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National 5 Computing Science 2019/2020

This is a forum for all of the students undertaking Computing Science at National 5 level for the 2019/2020 session.

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My teacher has not started doing any theory as he thinks we will forget it. So we are just coding. I want to improve/ study at home but I don't what to do.
Sorry for not replying sooner: I'm an occasional visitor here.

The current textbook by Walsh & Paterson has good coverage of all the theory they think you will need to know - and I'm not going to disagree with them! Walsh's first edition is still pretty good, and very cheap second hand, but includes a lot of theory that's since been removed from the course, plus loads of programming examples in languages nobody is ever going to use again: The second edition is much improved.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/1510426949
Leckie & Leckie's "Success Guide", which is a more concise guide to the course, is also now into its second edition.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/000828184X

But what I'm seeing with pupils across several Fife schools is that they really don't know how to code - which is going to make the assessment quite a bit more difficult than it ought to be. For those doing Python, I'm having to go right back to the beginning with Chris Roffey's "Coding Club" books, starting with "Python Basics". And I'm wondering what on earth they've been doing in class if they don't know how to write a "Hello world!" programme? What you're learning with coding isn't just how to write code, but also how to start thinking in a way that makes coding straightforward. And that kind of thinking is also what the May exam is testing.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/1107658551
I'm hoping Greg Reid's new book, "How to code in Python", will also prove useful: It's due to be published on 28 Feb, and my copy is already ordered. I used a lot of Greg's material in school, when he was still teaching in Fife and I was still a student only learning to teach.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/1510461825


For general background, some viewing I've found useful ...

BBC Horizon - Now the Chips are Down (1978)
https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/p01z4rrj/horizon-19771978-now-the-chips-are-down
This programme looked at computing technology at the time, and asked some hard questions about the state of computing in Britain - prompting a national debate that would kick-start computing education in UK schools. I personally saw some of the first results of this, helping to unpack a brand new BBC Micro computer with a 2-digit serial number!
Reply 3
How did the prelim in Computing Science go for everyone? I passed it with an A at 74%, I was expecting worse (like a C band 5 or a B Band 4), so I am happy with my result and somehow it was the best score out of all of my prelims, very unexpected haha :biggrin: (Only 3 people in my class passed the prelim, yikes :s-smilie:)
Original post by Voaly
How did the prelim in Computing Science go for everyone? I passed it with an A at 74%, I was expecting worse (like a C band 5 or a B Band 4), so I am happy with my result and somehow it was the best score out of all of my prelims, very unexpected haha :biggrin: (Only 3 people in my class passed the prelim, yikes :s-smilie:)


I got 67% in mine. there is only 10 of us downing N5 and 15 in whole class! I got 3rd highest in class. but a few failed it.
Reply 5
Original post by Lilyeve1
I got 67% in mine. there is only 10 of us downing N5 and 15 in whole class! I got 3rd highest in class. but a few failed it.

That's an amazing score haha, I'm positive that will turn into an A in the exam, so be proud of your score. :smile: Nobody in my class got a B, my friend and I got an A, someone got a C, and only 6 out of 20 people are doing National 5 in my class!
how's everyone assignments going? i just started mine last week
Reply 7
Great so far, I just finished the database part and I’m only an hour in. :smile:
I already passed my nat 5 computing with A last year but wanted to wish yous luck with assignment and exam :smile:
I'm on the coding stuff. I'm finding it hard.
Reply 10
I got 64% in my prelim and I was the only one that passed it from my class, think there's only 5 of us out of 30 getting to sit the exam
Reply 11
does anyone know what the programming is like for the assignment. Because i start it tomorrow and we haven't done much programming this year.
Original post by Lilyeve1
how's everyone assignments going? i just started mine last week

honestly it's going horrible. i can't figure out anything for the Software Design and Development (the language i'm doing is p
Python) and that's the section that's worth the most marks. the other 2 sections went fine but i know that i'm gonna have to work really really hard for the final exam to bring my grade up. i got an A on my prelim tho (god knows how i did that bless my life) so let's hope for the best...good luck everyone.
Original post by anisha211
honestly it's going horrible. i can't figure out anything for the Software Design and Development (the language i'm doing is p
Python) and that's the section that's worth the most marks. the other 2 sections went fine but i know that i'm gonna have to work really really hard for the final exam to bring my grade up. i got an A on my prelim tho (god knows how i did that bless my life) so let's hope for the best...good luck everyone.


yeah, it is. I found the past years ones alot esayier. it freaking me out.
Original post by ReduxGB
does anyone know what the programming is like for the assignment. Because i start it tomorrow and we haven't done much programming this year.

the program it self is 15 marks and the whole task is 25
Reply 15
Original post by Lilyeve1
how's everyone assignments going? i just started mine last week

I start mines tomorrow, but we haven't even covered any of the Database stuff so it probably won't go great
Original post by Kubsyy
Oh that’s nice, I was learning Python too for computing however in my school we had to visual basic, therefore I was quite stuck but nice :smile:.



