ZIMSEC · A Level
Computer Science
8 topics8 with notes3 past papers
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Form 5 · Lower 6 4 topics
- Data representation Binary, denary, hexadecimal and binary-coded decimal (BCD). 1 kibibyte (KiB) = 1 024 bytes; 1 kilobyte (kB) = 1 000 bytes.
- Computer architecture and the fetch–execute cycle A single memory holds both data and instructions; the CPU fetches and executes instructions one at a time.
- System software Manages memory (paging, segmentation, virtual memory), processes (scheduling: round robin, shortest job first, first come first served, priority), files, input/output, security and the user interface.
- Algorithms and data structures A function that calls itself, with a base case to stop. Each call uses the stack.
Form 6 · Upper 6 2 topicsExam year
- Programming paradigms and object-oriented programming Try–catch blocks; testing strategies: white-box, black-box, alpha, beta, acceptance; test data: normal, boundary, erroneous.
- Databases Data stored in related tables (relations). Key terms: entity, attribute, tuple (record), primary key, foreign key, candidate key, secondary key (index), referential integrity.
Form 5 · Lower 6 2 topics
- Networks, communication and security Switches, routers, gateways, wireless access points, modems; transmission media (twisted pair, fibre, wireless).
- Boolean algebra and logic circuits AND, OR, NOT, NAND, NOR and XOR, with truth tables. NAND and NOR are universal gates – any circuit can be built from them alone.