Which term describes simple text instructions like code but not real programming?

Which term describes simple text instructions like code but not real programming?

• A. Pseudocode
• B. Flowchart
• C. Design
• D. Program development life cycle

Answer: (A)

Pseudocode is a way to describe an algorithm using a readable, text-based format that looks like code but isn’t tied to any real programming language. It lets you outline the exact steps, decisions, and loops you need, in a language-agnostic way, so you can focus on the logic before worrying about syntax. This makes it ideal for planning and communicating how the program should work, since it can be translated into actual code later. For example, you might outline: begin, set total to 0, for i from 1 to n do total becomes total plus i, end loop, print total, end. This shows the sequence and control structures without requiring specific language rules, which is what pseudocode is designed for. Flowcharts, by contrast, are diagrams that represent flow with shapes and arrows. Design is a broader planning term for the overall solution, not a textual instruction set. The program development life cycle is a process describing stages of development, not a form of written instructions.

Pseudocode is a way to describe an algorithm using a readable, text-based format that looks like code but isn’t tied to any real programming language. It lets you outline the exact steps, decisions, and loops you need, in a language-agnostic way, so you can focus on the logic before worrying about syntax. This makes it ideal for planning and communicating how the program should work, since it can be translated into actual code later.

For example, you might outline: begin, set total to 0, for i from 1 to n do total becomes total plus i, end loop, print total, end. This shows the sequence and control structures without requiring specific language rules, which is what pseudocode is designed for.

Flowcharts, by contrast, are diagrams that represent flow with shapes and arrows. Design is a broader planning term for the overall solution, not a textual instruction set. The program development life cycle is a process describing stages of development, not a form of written instructions.