Cambridge IGCSE · 0478 · Data 2020–2025
Most-tested topics in IGCSE Computer Science
Just 3 chapters — Algorithm design and problem-solving, Programming, Hardware — carry about 52% of all the marks. Revise those first.
Based on 71 real Cambridge past papers and 10,139 tagged marks, 2020–2025. Ranked by marks, not guesswork.
Historical counts from past papers — not an exam prediction. Download the data (CSV)
Revise these first
The topics that carry the most marks, highest first. Each opens the free past-paper questions.
- 1Practise →8.1 Programming concepts9% of marksProgrammingEvery year
- 2Practise →Algorithm design and problem-solvingEvery year
- 3Practise →8.2 Arrays6% of marksProgrammingEvery year
- 4Practise →7 Validation and verification6% of marksAlgorithm design and problem-solvingEvery year
- 5Practise →1.1 Number systems5% of marksData representationEvery year
- 6Practise →3.2 Input and output devices5% of marksHardwareEvery year
- 7Practise →Algorithm design and problem-solvingEvery year
- 8Practise →3.3 Data storage4% of marksHardwareEvery year
See the full breakdown — all 34 topics across 10 chapters
Algorithm design and problem-solving
24% of marks- 7 Algorithm design (flowcharts, pseudocode, structure diagrams)Every year729 marks · 79 qs
- 7 Validation and verificationEvery year569 marks · 62 qs
- 7 Standard methods (searching, sorting, totalling, counting, maximum, minimum, average)Every year399 marks · 40 qs
- 7 Identifying and correcting errorsEvery year324 marks · 37 qs
- 7 Trace tablesEvery year306 marks · 38 qs
- 7 Program development life cycleRecurring43 marks · 11 qs
- 7 Decomposition and abstractionRecurring30 marks · 8 qs
Programming
15% of marks- 8.1 Programming conceptsEvery year906 marks · 93 qs
- 8.2 ArraysEvery year612 marks · 51 qs
- 8.3 File handlingRecurring49 marks · 8 qs
Hardware
13% of marks- 3.2 Input and output devicesEvery year472 marks · 49 qs
- 3.3 Data storageEvery year388 marks · 44 qs
- 3.1 Computer architectureEvery year351 marks · 39 qs
- 3.4 Network hardwareEvery year127 marks · 17 qs
Data representation
10% of marks- 1.1 Number systemsEvery year478 marks · 46 qs
- 1.3 Data storage and compressionEvery year323 marks · 32 qs
- 1.2 Text, sound and imagesEvery year258 marks · 29 qs
Boolean logic
10% of marks- 10 Logic gates and symbolsEvery year295 marks · 36 qs
- 10 Truth tablesEvery year291 marks · 35 qs
- 10 Logic circuitsEvery year243 marks · 28 qs
- 10 Logic expressionsRecurring138 marks · 17 qs
The internet and its uses
7% of marks- 5.3 Cyber securityEvery year387 marks · 42 qs
- 5.1 The internet and the world wide webEvery year351 marks · 37 qs
- 5.2 Digital currencyRecurring21 marks · 4 qs
Data transmission
7% of marks- 2.1 Types and methods of data transmissionEvery year334 marks · 31 qs
- 2.2 Methods of error detectionEvery year221 marks · 23 qs
- 2.3 EncryptionEvery year203 marks · 19 qs
Databases
5% of marks- 9 Single-table databases (fields, records, data types, primary key)Every year262 marks · 35 qs
- 9 SQL (SELECT, FROM, WHERE, ORDER BY, SUM, COUNT)Every year243 marks · 34 qs
Automated and emerging technologies
4% of marks- 6.1 Automated systemsEvery year185 marks · 19 qs
- 6.2 RoboticsRecurring125 marks · 9 qs
- 6.3 Artificial intelligenceRecurring119 marks · 12 qs
Software
4% of marks- 4.2 Types of programming language, translators and IDEsEvery year189 marks · 22 qs
- 4.1 Types of software and interruptsRecurring168 marks · 26 qs
Turn the data into practice
Every topic above is drawn from real Cambridge IGCSE Computer Science papers, tagged to the syllabus. Students can drill the high-frequency topics in the free bank; teachers can turn any of them into a ready-to-print worksheet in seconds. Or explore the full six-year trends in the interactive records.