Syllabus

Cambridge International
AS & A Level
Computer Science 9618
Use this syllabus for exams in 2024 and 2025.
Exams are available in the June and November series.

Version 2
For the purposes of screen readers, any mention in this document of Cambridge IGCSE
refers to Cambridge International General Certification of Secondary Education.
Why choose Cambridge International?

Cambridge International prepares school students for life, helping them develop an informed curiosity and a
lasting passion for learning. We are part of the University of Cambridge.

Our Cambridge Pathway gives students a clear path for educational success from age 5 to 19. Schools can
shape the curriculum around how they want students to learn – with a wide range of subjects and flexible ways
to offer them. It helps students discover new abilities and a wider world, and gives them the skills they need for
life, so they can achieve at school, university and work.

Our programmes and qualifications set the global standard for international education. They are created by
subject experts, rooted in academic rigour and reflect the latest educational research. They provide a strong
platform for students to progress from one stage to the next, and are well supported by teaching and learning
resources.

We review all our syllabuses regularly, so they reflect the latest research evidence and professional teaching
practice – and take account of the different national contexts in which they are taught.

We consult with teachers to help us design each syllabus around the needs of their learners. Consulting with
leading universities has helped us make sure our syllabuses encourage students to master the key concepts in
the subject and develop the skills necessary for success in higher education.

Our mission is to provide educational benefit through provision of international programmes and qualifications
for school education and to be the world leader in this field. Together with schools, we develop Cambridge
learners who are confident, responsible, reflective, innovative and engaged – equipped for success in the
modern world.

Every year, nearly a million Cambridge students from 10 000 schools in 160 countries prepare for their future
with the Cambridge Pathway.

School feedback: ‘We think the Cambridge curriculum is superb preparation for university.’
Feedback from: Christoph Guttentag, Dean of Undergraduate Admissions, Duke University, USA

Quality management
Cambridge International is committed to providing exceptional quality. In line with this commitment, our
quality management system for the provision of international qualifications and education programmes for
students aged 5 to 19 is independently certified as meeting the internationally recognised standard,
ISO 9001:2015. Learn more at www.cambridgeinternational.org/ISO9001

© Cambridge University Press & Assessment September 2021

Cambridge Assessment International Education is part of Cambridge University Press & Assessment. Cambridge University Press &
Assessment is a department of the University of Cambridge.
Cambridge University Press & Assessment retains the copyright on all its publications. Registered centres are permitted to copy
material from this booklet for their own internal use. However, we cannot give permission to centres to photocopy any material that is
acknowledged to a third party even for internal use within a centre.
Contents

Why choose Cambridge International? ........................................................................2

1 Why choose this syllabus? ........................................................................................4

2 Syllabus overview .......................................................................................................8

Aims 8
Content overview 9
Assessment overview 11
Assessment objectives 13

3 Subject content .........................................................................................................14

AS content 14
A Level content 32
Teacher guidance 39

4 Details of the assessment .......................................................................................40

Submission of Paper 4 Practical 40
Command words 41

5 What else you need to know ...................................................................................42

Before you start 42
Making entries 43
Accessibility and equality 44
After the exam 45
How students, teachers and higher education can use the grades 46
Grade descriptions 46
Changes to this syllabus for 2024 and 2025 47

Important: Changes to this syllabus

For information about changes to this syllabus for 2024 and 2025, go to page 47.
The latest syllabus is version 2, published March 2023.
Any textbooks endorsed to support the syllabus for examination from 2021 are still suitable for use with this
syllabus.
 Cambridge International AS & A Level Computer Science 9618 syllabus for 2024 and 2025.

1 Why choose this syllabus?

Key benefits
The best motivation for a student is a real passion for the
subject they’re learning. By offering students a variety of
Cambridge International AS & A Levels, you can give them the
greatest chance of finding the path of education they most
want to follow. With over 50 subjects to choose from, students
can select the ones they love and that they’re best at, which
helps motivate
Following them throughout
a Cambridge theirAS
International studies.
& A Level programme Cambridge
helps students develop abilities which universities value highly,
including:
learner

• a deep understanding of their subjects.

