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Math & Programming
Free Computer Science Terms Flashcards
CS has a core vocabulary that interviews, courses, and documentation all assume — algorithms, complexity, data structures. These cards define the terms every beginner meets in month one.
Study these 10 starter cards
QUESTION
Tap the card to reveal the answer
QWhat is an algorithm?
AA precise step-by-step procedure for solving a problem
QWhat does Big-O notation describe?
AHow an algorithm's time or memory grows with input size
QWhat is O(1) vs O(n) lookup?
AConstant time (hash map) vs linear scan (unsorted list)
QWhat is a stack?
ALast-in-first-out (LIFO) structure — like a pile of plates
QWhat is a queue?
AFirst-in-first-out (FIFO) structure — like a line at a shop
QWhat is recursion?
AA function solving a problem by calling itself on smaller inputs, with a base case
QWhat is a hash map (dictionary)?
AKey→value storage with near-constant-time lookup
QWhat is the difference between a compiler and an interpreter?
ACompiler translates the whole program ahead of time; interpreter executes line by line
QWhat is binary search and what does it require?
AHalving the search space each step — O(log n), requires sorted data
QWhat is an API?
AA defined interface for programs to talk to each other
Turn these into lasting memory
Reading answers is recognition — remembering them next month takes spaced repetition. Build your own computer science terms deck and we'll schedule every review at the right moment.
Create your free deck →How to study computer science terms with flashcards
- One fact per card. For each structure, recall its superpower AND its cost ("hash map: O(1) lookup, no ordering") — trade-offs are the real content.
- Rate honestly. After each card, choose Again, Hard, Good, or Easy — the spaced repetition algorithm uses your answer to decide when the card returns, right before you'd forget it.
- A few minutes daily beats marathons. Ten new cards a day is roughly 3,650 a year, retained. Deep dives: Flashcards for programmers · Interleaving: mix topics, learn more · How to make flashcards that actually work.
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