AP® Computer Science
Overview of AP® Computer Science
Instructor Contact Info for Mr. Tedesco
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Room 118
Phone: (215) 750-2800 X3603
Email: rtedesco@bensalemsd.org
School Website: www.bensalemsd.org/tedesco
Twitter: @mrtedesco
Exam Date:
Tuesday May 6, 2014 at 8:00 AM
Class Sessions
Our classes meet daily in a block format for 93 minutes in each session.
Course Overview
The purpose of this class is to introduce the student to the object-oriented programming
paradigm using the Java language. This course teaches students to use the standard Java
library classes from the AP® Java subset delineated in Appendices A and B of the AP
Computer Science Course Description. Concepts such as classes, objects, inheritance,
polymorphism, and code reusability are studied. Hands-on lab work helps solidify each
concept.
My goal for this AP Computer Science course is to challenge students to be active
learners and critical thinkers. I believe in hands-on learning. During daily class lab time,
I can easily look at each student's code, informally tracking his or her progress, and
assisting accordingly. I can talk to students about their programs, and they can ask
specific questions about problems they are having.
Computer Facilities
Our classroom is also our lab - we find this to be very conducive to student learning. We
have our computers arranged in four rows. An interactive board is mounted at the front of
the room. Additionally, there are several white boards and bulletin boards for
instructional and student use and for the displaying of the students’ work.
I believe in hands-on learning. This classroom is available for student use during class,
as well as after school on at least two days each week. There is extensive use of the lab
by the students throughout the course. Each topic requires hands-on-activities by the
students.
Computer Environment
Our computers are running Microsoft Windows 7, the Eclipse IDE, along with the latest
version of the Java Development Kit. Internet access, along with other programs,
including Microsoft Office, notepad, and jGrasp are available for the students’ use.
Overview of AP ® Computer Science
Texts / Reference Materials
Fundamentals of Java: AP Computer Science Essentials, 4th Edition by Kenneth A.
Lambert and Martin Osborne ISBN: 978-0-538-74492-8 Course Technology Cengage
Learning
GridWorld Case Study. The College Board, 2006. Each student will work with the
case study later in the course as part of their preparation for the AP Exam.
Quick Reference Guide – AP Computer Science A Each student will be given a copy
of the Quick Reference Guide – AP Computer Science A. They will be permitted and
encouraged to use the guide in class and for any testing or assessment activity.
Syllabus at a Glance
Week Chapter
Topic
1-2 Chapter 1: Background
1.1 History of Computers
1.2 Computer Hardware and Software
1.3 Binary Representation of Information and Computer Memory
1.4 Programming Languages
1.5 The Software Development Process
1.6 Basic Concepts of Object-Oriented Programming
3-4
5
Syllabus
Chapter 2: First Java Programs
2.1 Why Java?
2.2 The Java Virtual Machine and Byte Code
2.3 Choosing a User Interface Style
2.4 Hello World
2.5 Edit, Compile, and Execute
2.6 Temperature Conversion
2.7 Graphics and GUIs: Windows and Panels
Chapter 3: Syntax, Errors, and Debugging
3.1 Language Elements
3.2 Basic Java Syntax and Semantics
3.3 Terminal I/O for Different Data Types
3.4 Comments
3.5 Programming Errors
3.6 Debugging
3.7 Graphics and GUIs: Drawing Shapes and Text
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6-8
Chapter 4: Introduction to Control Statements
4.1 Additional Operators
4.2 Standard Classes and Methods
4.3 A Visit to the Farm
4.4 The If and If-Else Statements
4.5 The While Statement
4.6 The For Statement
4.7 Nested Control Statements and the Break Statement
4.8 Using Loops with Text Files
4.9 Errors in Loops
4.1 Graphics and GUIs: I/O Dialog Boxes and Loops
Design, Testing, and Debugging Hints
9-11
Chapter 6: Introduction to Defining Classes
6.1 The Internal Structure of Classes and Objects
6.2 A Student Class
6.3 Editing, Compiling, and Testing the Student Class
6.4 The Structure and Behavior of Methods
6.5 Scope and Lifetime of Variables
6.6 Graphics and GUIs: Images, A Circle Class, and Mouse Events
12-14
Chapter 7: Control Statements Continued
7.1 Logical Operators
7.2 Testing If Statements
7.3 Nested If Statements
7.4 Logical Errors in Nested If Statements
7.5 Nested Loops
7.6 Testing Loops
7.7 Loop Verification
7.8 Advanced Operations on Strings
7.9 Graphics and GUIs: Timers and Animations
Design, Testing, and Debugging Hints
Syllabus
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15-17 Chapter 10: Introduction to Arrays
10.1 Conceptual Overview
10.2 Simple Array Manipulations
10.3 Looping Through Arrays
10.4 Declaring Arrays
10.5 Working with Arrays That Are Not Full
10.6 Parallel Arrays
10.7 Using the Enhanced For Loop
10.8 Arrays and Methods
10.9 Arrays of Objects
10.1 Graphics and GUIs: Changing The View of Student Test Scores
Design, Testing, and Debugging Hints
18
Review Review Materials from first half of year
19-20 Chapter 11: Classes Continued
11.1 Class (Static) Variables and Methods
11.2 Turtle Graphics
11.3 Java Interfaces—The Client Perspective
11.4 Java Interfaces—The Implementation Perspective
11.5 Code Reuse through Inheritance
11.6 Working with Arrays of Objects
11.7 Inheritance and Abstract Classes
Some Observations about Interfaces, Inheritance, and Relationships among
11.8
Classes
11.9 Acceptable Classes for Parameters and Return Values
11.1 Error Handling With Classes
21-22 Chapter 12: Arrays Continued
12.1 Searching
12.2 Sorting
12.3 Insertions and Removals
12.4 Two-Dimensional Arrays
12.5 Applications of Two-Dimensional Arrays
12.7 Graphics and GUIs: Menus
Syllabus
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23-24
Chapter 13: Recursion, Complexity, and Searching and Sorting
13.1 Recursion
13.2 Complexity Analysis
13.3 Binary Search
13.4 Quicksort
13.5 Merge Sort
13.6 Graphics and GUIs: Drawing Recursive Patterns
Design, Testing, and Debugging Hints
25-31
Review for AP Exam
R.1 Comprehensive review of all material for the year
GridWorld Part 1 class activity based on material in Part 1 of the
R.2
GridWorld Case Study
R.3 GridWorld Role Play
GridWorld Project 1 Given work with bug variations based on Part 2 of
