AS level Paper 2 Problem solving and Programming

The aim and the purposes of this course to enable students to develop practical approach in following topics:

09 Algorithm Design and Problem Solving: Computational Thinking Skills and Algorithms

10 Data Types and Structures:   Data Types and Records, Arrays, Files and Introduction to Abstract data types

11 Programming: Programming Basics, Constructs and Structured Programming

12 Software Development: Program Development Life cycle, Program design and Program Testing and maintenance

9. Algorithm Design and Problem Sloving

9.1 Computational thinking skills:

• Explain the purpose  of and need for  abstraction

• Create an abstract model of a system

• Explain the purpose of and need for decomposition

• Decompose a problem into its sub-problems

9.2 Algorithms: 

• Select appropriate identifier names

• Write programs in pseudocode using input, process and output

• Write pseudocode using assignment, sequence, selection and repetition (including logic statements)

• Write pseudocode from a structured English description and from flowchart

• Explain how stepwise refinement can be used to express an algorithm to a level of detail from which the task may be programming

10 Data Types and Structures 

10.1 Data Types and Records: 

• Select and use appropriate data types for a problem solution

• Use a record structure to hold a set of different data types under one identifier

10.2 Arrays: 

• Use the technical terms associated with arrays

• Select a suitable data structure (1D or 2D array) to use for a given task

• Write pseudocode for 1D and 2D arrays

• Write pseudocode to process array data

10.3 Files: Topical Past papers

• Explain why files are needed

• Write pseudocode to handle text files that consist of one or more lines

10.4 Introduction to Abstract Data Types (ADT): 

• Explain that an ADT is a collection of data and a set of operations on those data

• Explain how a stack, queue and linked list are examples of ADTs

• Use a stack, queue and linked list to store data

• Describe how a queue, stack and linked list can be implemented using arrays

11 Programming

11.1 Programming Basics: 

• Write pseudocode from a given design presented as either a program flowchart or structured English

• Write pseudocode statements for:

• the declaration of variables and constants

• the assignment of values to variables and constants

• expressions  involving any of the arithmetic or logical operators input from the keyboard and output to the console

11.2 Constructs: 

• Use pseudocode to write:

• an IF structure including ELSE and nested IF statements

• a CASE statement

• a count-controlled loop

• a post-condition loop

• a pre-condition loop

• Justify why one loop structure may be better suited to solve a problem than the others

11.3 Structured Programming : 

• Define and use a procedure and a function

• Explain where in the constructor of an algorithm it would be appropriate to use a procedure or a function

• Use parameters in a procedure and a function

• Use the terminology associated with procedures and functions

• Write efficient pseudocode

12 Software Development

12.1 Program Development Life cycle: 

• Explain the purpose of a development life cycle

• Explain the need for different development life cycles depending on the program being developed

• Describe the principles, benefits and drawbacks of each type of life cycle

• Describe the analysis, design, coding, testing and maintenance stages in the program development life cycle

12.2 Program Design: 

• Use a structure chart to decompose a problem into sub-tasks and express the parameters passed between the various modules/procedures/functions which are part of the algorithm design.

• Create and use a state-transition diagram to document an algorithm

12.3 Program testing and Maintenance: 

• Explain how faults in programs can be exposed and avoided

• Locate and identify the different types of errors

• Correct identified errors

• Use different methods of testing and select appropriate data for each method

• Explain the need for a test strategy and test plan, and their likely contents

• Choose appropriate data for a test plan

• Explain the need for continuing maintenance of a system and the differences between each type of maintenance

• Analyse an existing program and make amendments to enhance functionality