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Quizlet Links

Quizlet Flashcard Links

This section provides links to Quizlets for the Learning Statements in the syllabus. Quizlets are more than just a flashcard and are an excellent way for you to make sure you have learnt and understood all of the key terms in the new syllabus. Click on the plus signs to expand the boxes. 

A1 Computer fundamentals

SubtopicLearning StatementLevel
A1.1 Computer hardware and operationA1.1.1 Describe the functions and interactions of the main CPU components.SL
 A1.1.2 Describe the role of a GPU.SL
 A1.1.3 Explain the differences between the CPU and the GPU. (HL only)HL
 A1.1.4 Explain the purposes of different types of primary memory.SL
 A1.1.5 Describe the fetch, decode and execute cycle.SL
 A1.1.6 Describe the process of pipelining in multi-core architectures. (HL only)HL
 A1.1.7 Describe internal and external types of secondary memory storage.SL
 A1.1.8 Describe the concept of compression.SL
 A1.1.9 Describe the different types of services in cloud computing.SL
A1.2 Data representation and computer logicA1.2.1 Describe the principal methods of representing data.SL
 A1.2.2 Explain how binary is used to store data.SL
 A1.2.3 Describe the purpose and use of logic gates.SL
 A1.2.4 Construct and analyse truth tables.SL
 A.1.2.5 Construct logic diagrams.SL
A1.3 Operating systems and control systemsA1.3.1 Describe the role of operating systems.SL
 A1.3.2 Describe the functions of an operating system.SL
 A1.3.3 Compare different approaches to scheduling.SL
 A1.3.4 Evaluate the use of polling and interrupt handlingSL
 A1.3.5 Explain the role of the operating system in managing multitasking and resource allocation. (HL only)HL
 A1.3.6 Describe the use of the control system components. (HL only)HL
 A1.3.7 Explain the use of control systems in a range of real-world applications. (HL only)HL
A1.4 Translation (HL only)A1.4.1 Evaluate the translation processes of interpreters and compilers. (HL only)HL

A2 Networks

SubtopicLearning StatementLevel
A2.1 Network fundamentalsA2.1.1 Describe the purpose and characteristics of networks.SL
 A2.1.2 Describe the purpose, benefits and limitations of modern digital infrastructures.SL
 A2.1.3 Describe the function of network devices.SL
 A2.1.4 Describe the network protocols used for transport and application.SL
 A2.1.5 Describe the function of the TCP/IP model. (HL only)HL
A2.2 Network architectureA2.2.1 Describe the functions and practical applications of network topologies.SL
 A2.2.2 Describe the function of servers. (HL only)HL
 A2.2.3 Compare and contrast networking models.SL
 A2.2.4 Explain the concepts and applications of network segmentation.SL
A2.3 Data transmissionsA2.3.1 Describe different types of IP addressing.SL
 A2.3.2 Compare types of media for data transmission.SL
 A2.3.3 Explain how packet switching is used to send data across a network.SL
 A2.3.4 Explain how static routing and dynamic routing move data across local area networks. (HL only)SL
A2.4 Network securityA2.4.1 Discuss the effectiveness of firewalls at protecting a network.SL
 A2.4.2 Describe common network vulnerabilities. (HL only)HL
 A2.4.3 Describe common network countermeasures. (HL only)HL
 A2.4.4 Describe the process of encryption and digital certificates.SL

A3 Databases

SubtopicLearning StatementLevel
A3.1 Database fundamentalsA3.1.1 Explain the features, benefits and limitations of a relational database.SL
A3.2 Database designA3.2.1 Describe database schemas.SL
 A3.2.2 Construct ERDs.SL
 A3.2.3 Outline the different data types used in relational databases.SL
 A3.2.4 Construct tables for relational databases.SL
 A3.2.5 Explain the difference between normal forms.SL
 A3.2.6 Construct a database normalized to 3NF for a range of real-world scenarios.SL
 A3.2.7 Evaluate the need for denormalizing databases.SL
A3.3 Database programmingA3.3.1 Outline the differences between data language types within SQL.SL
 A3.3.2 Construct queries between two tables in SQL.SL
 A3.3.3 Explain how SQL can be used to update data in a database.SL
 A3.3.4 Construct calculations within a database using SQL’s aggregate functions. (HL only)HL
 A3.3.5 Describe different database views. (HL only)HL
 A3.3.6 Describe how transactions maintain data integrity in a database. (HL only)HL
A3.4 Alternative databases and data warehouses (HL only)A3.4.1 Outline the different types of databases as approaches to storing data.SL
 A3.4.2 Explain the primary objectives of data warehouses in data management and business intelligence.SL
 A3.4.3 Explain the role of online analytical processing (OLAP) and data mining for business intelligence.SL
 A3.4.4 Describe the features of distributed databases.SL

