Field In a record, a specified area used 



for a particular category of data, 

 e.g., a group of card columns used to 

 represent a wage rate or a set of bit 

 locations in a computer word used to 

 express the address of the operand. 



File A collection of related records 



treated as a unit. Thus in inventory 

 control, one line of an invoice forms 

 an item, a complete invoice forms a 

 record, and the complete set of such 

 records forms a file. 



Fixed point Pertaining to a numeration system in 



which the position of' the point is 

 fixed with respect to one end of the 

 numerals, according to some convention. 



Floating point Pertaining to a numeration system in 



which the position of the point does 

 not remain fixed with respect to one 

 end of the numerals. 



Flowchart A graphical representation for the 



definition, analysis, or solution of a 

 problem, in which symbols are used to 

 represent operations, data, flow and 

 equipment . 



Geodesic A line of shortest distance between 



any two points on any mathematically 

 defined surface. A geodesic line is a 

 line of double curvature, and usually 

 lies between the two normal section 

 lines which the two points determine. 

 If the two terminal points are in 

 nearly the same latitude, the geodesic 

 line may cross one of the normal 

 section lines. It should be noted 

 that, except along the equator and 

 along the meridians, the geodesic line 

 is not a plane curve and cannot be 

 sighted over directly. However, for 

 conventional triangulation the lengths 

 and directions of geodesic lines 

 differ inappreciably from corre- 

 sponding pairs of normal section 

 lines. Also called geodesic line; 

 geodetic line. 



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