entered data to a list or numeric range.
decision rule: One complete IF-THEN case in a decision table: if its condition entries match, the algorithm produces its stated result.
decision table: A table that relates combinations of conditions to the actions or outputs required by a rule system.
decision threshold: An ordered value at which a specification requires a decision or output to change.
decomposition: Dividing a larger problem or procedure into smaller parts with clear responsibilities.
defect: An error that makes an algorithm or program violate its specification for at least one permitted input.
definite iteration: Repetition controlled by a known count or a bounded collection of items.
delimiter: A character, such as a comma or tab, that separates fields in a text file.
disassembly: A human-readable listing of low-level instructions produced from bytecode or machine code by a tool.
duplicate key: Repeated values in a field that is expected to identify each reference record uniquely.
dynamic typing: A typing approach in which values carry type information and many type checks occur while the program runs.
empty string: A string that contains no characters, written as "" or ''.
escape sequence: A backslash followed by characters that represent another character, such as \n for a newline.
exact-match lookup: A lookup that retrieves a field using an exactly matching shared key.
Excel Table: A named Excel object with headers, filters, and calculated columns whose references can expand when records are added.
executable: Able to be run by suitable software and computer hardware.
expected result: The outcome required by the specification for a test case, stated before the algorithm is evaluated.
expression: Code that a programming language evaluates to produce a value.
extension: An installed component that adds a feature to an application such as VS Code.
feasible case: A raw combination permitted by the constraints of the scenario.
field: One named item in a record, usually shown as a column in a flat table.
field button: A dropdown shown on a PivotChart that filters or arranges one of its PivotTable fields.
Filters: The PivotTable area that restricts the records included in the summary.
flat: Data in which every record uses the same columns.
floating-point value: A numeric value represented with Python’s float type, usually as a binary approximation.
floor division: Division whose quotient is rounded down toward negative infinity; Python writes it with //.
flowchart: A diagram that uses standard shapes and arrows to show operations, decisions, inputs, outputs, and control flow.
formal language: A system of symbols and precisely stated rules for forming valid expressions.
formula: An Excel calculation that implements a rule.
formula bar: The part of Excel that shows the selected cell’s formula or stored value.
formula dependent: A cell whose formula uses another cell.
formula precedent: A cell used by a formula.
formulation: Stating the result a task must produce, the information it can use, and the boundaries, assumptions, and constraints that apply.
full replacement: Source files containing the current records, including retained records, additions, and corrections, that replace the previous snapshot.
function: A named operation that can receive values, perform instructions, and produce a result or effect.
function contract: A statement of what a function receives, what it promises to return, and how it behaves at boundaries or with invalid input.
generalization: Expressing an idea or approach so that it can be reused in other relevant cases.
grand total: A PivotTable result that summarizes all records included after its filters are applied.
header: The first row of a flat table when that row contains the field names.
high-level language: A programming language that provides abstractions for many processor, memory, and hardware details.
human judgment: A decision that depends on human values, experience, or context that the stated data and rules do not fully capture.
incremental delivery: A delivery containing only changes or new records, with an explicit rule for applying them.
indefinite iteration: Repetition that continues while or until a condition has a specified result.
input: Information supplied to a task, algorithm, or program.
input domain: The complete set of input values or situations permitted by a problem specification.
input partition: A non-overlapping group of inputs expected to receive the same kind of treatment from an algorithm.
instruction-set architecture: The documented machine instructions, registers, data formats, and related rules exposed by a processor design.
integer: A whole-number value represented by Python’s int type.
interactive interpreter: A running language implementation that reads and executes one entered statement at a time.
intermediate representation: A form produced between source code and final execution, used by a compiler, interpreter, or virtual machine.
interpreter: A program that manages the execution of instructions represented as source code or an intermediate form.
invariant: A condition that should remain true while an algorithm progresses through repeated operations.
iteration: A control-flow pattern in which operations repeat under an explicit continuation or stopping rule.
JSON: A data format whose records can contain nested lists or objects.
just-in-time compilation: Translation of intermediate instructions into machine code while a program is running.
kernel: The running process that executes code cells in a notebook.
keyword: A word reserved by a programming language for a special purpose and unavailable as an ordinary variable name.
language implementation: Software that prepares and executes programs written in a programming language.
left outer join: A join that retains every record from the left table, including records with no match on the right.
limited-entry decision table: A decision table whose conditions use a small fixed set of entries, such as Yes, No, and Any.
listing: A numbered publication element that presents code or pseudocode.
literal: A fixed value written directly in source code, such as 24, True, or "Hello".
logical operator: An operator such as and, or, or not that combines or negates logical expressions.
loop: A section of an algorithm whose instructions repeat.
loop-control state: The state value used by a repetition condition to decide whether another iteration occurs.
low-level language: A programming language or notation that exposes processor instructions, memory, or other hardware details more directly.
machine code: Binary instructions in a form that a computer processor can execute directly.
machine language: The binary instructions that a particular processor can execute directly; those instructions may operate on encoded data.
maintenance release: An update within a software version series that contains compatible corrections and improvements.
