What is the term for the process of using a procedure without understanding its underlying mechanism?

The term for the process of using a procedure without understanding its underlying mechanism is procedural abstraction. This concept in computer science allows users to make use of complex processes without needing to understand all the details that make them work. For example, when a programmer uses a built-in function or method in a programming language, they can invoke it without needing to know its internal workings, as long as they understand what it does (the input and output). This abstraction simplifies programming, facilitates code reuse, and enables more efficient problem-solving by allowing developers to focus on higher-level functionalities rather than the intricate implementations beneath them.

The other choices represent different concepts in computer science. An algorithm is a specific set of instructions for solving a problem, nesting refers to placing elements within other elements (like functions or loops within each other), and an array is a data structure that holds a collection of items, all of the same type, but none of these pertains to the idea of using procedures without understanding how they operate.