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AP Computer Science A Premium, 2024: 6 Practice Tests + Comprehensive Review (2024)

AP Computer Science A Premium, 2024: 6 Practice Tests + Comprehensive Review (2024) is the perfect certification guide to refine your knowledge and test your readiness before exam day.

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    THE TRUSTED NAME IN TEST PREP \ II I / \ I ® | A. NN \ I NAN h NN § \ | Lo) b 2 \ : \ ) a $ PRED &® STupENsS | Science A 1 ® 6 full-length practice tests with detailed answer explanations @® Online practice with a timed test option and scoring ® Comprehensive review and practice for all topics on the exam ® Expert tips plus Barron's “Essential 5” things you need to know Roselyn Teukolsky, M.S. ~‘- ONLINE PRACTICE AP@isa registered trademark of the College Board, which Is not affiliated with Barron's ("% and was not involved in the production of, and does not endorse, this product. + StudyXxy

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    Downloaded from StudyXY.com ® + StudyXY Sd Ye. o> \ | iF ’ pr E \ 3 S Stu dy Anything This ContentHas been Posted On StudyXY.com as supplementary learning material. StudyXY does not endrose any university, college or publisher. Allmaterials posted are under the liability of the contributors. wv 8) www.studyxy.com

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    Scan now = Led to access practice included with this book, or go to online.barronsbooks.com BARRON'S

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    Acknowledgments Many people helped in the creation of this book. I would like to thank my incredible editor, Samantha Karasik, for her expertise and assurance in taking the reins of the project. Thanks also to Megan Buckman, Christine Ricketts, Jeff Batzli, Alison Maresca, Jalisa Valladares, Mandy Luk, and all the other members of the Kaplan staff who worked on the production of the book and online tests. I am most grateful to my former editors, Linda Turner and Annie Bernberg, for their friendly guidance and moral support over the years. A very special thank you to Sage Miller for her careful reading of the manuscript and her valuable suggestions. Thanks also to Judy Hromcik and Richard Kick for their contributions over the years. My husband, Saul, continues to be my partner in this project—typesetting the manuscript, producing the figures, and giving advice and moral support. Thank you to the computer science teachers who taught AP Computer Science during the pandemic under very difficult circumstances. This book is dedicated to you.

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    AP® is a registered trademark of the College Board, which is not affiliated with Barron’s and was not involved in the production of, and does not endorse, this product. © Copyright 2023, 2022, 2020, 2018, 2015, 2013, 2010 by Kaplan North America, LLC, d/b/a Barron’s Educational Series Previous editions © Copyright 2007 under the title AP Computer Science Levels A and AB, 2003 under the title How to Prepare for the AP Computer Science Advanced Placement Examination, JAVA Version, and 2001 under the title How to Prepare for the AP Computer Science Advanced Placement Examination by Kaplan North America, LLC, d/b/a Barron's Educational Series. All rights reserved under International and Pan-American Copyright Conventions. By payment of the required fees, you have been granted the non-exclusive, non-transferable right to access and read the text of this eBook on screen. No part of this text may be reproduced, transmitted, downloaded, decompiled, reverse engineered, or stored in or introduced into any information storage and retrieval system, in any form or by any means, whether electronic or mechanical, now known or hereinafter invented, without the express written permission of the publisher. Published by Kaplan North America, LLC, d/b/a Barron’s Educational Series 1515 W. Cypress Creek Road Fort Lauderdale, FL. 33309 www.barronseduc.com ISBN: 978-1-5062-8792-8 10987654321 Kaplan North America, LLC, d/b/a Barron’s Educational Series print books are available at special quantity discounts to use for sales promotions, employee premiums, or educational purposes. For more information or to purchase books, please call the Simon & Schuster special sales department at 866- 506-1949. I~ StudyXY

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    About the Author Roselyn Teukolsky has an M.S. degree from Cornell University, and has been teaching programming and computer science since 1980. She has published articles in The Mathematics Teacher and in the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics Yearbook, and is the author of Barron’s ACT Math and Science Workbook and co-author of Barron’s SAT 1600: Aiming for the Perfect Score. The awards she has received include the Edyth May Sliffe Award for Distinguished Mathematics Teaching and the Alfred Kalfus Distinguished Coach Award from the New York State Math League (NYSML). For several years, Ms. Teukolsky served as a Reader for AP Computer Science. Ms. Teukolsky started teaching AP Computer Science when the programming language was Pascal, the first language used for the exam. By the time she wrote this book (in 1997), software development was moving toward object-oriented programming and the language of the AP exam had switched to C++. In 2004 the language of the exam changed yet again, to Java. For more than 20 years, Ms. Teukolsky has kept this book—in its many incarnations—up to date.

