Intellectual property in software you write

Name:

Date:

Class:

Quick Questions

Shade in the A or B circle for each question.

1. You write a original game in Python for your own project. Who usually owns the copyright in that code?

A Whoever downloads or plays the game first

B You, as the person who wrote it

2. A classmate lets you look at their finished program. Can you copy it into your own SAT and hand it in as yours?

A No, you need the owner's permission and must acknowledge them

B Yes, because it was shown to you at school

3. Which statement about copyright in your own original code is correct?

A Anyone can sell it once it is saved on a shared drive

B Others need your permission to copy or sell it

4. You build a website for a client under a written contract that says the client owns the finished code. Who owns the copyright?

A The client, because the contract says so

B You, because you typed every line

5. Your classmate wrote a function and you want to use it in your project. What is the best first step?

A Ask for permission and credit them in a comment

B Copy it and change the variable names

Match the Pairs

Draw a line connecting each item on the left to its match on the right.

Left column		Right column
1# (c) 2025 Sam Lee. All rights reserved.		ACopying someone else's code does not transfer ownership. Mia still owns the copyright, and you need her permission to use it.
2# Written for client: Bella's Bakery		Bmy_code = classmate_code # no permission
3The person who writes original code usually owns the copyright, so you own the program you create yourself		C# Author and owner: Jess Tran
4Copying a classmate's code without their permission breaks their copyright, even if you change a few names		DSelling code you did not write needs the owner's permission. Noah owns the copyright, so only he can allow it to be sold.
5# I copied Mia's code, so now it is mine		ECode made for a client, where ownership may depend on the agreement or contract made beforehand
6# Sold Noah's program to a friend for $20		FA copyright notice showing Sam owns this original code and others need permission to copy or sell it

Definitions

Fill in the Blanks

Complete each line of code by filling in the missing parts.

# _________ 2025 Ava Nguyen

if user __ "Ava": print("Ask permission first")

# Only the _____ can say who may copy this

# Written for a client: check the ________

# Copying Zoe's code needs her __________

Spot the Error

Shade in the letter of the line that contains an error.

Question 1

A author = "Ava"

B owns_copyright = False

C print(author, owns_copyright)

Question 2

A # Code I wrote myself

B owner == "me"

C print("Owner:", owner)

Question 3

A # Website for a client

B agreed_owner = "client"

C if agreed_owner = "client":

D print("Client owns it")

Question 4

A def can_copy(asked)

B if asked:

C return True

D return False

Question 5

A code_owner = "Zoe"

B asked = False

C if asked == True:

D print("Leo may copy"

E else:

F print("Ask Zoe first")

Answer Key

Intellectual property in software you write

Section A: Quick Questions

B — You, as the person who wrote it

A — No, you need the owner's permission and must acknowledge them

B — Others need your permission to copy or sell it

A — The client, because the contract says so

A — Ask for permission and credit them in a comment

Section B: Match the Pairs

# Written for client: Bella's Bakery → Code made for a client, where ownership may depend on the agreement or contract made beforehand

The person who writes original code usually owns the copyright, so you own the program you create yourself → # Author and owner: Jess Tran

Copying a classmate's code without their permission breaks their copyright, even if you change a few names → my_code = classmate_code # no permission

# I copied Mia's code, so now it is mine → Copying someone else's code does not transfer ownership. Mia still owns the copyright, and you need her permission to use it.

# Sold Noah's program to a friend for $20 → Selling code you did not write needs the owner's permission. Noah owns the copyright, so only he can allow it to be sold.

Section C: Definitions

copyright — The legal right of the person who writes original code to control who can copy, share or sell it. Others need the owner's permission, even for a classmate's code.

Section D: Fill in the Blanks

if user != "Ava":
    print("Ask permission first")

# Only the owner can say who may copy this

# Written for a client: check the contract

# Copying Zoe's code needs her permission

Section E: Spot the Error

B — The person who writes original code usually owns the copyright, so the author of your own code should have owns_copyright = True.

B — == compares values, so owner is never created and print() fails. Use a single = to store "me" as the owner of your own code.

C — An if statement needs == to compare the agreed owner of client code. A single = is assignment and causes a syntax error.

A — A function definition must end with a colon. This function checks that you asked the owner's permission before copying code.

D — The closing bracket is missing from print(). It should be print("Leo may copy"). Leo may only copy a classmate's code once Zoe has given permission.