R.4
GridWorld Case Study
GridWorld Project 2: Design your own class based on material in Part
R.5
3 of GridWorld Case Study
GridWorld Project 3: Design your own critters based on material in
R.6
Part 4 of GridWorld Case Study
R.7 GridWorld Case Study - Practice and Review
R.8 Practice AP-type exams
R.9 Practice previously released AP exams
After the AP Exam
Chapter 5: Using Classes and Objects in Media Computing
5.1 Introduction to Digital Image Processing
5.2 The Images Package
5.3 Image-Processing Algorithms
5.4 Introduction to Digital Sound Processing
5.5 The Sounds Package
Chapter 8:
8.1
8.2
8.3
8.4
8.5
8.6
Syllabus
Improving the User Interface
A Thermometer Class
Repeating Sets of Inputs
A Menu-Driven Conversion Program
Formatted Output with Printf and Format
Handling Number Format Exceptions During Input
Graphics and GUIs
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Chapter 9:
9.1
9.2
9.3
9.4
9.5
9.6
9.7
9.8
9.9
Introduction to HTML and Applets
Hypertext, Hypermedia, and the World Wide Web
Overview of the Hypertext Markup Language
Simple Text Elements
Character-Level Formatting
Lists
Linking To Other Documents
Multimedia
Tables
Applets
Chapter 14: Introduction to Collections
14.1 Overview of Collections
14.2 Java Collection Resources
14.3 Using Lists
14.4 Using Stacks
14.5 Using Queues
14.6 Using Sets
14.7 Using Maps
14.8 The Glue That Holds Collections Together
Chapter 15: Multithreading, Networks, and Client/Server Programming
15.1 Threads and Processes
15.2 Networks, Clients, and Servers
Chapter Objectives:
At the conclusion of each chapter, I expect that each student will be able to:
Chapter 1:
 Give a brief history of computers.
 Describe how hardware and software make up computer architecture.
 Explain the binary representation of data and programs in computers.
 Discuss the evolution of programming languages.
 Describe the software development process.
 Discuss the fundamental concepts of object-oriented programming
Syllabus
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Chapter 2:
 Discuss why Java is an important programming language.
 Explain the Java virtual machine and byte code.
 Choose a user interface style.
 Describe the structure of a simple Java program.
 Write a simple program.
 Edit, compile, and run a program using a Java development environment.
 Format a program to give a pleasing, consistent appearance.
 Understand compile-time errors.
 Write a simple graphics program.
Chapter 3:
 Construct and use numeric and string literals.
 Name and use variables and constants.
 Create arithmetic expressions.
 Understand the precedence of different arithmetic operators.
 Concatenate two strings or a number and a string.
 Know how and when to use comments in a program.
 Tell the difference between syntax errors, run-time errors, and logic errors.
 Insert output statements to debug a program.
 Understand the difference between Cartesian coordinates and screen coordinates.
 Work with color and text properties.
Chapter 4:
 Use the increment and decrement operators.
 Use standard math methods.
 Use if and if-else statements to make choices.
 Use while and for loops to repeat a process.
 Construct appropriate conditions for control statements using relational operators.
 Detect and correct common errors involving loops.
Chapter 5:
 Use the concepts of object-based programming—classes, objects, and methods—
to solve a problem.
 Write a loop to visit a sequence of data values.
 Write a nested loop to visit positions in a two-dimensional grid of data values.
 Develop algorithms to perform simple transformations of images, such as the
conversion of color to gray scale.
 Develop algorithms to perform simple transformations of sound clips, such as
adjusting a sound clip’s volume
Syllabus
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Chapter 6:
 Design and implement a simple class from user requirements.
 Organize a program in terms of a view class and a model class.
 Use visibility modifiers to make methods visible to clients and restrict access to
data within a class.
 Write appropriate mutator methods, accessor methods, and constructors for a
class.
 Understand how parameters transmit data to methods.
 Use instance variables, local variables, and parameters appropriately.
 Organize a complex task in terms of helper methods.
Chapter 7:
 Construct complex Boolean expressions using the logical operators && (AND), ||
(OR), and ! (NOT).
 Construct truth tables for Boolean expressions.
 Understand the logic of nested if statements and extended if statements.
 Test if statements in a comprehensive manner.
 Construct nested loops.
 Create appropriate test cases for if statements and loops.
 Understand the purpose of assertions, invariants, and loop verification.
Chapter 8:
 Construct a query-driven terminal interface.
 Construct a menu-driven terminal interface.
 Construct a graphical user interface.
 Format text, including numbers, for output.
 Handle number format exceptions during input.
Chapter 9:
 Describe the basic features of hypertext, hypermedia, and the World Wide Web.
 Use basic HTML markup tags to format text for a Web page.
 Construct an HTML list and an HTML table to represent a linear sequence of
items and a two-dimensional grid of items, respectively.
 Use the appropriate markup tags to include images in Web pages.
 Create links to other Web pages using absolute or relative path names.
 Convert a Java application to an applet and embed the applet in a Web page.
 List the constraints on applets that distinguish them from Java applications.
Syllabus
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Chapter 10:
 Write programs that handle collections of similar items.
 Declare array variables and instantiate array objects.
 Manipulate arrays with loops, including the enhanced for loop.
 Write methods to manipulate arrays.
 Create parallel arrays and two-dimensional arrays.
Chapter 11:
 Explain when it is appropriate to include class (static) variables and methods in a
class.
 Describe the role of Java interfaces in a software system and define an interface
for a set of implementing classes.
 Explain the how to extend a class through inheritance.
 Discuss the use of polymorphism and explain how to override methods in a
superclass.
 Place the common features (variables and methods) of a set of classes in an
abstract class.
 Explain the implications of reference types for equality, copying, and mixedmode operations.