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    Table of Contents How to Use This Book Barron’s Essential 5 Introduction Diagnostic Test Section I Section IT Answer Key (Section I) Diagnostic Chart Answer Explanations 1 Tips for Taking the Exam Tips for the Multiple-Choice Section What Is Tested? Time Management Guessing The Java Quick Reference An Active Pencil Troubleshooting—What’s Wrong with This Code? Loop Tracing Java Exceptions Matrix Manipulation Comparing Algorithms Mechanics of Answering Multiple-Choice Questions Tips for the Free-Response Section What Is the Format? What Is Tested? What Types of Questions Might Be Asked? Skill Focus in Free-Response Questions The Java Quick Reference Time Management Grading the Free-Response Questions Writing Code Maximizing Your Score

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    2 Introductory Java Language Features Packages and Classes Javadoc Comments Types and Identifiers Identifiers Built-in Types Storage of Numbers Hexadecimal and Octal Numbers Final Variables Operators Arithmetic Operators Relational Operators Logical Operators Assignment Operators Increment and Decrement Operators Operator Precedence Input/Output Input Output Escape Sequences Control Structures Decision-Making Control Structures Iteration Errors and Exceptions Multiple-Choice Questions on Introductory Java Language Features Answer Key Answer Explanations 3 Classes and Objects Objects Classes Public, Private, and Static Methods Headers Types of Methods Method Overloading Scope The this Keyword References Reference vs. Primitive Data Types The Null Reference Method Parameters Multiple-Choice Questions on Classes and Objects Answer Key Answer Explanations

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    4 Inheritance and Polymorphism Inheritance Superclass and Subclass Inheritance Hierarchy Implementing Subclasses Declaring Subclass Objects Polymorphism Dynamic Binding (Late Binding) Using super in a Subclass Type Compatibility Downcasting Abstract Classes Interfaces Multiple-Choice Questions on Inheritance and Polymorphism Answer Key Answer Explanations 5 Some Standard Classes The object Class The Universal Superclass Methods in object The string Class string Objects Constructing String Objects The Concatenation Operator Comparison of string Objects Other string Methods Special Emphasis Wrapper Classes The Integer Class The bouble Class Autoboxing and Unboxing The Math Class Random Numbers Multiple-Choice Questions on Some Standard Classes Answer Key Answer Explanations 6 Program Design and Analysis Software Development Program Specification Program Design Program Implementation Testing and Debugging Program Maintenance Object-Oriented Program Design

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    Identifying Classes Identifying Behaviors Determining Relationships Between Classes UML Diagrams Implementing Classes Implementing Methods Vocabulary Summary Program Analysis Program Correctness Assertions Efficiency Multiple-Choice Questions on Program Design and Analysis Answer Key Answer Explanations 7 Arrays and Array Lists One-Dimensional Arrays Initialization Length of Array Traversing a One-Dimensional Array Arrays as Parameters Array Variables in a Class Array of Class Objects Analyzing Array Algorithms Array Lists The ArrayList Class The Methods of ArrayList<g> Autoboxing and Unboxing Using ArrayList<e> Two-Dimensional Arrays Declarations Matrix as Array of Row Arrays Processing a Two-Dimensional Array Two-Dimensional Array as Parameter Multiple-Choice Questions on Arrays and Array Lists Answer Key Answer Explanations 8 Recursion Recursive Methods General Form of Simple Recursive Methods Writing Recursive Methods Analysis of Recursive Methods Sorting Algorithms That Use Recursion Recursive Helper Methods Recursion in Two-Dimensional Grids