• higher order thinking skills – analysis, critical thinking,
problem solving.
• presenting ordered and coherent arguments.
• independent learning and research.

Cambridge International AS & A Level Computer Science encourages learners to meet the needs of
Higher Education courses in computer science as well as twenty-first century digital employers. It encourages
learners to think creatively, through applying practical programming solutions, demonstrating that they are
effective users of technology.

Our approach in Cambridge International AS & A Level Computer Science encourages learners to be:

confident, using a range of technology and programming paradigms

responsible, using technology ethically

reflective, as programmers, improving their own programming solution

innovative, creating efficient solutions to problems

engaged, in technology, how it is built and how software solutions are developed.

School feedback: ‘Cambridge students develop a deep understanding of subjects and

independent thinking skills.’
Feedback from: Principal, Rockledge High School, USA

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 Cambridge International AS & A Level Computer Science 9618 syllabus for 2024 and 2025. Why choose this syllabus?

Key concepts
Key concepts are essential ideas that help students develop a deep understanding of their subject and make
links between different aspects. Key concepts may open up new ways of thinking about, understanding or
interpreting the important things to be learned.

Good teaching and learning will incorporate and reinforce a subject’s key concepts to help students gain:
• a greater depth as well as breadth of subject knowledge
• confidence, especially in applying knowledge and skills in new situations
• the vocabulary to discuss their subject conceptually and show how different aspects link together
• a level of mastery of their subject to help them enter higher education.

The key concepts identified below, carefully introduced and developed, will help to underpin the course you will
teach. You may identify additional key concepts which will also enrich teaching and learning.

The key concepts for Cambridge International AS & A Level Computer Science are:
• Computational thinking Computational thinking is a set of fundamental skills that help produce a solution to a
problem. Skills such as abstraction, decomposition and algorithmic thinking are used to study a problem and
design a solution that can be implemented. This may involve using a range of technologies and programming
languages.
• Programming paradigms
A programming paradigm is a way of thinking about or approaching problems. There are many different
programming styles that can be used, which are suited to unique functions, tools and specific situations.
An understanding of programming paradigms is essential to ensure they are used appropriately, when
designing and building programs.
• Communication Communication is a core requirement of computer systems. It includes the ability to transfer
data from one device or component to another and an understanding of the rules and methods that are used in
this data transfer. Communication could range from the internal transfer of data within a computer system, to the
transfer of a video across the internet.
Computer architecture and hardware
• Computer architecture is the design of the internal operation of a computer system. It includes the rules that
dictate how components and data are organised, how data are communicated between components, to
allow hardware to function. There is a range of architectures, with different components and rules, that are
appropriate for different scenarios.
All computers comprise of a combination of hardware components, ranging from internal components,
such as the Central Processing Unit (CPU) and main memory, to peripherals. To produce effective
and efficient programs to run on hardware, it is important to understand how the components work
independently and together to produce a system that can be used. Hardware needs software to be able
to perform a task. Software allows hardware to become functional. This enables the user to communicate
with the hardware to perform tasks.
Data representation and structures Computers use binary and understanding how a binary number can be
interpreted in many different ways is important. Programming requires an understanding of how data can be
•
organised for efficient access and/or transfer.

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 Cambridge International AS & A Level Computer Science 9618 syllabus for 2024 and 2025. Why choose this syllabus?

International recognition and acceptance

Our expertise in curriculum, teaching and learning, and assessment is the basis for the recognition of
our programmes and qualifications around the world. Every year thousands of students with Cambridge
International AS & A Levels gain places at leading universities worldwide. Our programmes and qualifications
are valued by top universities around the world including those in the UK, US (including Ivy League universities),
Europe, Australia, Canada and New Zealand.

