Cambridge O Level · 2210 · Data 2020–2025
Most-tested topics in O-Level Computer Science
Just 3 chapters — Algorithm design and problem-solving, Programming, Hardware — carry about 59% of all the marks. Revise those first.
Based on 44 real Cambridge past papers and 7,712 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 concepts10% of marksProgrammingEvery year
- 2Practise →Algorithm design and problem-solvingEvery year
- 3Practise →7 Validation and verification7% of marksAlgorithm design and problem-solvingEvery year
- 4Practise →8.2 Arrays7% of marksProgrammingEvery year
- 5Practise →Algorithm design and problem-solvingEvery year
- 6Practise →3.2 Input and output devices5% of marksHardwareEvery year
- 7Practise →5.3 Cyber security5% of marksThe internet and its usesEvery year
- 8Practise →3.3 Data storage4% of marksHardwareEvery year
See the full breakdown — all 34 topics across 10 chapters
Algorithm design and problem-solving
28% of marks- 7 Algorithm design (flowcharts, pseudocode, structure diagrams)Every year730 marks · 73 qs
- 7 Validation and verificationEvery year533 marks · 54 qs
- 7 Standard methods (searching, sorting, totalling, counting, maximum, minimum, average)Every year502 marks · 42 qs
- 7 Identifying and correcting errorsEvery year192 marks · 22 qs
- 7 Trace tablesEvery year164 marks · 22 qs
- 7 Program development life cycleRecurring21 marks · 5 qs
- 7 Decomposition and abstractionRecurring20 marks · 6 qs
Programming
17% of marks- 8.1 Programming conceptsEvery year784 marks · 86 qs
- 8.2 ArraysEvery year532 marks · 45 qs
- 8.3 File handlingRecurring28 marks · 4 qs
Hardware
13% of marks- 3.2 Input and output devicesEvery year392 marks · 39 qs
- 3.3 Data storageEvery year297 marks · 31 qs
- 3.1 Computer architectureRecurring210 marks · 22 qs
- 3.4 Network hardwareEvery year128 marks · 16 qs
The internet and its uses
9% of marks- 5.3 Cyber securityEvery year380 marks · 37 qs
- 5.1 The internet and the world wide webEvery year290 marks · 27 qs
- 5.2 Digital currencyRecurring13 marks · 2 qs
Data representation
8% of marks- 1.1 Number systemsEvery year290 marks · 26 qs
- 1.3 Data storage and compressionEvery year198 marks · 21 qs
- 1.2 Text, sound and imagesRecurring101 marks · 13 qs
Boolean logic
7% of marks- 10 Truth tablesEvery year196 marks · 23 qs
- 10 Logic gates and symbolsEvery year186 marks · 23 qs
- 10 Logic circuitsEvery year145 marks · 16 qs
- 10 Logic expressionsRecurring29 marks · 3 qs
Data transmission
7% of marks- 2.1 Types and methods of data transmissionEvery year207 marks · 19 qs
- 2.2 Methods of error detectionEvery year160 marks · 14 qs
- 2.3 EncryptionEvery year153 marks · 14 qs
Databases
4% of marks- 9 SQL (SELECT, FROM, WHERE, ORDER BY, SUM, COUNT)Every year153 marks · 22 qs
- 9 Single-table databases (fields, records, data types, primary key)Every year146 marks · 21 qs
Automated and emerging technologies
4% of marks- 6.3 Artificial intelligenceRecurring119 marks · 11 qs
- 6.1 Automated systemsEvery year102 marks · 11 qs
- 6.2 RoboticsRecurring67 marks · 5 qs
Software
3% of marks- 4.1 Types of software and interruptsEvery year153 marks · 18 qs
- 4.2 Types of programming language, translators and IDEsEvery year91 marks · 11 qs
Turn the data into practice
Every topic above is drawn from real Cambridge O Level 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.