Markdown: A plain-text notation for headings, lists, links, and other document structure.
measure: A reported quantity such as a count, total, or average, stated with its unit and the records it includes.
membership operator: An operator such as in that checks whether a value occurs in a collection.
mixed reference: A cell reference that fixes either the row or the column while allowing the other to change when copied.
modularity: Organizing an algorithm or program into clearly bounded parts with focused responsibilities and explicit connections.
module: A separately organized component that groups related responsibilities or reusable procedures.
modulo: The remainder operation associated with floor division; Python writes it with %.
notebook: A document that stores runnable code cells, text cells, and their output.
object: A value represented and managed by a programming-language runtime; in Python, names refer to objects.
objective: A measurable result to improve, such as reducing delay or cost. Not every computational task has an objective.
observed result: The outcome produced when an algorithm is followed or executed for a test case.
operand: A value used by an operator in an expression.
operating system: The main software that manages a computer and runs applications, such as Windows, macOS, or Linux.
operator: A symbol or word that applies an operation to one or more values.
output: Information or a result produced by a task, algorithm, or program.
package: An installable unit of reusable software. The term import package separately refers to a structure that organizes Python modules.
parameter: A named input supplied when a procedure is called.
parameter: A labeled input value used by several formulas.
pattern recognition: Noticing a repeated structure or a useful similarity among cases or information.
PivotChart: A chart linked to a PivotTable that follows its grouping, filters, and refreshes.
PivotTable: An Excel summary that groups records and calculates a result for each group.
PivotTable cache: A saved copy of source values that a PivotTable uses until the PivotTable refreshes.
population: The complete set of records included in a reported measure.
Power Query: The Excel tool that records import, cleaning, and combination operations as named steps.
precedence: The rules that determine which operators Python applies first in an expression.
precondition: A condition that must be true before an algorithm or procedure is used.
procedure: A named or clearly bounded group of operations with one responsibility and explicit inputs and outputs.
processed data: Derived data exported after processing.
processor: The hardware component that executes machine-code instructions.
product rule: A counting method that multiplies the number of available choices at each step when a complete case contains one choice from every step.
program: A set of computer instructions and related information that a computer can run.
programming: Creating a program that a computer can run.
programming construct: A reusable control structure, such as sequence, selection, or iteration, used to organize program behavior.
programming language: A language with precise words, symbols, and rules for writing instructions that a computer can run.
progress measure: A decreasing count or finite bound used to explain why repetition cannot continue forever.
project folder: The folder opened in an editor to hold the files for one programming project.
pseudocode: A structured, language-independent notation for expressing the logic of an algorithm.
Python Install Manager: The official Windows application for installing and selecting Python runtimes.
query: A recorded sequence of steps for importing and transforming data in Power Query.
range: A group of worksheet cells, such as G2:G2101.
raw combination: One possible selection of one permitted value for every condition, before constraints rule out any selections.
raw data: Received source files preserved unchanged.
reconciliation: Comparing a reported result with an independently calculated value or control total.
record: The fields that describe one item, event, person, or observation in a dataset.
refactoring: Restructuring an algorithm or program without changing its intended external behavior so that it is easier to understand or modify.
refresh: Repeating the recorded processing steps on the current source data.
regression test: A previously passed test repeated after a change to check that behavior which should remain correct has not been damaged.
relative reference: A cell reference whose row and column are relative to the formula’s position.
representation: A deliberately chosen way to describe relevant parts of a situation, problem, or process.
retest: Repeating a failed test and related tests after a change to check the resulting behavior.
row meaning: What one record in a table represents; also called its grain.
Rows: The PivotTable area that lists categories vertically and controls their nesting.
run time: The phase in which a program executes, processes inputs, changes state, and produces outputs.
schema: A definition of the required fields, types, permitted values, units, and missing-value rules for records.
script: A saved source-code file that can be run as a program.
selection: A control-flow pattern in which a condition determines which operation occurs next.
semi-structured: Data in which a record can contain another object or a list.
sequence: A control-flow pattern in which operations occur in a defined order.
slicer: A control for filtering a chart interactively.
snake case: A naming style that joins lowercase words with underscores, as in student_count.
source code: The human-readable text of a program before or during its translation and execution by programming-language tools.
specification: An inspectable agreement describing permitted inputs, required outputs, rules, constraints, assumptions, invalid cases, and acceptance criteria.
state: The information that describes a system or procedure at a particular moment and may change as operations occur.
static typing: A typing approach in which many type checks occur before the program runs.
string: Text represented as a sequence of characters by Python’s str type.
strong typing: A loosely standardized description of a language that restricts implicit operations between incompatible data types.
structured programming: An approach to organizing programs with clear control-flow structures such as sequence, selection, and iteration.
structured reference: A reference to a named Excel Table’s column or to a field in its current row.
subroutine: A named, reusable group of instructions that another part of an algorithm or program can call.
subtotal: A PivotTable result that summarizes one group within a larger arrangement.
Sum: A PivotTable aggregation that adds values.
syntax: The rules that determine how symbols and statements must be arranged in a programming language.
syntax error: An error reported when source code does not follow the language’s structural rules.
terminal: A text-based interface for running programs by typing commands.
termination: The property that an algorithm eventually reaches a stopping point for every permitted input.
test case: A documented check containing its purpose, starting conditions, input, procedure, and expected result.
test plan: A collection of planned test cases whose purposes, inputs, and expected results are recorded before execution.
text cell: A notebook section containing formatted explanatory text.
trace: A step-by-step record of one execution of an algorithm for a chosen input.
Transactional data: Records of sales and stock changes.
truth table: A table showing the result of a logical expression for every possible combination of Boolean inputs.
TSV: A flat table stored as text with tab-separated fields.
type conversion: Creating a value of one data type from a value of another data type.
unique-hit policy: A decision-table rule stating that no more than one rule may match a given evaluation.
ValueError: A Python error raised when an operation receives a value of the correct general kind but with unsuitable content.
Values: The PivotTable area that contains measures and their aggregations.
variable: A name used to refer to a value that a program can access.
verdict: The pass-or-fail result obtained by comparing a test case’s observed result with its expected result.
virtual machine: A computer defined in software that executes an intermediate instruction set such as bytecode.
weak typing: A loosely standardized description of a language that performs more automatic conversions between data types.
workbook: An Excel file.
worksheet: One tab within an Excel workbook.