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Do i have to learn Pseudocode for IGCSE Computer Science

Hey everyone,

I'm a private candidate who self studies, the only place for advice i have is the student room, so an answer to my question would be greatly appreciated.

I'm doing the programming section for CIE IGCSE Computer Science, i have noticed that on the specification section 2.1.2 it says "Candidates are advised to try out solutions to a variety of problems using a language of there choice; no particular programming language will be assumed" Does this mean i have to learn both Pseudocode and Python in the programming section or just one of them?
If you can answer the questions using 'a language of your choice', then it means exactly what it says - you can choose Python if you prefer, or you can choose some kind of psuedocode. Just pick whatever you feel most comfortable with.

Psuedocode isn't a real language - it's just a way of using simplified plain English to describe the flow of an algorithm. A lot of people just invent their own pseudocode, and usually write in a style which resembles whichever real programming language they're most familiar with.

The exam board might have their own style of pseudocode which actually appears in exam questions - so you might be asked to read some pseudocode - for example, a question which asks you to write a trace table, however if you're confident in any real programming language then reading and understanding pseudocode should be easy.
@winterscoming Thank you, that makes sense now. Are you studying computer science too, if so which exam board
Original post by winterscoming
If you can answer the questions using 'a language of your choice', then it means exactly what it says - you can choose Python if you prefer, or you can choose some kind of psuedocode. Just pick whatever you feel most comfortable with.

Psuedocode isn't a real language - it's just a way of using simplified plain English to describe the flow of an algorithm. A lot of people just invent their own pseudocode, and usually write in a style which resembles whichever real programming language they're most familiar with.

The exam board might have their own style of pseudocode which actually appears in exam questions - so you might be asked to read some pseudocode - for example, a question which asks you to write a trace table, however if you're confident in any real programming language then reading and understanding pseudocode should be easy.

where do you see "a language of your"?

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