 Define and use methods that have preconditions, postconditions, and that throw
exceptions.
Chapter 12:
 Write a method for searching an array
 Write a method for sorting an array
 Write methods to perform insertions and removals at given positions in an array
 Create and manipulate two-dimensional arrays
Chapter 13:
 Design and implement a recursive method to solve a problem.
 Understand the similarities and differences between recursive and iterative
solutions of a problem.
 Check and test a recursive method for correctness.
 Understand how a computer executes a recursive method.
 Perform a simple complexity analysis of an algorithm using big-O notation.
 Recognize some typical orders of complexity.
 Understand the behavior of a complex sort algorithm such as the quicksort.
Chapter 14:
 Recognize different categories of collections and the operations on them
 Distinguish between a collection’s interface and its implementing classes
 Use list, stack, queue, set, and map collections to solve problems
 Choose a particular collection implementation based on its performance
characteristics.
Syllabus
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Overview of AP ® Computer Science
Chapter 15:
 Describe what threads do and explain the advantages of multithreading
 Explain how threads are manipulated in an application
 Code an algorithm to run as a thread
 Use conditions to solve a simple synchronization problem with threads
 Use IP addresses, ports, and sockets to create a simple client/server application on
a network
 Decompose a server application with threads to handle client requests efficiently
 Restructure existing applications for deployment as client/server applications on a
network.
Teaching Strategies
In each chapter, students obtain instruction and perform class activities, which will
include programming assignments for hands-on practice. Each assignment is be
reviewed and returned to the students so that they can make any program changes that are
necessary to fulfill the assignment’s requirements. New vocabulary is be introduced in
each chapter and student-centered activities will reinforce the vocabulary.
Assessments
In addition to the hands-on labs, the students have short quizzes, and a chapter test for
each chapter. We also have quarterly assessments which will encompass the material for
that quarter.
Projects and Activities
In each chapter, the students complete projects to demonstrate their understanding of the
class material. These projects also help to prepare them for the analysis that is required
for the AP Exam.
Chapter 1:
 In Project 1-1, students will discuss the different components of the computer that
they are using for this course, including software, hardware, memory, CPU
requirements (speed, etc.), and the operating system.
 In the Critical Thinking Activity, students will discuss the ethical and legal issues
surrounding copyrighting.
Syllabus
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Chapter 2:
 In Project 2-1, students will write a program that displays their name, address, and
telephone number.
 In Project 2-3, students will write a program that takes as input a number of
kilometers and prints the corresponding number of nautical miles.
 In Project 2-4, students will write a program that calculates and prints the number
of minutes in a year.
 In Project 2-5, students will write a program that expects an object’s mass (in
kilograms) and velocity (in meters per second) as inputs and prints its momentum.
Chapter 3:
 In Project 3-1, students will write a program that takes the length of an edge (an
integer) as input and prints the cube’s surface area as output.
 In Project 3-2, students will write a program that takes the radius of a sphere (a
double) as input and outputs the sphere’s diameter, circumference, surface area,
and volume.
 In Project 3-3, students will modify the program of Project 2-5 in Chapter 2 so
that it prints the object’s kinetic energy as well as its momentum.
 In Project 3-4, students will write a program that takes as inputs the hourly wage,
total regular hours, and total overtime hours and displays an employee’s total
weekly pay.
 In Project 3-5, students will modify the program in Project 3-4, so that it prompts
the user for the regular and overtime hours of each of five working days.
Syllabus
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Chapter 4:
 In Project 4-1, students will write a program that takes two integers as inputs and
displays their quotient and remainder as outputs.
 In Project 4-2, students will write a program that takes the lengths of three sides
of a triangle as inputs. The program should display whether or not the triangle is a
right triangle.
 In Project 4-3, students will write a program that takes the total length of a call in
minutes as input and calculates and displays the cost.
 In Project 4-4, students will run the Factorial program of Section 4.5 with inputs
of 5, 10, and 20. The number for the last output is large but negative. They will
place an output statement in the loop so that they can view the value of count and
number on each pass. They will explain what the problem is and then change the
type of product from int to long, recompile the program, and run it again with the
same inputs. They will explain what happens, stating how large the input has to be
before they encounter the same problem again.
 In Project 4-5, students will write a program that uses Leibniz’s method to
compute the value of pi (∏), allows the user to specify the number of iterations
used in this approximation, and displays the resulting value.
 In Project 4-6, students will write a program that allows a biologist to predict
population growth.
 In Project 4-7, students will write a program that displays the positive powers of
2.
 In Project 4-8, students will modify the program of Project 4-7 so that the user can
specify the base (2 or higher) as well.
 In Project 4-9, students will modify the program of Project 4-8 so that it processes
a file of inputs.
 In Project 4-10, students will write a program that displays a salary schedule for
teachers in a school district.
Chapter 6:
 In Project 6-1, students will add the extra constructors to the Student class of this
chapter’s Case Study (Student Test Scores) and test these methods thoroughly
with a Tester program.
 In Project 6-2, students will implement and test a method to validate a student’s
