APCSP Full Review Lecture Notes

Overview of APCSP

• APCSP is divided into five Big Ideas:
  1. Creative Development
  2. Data
  3. Algorithms and Programming
  4. Computer Systems and Networks
  5. Impacts of Computing

Big Idea 1: Creative Development

Computing Innovation

• Must include a program as a major part of its function.
• Can be physical (e.g., self-driving car) or software.

Collaboration in Programming

• Diverse viewpoints reduce bias.
• Online tools facilitate global collaboration (e.g., Zoom calls).

Understanding Programs

• Programs: Collection of code statements with input and output.
• Inputs can be audio, text, visual, etc.
• Development involves adjusting, reviewing, and feedback.

Program Errors

• Logic Errors: Mistakes in algorithms causing incorrect behavior.
• Syntax Errors: Mistakes in language structure.
• Runtime Errors: Errors during program execution (e.g., out of bounds).
• Overflow Errors: Handling numbers outside defined range.
• Debugging and testing are essential to minimize errors.

Big Idea 2: Data

Data Storage

• Stored in bits (base 2) represented by 0s and 1s.
• Conversion from base 10 to base 2 involves finding the highest power.
• A byte is 8 bits.

Data Representation

• Context matters; same bits can mean different things.
• Analog Data: Smoothly changing over time.
• Digital Data: Can represent analog data.
• Abstraction: Simplifying complex topics.

Data Conversion and Errors

• Sampling techniques measure analog data at intervals.
• Roundoff errors due to limited precision.
• Overflow errors from exceeding storage capacity.

Data Compression

• Reduces size of data to ease storage and transmission.
• Lossless Compression: Complete restoration of original data.
• Lossy Compression: Approximate restoration, higher compression rate.

Data Analysis and Cleansing

• Data helps identify trends and make connections.
• Metadata provides data about data.
• Data cleansing ensures uniformity and reduces bias.

Big Idea 3: Algorithms and Programming

Variables

• Used to hold values.
• Names should be descriptive (e.g., height_of_clouds).

Math and Boolean Expressions

• Standard operations: addition, subtraction, etc.
• Boolean logic: AND, OR, NOT.

Control Structures

• If Statements: Conditional execution.
• Loops: Repeated execution (e.g., for loops, while loops).

Lists

• Store multiple values.
• Access and modify elements using index.

Searches and Procedures

• Linear Search: Searching element by element.
• Binary Search: Efficient search on sorted lists.
• Procedures: Group of instructions with a defined task.

Big Idea 4: Computer Systems and Networks

Internet Basics

• Computing Devices: Physical artifacts like computers and routers.
• Networks: Groups of interconnected devices.
• Bandwidth: Maximum data transmission rate.

Protocols

• Rules governing data exchanges on the internet.
• Examples: IP, TCP, UDP.

Fault Tolerance and Redundancy

• Systems designed to support failures.
• Redundancy ensures reliability and scalability.

Computing Models

• Sequential Computing: One operation at a time.
• Parallel Computing: Concurrent operations.
• Distributed Computing: Multiple devices solve a problem together.

Big Idea 5: Impacts of Computing

Ethics and Digital Divide

• Beneficial and harmful effects of computing innovations.
• Digital Divide: Inequality in internet access.

Bias and Crowdsourcing

• Biases can be inherent in programming.
• Crowdsourcing: Gathering input from large groups online.

Legal and Ethical Concerns

• Intellectual Property (IP) rights.
• Open source and Creative Commons licenses.

Safe Computing Practices

• PII: Personal Identifiable Information.
• Authentication and encryption for security.
• Virus and malware protection.

Create Task Overview

• Involves coding with specific requirements.
• Definitions: Sequencing, Selection, Iteration.
• Students create a project and answer questions about their code.

Conclusion

• Understanding these concepts is crucial for APCSP.