5. Programming

You need to have an understanding of the following:

  • the use of variables, constants, operators, inputs, outputs and assignments

  • the use of the three basic programming constructs used to control the flow of a program:
    • sequence
    • selection
    • iteration (count and condition controlled loops)
  • the use of basic string manipulation
  • the use of basic file handling operations
    • open
    • read
    • write
    • close
  • the use of records to store data
  • the use of SQL to search for data
  • the use of arrays (or equivalent) when solving problems, including both one and two dimensional arrays
  • how to use sub programs (functions and procedures) to produce structured code
  • the use of data types:
    • integer
    • real
    • Boolean
    • character and string
    • casting
  • the common arithmetic operators
  • the common Boolean operators