Informatics and Information-Communication Technologies
Informatics and ICT tests algorithms, programming, number systems, logic, spreadsheets, databases, networks, and basic cybersecurity. Tasks often require tracing code or converting between number bases rather than recalling definitions.
Core concepts
- Number systems: binary, decimal, hexadecimal; each binary digit is a power of 2.
- Algorithms: sequence, branching, loops; trace variables step by step.
- Programming: variables, data types, conditions, loops, functions; know 0-based indexing.
- Spreadsheets: formulas, relative and absolute references, functions such as SUM and AVERAGE.
- Networks and security: IP addressing, protocols, phishing, strong passwords.
Worked example
What does this Python code print? sum = 0; for i in range(1, 5): sum += i; print(sum). range(1, 5) produces 1, 2, 3, 4 - the stop value is excluded. The running total is 1+2+3+4=10, so the output is 10. Reasoning: list the loop values, then update the accumulator.
Traps
- Assuming range(1, 5) includes 5.
- Starting list indexing at 1 instead of 0.
- Confusing integer division // with ordinary division /.
- Copying a formula without checking relative versus absolute references.
- Treating a suspicious link as safe because it looks official.