STRANDS AND STANDARDS
AP COMPUTER SCIENCE
Course Description
AP Computer Science A emphasizes object-oriented programming methodology with an
emphasis on problem solving and algorithm development and is meant to be the equivalent of
a first-semester course in computer science. It also includes the study of data structures and
abstraction.
AP COMPUTER SCIENCE
Intended Grade Level 10-12
Units of Credit 1.0
Core Code 35.02.00.00.041
Concurrent Enrollment Core Code N/A
Prerequisite Secondary Math 2, Computer Programming 1,
CS Principles, Computer Programming 2, or
Teacher Approval
Skill Certification Test Number AP Computer Science
Test Weight 0.5
License Type CTE and/or Secondary Education 6-12
Required Endorsement(s)
Endorsement 1 Computer Science – Level 2
STRAND 1
Students will use Object-Oriented Program Design
Standard 1
Program and Class Design
• Problem analysis
• Data abstraction and encapsulation
• Class specifications, interface specifications, relationships (“is-a,” “has-a”), and
extension using inheritance
• Code reuse
• Data representation and algorithms
• Functional decomposition
STRAND 2
Students will use Program Implementation
Standard 1
Implementation techniques
• Top-down
• Bottom-up
• Object-oriented
• Encapsulation and information hiding
• Procedural abstraction
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AP COMPUTER SCIENCE
Standard 2
Programming constructs
• Primitive types vs. reference types
• Declaration • Constants
• Variables
• Methods and parameters
• Classes
• Interfaces
• Text output using System.out.print and System.out.printing
• Control • Method call
• Sequential execution
• Conditional execution
• Iteration
• Recursion
• Expression evaluation
• Numeric expressions
• String expressions
• Boolean expressions, short-circuit evaluation, De Morgan’s law
Standard 3
Java library classes and interfaces included in the AP Java Subset
STRAND 3
Students will use Program Analysis.
Standard 1
Testing
• Development of appropriate test cases, including boundary cases
• Unit testing
• Integration testing
Standard 2
Debugging
• Error categories: compile-time, run-time, logic
• Error identification and correction
• Techniques such as using a debugger, adding extra output statements,
or hand-tracing code.
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AP COMPUTER SCIENCE
Standard 3
Runtime exceptions
Standard 4
Program correctness
• Pre- and post-conditions
• Assertions
Standard 5
Algorithm Analysis
• Statement execution counts
• Informal running time comparison
Standard 6
Numerical representations of integers
• Representations of non-negative integers in different bases
• Implications of finite integer bounds
STRAND 4
Students will use Standard Data Structures
Standard 1
Primitive data types (int, boolean, double)
Standard 2
Strings
Standard 3
Classes
Standard 4
Lists
Standard 5
Arrays (1-dimensional and 2-dimensional)
STRAND 5
Students will use Standard Operations and Algorithms
Standard 1
Operations on data structures
• Traversals
• Insertions
• Deletions
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AP COMPUTER SCIENCE
Standard 2
Searching
• Sequential
• Binary
STRAND 6
Students will use Computing in Context
Standard 1
System reliability
Standard 2
Privacy
Standard 3
Legal issues and intellectual property
Standard 4
Social and ethical ramifications of computer use
Skill Certificate Test Points by Strand
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