Oh wow that’s quite bad - I had a teacher who wasn’t teaching. I don’t know how it will be in higher but on BBC bitesize standard algorithms for higher are: find min, max (self-explanatory), linear search (Idk what is that), count occurences (Also idk what is that) and input validation.

Hi Kubsyy, or anyone else who is also sound , can any of you geniuses check my code thanks guysss
i have assignment tommorow that whyyy


import random


how_many = int(input('How many items: '))
jins = 0
tons = 0
roberts = 0

for counter in range(how_many):
name = input('Name: ')


if name == 'jin':
jins = toms + 1

elif name == 'tom':
tons = tons + 1
else:
roberts = roberts +1

random_number = random.randrange(1, 101)

if random_number < 11 and random_number > 0:
print("text")

elif random_number < 71 and random_number > 10:
print("text")

elif random_number <11 and random_number > 0:
print("text")

else:
roberts = 0

print(random_number)
print('jins: ', jins)
print('tons: ', tons)
print('roberts: ', roberts)
Original post by judese04
Hi Kubsyy, or anyone else who is also sound , can any of you geniuses check my code thanks guysss
i have assignment tommorow that whyyy


import random


how_many = int(input('How many items: ':wink:)
jins = 0
tons = 0
roberts = 0

for counter in range(how_many):
name = input('Name: ':wink:


if name == 'jin':
jins = toms + 1

elif name == 'tom':
tons = tons + 1
else:
roberts = roberts +1

random_number = random.randrange(1, 101)

if random_number < 11 and random_number > 0:
print("text":wink:

elif random_number < 71 and random_number > 10:
print("text":wink:

elif random_number <11 and random_number > 0:
print("text":wink:

else:
roberts = 0

print(random_number)
print('jins: ', jins)
print('tons: ', tons)
print('roberts: ', roberts)

:wavey:

Have moved this into this year's thready (though unfortunately can't help cause didn't do computing). Hope that your assignment goes well today :smile:
Original post by judese04
Hi Kubsyy, or anyone else who is also sound , can any of you geniuses check my code thanks guysss
i have assignment tommorow that whyyy


import random


how_many = int(input('How many items: '))
jins = 0
tons = 0
roberts = 0

for counter in range(how_many):
name = input('Name: ')


if name == 'jin':
jins = toms + 1

elif name == 'tom':
tons = tons + 1
else:
roberts = roberts +1

random_number = random.randrange(1, 101)

if random_number < 11 and random_number > 0:
print("text")

elif random_number < 71 and random_number > 10:
print("text")

elif random_number <11 and random_number > 0:
print("text")

else:
roberts = 0

print(random_number)
print('jins: ', jins)
print('tons: ', tons)
print('roberts: ', roberts)


Hi, sorry for response :smile:

I don’t know what the task is about but the code looks good. You should put the variables before the „how_many” just a wee suggestion :smile:. And also remember to include comments on what are you trying to do in your code as you get marks for readability.

Also you got an error in „jins = toms + 1” it should be „jins = jins + 1” so it matches other running total

Hope it helps :smile:
Reply 19
Original post by judese04
Hi Kubsyy, or anyone else who is also sound , can any of you geniuses check my code thanks guysss
i have assignment tommorow that whyyy


import random


how_many = int(input('How many items: '))
jins = 0
tons = 0
roberts = 0

for counter in range(how_many):
name = input('Name: ')


if name == 'jin':
jins = toms + 1

elif name == 'tom':
tons = tons + 1
else:
roberts = roberts +1

random_number = random.randrange(1, 101)

if random_number < 11 and random_number > 0:
print("text")

elif random_number < 71 and random_number > 10:
print("text")

elif random_number <11 and random_number > 0:
print("text")

else:
roberts = 0

print(random_number)
print('jins: ', jins)
print('tons: ', tons)
print('roberts: ', roberts)

The programming task isn’t actually too bad, just make sure to use arrays and know how to make the program choose a random number
(edited 4 years ago)

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