Terms and concepts from

textbook
This may be given to Grade 11 learners who have a Computers, part of your life – Grade 11
textbook, to keep as reference or for revision
 REVISION THEORY CONCEPTS
Computers, part of your life
Important terms and concepts

Module 1.1 Introduction to computers

1 Booting A The process where a computer starts up and loads the operating system. This
is initiated by the user.

2 Central Processing B Hardware component that performs all calculations and executes instructions.
Unit (CPU)

3 Data C Unprocessed items.

4 Desktop D First basic screen that appears when Windows is loaded.

5 Esc E Key on the keyboard you can use to cancel an option or get back to where you
were.

6 Hardware F The physical parts of a computer that we can touch and see.

7 Home row G The anchor keys of the left hand (ASDF) and the anchor keys of the right hand
(JKL;).

8 Icon on desktop H A small picture which represents a program or ‘place’ on the computer.

9 Information I The result of the processing of data and should be useful and meaningful.

10 Input J Process of giving the computer instructions and data. Also used to describe the
actual data and instructions themselves.

11 Logging on K Logging on refers to the process of gaining access to the programs and data on
a computer, often with the use of a username and password.

12 Maximise L Action which makes the size of a window as big as possible.

13 Memory M Temporary storage area for programs and data being processed in the
computer.

14 Menu bar N A bar containing a set of commands presented as text.

15 Minimise O Action which will reduce a window to a button on the taskbar.

16 Operating system P The most important program which controls all activities that take place in a
computer.

17 Output Q Whatever the computer produces to provide us with results of its processing.

18 Ribbon R Combination of a menu bar and toolbar used in Office 2007, Office 2010 and
other new programs.

19 Scroll S Using a mouse to move up or down through a document.

 REVISION THEORY CONCEPTS

20 Scroll bar T Component that allows you to move up and down in a window to see any
information that may not be visible due to the size of the window.

21 Shortcuts on the U Pictures or icons which have a small curved arrow in the bottom left corner and
desktop that provide quick links to things like programs and printers.

22 Software V Sequences of stored instructions to get the computer to perform specific tasks.

23 Storage W Hardware used to permanently keep (store) programs and data.

24 Taskbar X Horizontal bar at the bottom of the desktop.

25 Title bar Y Rectangular bar at the top of a program that shows the name of file and the
program you are working in.

26 Toolbar Z A bar that contains a collection of buttons or icons that represent a set of tasks.

27 Tooltip AI A hint or information that pops up when resting the cursor on an icon or object.

28 Window AII A rectangular area on the screen used to display the contents or feedback from
a program.

29 Windows Vista, AIII Examples of operating systems.

Windows 7

Module 1.2 Software

Accessories A number of useful programs come bundled with most operating systems. These are
programs that are not specifically aimed at the core functioning of the operating systems.
Examples include the Calculator and Snipping tool utilities.

Applications A group of programs that perform a specific task for us as users. Refer to the table on page
software 22 which lists the different types of application software.

Desktop The desktop is the main screen area which appears when the Windows operating system
has loaded.

Gadgets A small program that resides on your desktop, such as displaying the time, the latest news
and weather etc.

Grayed out If an option is ‘grayed out’ (you can see it, but it appears faintly), then that option is not
currently available.

GUI A Graphical User Interface or GUI is the interface, presented to the user in a graphical way
with small pictures called icons and other visual ‘aids’.

GUI controls Controls used in GUI software which allow the user to make selections and choices. Refer
to the table on page 20 which lists the different GUI controls.

Icons A small picture that gives the user a ‘visual clue’ to the object or function it represents.
 REVISION THEORY CONCEPTS

Interface The interface is the way the different functions of a program are arranged and presented,
and provides a way in which users can use programs to communicate with and use the
computer.

Menu A menu is a list of options presented for the user, to allow the user to make choices. Many
menus will have sub-menus with options related to that specific menu item.

