A-level Computing/AQA/Problem Solving, Programming, Data Representation and Practical Exercise

This exam is worth 60% of your AS grade (30% of A2). It is examined in June only.

v • d • e A-level Computing : Unit 1

Problem Solving	Introduction to principles of computation · Stages of problem solving · Top-down design / Step-wise refinement · Structure charts · Decision tables · Finite state machines · Algorithm design · Trace tables · Pseudo code · Searching and sorting

Fundamentals of Programming	A program · Variables · Comments · Input and output · Arithmetic operators · Built-in data types · Constant Definitions · Selection · Iteration · Built-in functions · One-Dimensional Arrays · Functions and Procedures · Global and Local Variables · Two-Dimensional Arrays · User-defined data types · File Handling · Validation · The Role of Variables · Fundamentals of Structured Programming · Modulo arithmetic · Logical bitwise operators · Set operators

Fundamentals of Data Representation	Bit patterns in a computer · Denary, Binary and Hexadecimal number systems · Binary arithmetic · Binary fractions · Two's complement · Status register · Information coding schemes · ASCII · Unicode · Error checking and correction · Parity bits · Hamming code · Gray coding · Images · Bitmaps · Vectors · Comparison between vector and bitmaps · Sounds · Analogue and digital · Sampled sound · Sound compression · Nyquist-theorem · Sound synthesis · Streaming audio

Systems Development Life Cycle	The cycle · Analysis · Design · Implementation · Testing · Evaluation

Skeleton Code	2013 · 2012 · 2011

The examination