Cameroon GCE O-Level Computer Science study plan

Label a blank diagram of the CPU with the ALU, control unit, registers (PC, MAR, MDR, CIR, accumulator) and describe in writing the fetch-decode-execute cycle in at least six ordered steps

Distinguish RAM from ROM, volatile from non-volatile, and cache from main memory by writing a one-page comparison table with at least five rows of differences

Classify ten given devices as input, output, or storage, and justify each classification in one sentence

Define the terms bit, byte, nibble, word, kilobyte, megabyte and gigabyte and convert at least eight values between these units without error

Convert at least fifteen numbers between binary, octal, decimal and hexadecimal in both directions and check every answer by reversing the conversion

Add and subtract eight pairs of 8-bit binary numbers using two's complement, identifying overflow correctly in each case

Encode and decode a short message of at least ten characters using ASCII codes, and state why Unicode is needed for non-English scripts

Complete a truth table for AND, OR, NOT, NAND, NOR and XOR gates, then derive the output of two combined-gate circuits described in words

Compare magnetic hard disks, solid-state drives and optical media on access speed, capacity, durability and cost per gigabyte in a table

Distinguish system software from application software by sorting fifteen named examples into the correct category with a one-line reason each

List the five core functions of an operating system (process management, memory management, file management, device management, user interface) and explain each in two sentences

Describe what each of these utilities does: disk defragmenter, backup tool, antivirus, compression tool and disk cleaner

Write, trace and dry-run three short programs using variables, assignment, input and output in a language of your choice, recording variable values after each line

Explain the difference between a compiler, an interpreter and an assembler with one advantage of each

Write pseudocode for at least six standard algorithms: sum of numbers, average, largest of three values, counting a loop, linear search and simple validation

Draw flowcharts using the correct symbols for sequence, selection and iteration, matching each of your six pseudocode solutions

Implement the same six algorithms as runnable programs using IF, CASE, FOR and WHILE constructs

Trace a given loop through at least eight iterations and state the final output without running the code, then verify by running it

Identify and correct at least five logic errors in short faulty code snippets, stating what each error causes

Define and use subprograms (procedures and functions) that accept parameters and return values, writing at least four of each

Explain the difference between passing parameters by value and by reference, and demonstrate both with a working example

Read from and write to a text file in your chosen language, performing append, read and overwrite operations

Write a program that validates user input using a loop, rejecting out-of-range and non-numeric entries

Break a 40-line program into at least three named subprograms and justify each split in one sentence

Define field, record, file, key field and database, and design a two-table database for a school library with correct primary and foreign keys

Write and run at least eight SQL statements covering SELECT, WHERE, ORDER BY, INSERT, UPDATE and DELETE, and one simple join

Explain data integrity, redundancy and validation rules, giving two concrete examples of each in a database context

Compare star, bus, ring and mesh topologies on cost, fault tolerance and ease of expansion in a table

Describe the roles of IP, TCP, HTTP, HTTPS, DNS and SMTP, and explain the difference between a LAN and a WAN

List three network security threats and one practical countermeasure for each, including firewalls and strong passwords

Explain how data travels from a browser to a web server, naming at least five stages and the protocol used at each

Describe three ICT applications in banking, education or health, and state one benefit and one limitation of each

Summarise the main provisions of a data protection law in your country regarding collection, storage and sharing of personal data

Identify five health and safety risks of computer use and the corrective measure for each, covering posture, screen distance, lighting, repetitive strain and eye strain

Explain two ethical issues such as software piracy and unauthorised access, and describe the legal or professional consequence of each

Outline two emerging technologies such as cloud computing and artificial intelligence, giving one realistic use and one risk for each

List the stages of the system development life cycle in order and state the main activity and one output of each stage

Distinguish unit, integration, system and acceptance testing, and design a test table with normal, boundary and erroneous data for one program

Write user documentation for your week 5 program covering installation, a quick-start guide and a troubleshooting section

Complete two full timed past-paper-style papers under exam conditions and mark them honestly

Review every wrong answer from your timed papers and write a corrected note for each, grouping errors by domain to spot weak areas