data in the Student class.
 In Project 6-3, students will develop a new class for representing fractions and
doing arithmetic with them.
 In Project 6-4, students will redo the Lucky Sevens dice-playing program from
Chapter 4 so that it uses dice objects.
 In Project 6-5, students will develop a new class for representing bank accounts.
 In Project 6-6, students will develop new classes for representing books and
patrons in a library.
 In Project 6-8, students will define a Rectangle class to represent rectangles.
 In the Critical Thinking Activity, students will modify the Fraction class so that it
displays fractions in a form that is reduced to lowest terms.
Syllabus
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Chapter 7:
 In Project 7-1, students will write a program that plays a guessing game. The user
knows the number and the computer must guess it.
 In Project 7-2, students will rewrite the program of Project 7-1 so that the user
knows the number and the computer must guess it.
 In Project 7-3, students will write a program that expects a numeric grade as input
and outputs the corresponding letter grade.
 In Project 7-4, students will write a Java method getLetterGrade that is based on
the grading scale of Project 7-3 and use this method in a program that inputs a list
of grades (ending with -1) and outputs the class average, the class minimum, and
the class maximum as letter grades.
 In Project 7-5, students will write a program that lets the user enter two integers
and then prints each step in the process of using the Euclidean algorithm to find
their GCD.
 In Project 7-6, students will review the case study in Chapter 4 in which the
Lucky Sevens gambling game program was created. They will remove the code
that deals with the maximum amount held. They will then modify the program so
that it runs the simulation 100 times and prints the average number of rolls.
 In Project 7-7, students will write a program to print the perimeter and area of
rectangles using all combinations of heights and widths running from 1 foot to 10
feet in increments of 1 foot. They will print the output in headed, formatted
columns.
 In Project 7-8, students will write a program to use a scanner to report statistics
about words in an input sentence. The outputs should include the number of
words in the sentence, the average word length, and the length of the sentence.
 In Project 7-9, students will write a program that allows users to search for a
given word in a text file using the file’s name and target words as the inputs.
 In the Critical Thinking Activity, students will read the sections of the ACM Code
of Ethics that deal with designing and testing reliable computer systems. They
will prepare a written report to present to your class on the way in which the
ACM Code deals with this issue.
Syllabus
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Chapter 10:
 In Project 10-1, students will write a program that takes 10 integers as input. The
program places the even integers into an array called evenList, the odd integers
into an array called oddList, and the negative integers into an array called
negativeList. The program displays the contents of the three arrays after all of the
integers have been entered.
 In Project 10-2, students will write a program that takes 10 floating-point numbers
as inputs. The program displays the average of the numbers followed by all of the
numbers that are greater than the average.
 In Project 10-3, students will write a program that takes 10 numbers as input and
displays the mode of these numbers.
 In Project 10-4, students will add to the program of Project 10-3 the capability of
displaying the median of the list of numbers.
 In Project 10-5, students will modify the program of Project 10-4 so that it
displays not only the median and mode of the list of numbers, but also a table of
the numbers and their associated frequencies.
 In Project 10-6, students will complete the student test scores application from
this chapter’s Case Study and test it thoroughly.
 In the Critical Thinking Activity, students will write an algorithm for searching in
an array.
Chapter 11:
 In Project 11-1, students will design a hierarchy of classes that models the
classification of their favorite region of the animal kingdom.
 In Project 11-2, students will design a hierarchy of classes that represents the
classification of artifacts, such as vehicles.
 In Project 11-3, students will add a method perimeter to the Shape hierarchy from
this chapter. This method should return the circumference of a circle and a wheel
and the perimeter of a rectangle.
 In Project 11-4, students will add a Triangle class to the Shape hierarchy from this
chapter.
 In Project 11-5, students will design a class hierarchy for bank accounts. The
concrete types of accounts are checking accounts, savings accounts, and credit
accounts.
 In Project 11-6, students will browse Java’s class hierarchy on Sun’s Web site and
write an essay that describes the design ideas underlying a class hierarchy that
they find interesting among Java’s classes.
 In the Critical Thinking Activity, students will defend the virtues of abstract
classes.
Syllabus
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Chapter 12:
 In Project 12-1, students will define a class named ArrayList that supports random
access to a list of objects via a numeric position.
 In Project 12-2, students will add the methods size and get to the program from
Project 12-1.
 In Project 12-3, students will add the methods add and remove to the program
from Project 12-2.
 In Project 12-4, students will complete the tic-tac-toe example by adding a
method that tests for the winner.
 In Project 12-5, students will modify the program in Project 12-4 so that the
computer is the second player.
 In Project 12-6, students will modify the program in Project 12-5 so that the
computer tries to win.
 In Project 12-7, students will complete the golf program example finishing the
methods.
 In Project 12-8, students will add a method to the golf program called
getHandicap.
 In Project 12-9, students will add a new method, rule2, to the Sudoku program for
the case study that runs if the rule1 method doesn’t eliminate all of the zeroes.
 In Project 12-10, students will add a new method, rule3, to the Sudoku program
for the case study that runs if the rule1 and rule 2 methods don’t eliminate all of
