2.2.5

Turning an Algorithm into an App

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Turning an Algorithm into an App

You can use a coding program to turn your algorithm into an app. You can make an app from an algorithm by following these steps:

Create the background

Create the background

  • Start by creating a background for your app.
Create the moving objects

Create the moving objects

  • Create the moving objects.
    • In the basketball game, the moving objects are the ball and the hand.
  • Moving objects can also be called 'sprites'.
Name the moving objects

Name the moving objects

  • Name the moving objects so you can apply different blocks of code to each one.
    • You need to name them otherwise so you can tell the algorithms which parts the algorithm applies to.
Make the ball move and bounce

Make the ball move and bounce

  • Make the ball move and bounce off the red and blue blocks and the walls.
    • Blocks of code which create movement in objects or sprites are called 'movement blocks'.

Turning an Algorithm into an App

You need to follow a few more steps to complete your app:

Event and Control blocks

Event and Control blocks

  • You then need to add blocks of code called 'Event and Control blocks'.
  • Event and Control blocks give ‘if … then’ and ‘repeat until…’ instructions.
Event and Control blocks 2

Event and Control blocks 2

  • Event and Control blocks control the following in the basketball game:
    • What happens if the mouse is moved? → the red block moves.
    • What happens if the ball touches a wall or the hand? → the ball bounces.
    • What happens if the ball touches each ‘basket’? → the score of the shooting team goes up.
    • When does the game end? → first team to get to 5 points.
Variables blocks

Variables blocks

  • Blocks of code that create variables (things that can change) are called variable blocks.
  • Variable blocks of code give instructions for the selection of the colour, time, distance, the angle of bounces, etc.
Jump to other topics
1

Computational Thinking & Algorithms

1.1

Computational Thinking

1.1.1Abstraction Thinking1.1.2Decomposition Thinking1.1.3Algorithmic Thinking
1.2

Algorithms

1.2.1Algorithms1.2.2Pseudocode1.2.3Flow Diagrams1.2.4Logical Reasoning & Debugging1.2.5Reading Algorithms1.2.6Correcting Algorithms1.2.7Complete the Algorithm1.2.8Search Algorithms1.2.9Linear Search1.2.10Binary Search1.2.11Sort Algorithms1.2.12Bubble Sort1.2.13Insertion Sort1.2.14End of Topic Test - Algorithms
2

Programming

2.1

Programming Fundamentals

2.1.1Variables & Constants2.1.2Comments2.1.3Input & Output2.1.4Arithmetic Operators2.1.5Relational Operators2.1.6Boolean Operators2.1.7Sequence2.1.8Selection2.1.9Iteration2.1.10Subroutines2.1.11Scope2.1.12Data Types2.1.13Casting2.1.14Arrays2.1.152D Arrays2.1.16Lists2.1.172D Lists2.1.18Strings2.1.19Syntax Errors2.1.20Logic Errors2.1.21Runtime Errors2.1.22End of Topic Test - Programming
2.2

Designing Code

2.2.1Code2.2.2Programs2.2.3Writing Your Own Program2.2.4Designing a ‘Basketball’ Game2.2.5Turning an Algorithm into an App2.2.6End of Topic Test - Designing Code
2.3

Python

2.3.1Introduction to Python2.3.2Input2.3.3Output2.3.4Casting2.3.5Type Coercion2.3.6Selection2.3.7Iteration2.3.8Files2.3.9File Handling2.3.10Identifiers2.3.11Whitespace2.3.12Comments2.3.13Exceptions
3

Hardware & Software

3.1

Hardware

3.1.1Elements of Computer Systems3.1.2Central Processing Unit (CPU)3.1.3Registers of the Central Processing Unit (CPU)3.1.4Factors Affecting CPU Performance3.1.5Fetch-Decode-Execute Cycle3.1.6Binary Systems3.1.7Logic Circuits3.1.8Boolean Logic3.1.9End of Topic Test - Logic
3.2

Software

3.2.1System Software
4

Data

4.1

Representing Data

4.1.1Binary4.1.2Converting Binary & Hexadecimal4.1.3Converting Denary & Hexadecimal4.1.4Binary Arithmetic4.1.5Representing Sound4.1.6Representing Images4.1.7Character Sets4.1.8American Standard Code for Information Interchange4.1.9Unicode4.1.10End of Topic Test - Representation
5

The Internet

5.1

Networks

5.1.1Networks5.1.2Geographical Classification of Networks5.1.3What is the Internet?5.1.4The World Wide Web5.1.5Uniform Resource Locators (URLs)5.1.6Web Hosting5.1.7HTML5.1.8Searching the World Wide Web5.1.9Good Searching Tips5.1.10Are You Looking at Reliable Information?
6

Online Safety & Security

6.1

Protecting Yourself Online

6.1.1Digital Footprints6.1.2Leaving a Safe Online Footprint6.1.3Online Safety6.1.4Malware - Viruses6.1.5Malware6.1.6People Online6.1.7Your Feelings6.1.8Getting Help
6.2

Computing and the Law

6.2.1Data Protection Act (1998)6.2.2Computer Misuse Act (1990)6.2.3Freedom of Information Act (2000)6.2.4Plagiarism6.2.5Copyright6.2.6Copyright Designs and Patents Act (1988)6.2.7Creative Commons Licensing

Practice questions on Turning an Algorithm into an App

Can you answer these? Test yourself with free interactive practice on Seneca — used by over 10 million students.

  1. 1
    What is the name of a block of code that creates movement in objects or sprites?Multiple choice
  2. 2
    What should be the first step for making an app from an algorithm?Multiple choice
  3. 3
    What is the correct order of steps for making an app? Put in order
  4. 4
    What kind of blocks give ‘=if= … =then=’ and ‘=repeat until=…’ instructions?Multiple choice
  5. 5
    Which of these would be given in a variable block?Multiple choice
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Designing a ‘Basketball’ Game

End of Topic Test - Designing Code