[Year 12 SofDev] Programming Instructions

Wed May 16 08:39:19 EST 2012

Just catching up on this thread!

I must confess that I am a bit flawed by this answer - if the 'answer' is A
- then certainly I would have I answered it incorrectly - and probably
missed out on my '50'..  I am not sure how a 'function' is the answer -
perhaps it is a typo?

Cheers,
Adrian Janson

From: sofdev-bounces at edulists.com.au [mailto:sofdev-bounces at edulists.com.au]
On Behalf Of Mark KELLY
Sent: Wednesday, 16 May 2012 8:05 AM
To: Year 12 Software Development Teachers' Mailing List
Subject: Re: [Year 12 SofDev] Programming Instructions

I wonder if the examiners were thinking of inherent functions such as MID,
SQRT, COS etc, because I haven't seen single-line functions since the days
of Quickbasic.
On 15 May 2012 22:34, Kevork Krozian <kevork at edulists.com.au> wrote:
Hi Mark,

I do have to agree with you.  
While a function can modify a variable's content it does not have to do so (
BTW , what is "content" ? is it the value it holds ? the data type it holds
? the name of the variable ? ).
You can write a function that does not modify a variable's "content". 
By contrast I also accept that you can write an instruction that does not
modify a variable by which I am thinking of print a string. 

I can't see how instruction can be wrong here and how it isn't the most
appropriate answer. 

Kevork Krozian
Edulists Creator Administrator
www.edulists.com.au
tel: 0419 356 034 <tel:0419%20356%20034> 

From: sofdev-bounces at edulists.com.au [mailto:sofdev-bounces at edulists.com.au]
On Behalf Of Michael Wooldridge
Sent: Tuesday, 15 May 2012 3:05 PM
To: 'Year 12 Software Development Teachers' Mailing List'
Subject: Re: [Year 12 SofDev] Programming Instructions

Re question 9. I see your point and, technically, I think you are quite
correct. 

Perhaps however the answer lies in the word 'modifies'. Is A=0, setting the
initial value of the variable, while the function modifies it? I don't know!
It's a debate that could rage on for a while. 

If it does, I'm siding with you, that an instruction is the most appropriate
answer.

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From: sofdev-bounces at edulists.com.au [mailto:sofdev-bounces at edulists.com.au]
On Behalf Of Mark KELLY
Sent: Tuesday, 15 May 2012 2:06 PM
To: Year 12 Software Development Teachers' Mailing List
Subject: [Year 12 SofDev] Programming Instructions

I've put the SD examiners' comments on the 2011 exam into my post mortem
(http://www.vceit.com/postmortems/2011sd/SD2011exam.htm)

In the process I noticed section A, Q9...

In a program, a line of code that modifies a variable's content is best
described as a

A. function.
B. procedure.
C. instruction.
D. control structure.

The official answer was A. 

I don't know about this one... I acknowledge the word "best" but still
wonder why couldn't the answer equally be an instruction? 
A common instruction like A=0 modifies a variable's content just as often as
a function would... more often, probably. 

The study design (U3O2 KK09) says kids need to know "processing features of
programming languages, including instructions, procedures, methods,
functions and control structures" but instructions are not defined by the
glossary, the old Fitzpatrick/Keane text, or Adrian's text (it's not in the
index at least).

What do you regard as an instruction?  Trying to get a definition from the
internet is frustratingly elusive...

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McKinnon Secondary College
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