Operating system The operating system is system software that controls all activities that take place in a
computer. Examples include Windows, Apple OS X and Linux.

Plug-in Special programs needed to allow the user to view ‘special’ effects such as sound, flash
animations and the like. Examples include Flash and QuickTime.

Shortcut keys Combination of keys such as <Ctrl><S> which can be used to execute a command or
option. Some of the keyboard shortcuts are used by lots of programs, other are specific to
a particular program.

Snipping Tool Software that allows the user to ‘capture’ or copy a section of what appears on the screen.

Software Sets of instructions (programs) that ‘tell’ a computer what to do.

System software Software that is intended to help control, support or operate the computer.

Module 1.3 Hardware

Bluetooth Refers to a wireless technology that allows devices such as mice, printers and cellphones
to communicate over a short distance.

Byte Each single character we store such as 4 or A or % takes up space which we refer to as a
byte.

Default printer The printer that printing will be sent to unless otherwise specified by the user.

Ergonomics Ergonomics refers to the study and design of the workplace for the comfort and safety of
people in work environments

Esc Escape key lets you cancel or get out of options or cancel choices.

Flash disks Relatively cheap storage devices that use electronic memory to store data (they get their
power via the USB port they connect to).

Gigabyte (GB) Roughly 1000 MB. This represents (approximately) 1000 X 1000 X 1000 bytes.

Green computing Term used to describe using computers in a way that is sensitive to the environment.

Hard drive The main storage device of a computer located inside the computer box or system unit.

Hardcopy Output on paper.

 REVISION THEORY CONCEPTS

Inkjet printer Type of printer that sprays microscopic dots of ink onto the paper and is relatively cheap
to buy but is comparatively expensive to run. Good for high-quality graphics.

Keyboard An input device that allows us to type information into the program that we are using.

Kilobyte (KB) Roughly 1000 bytes (1024 to be precise).

Laser printer Type of printer that works like a photo-copier, using toner instead of ink cartridges.
Relatively expensive to buy compared to ink-jet printers but cheaper to run and, of the
two, best suited for higher volume printing.

Megabyte (MB) Roughly 1000 KB. This represents (approximately) 1000 X 1000 bytes.

Monitor A screen which displays output in the format of text, video or graphics.

Monitor size The size of a monitor, measured diagonally in inches.

Mouse An input device that allows the user to move a mouse pointer on the screen and select,
open and drag objects on the screen.

Network ports Network ports allow you to connect your computer to a network.

Plug-and-play Technologies that allow us to simply plug in a new hardware device to the computer and
for it to be set-up to run automatically.

Print Screen key Activates the print screen function, which enables your computer to take a ‘photo’ of the
image that is on the screen at that moment. This ‘screen capture’ is placed on the
clipboard.

Printer queues Temporary storage area on disk where print tasks are sent where they wait until the
printer is ready to print them. Each printer has its own queue.

Printers Printers produce hard copy, which means they produce output on paper so that we can
carry it around with us and use it even when no computer is available.

Repetitive strain Name given to injuries resulting from fast, repetitive work. Frequent text messaging is one
injury (RSI) example of where excessive use can lead to RSI.

Resolution This refers to the number of pixels used to form the screen image. The resolution is
measured horizontally and vertically in pixels e.g. 1280 X 786.

Shortcut keys Keys (or a combination of keys) that can be used for certain commands.

Softcopy Visual output on our computer screens.

Storage Place where the computer keeps the data and programs that it has been working with –
even when the power is switched off.

Storage device The computer hardware that reads from and writes to storage media.
 REVISION THEORY CONCEPTS

Storage media The actual physical material or objects on which we store the data and programs are
storage media.

Terabyte (TB) Roughly 1000 GB. This represents (approximately) 1000 X 1000 X 1000 X 1000 bytes.

USB ports Standard port commonly used to connect devices such as keyboards, mice and printers to
a computer.

VGA port Port used to connect the monitor to the computer.