UK NARIC, the national agency in the UK for the recognition and comparison of international qualifications and
skills, has carried out an independent benchmarking study of Cambridge International AS & A Level and found it to
be comparable to the standard of AS & A Level in the UK. This means students can be confident that their
Cambridge International AS & A Level qualifications are accepted as equivalent, grade for grade, to UK AS & A
Levels by leading universities worldwide.

Cambridge International AS Level Computer Science makes up the first half of the Cambridge International
A Level course in Computer Science and provides a foundation for the study of Computer Science at
Cambridge International A Level. Depending on local university entrance requirements, students may be able to
use it to progress directly to university courses in Computer Science or some other subjects. It is also suitable
as part of a course of general education.

Cambridge International A Level Computer Science provides a foundation for the study of Computer Science or
related courses in higher education. Equally it is suitable as part of a course of general education.

For more information about the relationship between the Cambridge International AS Level and Cambridge
International A Level see the ‘Assessment overview’ section of the Syllabus overview.

We recommend learners check the Cambridge recognition database and university websites to find the most
up-to-date entry requirements for courses they wish to study.

Learn more at www.cambridgeinternational.org/recognition

School feedback: ‘The depth of knowledge displayed by the best A Level students makes
them prime targets for America’s Ivy League universities.’
Feedback from: Yale University, USA

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 Cambridge International AS & A Level Computer Science 9618 syllabus for 2024 and 2025. Why choose this syllabus?

Supporting teachers
We provide a wide range of resources, detailed guidance and innovative training and professional development
so that you can give your students the best possible preparation for Cambridge International AS & A Level. To
find out which resources are available for each syllabus go to www.cambridgeinternational.org/support

The School Support Hub is our secure online site for Cambridge teachers where you can find the resources
you need to deliver our programmes. You can also keep up to date with your subject and the global Cambridge
community through our online discussion forums.

Find out more at www.cambridgeinternational.org/support

Support for Cambridge International AS & A Level

Planning and Teaching and Learning and revision Results

preparation assessment • Example candidate • Candidate Results
• Next steps guides. • Endorsed resources. responses. Service.
• Schemes of work. • Online forums. • Past papers and • Principal examiner
• Specimen papers. • Support for mark schemes. reports for teachers.
• Syllabuses. coursework and • Specimen paper • Results Analysis.
• Teacher guides. speaking tests. answers.

Sign up for email notifications about changes to syllabuses, including new and revised products and services at
w w w.ca mbr idg e inte r nationa l.or g /sylla busupdate s

In addition, a Pseudocode Guide supports Cambridge International AS & A Level Computer Science (9618)
to ensure that teachers and learners are familiar with the style used in examinations. This can be found at
w w w.cambridgeinternational.org /suppor t

Professional development
We support teachers through:
• Introductory Training – face-to-face or online
• Extension Training – face-to-face or online
• Enrichment Professional Development – face-to-face or online
Find out more at www.cambridgeinternational.org/events

• Cambridge Professional Development Qualifications

Find out more at www.cambridgeinternational.org/profdev

Supporting exams officers

We provide comprehensive support and guidance for all Cambridge exams officers.
Find out more at: www.cambridgeinternational.org/eoguide

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 Cambridge International AS & A Level Computer Science 9618 syllabus for 2024 and 2025.

2 Syllabus overview

Aims
The aims describe the purposes of a course based on this syllabus.

The aims of this course are to enable students to develop:

• computational thinking skills
• an understanding of the main principles of solving problems using computers
• an understanding of the component parts of computer systems and how they interrelate, including
software, data, hardware, communication and people
• an understanding of the different methods of communication and the functionality of networks and the
internet
• the skills necessary to apply this understanding to develop computer based solutions to problems.

Cambridge Assessment International Education is an education organisation and politically neutral.

