AP Computer Science Principles Course Overview

Computer Science Principles

About the Advanced Placement Program

(AP

)

The Advanced Placement Program

has enabled millions of students to take college-level courses and earn college credit, advanced placement, or

both, while still in high school. AP Exams are given each year in May. Students who earn a qualifying score on an AP Exam are typically eligible, in

college, to receive credit, placement into advanced courses, or both. Every aspect of AP course and exam development is the result of collaboration

between AP teachers and college faculty. They work together to develop AP courses and exams, set scoring standards, and score the exams.

College faculty review every AP teacher’s course syllabus.

AP Computer Science Program

There are two computer science offerings, and students can take either

course in any order or concurrently:

■

AP Computer Science A focuses on computing skills related to

programming in Java.

■

AP Computer Science Principles provides students with a broad

introduction to computer science and how it relates to other fields.

The courses underscore the importance of communicating solutions

appropriately and in ways that are relevant to current societal needs.

AP Computer Science courses can help address traditional issues of

equity, access, and broadening participation in computing while

providing a strong and engaging introduction to fundamental areas of

the discipline.

AP Computer Science Principles Course Overview

AP Computer Science Principles introduces students to the breadth of

the field of computer science. In this course, students will learn to

design and evaluate solutions and to apply computer science to solve

problems through the development of algorithms and programs. They

will incorporate abstraction into programs and use data to discover new

knowledge. Students will also explain how computing innovations and

computing systems, including the Internet, work, explore their potential

impacts, and contribute to a computing culture that is collaborative and

ethical.

PREREQUISITES

It is recommended that students in the AP Computer Science Principles

course have successfully completed a first-year high school algebra

course with a strong foundation of basic linear functions, composition of

functions, and problem-solving strategies that require multiple

approaches and collaborative efforts. In addition, students should be

able to use a Cartesian (x, y) coordinate system to represent points on

a plane. It is important that students and their advisers understand that

any significant computer science course builds upon a foundation of

mathematical reasoning that should be acquired before attempting such

a course.

Prior computer science experience is not required to take this course.

COMPUTER LANGUAGE

AP Computer Science Principles does not have a designated

programming language. Teachers have the flexibility to choose a

programming language(s) that is most appropriate for their students to

use in the classroom.

AP Computer Science Principles Course Content

The following are the major areas of study, or big ideas, that serve as

the foundation of the course, enabling students to create meaningful

connections among concepts and develop deeper conceptual

understanding:

■

Creative Development: When developing computing

innovations, developers can use a formal, iterative design

process or a less rigid process of experimentation, and will

encounter phases of investigating and reflecting, designing,

prototyping, and testing. Collaboration is an important tool at any

phase of development.

■

Data: Data are central to computing innovations because they

communicate initial conditions to programs and represent new

knowledge.

■

Algorithms and Programming: Programmers integrate

algorithms and abstraction to create programs for creative

purposes and to solve problems.

■

Computing Systems and Networks: Computer systems and

networks are used to transfer data.

■

Impact of Computing: Computers and computing have

revolutionized our lives. To use computing safely and responsibly,

we need to be aware of privacy, security, and ethical issues.

Each big idea is broken down into teachable segments called topics.

AP Computer Science Principles

Computational Thinking Practices

The following computational thinking practices describe what skills

students should develop during the course:

■

Computational Solution Design: Design and evaluate

computational solutions for a purpose.

■

Algorithms and Program Development: Develop and implement

algorithms.

■

Abstraction in Program Development: Develop programs that

incorporate abstractions.

■

Code Analysis: Evaluate and test algorithms and programs.

■

Computing Innovations: Investigate computing innovations.

■

Responsible Computing: Contribute to an inclusive, safe,

collaborative, and ethical computing culture.

Educators: apcentral.collegeboard.org/courses/ap-computer-science-principles

Students: apstudent.collegeboard.org/courses/ap-computer-science-principles

AP Computer Science Principles End-of-Course Exam Structure

AP COMPUTER SCIENCE PRINCIPLES END-OF-COURSE

EXAM: 3 HOURS

Assessment Overview

The AP Computer Science Principles Exam assesses student

understanding of the computational thinking practices and learning

objectives outlined in the course framework. The exam consists of the

Create performance task and an end-of-course AP Exam. The Create

performance task requires at least 9 hours of dedicated class time for

students to complete. The end-of-course exam is 3 hours long and

includes 70 multiple-choice questions and four written response

prompts related to the Create performance task.

Format of Assessment

Section I: Multiple-choice | 70 Questions | 2 Hours |

70% of Exam Score

■

57 single-select multiple-choice questions.

■

5 single-select multiple-choice questions with reading passage

about a computing innovation.

■

8 multi-select multiple-choice questions.

Section II: 30% of Exam score | 9 hours in class |

1 hour on Exam day

■ Create performance task program code, video, and

Personalized Project Reference completed in class.

■ 4 written response prompts related to the Create

performance task on the end of course AP Exam.

Exam Components

Sample Multiple-Choice Questions

A digital photo file contains data representing the level of red,

green, and blue for each pixel in the photo. The file also contains

metadata that describe the date and geographic location where

the photo was taken. For which of the following goals would

analyzing the metadata be more appropriate than analyzing the

data?

(A) Determining the likelihood that the photo is a picture of the sky

(B) Determining the likelihood that the photo was taken at a

particular public event

(D) Determining the usability of the photo for projection onto a

particular color background

A certain computer has two identical processors that are able to run

in parallel. Each processor can run only one process at a time, and

each process must be executed on a single processor. The

following table indicates the amount of time it takes to execute each

of three processes on a single processor. Assume that none of the

processes are dependent on any of the other processes.

Which of the following best approximates the minimum possible

time to execute all three processes when the two processors are

run in parallel?

(A) 60 seconds

(B) 70 seconds

(D) 90 seconds

Create Performance Task

In the Create Performance Task, each student designs and implements a computer program that might solve a problem, enable innovation,

explore personal interests, or express creativity. Their final program code is accompanied by a video that displays the running of their program

♦ Students have the flexibility to write programs that reflect their interests, which allows them to engage in the study of computer science from

creative perspective. Students will provide evidence of their knowledge of important programming concepts, such as developing algorithms

and using abstractions. Students may choose to collaborate during the development of their program, but must submit independently created

videos of the program running as well as screen captures of program code for their Personalized Project Reference. Students

will

independently respond to prompts to demonstrate their understanding of their program, the data, algorithms and abstractions the program

uses, and how it will behave under different circumstances through responses to four exam day written response prompts. Students may

develop their program using a program language of their choice. The programming language selected should contain functionality that is

specified in the performance task. HTML is not an acceptable programming language for the Create Performance Task.

♦ The Student Handouts for the Create Performance Task can be accessed here.

and demonstrates functionality, as well as a student authored Personalized Project Reference Sheet to assist students in responding to four

written response prompts on exam day.