Volatile Memory (RAM) does not keep its contents when the power is switched off and this means
that it is volatile. Storage keeps its contents at all times – therefore it is non-volatile.

Windows key key on the keyboard. Used to bring up the Start menu and used in shortcuts (with other
keys) e.g. <><D>will take you to the desktop.

Wireless mouse Mouse that has no cord and communicates with the computer wirelessly (using a wireless
technology such as Bluetooth).

Module 1.4 File management

Audio files Files that contain sound or music. Common audio file formats include mp3, mp4, wav, cda,
wma.

Compressed files A file format used for files that contain files or folders in a compressed format to save
space. Typical file extensions include rar and zip.

File A file is a collection of data or information that is stored on a computer under a single
name. Files are represented as icons on the computer.

File extension A set of characters (usually 3-5) added to the end of a file name that identifies the type of
file, e.g. docx is a Microsoft Word file.

File manager A utility program system such as Windows Explorer that comes as part of the operating
system. It allows users to manage their files and folders.

File name Name given to a file followed by a full stop and the file extension, e.g. MyFile.docx.

File-naming Rules and restrictions that the operating system places on how a file can be named.
conventions

Folder A folder is a storage place or container in which you can store files or more folders on disk.

Graphics files Files that contain images or graphics. Common graphics formats include jpeg, bmp, gif,
wmf, tif, png.

HTML files Hypertext Markup Language files are used to define the structure and layout of a web
page.
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Path The ‘sequence’ of folders that leads to the location of a specific file. The backslash
character is used to separate the ‘list’ of folders in the path, e.g.
U:\Documents\Finance\2012

PDF files PDF (Portable Document File) files are used to distribute document files, as they do not
require the program in which the document was created to be installed in order to read it.
You just need a free utility program called Adobe Reader to read it.

Plain text files A text file that contains lines of plain text. The file extension .txt is associated with text
files. Text files can be opened by any word processing application or simple text editing
utilities such as WordPad and Notepad.

Program files These are actual programs, not data files, that run (execute) when opened. They normally
have a .com or .exe file extension.

Rich Text files Rich Text (.rtf) format files allow ‘rich text’ which includes text formatting, such as bold and
italics, fonts and font sizes, page setup and tab settings and even images.

Subfolder A folder that is within another folder.

Module 1.5 ICTs in perspective

Ethics Set of principles of correct behaviour.

Information Age Period since the 1970s (and up to and including the present age), i.e. since the
development of fast computers, whereby large amounts of information can be processed,
manipulated, published, communicated and consumed.

Information and Describes all the hardware and software needed to gather and process data in order to
Communication exchange information quickly and accurately.
Technology (ICT)

Information and An ICT system is a combination of hardware, software, data, processes and people with
Communication the purpose to collect, manipulate, convey, store and retrieve data and information.
Technology (ICT)
system

POS Point Of Sale system, designed to speed up the sale of goods and services in the
marketplace

System Set of connected elements working together to form a complex whole

Module 1.6 Extended software concepts

Backup Making a copy of files.

 REVISION THEORY CONCEPTS

Backup utility A specialised utility program used to make sure that all your files are backed up correctly.
program

Compressing or Process of creating a copy of the file which is reduced in size compared to the original
zipping version of the file.

Compression Software that compresses or decompresses files. Popular examples of this kind of
software software are WinZip and WinRar.

Decompressing or The process of changing the compressed version of a file back to its original size so you
‘unzipping’ can work with it.

Driver Software that allows your computer to communicate with hardware or devices.

End-User Licence A legal agreement that describes what you may and may not do with the software.
Agreement

Freeware Software that is fully functioning software that can be used, and copied without any
restrictions.

Integrated software Software that combines the common productivity software programs such a word
processor, spreadsheet, database, presentation software and communication software
into one package. The office suite as it has become known is an example of integrated
software.

Linux An open source operating system.

MySQL An open source database system.

OpenOffice and Examples of open source office suites.