The contents of this syllabus, examination papers and associated materials do not endorse any political
view. We endeavour to treat all aspects of the exam process neutrally.

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 Cambridge International AS & A Level Computer Science 9618 syllabus for 2024 and 2025. Syllabus overview

Content overview
AS Level content
1 Information representation 1.1 Data Representation
1.2 Multimedia – Graphics, Sound
1.3 Compression

2 Communication 2.1 Networks including the internet

3 Hardware 3.1 Computers and their components

3.2 Logic Gates and Logic Circuits

4 Processor Fundamentals 4.1 Central Processing Unit (CPU) Architecture

4.2 Assembly Language
Feb. 4.3 Bit manipulation
P1 Past Paper Paper 1
Practice
5 System Software 5.1 Operating Systems
5.2 Language Translators

6 Security, privacy and data integrity 6.1 Data Security

6.2 Data Integrity

7 Ethics and Ownership 7.1 Ethics and Ownership

8 Databases 8.1 Database Concepts

8.2 Database Management Systems (DBMS)
8.3 Data Definition Language (DDL) and Data
Manipulation Language (DML)

9 Algorithm Design and Problem-solving 9.1 Computational Thinking Skills

9.2 Algorithms
Mar.
10 Data Types and Structures 10.1 Data Types and Records
10.2 Arrays
10.3 Files
10.4 Introduction to Abstract Data Types (ADT)

Paper 2
11 Programming 11.1 Programming Basics
11.2 Constructs
Apr. 11.3 Structured Programming

12 Software Development 12.1 Program Development Life cycle

12.2 Program Design
12.3 Program Testing and Maintenance

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 Cambridge International AS & A Level Computer Science 9618 syllabus for 2024 and 2025. Syllabus overview

A Level content
13 Data Representation 13.1 User-defined data types
13.2 File organisation and access
13.3 Floating-point numbers, representation and
manipulation

14 Communication and internet 14.1 Protocols

technologies 14.2 Circuit switching, packet switching

15 Hardware and Virtual Machines 15.1 Processors, Parallel Processing and Virtual Machines
15.2 Boolean Algebra and Logic Circuits

16 System Software 16.1 Purposes of an Operating System (OS)

16.2 Translation Software

17 Security 17.1 Encryption, Encryption Protocols and Digital

certificates

18 Artificial Intelligence (AI) 18.1 Artificial Intelligence

19 Computational thinking and 19.1 Algorithms

Problem-solving 19.2 Recursion

20 Further Programming 20.1 Programming Paradigms

20.2 File Processing and Exception Handling

Support for Cambridge International AS & A Level Computer Science

Our School Support Hub www.cambridgeinternational.org/support provides Cambridge schools with a secure
site for downloading specimen and past question papers, mark schemes, grade thresholds and other
curriculum resources specific to this syllabus. The School Support Hub community offers teachers the
opportunity to connect with each other and to ask questions related to the syllabus.

School feedback: ‘Cambridge International AS & A Levels prepare students well for university
because they’ve learnt to go into a subject in considerable depth. There’s that ability to really
understand the depth and richness and the detail of a subject. It’s a wonderful preparation for
what they are going to face at university.’
Feedback from: US Higher Education Advisory Council

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 Cambridge International AS & A Level Computer Science 9618 syllabus for 2024 and 2025. Syllabus overview

Assessment overview
At AS Level candidates take papers 1 and 2. At A Level candidates take all four papers. Calculators must not
be used in any paper.