the zeroes.
 In Project 12-11, students will write a program that determines whether a square
is a magic square.
 In Project 12-12, students will write a program that takes input and displays
Pascal’s triangle.
 In Project 12-13, students will write a program that plays the penny pitch game.
 In Project 12-14, students will complete the GUI program from Section 12-8.
 In the Critical Thinking Activity, students will suggest a method for loading
numbers from a text file into an array.
Syllabus
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Chapter 13:
 In Project 13-1, students will use a Tester program to implement and test a
recursive method to compute the greatest common divisor (gcd) of two integers.
 In Project 13-2, students will write a recursive method that returns a string with
the characters in reverse order and test the method with a Tester program.
 In Project 13-3, students will design, implement, and test a recursive method that
expects a positive integer parameter and returns a string representing that integer
with commas in the appropriate places.
 In Project 13-4, students will write a program that takes the values of n and k as
inputs and displays as output the value n choose k.
 In Project 13-5, students will modify the Case Study of this chapter so that it
counts comparison and exchange operations in both sort algorithms and displays
these statistics as well.
 In Project 13-6, students will write a Tester program to help assess the efficiency
of the Towers of Hanoi program.
 In Project 13-7, students will write a Tester program to help assess the efficiency
of the Many Queens program.
 In the Critical Thinking Activity, students will explain the tradeoffs between the
use of iterative algorithms and recursive algorithms.
Syllabus
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After the Exam:
Chapter 5:
 In Project 5-1, students will write an algorithm that converts an image to two
random colors (instead of black and white), and another that asks for an image
filename for the colored image.
 In Project 5-2, students will write an algorithm that converts a color image to
grayscale, weighting the RGB values to more accurately reflect how images are
viewed by the human eye.
 In Project 5-3, students will write a program that inverts a grayscale image so that
it looks like a photographic negative.
 In Project 5-4, students will write a program that converts an image to sepia.
 In Project 5-5, students will write a program that applies a color filter to an image.
 In Project 5-6, students will write a program that detects edges, and brightens or
darkens the pixels to enhance the outlines of objects.
 In Project 5-7, students will write a program that blurs an entire image.
 In Project 5-8, students will write a program that reduces the size of an image by a
given factor.
 In Project 5-9, students will write a program that enlarges an image.
 In Project 5-10, students will write a program that rotates an image
counterclockwise by 90 degrees.
 In Project 5-11, students will modify the sample program that adjusts the volume
of a sound clip so that it avoids exceeding the limits on the size of a sample.
 In Project 5-12, students will write a program that splices two sound clips.
 In Project 5-13, students will write a program that composes two sound clips.
 In Project 5-14, students will write a program that introduces echo into a sound
clip.
 In Project 5-15, students will write a program that accepts the name of a sound
clip as input and creates a new file that is the inverse of the clip.
 In the Critical Thinking Activity, students will evaluate a suggestion that a more
accurate black-and-white image can be created by first converting the image to
grayscale, then converting the grayscale image to black and white.
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Overview of AP ® Computer Science
Chapter 8:
 In Project 8-1, students will write a query-driven program that allows the user to
enter a number and the number of approximations to compute its square root
using Newton’s method.
 In Project 8-2, students will modify the program of Project 8-1 so that the user can
view the successive approximations.
 In Project 8-3, students will write a program that calculates how much money will
be in a mutual fund after 20 years.
 In Project 8-4, students will write a program that takes a purchase price as input.
The program should display a table of the payment schedule for the lifetime of a
simple interest loan for the purchase.
 In Project 8-5, students will modify the final temperature conversion program of
Section 8.6 so that it displays the results of each conversion rounded to the nearest
hundredth of a degree.
 In the Critical Thinking Activity, students will discuss the issues involved in
choosing between terminal-based and GUI-based interfaces from a client’s
perspective.
Chapter 9:
 In Project 9-1, students will create a home page on a local Web server. They
should include a title, a brief paragraph that states who they are, and a picture of
their favorite pastime.
 In Project 9-2, students will add a list of courses they are currently taking to their
Web site.
 In Project 9-3, students will make each item in the list from Project 9-2 link to a
page that describes that item.
 In Project 9-4, students will add links to each of the pages created in Project 9-3
that return the user to their home pages.
 In Project 9-5, students will write an applet that plays the game of guess-thenumber with the user and then add it to their Web site.
 In the Critical Thinking Activity, students will write a short essay that compares
the advantages and disadvantages of using Java applications and applets.
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AP Computer Science
18
Overview of AP ® Computer Science
Grading Policy
In accordance with Bensalem HS Unified Grading Policy, the students’ grades will be
calculated as follows:
 30% Major Tests and/or Projects
o Minimum of 3 per marking period
 30% Minor Tests and/or Projects
o Minimum of 6 per marking period
 20% Classwork Cooperation
 10% Quarterly Common Assessments
o District Mandated Quarterly Assessments
 10% Homework
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AP Computer Science
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Overview of AP ® Computer Science
Java Subset
Cross-Referenced to Text
Language Features
