AQA A-level Computer Science Year 13 revision

Topic 1: Fundamentals of programming

It builds on what you learned at AS in Fundamentals of programming, and takes it further.

There are 6 parts: we start with programming constructs, variable scope and parameter passing, and finish with object-oriented design and UML class diagrams.

1. 1.1Programming constructs, variable scope and parameter passingFree 36 questions
2. 1.2Modularity, functions and procedures, and use of IDE tools31 questions
3. 1.3Recursion and recursive algorithmsFree 24 questions
4. 1.4Programming paradigms: procedural, declarative and object-oriented30 questions
5. 1.5Object-oriented programming: classes, objects, inheritance, encapsulation and polymorphism32 questions
6. 1.6Object-oriented design and UML class diagrams41 questions

Topic 2: Fundamentals of data structures and algorithms

It builds on what you learned at AS in Fundamentals of data structures and Fundamentals of algorithms, and takes it further.

There are 5 parts: we start with arrays, records, lists and tuples, and finish with reverse Polish notation and expression evaluation using stacks and trees.

1. 2.1Arrays, records, lists and tuples26 questions
2. 2.2Stacks, queues and linked lists30 questions
3. 2.3Graphs, trees and traversalFree 24 questions
4. 2.4Hash tables and dictionaries25 questions
5. 2.5Reverse Polish notation and expression evaluation using stacks and trees17 questions

Topic 3: Theory of computation

It builds on what you learned at AS in Theory of computation, and takes it further.

There are 8 parts: we start with abstraction, automation and computational thinking, and finish with Turing machines.

1. 3.1Abstraction, automation and computational thinking29 questions
2. 3.2Computability and complexityFree 23 questions
3. 3.3Finite state machines with and without output (Mealy machines)22 questions
4. 3.4Set theory and set notation (subsets, union, intersection, Cartesian product, countability)19 questions
5. 3.5Regular expressions and formal languages20 questions
6. 3.6Backus-Naur form and syntax diagrams21 questions
7. 3.7Big O notation: time and space complexity, tractable and intractable problems24 questions
8. 3.8Turing machines: transition rules and the universal Turing machine27 questions

Topic 4: Fundamentals of data representation

It builds on what you learned at AS in Fundamentals of data representation, and takes it further.

There are 7 parts: we start with number bases and signed integers, and finish with encryption.

1. 4.1Number bases and signed integers: binary, hexadecimal, sign and magnitude, two's complementFree 72 questions
2. 4.2Floating-point representation and normalisation62 questions
3. 4.3Floating-point arithmetic, rounding errors and precision66 questions
4. 4.4Bitwise manipulation, shifts and masks60 questions
5. 4.5Character sets (ASCII, Unicode) and primitive data types70 questions
6. 4.6Data compression: lossy and lossless, run-length encoding and dictionary codingFree 24 questions
7. 4.7Encryption: symmetric and asymmetric, digital signatures and certificates31 questions

Topic 5: Fundamentals of computer systems

It builds on what you learned at AS in Fundamentals of computer systems, and takes it further.

There are 8 parts: we start with applications, utility software, open source and closed source licensing, and finish with Boolean simplification and Karnaugh maps.

1. 5.1Applications, utility software, open source and closed source licensing32 questions
2. 5.2Operating systems: memory management, paging, segmentation and virtual memoryFree 48 questions
3. 5.3Types of operating system, BIOS, device drivers and virtual machines32 questions
4. 5.4Translators: compilers, interpreters and assemblers26 questions
5. 5.5Stages of compilation, linkers, loaders and libraries33 questions
6. 5.6Logic gates, Boolean expressions and De Morgan's laws56 questions
7. 5.7Half and full adders and D-type flip-flops57 questions
8. 5.8Boolean simplification and Karnaugh maps54 questions

Topic 6: Fundamentals of computer organisation and architecture

It builds on what you learned at AS in Fundamentals of computer organisation and architecture, and takes it further.

There are 8 parts: we start with structure of the processor, and finish with input and output devices and their specialist applications.

1. 6.1Structure of the processor: ALU, control unit, registers and busesFree 28 questions
2. 6.2Von Neumann, Harvard and contemporary processor architectures27 questions
3. 6.3Fetch-decode-execute cycle and factors affecting processor performance32 questions
4. 6.4Assembly language, Little Man Computer and addressing modes22 questions
5. 6.5Interrupts and scheduling algorithms30 questions
6. 6.6CISC and RISC, GPUs, multicore and parallel systems26 questions
7. 6.7Primary and secondary storage: RAM, ROM, magnetic, flash, optical and virtual storage73 questions
8. 6.8Input and output devices and their specialist applications48 questions

Topic 7: Fundamentals of communication and networking

It builds on what you learned at AS in Fundamentals of communication and networking, and takes it further.

There are 4 parts: we start with networks, and finish with network security.

1. 7.1Networks: LANs, WANs, topologies, client-server and peer-to-peer66 questions
2. 7.2Network protocols, the TCP/IP stack and DNS73 questions
3. 7.3Packet switching, circuit switching, routers and gateways28 questions
4. 7.4Network security: firewalls, proxies and threats73 questions

Topic 8: Fundamentals of databases

There are 5 parts: we start with databases, normalisation and SQL, and finish with transaction processing, ACID, record locking and redundancy.

1. 8.1Databases, normalisation and SQLFree 28 questions
2. 8.2Entity-relationship modelling and relational database concepts35 questions
3. 8.3Indexing, primary, secondary and foreign keys, and referential integrity23 questions
4. 8.4Client-server databases30 questions
5. 8.5Transaction processing, ACID, record locking and redundancy36 questions

Topic 9: Big Data and functional programming

It builds on what you learned at AS in Fundamentals of programming, and takes it further.

There are 3 parts: we start with big data and functional programming, and finish with higher-order functions.

1. 9.1Big data and functional programming27 questions
2. 9.2Function composition, partial application and first-class functions24 questions
3. 9.3Higher-order functions: map, filter and fold, and list processing14 questions

Topic 10: Systematic approach to problem solving

It builds on what you learned at AS in Theory of computation, and takes it further.

There are 2 parts: we start with systematic approach to problem solving, and finish with testing and debugging strategies.

1. 10.1Systematic approach to problem solving: analysis, design, implementation, testing and evaluation25 questions
2. 10.2Testing and debugging strategies: test data, test plans, white-box and black-box testing33 questions

Topic NEA: Non-exam assessment: the computing practical project

There are 7 parts: we start with choosing a project, identifying stakeholders and researching the problem, and finish with writing the project report, documentation and time management.

1. NEA.1Choosing a project, identifying stakeholders and researching the problemFree 21 questions
2. NEA.2Analysis: requirements, success criteria and project scope25 questions
3. NEA.3Design: decomposition, algorithms, data structures and user interface26 questions
4. NEA.4Developing the solution: iterative development, coding style and technical complexity26 questions
5. NEA.5Testing the solution: test plans, evidence and iterative testing23 questions
6. NEA.6Evaluation: user feedback, assessment against success criteria and future improvements17 questions
7. NEA.7Writing the project report, documentation and time management23 questions

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