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A-Level Computer Science Past Papers & Drilling (Paper 2): Algorithms, Search, Recursion
TUTORZONE ORIGINAL DRILLING MOCK · CAMBRIDGE A-LEVEL COMPUTER SCIENCE (9618) PAPER 2
Written to the Cambridge 9618 syllabus (2027-2029): Paper 2 Fundamental Problem-solving and Programming Skills, 75 marks, 2 hours, 25% of A Level (sections 9-12, answered in pseudocode). Also Paper 1 theory (75), Paper 3 advanced theory (75) and Paper 4 practical (75). This is a Paper 2 drilling mock: 6 questions for 75 marks with answers and techniques.
What is in A-Level Computer Science (9618) Paper 2?
Direct answer: Paper 2 problem-solving and programming, 75 marks, 2 hours, 25% of A Level (sections 9-12, answered in pseudocode).
Assessment at a glance (2027)
| Component | Content | Weighting | Duration |
|---|---|---|---|
| Paper 2 (Problem-solving and Programming) | Answered in pseudocode, 75 marks | 25% A-Level | 2 hours |
| Paper 1 (Theory) | Theory questions, 75 marks | 25% A-Level | 1 h 30 min |
A-Level Computer Science Paper 2 drilling technique: initialise variables; check loop bounds (0 TO n-1); state the precondition for search (binary needs sorted data); recursion needs a base case. Indent pseudocode to show structure.
How this paper was built
This is a TutorZone original drilling mock: the questions follow the Cambridge 9618 structure (Paper 2, 75 marks, 25%) and the answers are our own, not Cambridge past papers or marking references.
Numeric and trace answers were recomputed programmatically.
Pacing
| Section | Marks | Suggested time | What to do first |
|---|---|---|---|
| Paper 2 (Problem-solving and Programming) | 25% A-Level | about 20 min per question | algorithms, data structures, programming |
| Paper 1 (Theory) | 25% A-Level | about 12 min per question | hardware, software, data representation |
Linear vs binary search?
Direct answer: linear checks each item and needs no sorting; binary halves the range, is faster, but needs sorted data.
Paper 2: programming drilling (6 questions, 75 marks)
Initialise variables; indent pseudocode; binary search needs sorted data.
Question 1 (12 marks)
Write a pseudocode algorithm that adds all elements of the array [4, 8, 15, 16, 23] and outputs the total.
Question 2 (12 marks)
Write pseudocode to find the maximum of the array [4, 8, 15, 16, 23].
Question 3 (12 marks)
Convert denary 45 into 8-bit binary.
Question 4 (13 marks)
Explain the difference between linear search and binary search, and state the requirement for binary search.
Question 5 (13 marks)
Write recursive pseudocode to compute the factorial of n.
Question 6 (13 marks)
Explain the difference between a stack and a queue.
Stack vs queue?
Direct answer: a stack is LIFO; a queue is FIFO.
Paper 2 answers
Question 1
Total <- 0 -> total 66 (12).
FOR i <- 0 TO 4
Total <- Total + Array[i]
NEXT i
OUTPUT Total
Question 2
Max <- Array[0] -> 23 (12).
FOR i <- 1 TO 4
IF Array[i] > Max THEN
Max <- Array[i]
ENDIF
NEXT i
OUTPUT Max
Question 3
45 = 32+8+4+1 = 00101101 (12).
Question 4
Linear search checks each item and needs no sorting (5); binary search halves the range and is faster (5); it requires sorted data (3).
Question 5
FUNCTION Fact(n) (13).
IF n = 0 OR n = 1 THEN
RETURN 1
ELSE
RETURN n * Fact(n - 1)
ENDIF
ENDFUNCTION
Question 6
A stack is LIFO, pushing and popping only at the top (7); a queue is FIFO, enqueuing at the rear and dequeuing at the front (6).
Which topics does this paper drill?
Direct answer: array sum and maximum, binary conversion, linear and binary search, recursion, stacks and queues.
Where these marks are usually lost
| Mistake | What it looks like | What it costs | Instead |
|---|---|---|---|
| Uninitialised variable | Total added directly | Set Total <- 0 first | Total <- 0 |
| Wrong loop bounds | 1 TO 5 | 0-based array: 0 TO 4 | 0 TO 4 |
| Binary search precondition | Binary on the fly | Data must be sorted | sorted data |
How to use this paper
First drill: the full 2 hours on all 6 questions with no references.
Mark it: check variable initialisation and loop bounds.
Second drill: redo three to seven days later, aiming to finish inside 1 h 40 min.
What should I do after drilling this paper?
Direct answer: log answers with uninitialised variables or wrong loop bounds; redo in three to seven days; and drill Paper 1 theory.
FAQ
Is this a Cambridge past paper?
No. The questions and answers are TutorZone originals, not Cambridge past papers or marking references.
What is in A-Level Computer Science Paper 2?
Problem-solving and programming: algorithms, data structures and programming in pseudocode, 75 marks, 2 hours, 25% of A Level.
Linear vs binary search?
Linear checks each item and needs no sorting; binary halves the range and needs sorted data.
Official references
| Resource | What to check |
|---|---|
| Cambridge A-Level Computer Science 9618 syllabus (2027-2029) | Confirm the Paper 1-4 marks and times |
| https://www.tutorzone.com.hk/en-alevel-computer-science-9618-paper-1-mock-2027/ | A-Level Computer Science Paper 1 drilling mock |
Related: practice area · A-Level Computer Science Paper 1 drilling mock
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