1. The primitive types int, double, and boolean are part of the AP Java subset.
The other primitive types short, long, byte, char, and float are not in the
subset. In particular, students need not be aware that strings are composed
of char values. Introducing char does not increase the expressiveness of the
subset. Students already need to understand string concatenation,
String.substring,and String.equals. Not introducing char avoids complexities
with the char/int conversions and confusion between "x" and 'x'. (Chapter 3.2
Page 59)
2. Arithmetic operators: +, -, *, /, % are part of the AP Java subset. (Chapter
3.1 Page 58)
3. The increment/decrement operators ++ and -- are part of the AP Java subset.
These operators are used only for their side effect, not for their value. That is,
the postfix form (for example, x++) is always used, and the operators are not
used inside other expressions. For example, a[x++] is not used. (Chapter 4.1
Page 106)
4. The assignment operator = is part of the AP Java subset. The combined
arithmetic/assignment operators +=, -=, *=, /=, %= are part of the AP Java
subset although they are used simply as a shorthand and will not be used in
the adjustment part of a for loop. (Chapter 2.6 Page 44)
5. Relational operators ==, !=, <, <=, >, >= are part of the AP Java subset.
(Chapter 4.4 Page 114)
6. Logical operations &&, ||, ! are part of the AP Java subset. Students need to
understand the "short circuit" evaluation of the && and || operators. The
logical&, | and ^ and the bit operators <<, >>, >>>, &, ~, |, ^ are not in the
subset. (Chapter 7.1 Page 232)
7. The ternary ?: operator is not in the subset. N/A BUT DISCUSS IN CLASS
8. The numeric casts (int) and (double) are part of the AP Java subset. Since
the only primitive types in the subset are int, double, and boolean, the only
required numeric casts are the cast (int) and the cast (double). Students are
expected to understand "truncation towards 0" behavior as well as the fact
that positive floating-point numbers can be rounded to the nearest integer as
(int)(x + 0.5), negative numbers as (int)(x - 0.5). Autoboxing, that is the
automatic conversion between primitive types (int, double) and the
corresponding wrapper classes (Integer, Double) is not in the subset.
(Chapter 3.2 Page 67)
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Overview of AP ® Computer Science
9. String concatenation + is part of the AP Java subset. Students are expected
to know that concatenation converts numbers to strings and invokes toString
on objects. String concatenation can be less efficient than using the
StringBufferclass. However, for greater simplicity and conceptual clarity, the
StringBufferclass is not in the subset. (Chapter 3.2 Page 68)
10. The escape sequences inside strings \\, \", \n are part of the AP Java subset.
The \t escape and Unicode \uxxxx escapes are not in the subset. The\'
escape is only necessary inside character literals and is not in the subset.
(Chapter 3.2 Page 69)
11. User input is not part of the AP Java subset. There are many possible ways
for supplying user input; e.g., by reading from a BufferedReader that is
wrapped around System.in, reading from a stream (such as a file or an URL),
or from a dialog box. There are advantages and disadvantages to the various
approaches. In particular, reading from System.in is both fraught with
complexities (two nested readers and the handling of checked exceptions)
and considered old fashioned by some instructors. The exam does not
prescribe any one approach. Instead, if reading input is necessary, it will be
indicated in a way similar to the following:
double x = call to a method that reads a floating-point number;
or
double x = IO.readDouble(); // read user input
Converting strings to numeric values (e.g., with Integer.parseInt) is not in
the subset. N/A – BUT DISCUSS IN CLASS
12. Testing of output is restricted to System.out.print and System.out.println. As
with user input, there are many possible ways for directing the output of a
program, for example to System.out, to a file, or to a text area in a graphical
user interface. The AP Java subset includes the ability to print output to
System.out, because it makes it easy to formulate questions. Since most
graphical environments allow printing of debug messages to System.out (with
output being collected in a special window, e.g., the "Java console" in a
browser), students are usually familiar with this method of producing output.
Formatted output (e.g., with NumberFormat or System.out.printf) is not in the
subset. (Chapter 2.4 Page 35)
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Overview of AP ® Computer Science
13. The main method and command-line arguments are not in the subset. The
AP Computer Science Committee does not prescribe any particular approach
for program invocation. In free-response questions, students are not expected
to invoke programs. In case studies, program invocation with main may
occur, but the main method will be kept very simple. N/A BUT DISCUSS IN
CLASS
14. Arrays: one-dimensional arrays and two-dimensional rectangular arrays are
part of the AP Java subset. Both arrays of primitive types (e.g., int[]) and
arrays of objects (e.g., Student[] ) are in the subset. Initialization of named
arrays (int[] arr = { 1, 2, 3 };) is part of the AP Java subset. Arrays with more
than two dimensions (e.g., rubik = new Color[3][3][3]) are not in the subset.
"Ragged" arrays (e.g., new int[3][]) are not in the subset. In particular,
students do not need to know that an int[3][3] really is an "array of arrays"
whose rows can be replaced with other int[] arrays. However, students are
expected to know that arr[0].length is the number of columns in a rectangular
two-dimensional array arr. Anonymous arrays (e.g., new int[] { 1, 2, 3 }) are
not in the subset. (1-dimensional: Chapter 10.1 Page 342; 2-dimensional:
Chapter 12.4 Page 456)
15. The control structures if, if/else, while, for, (including the enhanced for loop),
return are part of the AP Java subset. The do/while, switch, plain and labeled
break and continue statements are not in the subset. (if-else: Chapter 4.4
Page 111 ; while: (Chapter 4.5 Page 116; for: Chapter 4.6 Page 120)
16. Methods: Method overloading (e.g., MyClass.method(String str)
andMyClass.method(int num)) is part of the AP Java subset. Students should
understand that the signature of a method depends only on the number,