LibreOffice

Open source Open source software is software that may be freely used, modified and distributed.
software (OSS)

Proprietary software Software that is owned by someone and may only be provided and used under a licence
agreement.

Shareware Software that is often ‘time’ limited in that you can use it for a period of time. After this
period or should you wish to get the ‘full’ version of the program with access to all its
features, you will need to pay for it.

Single User Licence A license under which you may only install one copy of the software.

Site licence A site licence agreement allows a company or organisation to an unrestricted number of
installations of the software within the company or organisation.
 REVISION THEORY CONCEPTS

Software piracy Software piracy refers to the illegal installation, copying and distributing of proprietary
software.

Utility programs They form part of system software and are used to assist the user to perform maintenance
tasks.

WinZip and WinRar Compression utility programs

Module 1.7 Extended hardware concepts

Bar codes Bar codes are machine readable codes affixed to goods. Scanners scan the code and
give meaning to the sets of lines.

Biometric security Biometric security is technology that measures/scans something biologically unique to
each person, such as a fingerprint or the pattern of the iris of an eye, for purposes of
identification.

Blu-Ray Blu-Ray is an optical disc format designed to enable recording, rewriting and playback of
high-definition video (HD), as well as storing large amounts of data (more than DVD).

CPU The CPU (Central Processing Unit) is the part of the computer that processes all data
and carries out all instructions.

Data projector A data projector connects to a computer and projects what is displayed on the monitor
onto a screen or wall.

Joystick A joystick is an input device which looks like a lever mounted on a base. It can usually
move in any direction, and it is used to control the movement of an object on the screen.

Magnetic Ink Magnetic Ink Character Recognition is a technology that enables a machine to read
Character characters such as bank numbers on a cheque.
Recognition (MICR)

Motherboard The motherboard is a large circuit board inside the computer ‘box’, containing slots and
connections for all the components of a computer.

Multi-function A multi-function printer is an all-in-one device which can print, scan, photocopy and fax.
printer

Optical mark Optical mark recognition is the process of capturing marks made by a human being, e.g.
recognition (OMR) on an examination card.

Pen input A pen (or stylus) is a pressure-sensitive input device used together with a digitising
tablet.
 REVISION THEORY CONCEPTS

Pointing stick A pointing stick is an input device which takes the form of a small button between the
keys of a (laptop) keyboard. You move it in order to move the pointer on the screen, and
press it down in order to click.

Radio-frequency RFID uses small radio devices (smaller than a grain of rice) to store and transmit data.
identification (RFID)

RAM RAM or Random Access Memory is where any running program and its data is
temporarily stored.

ROM ROM or Read Only Memory is a special chip on the motherboard that holds the
instructions needed to start the computer when you switch it on.

Scanners A scanner is an input device that scans images to a computer – bar codes, photographs,
documents, or parts of the human body.

Speed Gigahertz (GHz) is the unit in which the speed of a CPU is measured. One GHz
measurement (GHz) represents 1 billion cycles per second.

Touch pad Touch pads are rectangular pressure-sensitive areas built into a laptop. They are input
devices that can be used instead of a mouse.

Touch screen Touch screens are devices which respond to finger touch. They double as both input
and output devices.

Trackball A trackball is an input device with a large ball on it. You move the pointer on the screen
by rotating the ball with your fingers.

Module 1.8 The impact of ICT

Botnet A group of compromised computers connected to a network such as the Internet and
controlled remotely to attack other networks.

Electronic white Large boards for presenting information interactively.

boards

Hacker and crackers Computer criminals who break into computer systems, either for prestige and recognition
(hackers) or with criminal intent (crackers).

Module 2.1 Introducing networks

Chat A typed conversation that takes place on a computer or cellphone connected to the
Internet.
 REVISION THEORY CONCEPTS

EFT (Electronic Transferring money from one account to another using the Internet and Internet banking.
Funds Transfer)

Internet The Internet is a worldwide computer network, consisting of many large and small
networks that are connected via telephone lines, satellite or microwave for the purpose of
sharing resources and communication.

