Abstraction
by Luke Brown
1. a way of representing data
1.1. Allows for software re-use
1.2. less detail; more generalization
1.3. All digital data is represented by abstraction at some level
2. Simplifies data
2.1. Hex (base 16) is used because fewer digits are needed than binary
2.2. Vastly different types of data all represented with binary
2.2.1. Different data types require different ways of interpreting a string of binary
2.3. The "infinite concept of a number" has to be represented in a finite manner
3. Levels of Abstraction
3.1. bits are the lowest level of abstraction (1s and 0s)
3.1.1. composed of physical computer hardware (chips etc)
3.1.2. numbers, colors, characters etc. are all higher levels of abstraction
3.1.3. bits can represent instructions, or any number of data types
3.2. Libraries, functions, expressions, procedures, are all different levels of abstraction
3.3. code is often translated into lower-level language; think making in c
3.4. Different programming languages have different levels of Abstraction
3.5. higher level languages use more abstraction to make it easier for the user to understand (scratch)
3.6. low-levels of abstraction can be combined to make even bigger abstractions such as an application
4. Tristan likes poopie
5. Models and simulations
5.1. Models represent data
5.1.1. Simplify complex phenomena
5.1.2. often omit unnecessary details
5.1.3. Higher levels of abstraction in modeling allow for faster run times and easier testing of hypotheses, while lower levels result in more detail and possibly accuracy
5.2. simulations allow hypotheses to be tested without real world constraints
5.2.1. extensive testing allows simulations and models to be improved to better reflect the phenomena being modeled
5.2.2. the level of detail in a simulation effects its runtime