HKDSE ICT study plan

Map the HKDSE ICT paper structure and mark allocation, then write a one-page table converting each of the six domains into the question types it typically appears as

Convert between binary, denary and hexadecimal by hand for 20 numbers, and perform two's complement subtraction for 10 pairs without a calculator

Explain the data-information-knowledge hierarchy using three original examples drawn from a Hong Kong school or retail setting

Describe the functions of CPU, main memory, secondary storage and input/output devices, and label them on a block diagram you draw from memory

Distinguish RAM from ROM, volatile from non-volatile, and cache from main memory in a written comparison table of at least six rows

Compare magnetic, optical and solid-state storage on capacity, access speed, durability and cost per gigabyte in a table with at least four criteria

Trace the fetch-decode-execute cycle step by step for a simple two-instruction program, naming the registers involved

Classify 15 given software titles as system or application software and justify each classification in one sentence

Explain how data is represented for text (ASCII, Unicode), images (bitmap resolution and colour depth) and sound (sampling rate and bit depth), and calculate file sizes for one example of each

Describe three types of utility software and one scenario where each is essential

Explain operating system roles: process scheduling, memory management, file management and device management, with one concrete example per role

Distinguish interrupt handling from polling, and describe what happens when a printer interrupt arrives during CPU execution

Describe the purpose of compilers, interpreters and assemblers, and state one advantage of each for a named use case

Identify five causes of data loss or corruption and match each to a specific preventive measure

Practise 15 multiple-choice items on data representation and system fundamentals under timed conditions

Explain how data travels across a packet-switched network, naming router, switch, gateway and firewall roles in the path

Compare LAN, WAN, intranet and the internet on scope, ownership and typical hardware in a four-row table

Describe the request-response flow of HTTP: resolve a URL through DNS, open a TCP connection, send the request, receive the status code and render the page

Distinguish IPv4 from IPv6 on address length, address space and one practical consequence for Hong Kong broadband users

Explain symmetric versus asymmetric encryption and identify where each fits in HTTPS and in email security

Describe five internet services (email, instant messaging, VoIP, video streaming, cloud storage) and state the protocol or underlying technology each relies on

Explain how search engines crawl, index and rank pages, and identify two factors that raise a page's ranking

Analyse three named internet risks (phishing, malware distribution, man-in-the-middle attack) and match each to a specific countermeasure

Describe the safeguards available to a Hong Kong user under the Personal Data (Privacy) Data Protection Principles, focusing on purpose limitation and data security

Evaluate one cloud service decision (storing school records in a public cloud) listing two benefits and two risks

Write pseudocode using sequence, selection and iteration to solve three problems: grade assignment, sum of even numbers, and a simple menu loop

Trace a given 15-line pseudocode segment containing a nested loop and record the final value of every variable in a trace table

Convert pseudocode into a working program in one language of your choice and run it to confirm the trace table is correct

Explain the difference between a syntax error, a runtime error and a logic error, and give one original example of each

Design test data covering normal, boundary and erroneous cases for a program that validates an age between 1 and 120

Decompose a problem into sub-programs and write two functions that accept parameters and return values, with one worked example of parameter passing

Explain the purpose of arrays and perform a linear search and a bubble sort on a six-element array by hand, showing every pass

Describe how algorithms are compared on correctness and efficiency, using step count for a linear search versus a binary search on 1,000 items

Discuss two social implications of automation and artificial intelligence on employment in Hong Kong, giving an argument for each side

Analyse two ethical issues in computing (data privacy, intellectual property and software piracy) and state the relevant legal or policy response in Hong Kong

Describe three emerging technologies (artificial intelligence and machine learning, Internet of Things, blockchain) and state one realistic application and one limitation for each

Explain how a named technology such as contactless payment or telemedicine changes the daily life of a Hong Kong resident, covering convenience, cost and privacy

Evaluate the digital divide in Hong Kong, identifying two affected groups and two measures that narrow the gap

Synthesise all six domains into a personal one-page summary sheet of formulas, definitions and comparison tables

Complete a full timed mock paper under exam conditions and classify every error by domain