Network A network is a collection of computers or other computing devices such as smart phones
that are connected by some sort of communication media (either via cable or wirelessly).

Video conference A video conference is a meeting between two or more people at different locations where
a computer network is used to transmit audio and video data.

Module 2.2 Network basics

Home area network A HAN is a small network within a person’s home environment and connects devices such
(HAN) as computers, printers, cellphones and smartphones.

Modem-router A modem or modem-router is a network device that enables devices to connect wirelessly
in a network and to allow Internet connectivity using a telephone line.

Network Interface A NIC is a controller that is used to connect the computer to the network and controls the
Controller (NIC) communication between the computer and the network.

Network operating A network operating system is software that controls all the communication and security in
system a network.

Personal area A Personal area network (PAN) is a computer network organised around an individual with
network (PAN) a range of a few metres.

Switch A switch is a network device used to connect computers in a cabled network so that
communication can occur.

Unshielded Twisted The cable most commonly used in a local area network including a HAN.
Pair (UTP) cable

Module 2.3 The Internet and WWW

3G 3G is currently the newest generation of mobile (cellular) phone technologies.

ADSL (Asymmetric ADSL is a permanent digital connection to the Internet using a telephone line.
Digital Subscriber
Line)

Content aggregator A website or application that gathers different web content (such as news, weather, movie
reviews, stock prices, etc.) from many different online sources.
 REVISION THEORY CONCEPTS

Home page A home page is the first page of a website and contains information about the website’s
purpose and content. It also provides links to other Web pages, websites and documents.

HTML (HyperText The language in which web pages are written. This language supports links to other
Markup Language) documents, as well as graphics, audio, and video files.

Hyperlink A hyperlink is a built-in connection to another related web page and is indicated as text
underlined in blue, or with a graphic with a blue outline.

Internet The Internet, also called the Net, is a worldwide computer network, consisting of
computers and networks that are linked using telephone lines, undersea cables, satellite
or microwave for the purpose of communication and sharing of resources.

Internet Protocol The unique address of every computer connected in a network or to the Internet.
Address (IP address)

Internet Service An ISP is a company that has a permanent, fast connection to the Internet. They sell
Provider (ISP) Internet access and services to individuals or organisations for a monthly fee.

Portal website Offers a selection of Internet services and functions as a point of access to other
information available on the WWW.

Search engine A search engine is a program that is used to search for documents located on the Internet
by using keywords or phrases entered by the user when looking for information.

Tabbed browsing Tabbed browsing allows you to have many web pages open on separate tabs of a single
web browser, allowing you to quickly and easily jump between web pages.

URL (Uniform A URL is an alpha-numerical address used to identify resources such as web pages,
Resource Locator) documents and files stored on web servers on the web.

Web browser A web browser is a software application that allows one to view and explore web pages
on the Web either via hyperlinks or in cases where the URL is already known, by typing
the address in the address bar of the web browser.

Web page A web page is any electronic document on the Web.

Web server A web server is a computer that hosts websites and is connected to the web.

Website A website consists of related web pages.

Wiki A website that allows for the collaborative editing and creating of the content of web
pages.

World Wide Web The World Wide Web is a service that runs on the Internet and consists of a vast
(WWW) collection of interlinked, interactive documents stored on computers all over the world,
accessed via the Internet.
 REVISION THEORY CONCEPTS

Module 2.4 E-communication

Cap Cap is the amount of data a person may upload and download in a month.

Electronic E-communication refers to all forms of communication via electronic means. In other
communication (E- words, it is the process by which computers and other devices such as cellphones are
communication) used to exchange messages and/or digital data.

Electronic mail (E- E-mail is the composing, sending and receiving messages electronically over a network
Mail) including the Internet.

Fax to e-mail Fax to e-mail is the ability to send a fax to a fax machine using your computer and e-mail
system or to receive a fax from a fax machine sent to the e-mail system you use on your
computer.

