Software
Compiler/interpreter/assembler, machine code & assembly, IDE features.
Paper 1 · Unit 1 · Topic 1
Data representation
Number systems, binary & hexadecimal, two's complement, character/sound/image encoding, units of storage and data compression.
Number systems
IG-L1-01Number Systems & Binary
Why computers use binary, and converting binary ↔ denary.
IG-L1-02Denary → Binary & Hexadecimal
Converting both ways; nibbles and the uses of hex.
IG-L1-03Binary Addition, Shifts & Two's Complement
8-bit addition & overflow, logical shifts, negative numbers.
Text, sound, images & storage
IG-L1-04Character Sets, Sound & Images
ASCII/Unicode; sampling; resolution & colour depth.
IG-L1-05Storage Units & File-Size Calculations
KiB/MiB/GiB and image & sound file sizes.
IG-L1-06Data Compression — Lossy, Lossless & RLE
Why we compress, and run-length encoding worked through.
Paper 1 · Unit 2 · Topic 2
Data transmission
Packets & packet switching, serial/parallel & duplex modes, error detection (parity, checksum, check digits, ARQ) and encryption.
Moving data
IG-L2-01Data Packets & Packet Switching
Packet structure (header/payload/trailer) and how routers route them.
IG-L2-02Serial, Parallel & Duplex Transmission
Serial vs parallel, simplex/half/full-duplex, and USB.
Error detection & encryption
IG-L2-03Error Detection — Parity & Checksum
Parity checks, parity blocks, checksum and echo check.
IG-L2-04Check Digits & ARQ
ISBN-13 check digits and Automatic Repeat reQuests.
IG-L2-05Encryption — Symmetric & Asymmetric
Plaintext/ciphertext, shared keys and public/private key pairs.
Paper 1 · Unit 3 · Topic 3
Hardware
The CPU & von Neumann architecture, the fetch–decode–execute cycle, performance & embedded systems, I/O devices, storage and network hardware.
Computer architecture
IG-L3-01The CPU & Von Neumann Architecture
CU, ALU, registers and the three buses.
IG-L3-02The Fetch–Decode–Execute Cycle
How the CPU runs each instruction, register by register.
IG-L3-03CPU Performance & Embedded Systems
Clock speed, cores, cache; embedded systems.
Devices, storage & networks
IG-L3-04Input & Output Devices
Common I/O devices, sensors and actuators.
IG-L3-05Primary & Secondary Storage
RAM/ROM, magnetic/optical/solid-state, virtual memory, cloud.
IG-L3-06Network Hardware
NIC, MAC address, IP address and routers.
Paper 1 · Unit 4 · Topic 4
Software
System vs application software, the OS, interrupts, translators and IDEs.
Lessons
Paper 1 · Unit 5 · Topic 5
The internet and its uses
The internet vs the WWW, DNS, digital currency & blockchain, and cyber security.
Lessons
The internet and its uses
HTTP/HTTPS, cookies, blockchain, threats and the keeping-data-safe solutions.
Paper 1 · Unit 6 · Topic 6
Automated and emerging technologies
Automated systems, robotics and artificial intelligence.
Lessons
Automated and emerging technologies
Sensors→microprocessor→actuators, robot characteristics, expert systems & machine learning.
Paper 2 · Unit 7 · Topic 7
Algorithm design & problem solving
The development life cycle, decomposition, standard methods, validation, test data and trace tables.
Lessons
Algorithm design & problem solving
Pseudocode & flowcharts, linear search, bubble sort, dry-runs and fixing errors.
Paper 2 · Unit 8 · Topic 8
Programming
Data types, the three constructs, operators, strings, procedures & functions, arrays and file handling.
Lessons
Programming
Cambridge pseudocode + IDLE-style Python, 1-D/2-D arrays and reading/writing files.
Paper 2 · Unit 9 · Topic 9
Databases
Single-table databases, primary keys and SQL.
Lessons
Databases
SELECT, FROM, WHERE, ORDER BY, SUM, COUNT on a single table (no joins).
Paper 2 · Unit 10 · Topic 10
Boolean logic
The six logic gates, logic circuits, logic expressions and truth tables.
Lessons
Boolean logic
NOT, AND, OR, NAND, NOR, XOR — build circuits and complete truth tables.