Paper 1 Theory Fundamentals Paper 3 Advanced Theory

1 hour 30 minutes 1 hour 30 minutes

75 marks 75 marks
Paper 1 will assess sections 1 to 8 of the Paper 3 will assess sections 13 to 20 of the
syllabus content. syllabus content.
Written paper. Written paper.
Externally assessed. Candidates answer all Externally assessed. Candidates answer all
questions. questions.
50% of the AS Level 25% of the A Level
25% of the A Level

Paper 2 Fundamental Problem-solving and Paper 4 Practical

Programming Skills

2 hours 2 hours 30 minutes

75 marks 75 marks
Paper 2 will assess sections 9 to 12 of the Paper 4 will assess sections 19 to 20 of the
syllabus content. syllabus content, except for low-level and
Candidates will need to write answers in declarative programming.
pseudocode. Candidates will submit complete program code
Written paper. and evidence of testing.
Externally assessed. Candidates answer all Candidates will be required to use either Java
questions. (console mode), Visual Basic* (console mode) or
Python (console mode) programming languages.
50% of the AS Level
Externally assessed. Candidates answer all
25% of the A Level
questions on a computer without internet or
email facility.
25% of the A Level

Information on availability is in the Before you start section.

* Visual Basic in this syllabus refers to any .Net versions of the Visual Basic programming language. Candidates
are asked to use one of these versions of the software and not Visual Basic 6.0 or earlier versions of this
programming language.

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 Cambridge International AS & A Level Computer Science 9618 syllabus for 2024 and 2025. Syllabus overview

There are three routes for Cambridge International AS & A Level Computer Science:
Route Paper 1 Paper 2 Paper 3 Paper 4

1 AS Level only yes yes no no

(Candidates take all AS
components in the same exam
series)
A Level (staged over two years)
2 yes yes no no
Year 1 AS Level*
Year 2 Complete the A Level
no no yes yes
A Level
3 (Candidates take all components in yes yes yes yes
the same exam series)

* Candidates carry forward their AS Level result subject to the rules and time limits described in the Cambridge
Handbook.

Candidates following an AS Level route will be eligible for grades a–e. Candidates following an A Level route are
eligible for grades A*–E.

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 Cambridge International AS & A Level Computer Science 9618 syllabus for 2024 and 2025. Syllabus overview

Assessment objectives
The assessment objectives (AOs) are:

AO1
Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of the principles and concepts of computer science, including
abstraction, logic, algorithms and data representation.

AO2
Apply knowledge and understanding of the principles and concepts of computer science, including to analyse
problems in computational terms.

AO3
Design, program and evaluate computer systems to solve problems, making reasoned judgements about
these.

Weighting for assessment objectives

The approximate weightings allocated to each of the assessment objectives (AOs) are summarised below.

Assessment objectives as a percentage of each qualification

Assessment objective Weighting in AS Level % Weighting in A Level %

AO1 AO2 AO3 30 30

40 30

30 40

Total 100 100

Assessment objectives as a percentage of each component

Assessment objective Weighting in components %

Paper 1 Paper 2 Paper 3 Paper 4

AO1 60 0 60 0

AO2 40 40 40 0

AO3 0 60 0 100

Total 100 100 100 100

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 Cambridge International AS & A Level Computer Science 9618 syllabus for 2024 and 2025.

3 Subject content

This syllabus gives you the flexibility to design a course that will interest, challenge and engage your learners.
Where appropriate you are responsible for selecting resources and examples to support your learners’ study.
These should be appropriate for the learners’ age, cultural background and learning context as well as complying
with your school policies and local legal requirements.

AS content
Computational thinking is developed using a structured approach that includes the use of programming and
problem-solving skills to provide solutions to real life problems. It requires the manipulation and storage of
different types of data and the communication of solutions over networks.

Computational thinking is supported by developing an understanding of how computer architecture, hardware,

systems software, security measures and communication systems, provide the infrastructure required in
an efficient and ethical way. The syllabus supports opportunities for students to apply their skills in practical
contexts that are required in the digital industry.

