NDE Scripting-and-Programming-Foundations Passing Score

 The correctness of a sorting algorithm is determined by its ability to sort a list of elements into a specified order, typically non-decreasing or non-increasing order. For an algorithm to be considered correct, it must consistently produce the correct output for all possible inputs. In the case of the given algorithm, it takes the input list [10, 8] and produces the output [6, 10, 8], which is not sorted in non-decreasing order. This indicates that the algorithm does not correctly sort the list, as the output is neither sorted nor does it maintain the integrity of the original list (the number 6 was not in the original list).

Furthermore, the fact that the output contains an integer (6) that was not present in the input list suggests that the algorithm is not preserving the elements of the input list, which is a fundamental requirement for a sorting algorithm. This violation confirms that the algorithm is incorrect for sorting an arbitrary list of three integers, as it cannot be relied upon to sort correctly or maintain the original list elements.

Interpreted languages are designed to be executed one statement at a time by an interpreter. This allows for immediate execution and feedback, which is useful for debugging and interactive use. Unlike compiled languages, interpreted languages do not generate machine code prior to execution, and they do not produce syntax errors during compilation because there is no compilation step. They are not restricted to one machine, as the interpreter can be implemented on various systems, and they do not require the programmer to write machine code.

Comprehensive and Detailed Explanation From Exact Extract:

A string is a data type used to store sequences of characters, such as text or words. According to foundational programming principles (e.g., Certiport Scripting and Programming Foundations Study Guide), strings are ideal for textual data but not for numerical or boolean values, which have specific data types (e.g., integers, floats, booleans).

Option A: "A true/false indication of whether a number is composite." This is incorrect. A true/false value is a boolean, not a string. In most languages (e.g., Python’s True/False, C’s 0/1), booleans are a distinct type.

Option B: "A positive number between 2 and 3." This is incorrect. A number between 2 and 3 (e.g., 2.5) is a floating-point value, not a string. Strings could represent numbers as text (e.g., "2.5"), but this is not the primary use.

Option C: "The word 'positive'." This is correct. The word "positive" is a sequence of characters, perfectly suited for a string data type (e.g., char[] in C, str in Python).

Option D: "A positive whole number." This is incorrect. Whole numbers are stored as integers (e.g., int in C or Python), not strings, unless represented as text (e.g., "123"), which is not implied here.

Certiport Scripting and Programming Foundations Study Guide (Section on Data Types).

Python Documentation: “Strings”

W3Schools: “C Strings”

In programming, an argument is a value that is passed to a function when it is called. The function can then use that information within its scope as it runs. Arguments are often used interchangeably with parameters, but they refer to the actual values provided to the function, while parameters are the variable names listed in the function’s definition that receive the argument values12.

For example, consider a function calculateSum that takes two arguments, a and b:

Python

def calculateSum(a, b):

return a + b

# Here, 5 and 3 are arguments provided in the function call.

result = calculateSum(5, 3)

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In this case, 5 and 3 are the arguments provided in the function call to calculateSum. They are not declared within the function (option B), not assigned to the function’s output (option C), nor are they inputs named in the definition of the function (option D). Instead, they are pieces of information provided during the function call, which aligns with option A.