Specification points
Cambridge Cambridge O Level Computer Science 2210
127 points in 10 topics, with Cambridge's codes and titles.
Grade boundaries·Cambridge command words
Codes and titles are read by a script from Cambridge's published specification and have not been checked by a person. What each point covers is in the specification itself: Cambridge’s specification.
1 Data representation
- 1.1 Number systems
- 1.1.1 Binary representation of data
- 1.1.2 Denary, binary and hexadecimal conversion
- 1.1.3 Uses of hexadecimal
- 1.1.4 Binary addition and overflow
- 1.1.5 Logical binary shifts
- 1.1.6 Two's complement
- 1.2 Text, sound and images
- 1.2.1 Representing text: ASCII and Unicode
- 1.2.2 Representing sound: sample rate and resolution
- 1.2.3 Representing images: resolution and colour depth
- 1.3 Data storage and compression
- 1.3.1 Measuring data storage
- 1.3.2 Calculating image and sound file sizes
- 1.3.3 Purpose of data compression
- 1.3.4 Lossy and lossless compression
2 Data transmission
- 2.1 Types and methods of data transmission
- 2.1.1 Packets and packet switching
- 2.1.2 Methods of data transmission
- 2.1.3 The USB interface
- 2.2 Methods of error detection
- 2.2.1 Why transmission errors occur
- 2.2.2 Parity check, checksum and echo check
- 2.2.3 Check digits
- 2.2.4 Automatic repeat query (ARQ)
- 2.3 Encryption
- 2.3.1 Purpose of encryption
- 2.3.2 Symmetric and asymmetric encryption
3 Hardware
- 3.1 Computer architecture
- 3.1.1 The CPU and microprocessors
- 3.1.2 CPU components and the fetch–decode–execute cycle
- 3.1.3 Cores, cache and clock speed
- 3.1.4 Instruction sets
- 3.1.5 Embedded systems
- 3.2 Input and output devices
- 3.2.1 Input devices
- 3.2.2 Output devices
- 3.2.3 Sensors and their uses
- 3.3 Data storage
- 3.3.1 Primary storage
- 3.3.2 Secondary storage
- 3.3.3 Magnetic, optical and solid-state storage
- 3.3.4 Virtual memory
- 3.3.5 Cloud storage
- 3.3.6 Cloud versus local storage
- 3.4 Network hardware
- 3.4.1 Network interface cards
- 3.4.2 MAC addresses
- 3.4.3 IP addresses and their types
- 3.4.4 Role of a router
4 Software
- 4.1 Types of software and interrupts
- 4.1.1 System and application software
- 4.1.2 Functions of an operating system
- 4.1.3 Hardware, firmware and operating system for running applications
- 4.1.4 Interrupts
- 4.2 Types of programming language, translators and integrated development environments (IDEs)
- 4.2.1 High-level and low-level languages
- 4.2.2 Assembly language and assemblers
- 4.2.3 Compilers and interpreters
- 4.2.4 Pros and cons of compilers and interpreters
- 4.2.5 Integrated development environments
5 The internet and its uses
- 5.1 The internet and the world wide web
- 5.1.1 Internet versus world wide web
- 5.1.2 URLs
- 5.1.3 HTTP and HTTPS
- 5.1.4 Web browsers
- 5.1.5 Locating, retrieving and displaying web pages
- 5.1.6 Session and persistent cookies
- 5.2 Digital currency
- 5.2.1 Digital currency
- 5.2.2 Blockchain
- 5.3 Cyber security
- 5.3.1 Cyber security threats
- 5.3.2 Protecting data from security threats
6 Automated and emerging technologies
- 6.1 Automated systems
- 6.1.1 Sensors, microprocessors and actuators in automated systems
- 6.1.2 Pros and cons of automated systems
- 6.2 Robotics
- 6.2.1 Robotics
- 6.2.2 Characteristics of a robot
- 6.2.3 Roles of robots and their pros and cons
- 6.3 Artificial intelligence
- 6.3.1 Artificial intelligence
- 6.3.2 Main characteristics of AI
- 6.3.3 Operation and components of AI systems
7 Algorithm design and problem-solving
- 7.1 Program development life cycle stages
- 7.2 Decomposing problems and designing solutions
- 7.3 Explaining what an algorithm does
- 7.4 Standard algorithms such as searching, sorting and totalling
- 7.5 Validation and verification of input data
- 7.6 Choosing test data
- 7.7 Trace tables and dry runs
- 7.8 Finding and correcting errors in algorithms
- 7.9 Writing and amending algorithms
8 Programming
- 8.1 Programming concepts
- 8.1.1 Variables and constants
- 8.1.2 Basic data types
- 8.1.3 Input and output
- 8.1.4 Sequence, selection, iteration, totalling, counting and strings
- 8.1.5 Nested statements
- 8.1.6 Procedures, functions, parameters and variable scope
- 8.1.7 Library routines
- 8.1.8 Maintainable programs
- 8.2 Arrays
- 8.2.1 1D and 2D arrays
- 8.2.2 Using arrays
- 8.2.3 Reading and writing arrays with iteration
- 8.3 File handling
- 8.3.1 Purpose of storing data in files
- 8.3.2 Reading and writing files