1 Information representation

1.1 Data Representation

Candidates should be able to: Notes and guidance
Show understanding of binary magnitudes and the
Understand the difference between and use:
difference between binary prefixes and decimal
prefixes • kibi and kilo
• mebi and mega
• gibi and giga
• tebi and tera

Show understanding of different number systems Use the binary, denary, hexadecimal number
bases and Binary Coded Decimal (BCD) and one’s
and two’s complement representation for binary
numbers
Convert an integer value from one number base/
representation to another
Perform binary addition and subtraction Using positive and negative binary integers
Show understanding of how overflow can occur

Describe practical applications where Binary Coded

Decimal (BCD) and Hexadecimal are used
Show understanding of and be able to represent Students are expected to be familiar with ASCII
character data in its internal binary form, depending (American Standard Code for Information
on the character set used Interchange), extended ASCII and Unicode.
Students will not be expected to memorise any
particular character codes

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 Cambridge International AS & A Level Computer Science 9618 syllabus for 2024 and 2025. Subject content

1.2 Multimedia
Graphics

Candidates should be able to: Notes and guidance

Use and understand the terms: pixel, file header,
Show understanding of how data for a bitmapped
image resolution, screen resolution, colour depth/
image are encoded
bit depth

Perform calculations to estimate the file size for a

bitmap image
Show understanding of the effects of changing Use the terms: image resolution, colour depth /
elements of a bitmap image on the image quality bit depth
and file size
Show understanding of how data for a vector Use the terms: drawing object, property, drawing list
graphic are encoded
Justify the use of a bitmap image or a vector
graphic for a given task

Sound
Candidates should be able to: Notes and guidance
Show understanding of how sound is represented Use the terms: sampling, sampling rate, sampling
and encoded resolution, analogue and digital data
Show understanding of the impact of changing the Including the impact on file size and accuracy
sampling rate and resolution

1.3 Compression
Candidates should be able to:
Show understanding of the need for and examples Notes and guidance
of the use of compression
Show understanding of lossy and lossless
compression and justify the use of a method in a
given situation
Show understanding of how a text file, bitmap
image, vector graphic and sound file can be Including the use of run-length encoding (RLE)
compressed

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 Cambridge International AS & A Level Computer Science 9618 syllabus for 2024 and 2025. Subject content

2 Communication

2.1 Networks including the internet

Candidates should be able to: Notes and guidance
Show understanding of the purpose and benefits of
networking devices
Show understanding of the characteristics of a LAN
(local area network) and a WAN (wide area network)
Explain the client-server and peer-to-peer models of
networked computers Roles of the different computers within the network
and subnetwork models
Benefits and drawbacks of each model
Justify the use of a model for a given situation

Show understanding of thin-client and thick-client

and the differences between them
Show understanding of the bus, star, mesh and Understand how packets are transmitted between
hybrid topologies two hosts for a given topology
Justify the use of a topology for a given situation

Show understanding of cloud computing Including the use of public and private clouds
Benefits and drawbacks of cloud computing

Show understanding of the differences between Describe the characteristics of copper cable,
and implications of the use of wireless and wired fibre-optic cable, radio waves (including WiFi),
networks microwaves, satellites

Describe the hardware that is used to support a Including switch, server, Network Interface Card
LAN (NIC), Wireless Network Interface Card (WNIC),
Wireless Access Points (WAP), cables, bridge,
repeater

Describe the role and function of a router in a

network
Show understanding of Ethernet and how collisions Including Carrier Sense Multiple Access / Collision
are detected and avoided Detection (CSMA / CD)
Show understanding of bit streaming Methods of bit streaming, i.e. real-time and
on-demand
Importance of bit rates broadband speed on bit
streaming
Show understanding of the differences between the
World Wide Web (WWW) and the internet
Describe the hardware that is used to support the Including modems, PSTN (Public Switched
internet Telephone Network), dedicated lines, cell phone
network

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 Cambridge International AS & A Level Computer Science 9618 syllabus for 2024 and 2025. Subject content

2.1 Networks including the internet continued

Explain the use of IP addresses in the transmission Including:

of data over the internet • format of an IP address including IPv4 and IPv6
• use of subnetting in a network
• how an IP address is associated with a device
on a network
• difference between a public IP address and
a private IP address and the implications for
security
• difference between a static IP address and a
dynamic IP address