types, and order of its parameters but does not include the return type of the
method. (Chapter 3.2 Page 71)
Methods with a variable number of parameters are not in the subset.
(Chapter 1.6 Page 24 and overloading: Chapter 4.2 Page 107)
17. Classes: Students are expected to construct objects with the new operator, to
supply construction parameters, and to invoke accessor and modifier
methods. Students are expected to modify existing classes (by adding or
modifying methods and instance variables). Students are expected to design
their own classes. (Constructor: Chapter 6.1 Page 125; Accessor /
Modifier: Chapter 5.1 Page 156; Classes: Chapter 6.1 Page 125)
18. Visibility: In the AP Java subset, all classes are public. All instance variables
are private. Methods, constructors, and constants (static final variables) are
either public, or private. (Chapter 3.2 Page 62)
The AP Java subset does not use protected and package (default) visibility.
N/A
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Overview of AP ® Computer Science
19. The AP Java subset uses /* */, // and /** */ comments. Javadoc
comments@param and @return, are part of the subset. (/* */: Chapter 3.4
Page 77-78; //: Chapter 11.10 Page 422-426; /** */: Chapter 11.10 Page
422-426; Javadoc Chapter 11.10 Page 422-426; plus teacher handout)
20. The final keyword is only used for final block scope constants and static final
class scope constants, final parameters or instance variables, final methods
and final classes are not in the subset. (Chapter 3.2 Page 62)
21. The concept of static methods is a part of the subset. Students are required
to understand when the use of static methods is appropriate. In the exam,
static methods are always invoked through a class, never an object (i.e.,
ClassName.method(), not obj.method()). (Chapter 11.1 Page 387)
22. static variables are part of the subset. (Chapter 11.1 Page 387)
23. The null reference is part of the AP Java subset. (Chapter 6.2 Page 190)
24. The use of this is restricted to passing the implicit parameter in its entirety to
another method (e.g., obj.method(this)) and to descriptions such as "the
implicit parameter this". (Teacher created materials) Using this.var or
this.method(args) is not in the subset. N/A In particular, students are not
required to know the idiom "this.var = var", where var is both the name of an
instance variable and a parameter variable. N/A Calling other constructors
from a constructor with the this(args)notation is not in the subset. N/A
25. The use of super to invoke a superclass constructor (super(args)) or to invoke
a superclass method (i.e., super.method(args)) is part of the AP Java subset.
(Chapter 11.5 Page 402)
26. Students are expected to implement constructors that initialize all instance
variables. Class constants are initialized with an initializer:
public static final int MAX_SCORE = 5;
The rules for default initialization (with 0, false or null) are not in the subset.
Initializing instance variables with an initializer is not in the subset.
Initialization blocks are not in the subset. (Chapter 6.5 Page 210-212)
27. Students are expected to extend classes and implement interfaces. Students
are also expected to have a knowledge of inheritance that includes
understanding the concepts of method overriding and polymorphism.
Students are expected to implement their own subclasses. (Chapter 11.4
Page 394 – 403)
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Overview of AP ® Computer Science
28. Students are expected to read the definitions of interfaces and abstract
classes and understand that the abstract methods need to be implemented in
a subclass. Students are expected to write interfaces or class declarations
when given a general description of the interface or class. (Chapter 11.7
Page 406-411)
29. Students are expected to understand the difference between object equality
(equals) and identity (==). The implementation of equals and
hashCodemethods is not in the subset. (Identity: Chapter 4.3 Page 114;
equality: Chapter2.6 Page 44)
30. Cloning is not in the subset, because of the complexities of implementing the
clone method correctly and the fact that clone is rarely required in Java
programs. N/A
31. The finalize method is not in the subset. N/A BUT DISCUSS IN CLASS
32. Students are expected to understand that conversion from a subclass
reference to a superclass reference is legal and does not require a cast.
Class casts (generally from Object to another class) are part of the AP Java
subset, to enable the use of generic collections,(Chapter 11.6 Page 404-405)
for example:
Person p = (Person)people.get(i);
The instance of operator is not in the subset. Array type compatibility and
casts between array types are not in the subset. N/A BUT DISCUSS IN
CLASS `
33. Students are expected to have a basic understanding of packages and a
reading knowledge of import statements of the form
import packageName.subpackageName.ClassName;
import statements with a trailing *, packages and methods for locating class
files (e.g., through a class path) are not in the subset. (Chapter 3.2 Page 73)
34. Nested and inner classes are not in the subset. N/A BUT DISCUSS IN
CLASS
35. The use of generic collection classes and interfaces are in the subset, but
students need not implement generic classes or methods. ** KNOW HOW
TO READ ** (Chapter 14.8 Page 575-577)
36. Enumerations, annotations, and threads are not in the subset. N/A BUT
DISCUSS IN CLASS
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Overview of AP ® Computer Science
37. Students are expected to understand the exceptions that occur when their
programs contain errors (in particular, NullPointerException,
ArrayIndexOutOfBoundsException, ArithmeticException,
ClassCastException, IllegalArgumentException). On the AB exam, students
are expected to be able to throw the uncheckedIllegalStateException and
NoSuchElementException in their own methods (principally when
implementing collection ADTs). Checked exceptions are not in the subset. In
particular, the try/catch/finally statements and the throwsmodifier are not in
the subset. (Chapter 3.5 Pages 82-86; teacher created handout)
Syllabus
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25
Overview of AP ® Computer Science
Appendix A — Java Quick ReferenceStandard Java Library
Accessible Methods from the Java Library
That May Be Included on the Exam
class java.lang.Object

