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02 - Abstraction

 1. Jeanette Wing, credited with coining the term abstraction, says it lies at the heart of computational thinking. Fill in the blanks: 
The abstraction process – deciding what details we need to highlight and ________________________ underlies computational thinking. 
'Computational thinking and thinking about computing' (The Royal Society, 2008)

  what details we can include

  what details we can copy

  what details we can ignore

  what details we can duplicate

 2. Another definition of abstraction is that it is about ______ things; identifying what is important without __________________ . Abstraction allows us to manage complexity. 
#this is a start of a rocket game program

speed = 0
score = 0
rocket_position = 0,2

#We are using abstraction because..
#...only the relevant variables are being used
#More detail can be added but....
#When solving a problem it is useful to first abstract!

  underestimating / worrying about the fine details

  complicating / worrying about the detail

  killing / destroying the detail

  simplifying /worrying too much about the detail

 3. How is the school timetable an abstraction of what happens in a typical school week?
abstraction1.png

  It captures the fine details as well as the abstracted processes such as learning objectives and activites that happen

   It captures key information such as who is taught what subject where and by whom but leaves further layers of complexity, such as the learning objectives and activities out

  It is not an abstraction of the school week, it is an over complicated representation of it

  It captures the fine details of what occurs in a typical school week

 4. This image is an abstraction of a computer because it shows the names of the components and how they interact with each other but _________________ .
abstraction2.png

  hides the complexity of each type of component

  shows the complexity of each type of component

  reflects the fine details of what is hidden inside a computer

  reflects the details of every component, cable and wire inside a computer

 5. An example of abstraction in geography would be….

  impossible - you cannot have an abstraction in geography

  a map in which the irrelevant details such as the dirt on the road, tiny plants etc. are left out

  a road in which every single aspect has been re-created carefully to show detail

  a physical mountain that is re-created stone by stone

 6. This library system menu screen is an example of abstraction, as it focuses on the bare basics necessary for a user to interact with the library.
abslib.jpg

  False

  True

 7. Using examples from this scenario, explain what is meant by abstraction. 
A theme park uses a 3D computer simulation of a rollercoaster. Riders 
must wear a virtual reality headset to experience the ride.

  A detailed and thought provoking novel that accurately describes a thing - e.g. a rollercoaster

  A conceptual thought cloud of an object which cannot be seen, heard or touched

  An exact recreation of a concept / object / thing - in this case a rollercoaster

  A representation of a concept / object / thing - in this case a rollercoaster

 8. In abstraction it is important to pick out the important / relevant parts / components / ideas / details. Analyse the example below: 
In the scenario of simulating a rollercoaster this would be: track / 
rider / car / physics / etc.

  False

  True

 9. In the example of a rollercoaster 3D simulation examples of the unimportant details you would NOT include would be:

  queues, weather, smells etc.

  track, rider

  general physics

  car

 10. One definition is: abstraction is the process of removing unnecessary detail from a problem. Why is this useful?

  It isn't important - it's just an art

  It is important because detail orientated people are entirely pointless and inefficient

  It is important because the details just don't matter

  So a programmer can focus on what is needed to get on with problem solving!


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