Instant Messaging IM is a live text-based communication usually between two people using computers or
(IM) other devices such as a cellphone.

ISP-based e-mail When using ISP-based e-mail, you will be able to access your e-mail by using software
such as Microsoft Outlook, and Outlook Express on the PC or laptop where your account
settings have been entered .

Mailing list Mailing lists are set up by people with common interests to share information on a
particular topic via e-mail – whether it is a hobby or something to do with one’s profession.

Messaging (SMS and Messaging refers to the exchange of brief messages between cellphones.
MMS)

Netiquette Netiquette (Internet + Etiquette) is the name given to the use of good manners and
showing respect for other users when using the Internet.

Smiley/emoticon A smiley or emoticon (short for emotion icon) can be used to express emotions in
messages.

Social networking Social networking is where individuals (or organisations) can post their likes, dislikes,
interests, photographs and activities on a website for their friends (and virtually everyone
else unless access is blocked) to see and read.

Web-based e-mail Web-based e-mail or webmail is a service that allows you to access an e-mail account
(webmail) through a web browser from any location that has Internet access.

Weblog / blog Weblogs or just plain blogs are websites that are updated often with news and events. A
blog reads like a journal with the most recent entry at the top.

Module 2.5 Safe Internet use

Anti-virus software Anti-virus software is a computer program that scans computer files for viruses and
eliminates them.
 REVISION THEORY CONCEPTS

Computer virus A computer virus is a program that is written to disrupt the normal functioning of a
person’s computer without their knowledge or consent.

Computer worm A computer worm is malware that is able to distribute itself over a network, normally via e-
mail, without a person having run an infected program.

E-mail spoofing E-mail spoofing is the forgery of an e-mail header so that the source of the e-mail appears
to be from a different origin.

Internet hoax An Internet hoax is an e-mail message or article intended to deceive or defraud others.

Pharming Pharming is an identity theft scam where a criminal “hijacks” a legitimate website or
server in order to get people’s personal details to steal their money.

Phishing Phishing refers to attempts from people to con the user into giving out personal,
confidential details such as PIN numbers and passwords, etc. by posing as a legitimate
organisation, usually via e-mail.

Secure URL A secure a URL begins with https:// or has a small closed lock displayed somewhere on
the page, often next to the URL

Spam Spam is the electronic equivalent of ‘junk mail’. It is an e-mail being sent to you in the
form of advertising products that you did not request.

Trojan A Trojan is a destructive program disguised as a useful application.

Virus signature A virus signature or definition is the pattern that uniquely identifies a virus.
(definition)

Module 3.1 Start working with text

Word wrap Text flows automatically from one line to the next, without the need to press <Enter>. It
‘wraps’ from the end of one line to the beginning of the next in a paragraph.

Format To change the appearance, in other words to change how it looks on the screen or on
paper.

Readability A document is readable when it has been set up so as to be easy for someone to read it
and to find information on it.

Save As When you save an existing document under a new name and/or in a new location
(drive/folder).

Save When you have changed an existing document and you save it under the same name and
in the same location.
 REVISION THEORY CONCEPTS
Module 3.2 Formatting of pages and paragraphs

White space The open space between lines and paragraphs, and between the edges of the paper and
the text on the page (margins).

Style Combination of various types of formatting, such as character and paragraph formatting,
included in one command.

Template A special Word file already formatted in a particular way, which one can use as a starting
point for a new document.

Page layout The manner in which all the elements of a page (text, graphics, white space) are placed or
organised on the page.

Module 3.3 Editing

Editing The process of making corrections, changes and improvements to a document while
revising it, to round it off neatly and professionally.

Clipboard Area in memory (RAM) where copied or moved objects – both text and graphics – are
stored temporarily.

AutoCorrect Automatic correction of aspects such as specific spelling or typing errors, and special
symbols such as smileys.

