Which term refers to a formal language designed to communicate instructions to a computer?

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A programming language is a formal language used to communicate instructions to a computer. It provides precise syntax and semantics so programmers can express algorithms in a way that a computer can understand, typically by translating the code into machine code via a compiler or interpreter. Java is an example of a programming language, illustrating this broad concept. Pseudocode is informal and not intended for direct execution, while machine language consists of the actual binary instructions the processor executes—this is a low-level form, not the general term used to describe the concept.