Programming concepts

What the syllabus asks of you

• Declare and use variables and constants
• Understand and use basic data types • Including: – integer – real – char – string – Boolean
• Understand and use input and output
• (a) Understand and use the concept of sequence (b) Understand and use the concept of • Including: selection – IF statements – CASE statements (c) Understand and use the concept of • Including: iteration – count-controlled loops – pre-condition loops – post-condition loops (d) Understand and use the concepts of totalling and counting (e) Understand and use the concept of string • Including: handling – length – substring – upper – lower • The first character of the string can be position zero or one Candidates should be able to: Notes and guidance (f) Understand and use arithmetic, relational • Arithmetic, limited to: and logical operators – + – – – / – * – ^ (raised to power of) – MOD – DIV • Relational, limited to: – = – < – <= – > – >= – <> (not equal to) • Logical, limited to: – AND – OR – NOT
• Understand and use nested statements • Including nested selection and iteration • Candidates will not be required to write more than three levels of nested statements
• (a) Understand what is meant by procedures, functions and parameters (b) Define and use procedures and functions, • Procedures and functions may have up to three with or without parameters parameters (c) Understand and use local and global variables
• Understand and use library routines • Including: – MOD – DIV – ROUND – RANDOM Candidates should be able to: Notes and guidance
• Understand how to create a maintainable • Including appropriate use of: program – meaningful identifiers – the commenting feature provided by the programming language – procedures and functions – relevant and appropriate commenting of syntax • Use meaningful identifiers for: – variables – constants – arrays – procedures and functions