En dash A horizontal line a little longer than a hyphen used to express ranges and parenthetical
expressions. Make sure that the use is consistent.

Hard space A non-breaking space at which word wrapping cannot take place. The enclosing
characters/word will stay together on the same line.

Module 3.4 Adding graphics

Wrap text The way in which text wraps around a graphical object.

Crop To remove parts of a picture, as opposed to making the picture smaller.

Drop Cap An enlarged, first letter of a paragraph, which is sometimes decorated and drops into the
line or lines of text below.

Watermark Text or an image that appears as a faint background in a document.

Module 3.5 Further formatting of pages and paragraphs

 REVISION THEORY CONCEPTS

Tab stops Specific points on the page where text can be positioned with the help of the Tab key. By
means of the tab key, the amount of horizontal white space between columns of text can
be adjusted to make it more readable.

Indenting The horizontal adjustment of paragraphs on a page in order to obtain more white space on
the sides, and to make lists easier to read.

Header and Footer The space within the top and bottom margins used for the display of information that must
appear on every page.

Leaders Horizontal lines used in conjunction with tab stops to ‘lead’ the eye to further relevant
information on the same line.

Module 3.6 Tables

Gridlines The outside lines of the cell which serve as guidelines for cells which do not have borders.

Centre horizontally Centre in the middle, from left to right.

Centre vertically Centre in the middle, from top to bottom.

 REVISION THEORY CONCEPTS
Module 3.7 Columns, comments, protection and hyperlinks

Gridlines The outside lines of the cell which serve as guidelines for cells which do not have borders.

Centre horizontally Centre in the middle, from left to right.

Centre vertically Centre in the middle, from top to bottom.

Gridlines The outside lines of the cell which serve as guidelines for cells which do not have borders.

Centre horizontally Centre in the middle, from left to right.

Centre vertically Centre in the middle, from top to bottom.

Module 4.1 Introduction to spreadsheets

Argument The argument refers to the cells (containing the data) to which the function is being
applied.

Cell address A reference to a specific cell consisting of the column and row reference e.g. B4.

Data type The type of the data in a cell e.g. number, text or date.

Format The format of a value refers to how it is displayed, e.g. the number of decimal places of a
number.

Formula bar A bar located at the top of the screen which displays the formula or function stored in the
current cell. The actual value stored in the cell will be displayed if a constant value is
stored in the cell.

Function A function is built-in spreadsheet function that performs calculations and comes as part of
the spreadsheet e.g. SUM, MIN or MAX.

Range A range of cells in a ‘block’ e.g A1:A24 or A1:C25

Spreadsheet/ A file or collection of one or more worksheets used to enter data and perform calculations
Workbook in a spreadsheet program such as Excel.

Worksheet A worksheet is the actual area used to store the data and add formulas and functions. It is
divided into rows and columns. By default, Excel provides three worksheets. Their names
can be seen on the tabs in the bottom left corner of the workbook.
 REVISION THEORY CONCEPTS
Module 4.2 Calculations

^ (caret) Symbol used for raising a number to a power, e.g. 2 ^ 3 = 2 x 2 x 2

Constant An entry which has a specific fixed value, e.g. 3.5

Formula An expression that describes a calculation through use of a combination of cell

references, operators, constant values and built-in functions.

Gridlines Set of lines forming a rectangular grid and distinguishing the individual cells in a
worksheet.

Module 4.3 Analysing data

Criteria A condition which the values must meet.

>= Greater than or equal to

<= Less than or equal to

<> Not equal to

Module 4.4 Charts

Bar/column chart Data graphed as a series of vertical or horizontal lines.

Chart sheet Worksheet in document which is dedicated to a chart.

Chart title / heading The name of the chart, usually found above the chart in the chart area, identifying what
the chart depicts.

Chart wizard A series of dialog boxes to help the user create a chart.

Data label The Y-axis value of data being depicted on the chart.

Data series The values in the spreadsheet depicted on the chart.

