Programming fundamentals: A sequence of instructions written in a computer language to achieve a desired result is called what?

Introduction / Context:
Precise terminology matters in software engineering. We distinguish between abstract problem-solving steps and their concrete expression in a programming language. This question tests recognition of the term used when the instructions are explicitly “in a computer language.”

Given Data / Assumptions:

• The instructions are explicitly written in a computer language (for example, C, Java, Python).
• The goal is to achieve a particular result by executing these instructions.

Concept / Approach:
An algorithm is a language-independent, finite sequence of steps. When that algorithm is translated into a specific programming language and can be executed by a computer, the artifact is a program. Decision tables and flowcharts are specification tools, not executable artifacts by themselves.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Identify the key phrase: “in a computer language.”Match to terminology: executable description → program.Eliminate alternatives: algorithm (language-neutral), decision table/flowchart (design aids).

Verification / Alternative check:
Compilers and interpreters accept programs (source code) as input, not raw algorithms or diagrams.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
(a) An algorithm is not tied to a specific programming language. (b) Decision tables structure logic but are not executable code. (d) “All of the above” is incorrect because only one fits the stated condition. (e) Flowcharts diagram control flow but are not code.

Common Pitfalls:
Equating algorithm and program; forgetting that “in a computer language” implies code ready for compilation or interpretation.

Final Answer:
Program.