To pass this unit, please study the 14 vocabulary words below.
Alt (alternate key)
a special key which can open toolbar windows, assist other commands, or change the accent over a letter.
On Macintosh computers the Alt key is called the Option key.
a set of four input buttons on a keypad or keyboard often used for navigation in interfaces or applications.
The girl used the arrow keys to move the space ship in the video game.
caps lock key
a key which toggles letters between upper and lower case
The caps lock key is a frequent cause of problems when users log on to computer systems.
^ (caret key)
often used to denote rising another number to a power; also used in regular expressions to denote the starting point
2 ^ 3 = 8.
Ctrl (control key)
a computer key often used in shortcuts or to initiate some action with the help of another key
A popular shortcut in Microsoft Word is to hit Ctrl-s to save a document.
Del (delete key)
a key which moves the cursor one space to the right deleting any character which might be there
Macintosh laptops do not have a delete key, instead forcing the user to simultaneously press "function" and "backspace".
Esc (escape key)
a key normally in the upper left corner of a keyboard labeled with program specific functions such as backing out of a menu
The student had never used the escape key before he started learning the Unix shell.
any one of several "F" keys on the keyboard that performs a programmable input
Most computer users do not use the function keys on their keyboards.
# (hash key)
this key is often used to comment out code or signify a number; in the US this known as a pound sign or a number key
Often you must press the hash key on a telephone when entering information with the keypad.
Pgdn (page down key)
a key which jumps the cursor a preset amount of distance towards the bottom of a document
Because of varying concepts of a 'page', many programs react differently to the page down key.
Pgup (page up key)
a key which jumps the cursor a preset amount of distance towards the top of a document
The teacher told the students to hit the page up key several times to get to the top of the document.
Pr Scr (print screen key)
a key which normally captures the current screen to the clipboard to be pasted into an imaging program
Many graphic designers use the print screen key to take screen shots of applications to be used in tutorials or brochures.
scroll lock key
a legacy key, normally with a corresponding LED light, which often has no assigned usage
The computer operator suddenly realized after 10 years that he had never used the Scroll Lock key for anything.
a key that, when pressed, moves the insertion point to the next preset marker.
The usability expert showed the office workers how to save time by using tab key instead of the mouse.