Legend Box that shows what each column/line/slice of the chart represents.

Line chart Type of graph which represents connected data points.

Pie chart Type of graph which depicts a circle divided into sectors or slices representing proportions
of the whole it represents.
 REVISION THEORY CONCEPTS

X-axis Line on a graph which runs horizontally, shows labels or names.

Y-axis Line on a graph which runs vertically, shows scale or numbers.

Module 5.1 Creating and editing presentations

Action Button Shape with ready-made hyperlink features.

Animation The way in which text boxes and images move onto and around on a slide. Can be
activated by a mouse click, a trigger or a timer. The user can manage the order of
animations of different objects on a slide.

Background Blank area behind the text boxes, images and other objects on a slide.

Background Styles Ready-made background colour scheme designed to match the selected theme.

Hyperlink Link to another slide within the presentation. May also link to another file on disk, a
website or an e-mail address.

Layout The way in which different objects are laid out on a slide.

Object Text boxes, tables, pictures, shapes, charts, SmartArt graphics and other media types on
a slide.

Outline The text in the objects of a slide, displayed in a pane on the left when in Normal view.

PowerPoint Electronic collection of text, graphics and other media types used to present a concept,
presentation information or an idea to an audience.

Theme A ready-made slide show design, including objects, colours, fonts and effects.

Transition The way in which a slide is made to appear on the screen, in Slide Show view.
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Module 5.2 Effective presentations

Balance Having all the different aspects of a slide in balance with one another without the graphics
and text competing with one another.

Consistency Where the slide show keeps to the same basic layout, colours and fonts throughout, the
look of the slides are all the same.

Harmony Creating a pleasing balance between text, graphics, colours and fonts on a slide.

Key concepts The main idea that the presenter wants to bring across to his/her audience – preferably
one key concept per slide.

Readability The ease with which the audience can read the text on a slide during the presentation.
This is achieved by using font sizes, styles and effects that are easy to read.

Support A slideshow can support a presentation by illustrating key concepts and by keeping the
attention of the audience fixed on the appropriate concepts.

Target audience / The people you intend to show your slideshow to, and attributes they share, like age,
target group gender, culture, etc.

Themes Themes are pre-designed colour and font schemes to help you to create professional
looking designer slide shows.

Module 6.1 A strategy for solving problems

Data Raw, unprocessed facts.

Information Data that has been processed so that it can have meaning.

Information source Place or person where one can find information/answers.

Module 6.2 Finding information

Knowledge Information that has been interpreted and gives one the insight needed to make decisions.

Main question The question that formulates the task in question form, so that the answer to this question
is the solution of the task.

Questionnaire A series of questions given to individuals to answer to collect data and information about a
specific subject for an investigation or research.
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Task description The explanation and description of the most important aspects of a problem/task in your
own words.

Module 6.3 Using and processing information

Processing Steps, activities and processes that make data and information more useable – e.g.
reading, studying, sorting, calculating, grouping, sifting, comparing, organizing and
summarizing.

Sift Going through data and information, selecting everything which is useful and relevant and
which answers your questions.

Calculate Get results through mathematical calculations.

Sort Arrange data/information into some kind of order based on the sort criteria.

Group Put together that which belongs together.

Compare Seek things that are common, different or fall into trends or patterns.

Summarise Find the central concept or truth and describe it in your own words.

Module 6.4 Presenting solutions and information

Body Discussion of the problem with the use of headings and subheadings.

Conclusion Summary or synopsis.

Introduction Overview of the problem and of what can be expected.

References Sources of information that were used to solve the problem.

Report A document about a specific task that presents findings of an investigation in a short and
concise, but logical and flowing manner.

Module 7.1 Working smarter

Integration To combine and integrate different documents and applications to complete tasks as
effectively as possible and to communicate information.
 REVISION THEORY CONCEPTS

Template A blueprint or format of a document that can be used repeatedly to base other documents
on, so that there is no need to redo parts that stay the same.