AP Computer Science A
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Get familiar with the concepts and tools of computer science as you learn a subset of the Java programming language. You'll do hands-on work to design, write, and test computer programs that solve problems or accomplish tasks.
Designing a program, developing the algorithms it needs, and writing code to implement them
Testing program code and correcting errors
Documenting and explaining how program code works
A one-semester, introductory college course in computer science
High school courses in English and algebra, and familiarity with functions and the concepts found in the uses of function notation
Wed, May 3, 2023,
12 PM Local
This is the regularly scheduled date for the AP Computer Science A Exam.
The course content outlined below is organized into commonly taught units of study that provide one possible sequence for the course. Your teacher may choose to organize the course content differently based on local priorities and preferences.
You’ll learn the fundamentals of Java, a programming language, as well as other foundational concepts for coding.
Topics may include:
int
, double
, and Boolean2.5%–5% of exam score
You’ll explore reference data as a way to represent real-world objects in a digital world and discover methods to perform more complex operations.
Topics may include:
Integer
and Double
Math
classString
objects and methods5%–7.5% of exam score
You’ll delve into the building blocks of algorithms and focus on using conditional statements to solve problems and control results.
Topics may include:
15%–17.5% of exam score
You’ll learn about iteration, another building block of algorithms that are for repetition.
Topics may include:
String
algorithmsfor
and while
loops17.5%–22.5% of exam score
You’ll explore how real-world interactions can be expressed digitally by organizing behaviors and attributes into classes, and you’ll examine the legal and ethical implications of computer programming.
Topics may include:
5%–7.5% of exam score
You’ll learn techniques and standard algorithms to work with collections of related data, known as data structures.
Topics may include:
10%–15% of exam score
You’ll delve deeper into data sets, exploring ArrayList objects for larger amounts of data, as well as the privacy concerns related to personal data storage.
Topics may include:
ArrayList
objectsArrayList
by accessing the elements using iteration statementsArrayList
traversals to perform functions2.5%–7.5% of exam score
Now that you’ve explored 1D arrays, you’ll branch out into 2D arrays and experiment with data sets represented in a table.
Topics may include:
7.5%–10% of exam score
You’ll learn how to manipulate programming without altering existing code by using subclasses to create a hierarchy.
Topics may include:
5%–10% of exam score
You’ll work on solving larger problems by solving smaller, simpler versions of the same problem using recursive methods.
Topics may include:
5%–7.5% of exam score
Find colleges that grant credit and/or placement for AP Exam scores in this and other AP courses.
Why AP Computer Science A Is for You
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AP Classroom Resources
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AP Computer Science A Lab Requirements
Learn about the required laboratory component included in AP Computer Science A and download lab student guides.
AP Computer Science A Java Quick Reference—2020 Exam
The Java Quick Reference lists the accessible methods from the Java library that may be included on the exam, starting with the 2019-20 school year. The Java Quick Reference is included in the exam booklet.
AP Computer Science A Elevens Lab Student Guide
This lab is related to a simple solitaire game called Elevens. You will learn the rules of Elevens, and will be able to play it by using the supplied graphical user interface (GUI).
AP Computer Science A Magpie Lab Student Guide
For this lab, you will explore some of the basics of natural language processing. As you explore, you will work with a variety of methods of the String class and practice using the if statement. You will trace a complicated method to find words in user input.
AP Computer Science A Picture Lab Student Guide
In this lab you will write methods that modify digital pictures. In writing these methods, you will learn how to traverse a two-dimensional array of integers or objects. You will also be introduced to nested loops, binary numbers, interfaces, and inheritance.
AP Computer Science A Course and Exam Description
This is the core document for the course. It clearly lays out the course content and describes the exam and AP Program in general.
AP Computer Science A can lead to a wide range of careers and college majors