boolean equals(Object other)

String toString()
class java.lang.Integer

Integer(int value)

int intValue()

Integer.MIN_VALUE // minimum value represented by an int

Integer.MAX_VALUE // maximum value represented by an int
class java.lang.Double

Double(double value)

double doubleValue()
class java.lang.String

int length()

String substring(int from, int to)
// returns the substring beginning at from
// and ending at to-1

String substring(int from)
// returns substring(from, length())

int indexOf(String str)
// returns the index of the first occurrence of str;
// returns -1 if not found
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
int compareTo(String other)
// returns a value < 0 if this is less than other
// return a value = 0 if this is equal to other
// return a value > 0 if this is greater than other
class java.lang.Math

static int abs(int x)

static double abs(double x)

static double pow(double base, double exponent)

static double sqrt(double x)

static double random()
// returns a double in the range [0.0, 1.0)
class java.util.List<E>

int size()

boolean add(E obj)
// appends obj to the end of list; returns true

void add(int index, E obj)
// inserts obj at position index (0<= index <= size),
// moving elements at position index and higher
// to the right (adds 1 to their indices) and adjusts size

E get(int index)

E set(int index, E obj)
// replaces the element at position index, with obj
//returns the element formerly at the specified position

E remove(int index)
// removes element from position index, moving elements
// at position index + 1 and higher to the left
// (subtracts 1 from their indices) and adjusts size
// returns the element formerly at the specified position
class java.util.ArrayList List<E> implements java.util.List List<E>
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Overview of AP ® Computer Science
Appendix B — Testable API
info.gridworld.grid.Location class (implements Comparable)
public Location(int r, int c)
constructs a location with given row and column coordinates
public int getRow()
returns the row of this location
public int getCol()
returns the column of this location
public Location getAdjacentLocation(int direction)
returns the adjacent location in the direction that is closest to direction
public int getDirectionToward(Location target)
returns the closest compass direction from this location toward target
public boolean equals(Object other)
returns true if other is a Location with the same row and column as this
location; false otherwise
public int hashCode()
returns a hash code for this location
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Overview of AP ® Computer Science
public int compareTo(Object other)
returns a negative integer if this location is less than other, zero if the two
locations are equal, or a positive integer if this location is greater than
other. Locations are ordered in row-major order.
Precondition: other is a Location object.
public String toString()
returns a string with the row and column of this location, in the format
(row, col)
Compass directions:
public static final int NORTH = 0;
public static final int EAST = 90;
public static final int SOUTH = 180;
public static final int WEST = 270;
public static final int NORTHEAST = 45;
public static final int SOUTHEAST = 135;
public static final int SOUTHWEST = 225;
public static final int NORTHWEST = 315;
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Turn angles:
public static final int LEFT = -90;
public static final int RIGHT = 90;
public static final int HALF_LEFT = -45;
public static final int HALF_RIGHT = 45;
public static final int FULL_CIRCLE = 360;
public static final int HALF_CIRCLE = 180;
public static final int AHEAD = 0;
info.gridworld.grid.Grid<E> interface
int getNumRows()
returns the number of rows, or -1 if this grid is unbounded
int getNumCols()
returns the number of columns, or -1 if this grid is unbounded
boolean isValid(Location loc)
returns true if loc is valid in this grid, false otherwise
Precondition: loc is not null
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Overview of AP ® Computer Science
E put(Location loc, E obj)
puts obj at location loc in this grid and returns the object previously at that
location (or null if the location was previously unoccupied).
Precondition: (1) loc is valid in this grid (2) obj is not null
E remove(Location loc)
removes the object at location loc from this grid and returns the object that
was removed (or null if the location is unoccupied)
Precondition: loc is valid in this grid
E get(Location loc)
returns the object at location loc (or null if the location is unoccupied)
Precondition: loc is valid in this grid
ArrayList<Location> getOccupiedLocations()
returns an array list of all occupied locations in this grid
ArrayList<Location> getValidAdjacentLocations(Location loc)
returns an array list of the valid locations adjacent to loc in this grid
Precondition: loc is valid in this grid
ArrayList<Location> getEmptyAdjacentLocations(Location loc)
returns an array list of the valid empty locations adjacent to loc in this grid
Precondition: loc is valid in this grid
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ArrayList<Location> getOccupiedAdjacentLocations(Location loc)
returns an array list of the valid occupied locations adjacent to loc in this
grid
Precondition: loc is valid in this grid
ArrayList<E> getNeighbors(Location loc)
returns an array list of the objects in the occupied locations adjacent to loc
in this grid
Precondition: loc is valid in this grid
info.gridworld.actor.Actor class
public Actor()
constructs a blue actor that is facing north
public Color getColor()
returns the color of this actor
public void setColor(Color newColor)
sets the color of this actor to newColor
public int getDirection()
returns the direction of this actor, an angle between 0 and 359 degrees
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public void setDirection(int newDirection)
sets the direction of this actor to the angle between 0 and 359 degrees
that is equivalent to newDirection
public Grid<Actor> getGrid()
returns the grid of this actor, or null if this actor is not contained in a grid
public Location getLocation()
returns the location of this actor, or null if this actor is not contained in a
grid
public void putSelfInGrid(Grid<Actor> gr, Location loc)
puts this actor into location loc of grid gr. If there is another actor at loc, it
is removed.
Precondition: (1) This actor is not contained in a grid. (2) loc is valid in gr.
public void removeSelfFromGrid()
removes this actor from its grid
Precondition: this actor is contained in a grid
public void moveTo(Location newLocation)
moves this actor to newLocation. If there is another actor at newLocation,
it is removed.
Precondition: (1) This actor is contained in a grid. (2) newLocation is
valid in the grid of this actor.
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public void act()
reverses the direction of this actor. Override this method in subclasses of
Actor to define types of actors with different behavior.
public String toString()
returns a string with the location, direction, and color of this actor
info.gridworld.actor.Rock class (extends Actor)
public Rock()
constructs a black rock
public Rock(Color rockColor)
constructs a rock with color rockColor
public void act()
overrides the act method in the Actor class to do nothing
info.gridworld.actor.Flower class (extends Actor)
public Flower()
constructs a pink flower
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Overview of AP ® Computer Science
public Flower(Color initialColor)
constructs a flower with color initialColor
public void act()
causes the color of this flower to darken
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