5 Steps to a 5: AP Computer Science Principles 2023 Elite Student Edition

by Julie Schacht Sway

Overview

AP Teachers’ #1 Choice!

Ready to succeed in your AP course and ace your exam? Our 5 Steps to a 5 guides explain the tough stuff, offer tons of practice and explanations, and help you make the most efficient use of your study time. 5 Steps to a 5: AP Computer Science Principles Elite is more than a review guide, it’s a system that has helped thousands of students walk into test day feeling prepared and confident.

Everything you Need for a 5:

• 3 full-length practice tests that align with the latest College Board requirements
• Hundreds of practice exercises with answer explanations
• Comprehensive overview of all test topics
• Proven strategies from seasoned AP educators

Why the Elite edition?

• 200+ pages of additional AP content
• 5-minute daily activities to reinforce critical AP concepts
• AP educators love this feature for bellringers in the classroom!

Study on the Go:

• All instructional content in digital format (for both computers and mobile devices)
• Interactive practice tests with answer explanations
• A self-guided study plan with daily goals, powerful analytics, flashcards, games, and more

A Great In-class Supplement:

• 5 Steps is an ideal companion to your main AP text
• Includes an AP Computer Science Principles Teacher’s Manual that offers excellent guidance to educators for better use of the 5 Steps resources

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781264437054
Publisher:	McGraw Hill LLC
Publication date:	08/25/2022
Pages:	464
Product dimensions:	8.40(w) x 10.70(h) x 1.00(d)

About the Author

Julie Schacht Sway serves as the Technology Department Chair and Education Technology and Innovation Director at a K-12 independent school, and serves as an AP reader for Computer Science Principles. She teaches AP Computer Science Principles, AP Computer Science A, and other programming classes to high school students.

Table of Contents

Preface vii

About the Author ix

Introduction: The Five-Step Preparation Program xi

Step 1 Set Up Your Study Program

1 What You Need to Know About the AP Computer Science Principles Assessment 3

The Basics 4

What's on the Exam? 5

Taking the AP Exam 7

2 Planning Your Time 9

Three Approaches to Preparing for the AP Computer Science Principles Assessment 10

Planning for the Performance Task 11

Calendar: The Three Plans Compared 12

Step 2 Determine Your Test Readiness

3 Take a Diagnostic Exam 15

How to Take the Diagnostic Test 16

AP Computer Science Principles: Diagnostic Test (Multiple-Choice Questions) 19

Answers and Explanations 29

Analyzing Your Performance on the Diagnostic Test 34

Step 3 Develop Strategies for Success

4 Strategies to Help You Do Your Best on the Exam and Create Performance Task 37

Strategies and Tips for the Multiple-Choice Exam 38

Strategies for the Performance Task 39

Step 4 Review the Knowledge You Need to Score High

5 The Create Performance Task 45

Create Performance Task: The Basics 46

The Create Performance Task 46

Submitting Your Performance Task to the College Board 55

Rapid Review 56

6 The Explore Curricular Requirement 57

Explore Curricular Requirement: The Basics 58

Analyzing a Stimulus Question 60

Stimulus Practice Questions 62

Answers and Explanations 64

Big Idea 1

7 Creative Development 65

Creativity in Computer Science 66

Computing Innovations 66

Collaboration 67

Development Process 68

Review Questions 75

Answers and Explanations 76

Rapid Review 77

Big Idea 2

8 Data 79

Number Systems 80

Binary Number Conversions 81

How Binary Numbers Can Be Interpreted 84

Data Compression: Lossless and Lossy 86

Processing Data to Get Information 87

Metadata 89

Review Questions 91

Answers and Explanations 94

Rapid Review 95

Big Idea 3

9 Algorithms and Programming 97

Algorithms: The Building Blocks of Programming 98

Foundations of Computer Programming 100

Data Types 101

Program Statements 106

Combining Algorithms 112

Lists 115

Searching 119

Procedures 121

Simulations 125

Analyzing Algorithms 125

Review Questions 127

Answers and Explanations 132

Rapid Review 134

Big Idea 4

10 Computing Systems and Networks 137

Computing Systems 138

How the Internet Works 138

Types of Processing 141

Review Questions 142

Answers and Explanations 144

Rapid Review 145

Big Idea 5

11 Impact of Computing 147

New Ways to Communicate and Interact 148

Access to Information 150

Legal and Ethical Concerns 152

Personally Identifiable Information (PII) 154

Protecting Our Data 156

Review Questions 159

Answers and Explanations 160

Rapid Review 161

Step 5 Build Your Test-Taking Confidence

AP Computer Science Principles Practice Exam 1 165

AP Computer Science Principles: Practice Exam 1 (Multiple-Choice Questions) 167

Answers and Explanations 184

Analyzing Your Performance on Practice Exam 1 189

AP Computer Science Principles Practice Exam 2 191

AP Computer Science Principles: Practice Exam 2 (Multiple-Choice Questions) 193

Answers and Explanations 206

Analyzing Your Performance on Practice Exam 2 211

Elite Student Edition

5 Minutes to a 5

180 Activities and Questions in 5 Minutes a Day 213

Appendix

AP Computer Science Principles Exam Reference Sheet 439

Glossary 447