AQA A Level Specification
Computer Science 7516 & 7517

4.1.1.1 Data types

4.1.1.2 Programming concepts

4.1.1.3 Arithmetic operations in a programming language

4.1.1.4 Relational operations in a programming language

4.1.1.5 Boolean operations in a programming language

4.1.1.6 Constants and variables in a programming language

4.1.1.7 String-handling operations in a programming language

4.1.1.8 Random number generation in a programming language

4.1.1.9 Exception handling

4.1.1.10 Subroutines (procedures/functions)

4.1.1.11 Parameters of subroutines

4.1.1.12 Returning a value/values from a subroutine

4.1.1.13 Local variables in subroutines

4.1.1.14 Global variables in a programming language

4.1.1.15 Role of stack frames in subroutine calls

4.1.1.16 Recursive techniques

4.1.2.1 Programming paradigms

4.1.2.2 Procedural-oriented programming

4.1.2.3 Object-oriented programming

4.2.1.1 Data structures

4.2.1.2 Single- and multi-dimensional arrays (or equivalent)

4.2.1.3 Fields, records and files

4.2.1.4 Abstract data types/data structures

4.2.2.1 Queues

4.2.3.1 Stacks

4.2.4.1 Graphs

4.2.5.1 Trees

4.2.6.1 Hash Tables

4.2.7.1 Dictionaries

4.2.8.1 Vectors

4.3.1.1 Simple graph-traversal algorithms

4.3.2.1 Simple tree-traversal algorithms

4.3.3.1 Reverse Polish Š—– infix transformations

4.3.4.1 Linear search

4.3.4.2 Binary search

4.3.4.3 Binary tree search

4.3.5.1 Bubble sort

4.3.5.2 Merge sort

4.3.6.1 DijkstraŠ—Čs shortest path algorithm

4.4.1.1 Problem-solving

4.4.1.2 Following and writing algorithms

4.4.1.3 Abstraction

4.4.1.4 Information hiding

4.4.1.5 Procedural abstraction

4.4.1.6 Functional abstraction

4.4.1.7 Data abstraction

4.4.1.8 Problem abstraction/reduction

4.4.1.9 Decomposition

4.4.1.10 Composition

4.4.1.11 Automation

4.4.2.1 Finite state machines (FSMs) with and without output

4.4.2.2 Maths for regular expressions

4.4.2.3 Regular expressions

4.4.2.4 Regular language

4.4.3.1 Backus-Naur Form (BNF)/syntax diagrams

4.4.4.1 Comparing algorithms

4.4.4.2 Maths for understanding Big-0 notation

4.4.4.3 Order of complexity

4.4.4.4 Limits of computation

4.4.4.5 Classification of algorithmic problems

4.4.4.6 Computable and non-computable problems

4.4.4.7 Halting problem

4.4.5.1 Turing Machine

4.5.1.1 Natural Numbers

4.5.1.2 Integer numbers

4.5.1.3 Rational numbers

4.5.1.4 Irrational numbers

4.5.1.5 Real numbers

4.5.1.6 Ordinal numbers

4.5.1.7 Counting and measurement

4.5.2.1 Number base

4.5.3.1 Bits and bytes

4.5.3.2 Units

4.5.4.1 Unsigned binary

4.5.4.2 Unsigned binary arithmetic

4.5.4.3 Signed binary using twoŠ—Čs complement

4.5.4.4 Numbers with a fractional part

4.5.4.5 Rounding errors

4.5.4.6 Absolute and relative errors

4.5.4.7 Range and precision

4.5.4.8 Normalisation of floating point form

4.5.4.9 Underflow and overflow

4.5.5.1 Character form of a decimal digit

4.5.5.2 ASCII and Unicode

4.5.5.3 Error checking and correction

4.5.6.1 Bit patterns, images, sound and other data

4.5.6.2 Analogue and digital

4.5.6.3 Analogue/digital conversion

4.5.6.4 Bitmapped graphics

4.5.6.5 Vector graphics

4.5.6.6 Vector graphics versus bitmapped graphics

4.5.6.7 Digital representation of sound

4.5.6.8 Musical Instrument Digital Interface (MIDI)

4.5.6.9 Data compression

4.5.6.10 Encryption

4.6.1.1 Relationship between hardware and software

4.6.1.2 Classi cation of software

4.6.1.3 System software

4.6.1.4 Role of an operating system (OS)

4.6.2.1 Classification of programming languages

4.6.3.1 Types of program translator

4.6.4.1 Logic gates

4.6.5.1 Using Boolean algebra

4.7.1.1 Internal hardware components of a computer

4.7.2.1 The meaning of the stored program concept

4.7.3.1 The processor and its components

4.7.3.2 The Fetch-Execute cycle and the role of registers within it

4.7.3.3 The processor instruction set

4.7.3.4 Addressing modes´Žč

4.7.3.5 Machine-code/assembly language operations

4.7.3.6 Interrupts

4.7.3.7 Factors affecting processor performance

4.7.4.1 Input and output devices

4.7.4.2 Secondary storage devices

4.8.1.1 Individual (moral), social (ethical), legal and cultural issues and opportunities

4.9.1.1 Communication methods

4.9.1.2 Communication basics

4.9.2.1 Network topology

4.9.2.2 Types of networking between hosts

4.9.2.3 Wireless networking

4.9.3.1 The Internet and how it works

4.9.3.2 Internet security

4.9.4.1 TCP/IP

4.9.4.2 Standard application layer protocols

4.9.4.3 IP address structure

4.9.4.4 Subnet masking

4.9.4.5 IP standards

4.9.4.6 Public and private IP addresses

4.9.4.7 Dynamic Host Con guration Protocol (DHCP)

4.9.4.8 Network Address Translation (NAT)

4.9.4.9 Port forwarding

4.9.4.10 Client server model

4.9.4.11 Thin- versus thick-client computing

4.10.1.1 Conceptual data models and entity relationship modelling

4.10.2.1 Relational databases

4.10.3.1 Database design and normalisation techniques

4.10.4.1 Structured Query Language (SQL)

4.10.5.1 Client server databases

4.11.1.1 Big Data

4.12.1.1 Function type

4.12.1.2 First-class object

4.12.1.3 Function application

4.12.1.4 Partial function application

4.12.1.5 Composition of functions

4.12.2.1 Functional language programs

4.12.3.1 List processing

4.13.1.1 Analysis

4.13.1.2 Design

4.13.1.3 Implementation

4.13.1.4 Testing

4.13.1.5 Evaluation