Tips
AP Computer Science Principles is the broad computing course: data and its representation, algorithms and abstraction, programming, the internet, and the impact of computing on society. Code is written in any language, and the exam uses a language-neutral pseudocode, so the ideas matter more than the syntax.
The assessment has two halves. The Create Performance Task is a program you build and document over class time; the end-of-course exam is multiple choice.
The written responses about your own program are where marks are lost — they ask you to explain an algorithm you wrote and to justify an abstraction you chose, precisely, in your own words.
The notes cover the big ideas from data through to impact, with code examples you can run here. The library holds the sample exam questions, and there are notes on the Create Performance Task, which is assessed on your own program and written responses rather than on the exam alone.
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1
Creative Development
Watch lesson- 1.1 Collaboration
- 1.2 Program Function and Purpose
- 1.3 Program Design and Development
- 1.4 Identifying and Correcting Errors
- 1.4 Exam tips
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2
Data
Watch lesson- 2.1 Binary Numbers
- 2.2 Data Compression
- 2.3 Extracting Information from Data
- 2.4 Using Programs with Data
- 2.4 Exam tips
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3
Algorithms and Programming
Watch lesson- 3.1 Variables and Assignments
- 3.2 Data Abstraction
- 3.3 Mathematical Expressions
- 3.4 Strings
- 3.5 Boolean Expressions
- 3.6 Conditionals
- 3.7 Nested Conditionals
- 3.8 Iteration
- 3.9 Developing Algorithms
- 3.10 Lists
- 3.11 Binary Search
- 3.12 Calling Procedures
- 3.13 Developing Procedures
- 3.14 Libraries
- 3.15 Random Values
- 3.16 Simulations
- 3.17 Algorithmic Efficiency
- 3.18 Undecidable Problems
- 3.18 Exam tips
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4
Computer Systems and Networks
Watch lesson- 4.1 The Internet
- 4.2 Fault Tolerance
- 4.3 Parallel and Distributed Computing
- 4.3 Exam tips
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5
Impact of Computing
Watch lesson- 5.1 Beneficial and Harmful Effects
- 5.2 The Digital Divide
- 5.3 Computing Bias
- 5.4 Crowdsourcing
- 5.5 Legal and Ethical Concerns
- 5.6 Safe Computing
- 5.6 Exam tips
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