A Level Computer Science OCR Practice Exam

How is a character defined in programming?

1. A sequence of characters

2. A single alphanumeric character

3. A number with a decimal

4. A logical TRUE or FALSE value

The correct answer is: A single alphanumeric character

In programming, a character is fundamentally defined as a single alphanumeric character. This encompasses letters, numbers, punctuation, and symbols that can be represented in a computer. Each character has a specific code in character encoding systems, such as ASCII or Unicode, which allows for standardized communication and processing of text in programming languages. For instance, in most programming contexts, a character could include alphabetic characters such as 'A', 'b', or numeric characters like '1'. It's essential for programmers to understand that when we talk about a character, we're referring specifically to one individual unit of text data, rather than a collection or sequence of characters that would form a string. This clear distinction is critical for data types in programming. Other options mention concepts that go beyond the definition of a single character; a sequence of characters refers to a string, a number with a decimal represents a floating-point value, and a logical value represents true or false states—none of which aligns with the singular concept of a character.