About Algorithms and software development in A Level Computer Science
Algorithms and software development is one of the 10 main topics in our A Level Computer Science (Cambridge (CAIE) 9618) question bank, and about 10% of its real questions come from it. Tayyari Karo has 118 real questions on this topic from 2021 to 2026, from Paper 1, Paper 2, Paper 3, Paper 4. By difficulty: 51 medium, 39 easy, 28 hard.
Work through the questions below, then open the explanation for each one. Redo the ones you missed a few days later.
Try 8 real questions
These are real past-paper questions. Think of your answer first, then open the explanation.
May/June 2026 · Paper 2 · Algorithms and software development
A business operates five call centres; the software in each is to be replaced by a new system developed by a software company. (a) The analysis stage included a feasibility study. State three other activities carried out during the analysis stage. [3]
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Any three: investigate the current system (or other similar systems); discussion/interviews with managers; discussion/interviews with staff who operate the system; carry out a survey/focus group of employees/customers; observe the current system in use; produce the requirements specification; decide on the (program development) life cycle to be used.
Analysis involves fact-finding and producing the requirements specification.
October/November 2025 · Paper 1 · Algorithms and software development
State two features of an Integrated Development Environment (IDE).
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1. Prettyprint
2. Expanding and collapsing code blocks
Two IDE features listed.
October/November 2025 · Paper 4 · Algorithms and software development
Test your program with inputs: 528, 1128, 1828, 1062, 39. Take screenshot.
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Screenshot showing: 528→permission, 1128→peace, 1828→precedent, 1062→up, 39→Not found.
Two marks for correct screenshot.
May/June 2024 · Paper 3 · Algorithms and software development
(a) State a condition that must be true for an array to be searchable for a binary search.
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The elements are sorted according to the compare function / in ascending/descending order.
1 mark.
May/June 2023 · Paper 2 · Algorithms and software development
(b) Customers receive points depending on the amount they spend:
Band 1: Less than $10 → 5 per whole dollar
Band 2: Between $10 and $100 inclusive → 7 per whole dollar
Band 3: Over $100 → 10 per whole dollar
Apply stepwise refinement. Structure your algorithm into five steps.
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1. Reference to the use of constants or variables for the two threshold values of 10 and 100 / Input amount spent (by customer and store in a numeric variable)
2. Work out one band that amount maps to
3. Work out all bands that amount maps to
4. Calculate rounded value of amount / whole number part of amount
5. Calculate the points by multiplying the (rounded) amount by the appropriate value for appropriate band / all bands
6. Output the number of points
Note: Max 5 from available points.
5 marks: 1 for each reference to max 5.
October/November 2023 · Paper 1 · Algorithms and software development
(c)(i) State two features of an IDE that assist with code formatting.
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• Prettyprint
• Expand/collapse code blocks
• Auto indentation / formatting
2 marks: 1 for each bullet point to max 2.
October/November 2022 · Paper 3 · Algorithms and software development
(b)(i) State the Big O notation for time complexity of a linear search.
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O(n)
1 mark.
May/June 2021 · Paper 3 · Algorithms and software development
(a) State two factors that may affect the performance of a sorting algorithm.
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• The initial order of the data
• The number of data items to be sorted
• The efficiency of the sorting algorithm
2 marks: one mark for each correct marking point (max 2).
