The correct answer is: D. All of the above
FORTRAN is a machine-dependent, medium-level, mathematically oriented language.
- Machine-dependent means that the FORTRAN code written for one computer may not run on another computer without modification. This is because each computer has its own unique instruction set, which is the set of commands that the computer can understand and execute.
- Medium-level means that FORTRAN is a language that is somewhere between a high-level language and a low-level language. High-level languages are designed to be easy for humans to read and write, while low-level languages are designed to be efficient for computers to execute. FORTRAN is a compromise between these two extremes, and it is therefore a good choice for many applications.
- Mathematically oriented means that FORTRAN is well-suited for writing programs that perform mathematical calculations. This is because FORTRAN has a number of built-in features that make it easy to perform mathematical operations.
Here are some additional details about each of these points:
- Machine-dependent
FORTRAN is a machine-dependent language because the FORTRAN code written for one computer may not run on another computer without modification. This is because each computer has its own unique instruction set, which is the set of commands that the computer can understand and execute. The instruction set for a computer is determined by the hardware of the computer, and it is not possible to change the instruction set without changing the hardware.
When FORTRAN code is written, it is first translated into machine code, which is a sequence of instructions that the computer can understand and execute. The machine code for a FORTRAN program is specific to the computer that the program is being run on. This means that if you want to run a FORTRAN program on a different computer, you need to first translate the machine code for the program into the machine code for the new computer.
There are a number of ways to translate FORTRAN code into machine code. One way is to use a compiler. A compiler is a program that takes FORTRAN code as input and produces machine code as output. Another way to translate FORTRAN code into machine code is to use an interpreter. An interpreter is a program that takes FORTRAN code as input and executes it line by line.
- Medium-level
FORTRAN is a medium-level language because it is somewhere between a high-level language and a low-level language. High-level languages are designed to be easy for humans to read and write, while low-level languages are designed to be efficient for computers to execute. FORTRAN is a compromise between these two extremes, and it is therefore a good choice for many applications.
FORTRAN is a high-level language in the sense that it is relatively easy for humans to read and write. FORTRAN programs are written in a way that is similar to English, and they do not require the programmer to know the details of the computer’s instruction set.
However, FORTRAN is also a low-level language in the sense that it allows the programmer to control the details of how the program is executed. FORTRAN programs can be written in a way that is very efficient, and they can take advantage of the specific features of the computer that the program is being run on.
- Mathematically oriented
FORTRAN is a mathematically oriented language because it has a number of built-in features that make it easy to perform mathematical calculations. These features include:
- A large number of mathematical functions, such as sine, cosine, and logarithm
- The ability to define and use user-defined functions
- The ability to perform matrix operations
- The ability to perform complex number arithmetic
These features make FORTRAN a good choice for writing programs that perform mathematical calculations.