Information and Communication Technology

3.1.8 Programming Languages 

We have stated earlier that the functioning of a computer IS controlled by a set of instructions (called a computer programme ). These instructi ons are written to tell the computer:

• What operation to perform?
• Where to locate data?
• How to present results?
• When to make certain decisions? and so on.

The language used in the communication of computer instructions is known as the programming language. The computer has its own language and any communication with the computer must be in its language or translated into this language. Three levels of programming languages are available.

· Machine languages (low level languages)

· Assembly (or symbolic) languages

· Procedure-oriented languages (high level languages)