CAPE Computer Science Unit 1

Recommended text:
1. C for Dummies, Gookin Dan. Available at https://hmt.es/C%20for%20Dummies.pdf

UNIT 1: FUNDAMENTALS OF COMPUTER SCIENCE

Module 1 – COMPUTER ARCHITECTURE AND ORGANISATION

Module 2 – PROBLEM-SOLVING WITH COMPUTERS
Module 3 – PROGRAMMING

Internal Assessment for each unit is compulsory.

General requirement: Candidates are expected to choose a problem for which a software solution is
appropriate and create an algorithm for the solution using sequencing, selection, assignments, iteration
(bounded and unbounded). They should represent their algorithms using any combination of narrative,
flow charts and pseudocode. Candidates are expected to implement the algorithm in C using arrays with
no less than five functions and create a test plan.

Week 1  Syllabus overview; Introduction to programming in C (familiarise the student with

the Dev C++ development environment); Understanding how compilers work
 Output, variables, input, arithmetic (Examples with input, output, variables, and
arithmetic)
 Programming practices: comments, indentation and user prompts
Exercises (see attached worksheet)
(Module 3)

Week 2  Input/output devices: port connectivity; speed; quality of output; specialised

devices.
 Memory types: ROM; RAM; EPROM; EEPROM
(Module 1)
 Introduction to decision-making statements in C (Examples of using if statements)
Exercises (see attached worksheet)
(Module 3)
Week 3  Memory features: speed; size; word size; volatility
 Storage devices: capacity, access speed, access method, portability
Project 1 (see attached project requirements)
(Module 1)
 Review of decision-making statements in C. Introduction to if-then-else
programming (Example of using if-then-else statements)
(Module 3)
Week 4  Overview of the Internal Assessment (discussion of the requirements and
components. Students will be provided with a list of possible problems. Any
problem outside of this list must be approved by the teacher.)
Student will then be given a deadline to provide a concise description of their selected
problem for the IA.
 Theoretical programming: characteristics of different programming paradigms
(procedural/imperative; object-oriented, functional, declarative)
Project 2 (see attached project requirements) to be done over the break
(Module 3)

© Saraswati Vidya Niketan

 WORKSHEET 1: Input, Output, Variables and Arithmetic in C

1. Write a program in C that takes any integer value as input and outputs the remainder of that number
when it is divided by 2. In other words, write a program to compute n mod 2, where n is any integer
value.

2. Consider the following denominations of the US dollar: 25 cents (quarter), 10 cents (dime), 5 cents
(nickel) and 1 cent (cent/penny). Write a program that computes the change for any given input
value.

For example: Given $2.27, your program should output 8 quarters, 2 dimes, 1 nickel and 3 cents.

Note:
1. Remember to give meaningful names to any variables used.
2. Use indentation to make your code more readable.
3. Use comments where necessary to keep track of the logics of your program.
4. Your program should be user-friendly (user prompts and proper display of output)

© Saraswati Vidya Niketan