Paper 1 – Computer systems

Section 1 – Systems architecture, memory and storage

1.1 Architecture of the CPU
1.2 CPU performance
1.3 Memory
1.4 Secondary storage

Section 2 – Data representation

2.1 Units of data storage and binary numbers
2.2 Binary arithmetic and hexadecimal
2.3 Characters
2.4 Images
2.5 Sound
2.6 Compression

Section 3 – Computer networks, connections and protocols

3.1 The Internet and wide area networks
3.2 Local area networks
3.3 Wireless networking
3.4 Client-server and peer-to-peer networks
3.5 Standards, protocols and layers

Section 4 – Network security and systems software

4.1 Network threats
4.2 Identifying and preventing vulnerabilities
4.3 Operating systems
4.4 Utility software

Section 5 – Ethical, legal, cultural and environmental impacts of digital technology

5.1 Computer systems in the modern world
5.2 Ethical, cultural and environmental issues
5.3 Legislation and privacy

Paper 2 – Computational thinking, algorithms and programming

Section 6 – Algorithms

6.1 Computational thinking
6.2 Searching algorithms
6.3 Sorting algorithms
6.4 Developing algorithms using flowcharts
6.5 Developing algorithms using pseudocode
6.6 Interpret, correct or complete algorithms

Section 7 – Programming

7.1 Programming fundamentals
7.2 Sequence and selection
7.3 Iteration
7.4 Arrays
7.5 Procedures and functions
7.6 Records and files

Section 8 – Logic and languages

8.1 Logic diagrams and truth tables
8.2 Defensive design
8.3 Errors and testing
8.4 Translators and facilities of languages
8.5 The Integrated Development Environment