Types of Programming Language, Translators & Integrated Development Environments (IDEs) (Cambridge (CIE) IGCSE Computer Science)

Exam Questions

31 mins10 questions
1a2 marks

A programmer uses a high-level language to create a computer program.

Identify two advantages to the programmer of using a high-level language instead of a low-level language.

1b1 mark

Suggest one disadvantage to the programmer of using a high-level language instead of a low-level language.

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21 mark

The programmer uses an integrated development environment (IDE) when creating the computer program.

State what is meant by an IDE.

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31 mark

A compiler and an interpreter are two different types of translator.

One similarity between a compiler and an interpreter is that they both translate high‑level language into machine code.

Give one other similarity between a compiler and an interpreter.

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43 marks

Jason is a programmer who writes computer programs in a high‑level language.

Describe what is meant by a high‑level language.

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52 marks

A programmer uses a low‑level language to write a computer program for a vending machine.

Describe what is meant by a low‑level language.

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16 marks

Complete the statements about different types of programming language.

Use the terms from the list.

Some of the terms in the list will not be used.

You should only use a term once.

  • assembly

  • denary

  • executable file

  • instruction

  • storage

  • hexadecimal

  • high-level

  • low-level

  • machine code

  • protocol

  • source code

  • style

  • syntax

  • translator

The structure of language statements in a computer program is called the ............................................. .

A programming language that uses natural language statements is called a ............................................. language.

When programs are written in this type of language they need a ............................................. to convert them into ............................................. .

A programming language that is written using mnemonic codes is called an ............................................. language.

This is an example of a ............................................. language.

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23 marks

A programmer often uses an integrated development environment (IDE) when writing a computer program.

Give three common functions of an IDE.

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34 marks

A compiler and an interpreter are two different types of translator.

One similarity between a compiler and an interpreter is that they both translate high‑level language into machine code.

Explain two differences between a compiler and an interpreter.

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42 marks

A programmer uses a low‑level language to write a computer program for a vending machine.

Give two reasons why the programmer would choose to write the computer program in a low‑level language instead of a high‑level language.

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16 marks

State three different features of a high-level programming language that a programmer could use to make sure that their program will be easier to understand by another programmer.

Give an example for each feature.

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