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    Sample Free-Response Question 1 Sample Free-Response Question 2 Multiple-Choice Questions on Recursion Answer Key Answer Explanations 9 Sorting and Searching Sorts: Selection and Insertion Sorts Selection Sort Insertion Sort Recursive Sorts: Merge Sort and Quicksort Merge Sort Quicksort Sorting Algorithms in Java Sequential Search Binary Search Analysis of Binary Search Multiple-Choice Questions on Sorting and Searching Answer Key Answer Explanations PRACTICE TESTS Practice Test 1 Section I Section IT Answer Key (Section I) Answer Explanations Practice Test 2 Section I Section IT Answer Key (Section I) Answer Explanations Appendix: Glossary of Useful Computer Terms

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    . How to Use This Book Introduction The introduction to this book provides an overview of the format and content of the AP Computer Science A exam. Diagnostic Test The full-length practice test at the start of this book serves as a diagnostic test. It is accompanied by a diagnostic chart that identifies the topic related to each multiple-choice question and the page in the review chapters that discusses that topic. Detailed answer explanations are provided for all multiple-choice questions, and complete solutions and scoring rubrics are supplied for the free-response questions. You can also use this test as a practice test once you have completed your review. Review and Practice Chapter 1 features tips and advice for tackling the multiple-choice and free- response questions on the exam. Chapters 2 through 9 each contain a comprehensive review of a topic, multiple-choice practice questions that test your understanding of that topic, and detailed answer explanations for all questions. These questions are designed to help you review parts of the Java subset you should know for test day. A few questions are not typical AP exam questions—for example, questions that test low-level details of syntax. Most of these practice questions, however, and all the multiple-choice questions in the diagnostic and practice tests are representative of actual exam questions. Note that several groups of these practice questions are preceded by a single piece of code to which the questions refer. Be aware that the AP exam will usually restrict the number of questions per code example to two.

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    In both the text and questions/explanations, a special code font is used for parts of the text that are Java code. //This is an example of code font A different font is used for pseudocode. < Here is pseudocode font. > All features of Java that are likely to be tested on the AP exam are covered in this book, including arrays, two-dimensional arrays, strings, list processing, and inheritance in object-oriented programming. A small number of optional topics that are not part of the AP Java subset are included because they are useful for the free-response questions. Sections in the review text and multiple-choice questions that are optional topics are clearly marked as such. Practice Tests This book concludes with two full-length practice tests that mirror the actual exam in format and content. Each test is followed by an answer key and detailed explanations for the multiple-choice questions and complete solutions and scoring rubrics for the free-response questions. Once you complete a test, you may wish to calculate your approximate AP score. Use the scoring worksheet provided on the back of the answer sheet. Online Practice There are three additional full-length practice tests online. You may take these tests in practice (untimed) mode or in timed mode. All multiple-choice questions are accompanied by detailed answer explanations, and there are complete solutions and scoring rubrics for the free-response questions. For Students This book is designed to prepare you for the AP Computer Science A exam. + StudyXY

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    It would typically be used upon completion of an AP course. However, since it contains a complete summary of all exam topics, you can use it for self- study throughout the school year, along with a suitable textbook. You can also use this book as a supplement to a first-semester college course where Java is the programming language. Before the AP exam, study the tips in Chapter 1 and attempt as many of the practice tests as you can. Be sure to check out the appendix at the end of the book, which provides a glossary of useful computer terms that occasionally appear on the exam. One final hint: try the questions before you peek at the answers. Best of luck on exam day! For Teachers This book covers the course and exam format outlined in the latest AP Computer Science A Course and Exam Description. It provides a review of object-oriented programming, algorithm analysis, and data structures. You can use this book as a resource in a high school class or an introductory college course, or you can assign practice questions as homework or test material.

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    bd BARRON’S ESSENTIAL 5 As you review the content in this book to work toward earning that 5 on your AP COMPUTER SCIENCE A exam, here are five things that you MUST know above everything else: Learn the basics. These are presented in Chapter 2. Every AP exam question uses these features. On the exam, free- response Question 1 will likely focus on control structures. Be familiar with: m Identifiers: Rules for naming variables and methods m Types: Primitive or built-in types versus reference types m Operators: Arithmetic, relational, logical, assignment, and increment and decrement m Control structures: conditionals with if and if. else, for loops, enhanced for loops, while loops, and nested loops Understand strings. The String class is featured near the beginning of Chapter 5. You must be able to manipulate strings, which are sprinkled throughout the multiple-choice section of the AP exam, and will be featured in at least one free-response question. Be familiar with: m Constructing String objects m Concatenation of strings using the + operator m Comparison of strings

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