AP Computer Science A

Topics may include:

• Using primitive data types including int, double, and Boolean
• Evaluating arithmetic expressions in program code
• Using assignment operators to produce a value
• Knowing how variables and operators are sequenced and combined in an expression to create a result
• Using comments to describe the functionality of code
• Using objects and classes to describe instances, attributes, and behaviors
• Creating objects by calling constructors with and without parameters
• Defining an object’s behavior using methods, including static and Math class
• Calling non-static void methods with and without parameters
• Using String objects and methods
• Using application program interfaces (APIs) and libraries

On The Exam

15%–25% of exam score

Topics may include:

• Finding Boolean values with expressions involving relational operators
• Using conditional statements to execute different statements based on input values
• Building on conditional statements to create multiple possible outcomes
• Creating the same value using equivalent Boolean expressions
• Creating a loop to run an expression repeatedly until certain conditions are met
• Implementing standard arithmetic-based and String-based algorithms
• Representing iterative processes in code using for and while loops
• Nesting loop and iteration statements
• Informally analyzing run-times

On The Exam

25%–35% of exam score

Topics may include:

• Designing a class, including whether attributes are public or private
• Setting an object’s attributes using constructors
• Defining behaviors of an object using non-void, void, and static methods
• Breaking problems into smaller parts by creating methods to solve individual subproblems

On The Exam

10%–18% of exam score

Topics may include:

• Considering intellectual property and ethical concerns in programming
• Considering ethical issues around data collections
• Using data sets
• Representing multiple related items as array objects
• Traversing an array by accessing the elements using iteration statements
• Implementing standard algorithms that utilize array traversals to perform functions
• Utilizing class libraries, including Integer and Double
• Representing collections of related object reference data using ArrayList objects
• Traversing an ArrayList by accessing the elements using iteration statements
• Implementing standard algorithms that utilize ArrayList traversals to perform functions
• Searching and sorting using standard algorithms
• Representing collections of data as arrays of arrays, or 2D arrays
• Traversing a 2D array by accessing the elements using nested iteration statements
• Executing recursive methods
• Searching and sorting using binary search and merge sort algorithms

On The Exam

30%–40% of exam score