Informatics / Information Technology
Core concepts
Informatics tests digital literacy and basic computing concepts. Understand hardware and software components, operating system functions, file systems, and storage units (bit, byte, KB, MB, GB). Know number systems, especially binary, decimal, and hexadecimal conversions. Learn basic algorithms: sequence, selection, and iteration, plus flowcharts and pseudocode. Understand networks, the internet, IP addressing basics, and cybersecurity practices such as strong passwords, phishing awareness, and data backup. Spreadsheet and database concepts (rows, columns, records, fields) may also appear.
Traps
- Confusing bits and bytes (1 byte = 8 bits).
- Mixing up decimal and binary place values.
- Treating hardware and software categories as interchangeable.
- Forgetting that loop conditions must eventually become false.
- Overlooking security basics such as not sharing passwords.
Rule of thumb
To convert decimal to binary, repeatedly divide by 2 and read the remainders from bottom to top.
Worked example
Convert 13 to binary: 13 ÷ 2 = 6 remainder 1; 6 ÷ 2 = 3 remainder 0; 3 ÷ 2 = 1 remainder 1; 1 ÷ 2 = 0 remainder 1. Reading remainders upward gives 1101.