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A computer program is a set of statements that is used to create an output, such as a screen
display, a printed report, a set of data records, or a calculated set of numbers.
Most programs involve statements that are executed in sequence.
A program is written using the statements of a programming language.
Individual statements perform simple operations such as printing an item of text,
calculating a single value, and comparing values to determine which set of statements to
execute.
Simple instructions are performed in hardware by the computer’s central processing unit.
Complex instructions are written in programming languages and translated into the
internal instruction set by another program.
Computer memory is generally composed of bytes, which are data items that contain a
binary number. These values can range from 0 to 255.
Memory locations are referred to by number, known as an address.
A memory location can be used to record information such as a small number, data from a
graphics image, part of a memory address, a program instruction, and a numeric value
representing a single letter.
Program instructions and data are stored in memory while a program is executing. |
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