Exam-style question
Try this first
A student says, "A procedure is just the answer produced by one calculation." Explain why this statement is incorrect and describe what a procedure represents instead.
Model answer
What a good answer should say
- The statement is incorrect because an answer is the result of one particular computation using particular values.
- A procedure represents the computational method used to obtain a result.
- Through procedural abstraction, the actual values from one computation are abstracted away, leaving a general computational pattern or method that can be applied to other values.
Explanation
Why this works
The answer should distinguish a specific result from the method that produces results. It should also connect procedural abstraction with removing particular values and retaining the general method.
Common mistake
No common mistake is linked to this question yet.