A4 Machine learning

SubtopicLearning StatementLevel
A4.1 Machine learning fundamentalsA4.1.1 Describe the types of machine learning and their applications in the real world.SL
 A4.1.2 Describe the hardware requirements for various scenarios where machine learning is deployed.SL
A4.2 Data preprocessing (HL only)A4.2.1 Describe the significance of data cleaning.HL
 A4.2.2 Describe the role of feature selection.HL
 A4.2.3 Describe the importance of dimensionality reduction.HL
A4.3 Machine learning approaches (HL only)A4.3.1 Explain how linear regression is used to predict continuous outcomes.HL
 A4.3.2 Explain how classifications techniques in supervised learning are used to predict discrete categorical outcomes.HL
 A4.3.3 Explain the role of hyperparameter tuning when evaluating supervised learning algorithms.HL
 A4.3.4 Describe how clustering techniques in unsupervised learning are used to group data based on similarities in features.HL
 A4.3.5 Describe how learning techniques using the association rule are used to uncover relations between different attributes in large data sets.HL
 A4.3.6 Describe how an agent learns to make decisions by interacting with its environment in reinforcement learning.HL
 A4.3.7 Describe the application of genetic algorithms in various real-world situations.HL
 A4.3.8 Outline the structure and function of ANNs and how multi-layer networks are used to model complex patterns in data sets.HL
 A4.3.9 Describe how CNNs are designed to adaptively learn spatial hierarchies of features in images.HL
 A4.3.10 Explain the importance of model selection and comparison in machine learning.HL
A4.4 Ethical considerationsA4.4.1 Discuss the ethical implications of machine learning in real-world scenarios.SL
 A4.4.2 Discuss ethical aspects of the increasing integration of computer technologies into daily life.SL

B1 Computational thinking

B2 Programming

SubtopicLearning StatementLevel
B2.1 Programming fundamentalsB2.1.1 Construct and trace programs using a range of global and local variables of various data types.SL
 B2.1.2 Construct programs that can extract and manipulate substrings.SL
 B2.1.3 Describe how programs use common exception handling techniques.SL
 B2.1.4 Construct and use common debugging techniques.SL
B2.2 Data structuresB2.2.1 Compare static and dynamic data structures.SL
 B2.2.2 Construct programs that apply arrays and Lists.SL
 B2.2.3 Explain the concept of a stack as a “last in, first out” (LIFO) data structure.SL
 B2.2.4 Explain the concept of a queue as a “first in, first out” (FIFO) data structure.SL
B2.3 Programming constructsB2.3.1 Construct programs that implement the correct sequence of code instructions to meet program objectives.SL
 B2.3.2 Construct programs utilizing appropriate selection structures.SL
 B2.3.3 Construct programs that utilize looping structures to perform repeated actions.SL
 B2.3.4 Construct functions and modularization.SL
B2.4 Programming algorithmsB2.4.1 Describe the efficiency of specific algorithms by calculating their Big O notation to analyse their scalability.SL
 B2.4.2 Construct and trace algorithms to implement a linear search and a binary search for data retrieval.SL
 B2.4.3 Construct and trace algorithms to implement bubble sort and selection sort, evaluating their time and space complexities.SL
 B2.4.4 Explain the fundamental concept of recursion and its applications in programming. (HL only)HL
 B2.4.5 Construct and trace recursive algorithms in a programming language. (HL only)HL
B2.5 File processingB2.5.1 Construct code to perform file-processing operations.SL

B3 Object oriented programming

SubtopicLearning StatementLevel
B3.1 Fundamentals of OOP for a single classB3.1.1 Evaluate the fundamentals of OOP.SL
 B3.1.2 Construct a design of classes, their methods and behaviour.SL
 B3.1.3 Distinguish between static and non-static variables and methods.SL
 B3.1.4 Construct code to define classes and instantiate objects.SL
 B3.1.5 Explain and apply the concepts of encapsulation and information hiding in OOP.SL
B3.2 Fundamentals of OOP for multiple classes (HL only)B3.2.1 Explain and apply the concept of inheritance in OOP to promote code reusability.SL
 B3.2.2 Construct code to model polymorphism and its various forms, such as method overriding.SL
 B3.2.3 Explain the concept of abstraction in OOP.SL
 B3.2.4 Explain the role of composition and aggregation in class relationships.SL
 B3.2.5 Explain commonly used design patterns in OOP.SL

B4 Abstract data types HL only

IB Command Terms (First assessment 2027)

How to Understand Exam Questions
When you're taking an exam, you'll see certain words and phrases used in the questions. These terms have specific meanings, and you should know what they are. While these terms appear often, other words might also be used to guide you on how to structure your answer.

Here are some common terms you'll encounter and what they mean:

  • Analyse: Break down a topic into its parts and explain how they relate to each other.
  • Compare and Contrast: Identify the similarities and differences between two or more things.
  • Evaluate: Look at the strengths and weaknesses of something and make a judgment about its value or significance.
  • Discuss: Present a balanced argument by exploring different aspects of a topic.
  • Explain: Make something clear by describing it in detail.

Mastering these terms will help you understand exactly what the examiner is asking for, so you can score higher marks.

Here are all of the terms you will find in your IB DP Computer Science exams. 

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