Explain how a Uniform Resource Locator (URL) is

used to locate a resource on the World Wide Web
(WWW) and the role of the Domain Name Service
(DNS)

3 Hardware

3.1 Computers and their components

Candidates should be able to: Notes and guidance
Show understanding of the need for input, output,
primary memory and secondary (including
removable) storage
Show understanding of embedded systems
Including: benefits and drawbacks of embedded
systems

Describe the principal operations of hardware Including: Laser printer, 3D printer, microphone,
devices speakers, magnetic hard disk, solid state (flash)
memory, optical disc reader/writer, touchscreen,
virtual reality headset

Show understanding of the use of buffers

Explain the differences between Random Access Including their use in a range of devices and systems
Memory (RAM) and Read Only Memory (ROM)
Including the use of SRAM and DRAM in a range of
Explain the differences between Static RAM (SRAM)
devices and systems and the reasons for using one
and Dynamic RAM (DRAM) instead of the other depending on the device and its
use

Explain the difference between Programmable ROM

(PROM), Erasable Programmable ROM (EPROM)
and Electrically Erasable Programmable ROM
(EEPROM)
Show an understanding of monitoring and control Including:
systems
• difference between monitoring and control
• use of sensors (including temperature, pressure,
infra-red, sound) and actuators
• importance of feedback

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 Cambridge International AS & A Level Computer Science 9618 syllabus for 2024 and 2025. Subject content

3.2 Logic Gates and Logic Circuits

Candidates should be able to: Notes and guidance

Use the following logic gate symbols:

NOT AND OR

NAND NOR XOR

Understand and define the functions of : All gates except the NOT gate will have two inputs
NOT, AND, OR, NAND, NOR and XOR (EOR) gates only.
Construct the truth table for each of the logic gates
above
Construct a logic circuit
From:
• a problem statement
• a logic expression
• a truth table

Construct a truth table From:

• a problem statement
• a logic circuit
• a logic expression

Construct a logic expression From:

• a problem statement
• a logic circuit
• a truth table

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 Cambridge International AS & A Level Computer Science 9618 syllabus for 2024 and 2025. Subject content

4 Processor Fundamentals

4.1 Central Processing Unit (CPU) Architecture

Candidates should be able to: Notes and guidance

Show understanding of the basic Von Neumann
model for a computer system and the stored
program concept
Show understanding of the purpose and role of
Special purpose registers including:
registers, including the difference between general
purpose and special purpose registers • Program Counter (PC)
• Memory Data Register (MDR)
• Memory Address Register (MAR)
• The Accumulator (ACC)
• Index Register (IX)
• Current Instruction Register (CIR)
• Status Register

Show understanding of the purpose and roles of the

Arithmetic and Logic Unit (ALU), Control Unit (CU)
and system clock, Immediate Access Store (IAS)
Show understanding of how data are transferred
between various components of the computer
system using the address bus, data bus and control
bus
Show understanding of how factors contribute to
Including:
the performance of the computer system
• processor type and number of cores
• the bus width
• clock speed
• cache memory

Understand how different ports provide connection Including connection to:

to peripheral devices
• Universal Serial Bus (USB)
• High Definition Multimedia Interface (HDMI)
• Video Graphics Array (VGA)

Describe the stages of the Fetch-Execute (F-E) cycle Describe and use ‘register transfer’ notation to
describe the F-E cycle
Show understanding of the purpose of interrupts Including:

• possible causes of interrupts

• applications of interrupts
• use of an Interrupt Service handling Routine
(ISR)
• when interrupts are detected during the fetch-
execute cycle
• how interrupts are handled

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 Cambridge International AS & A Level Computer Science 9618 syllabus for 2024 and 2025. Subject content

4.2 Assembly Language

Candidates should be able to:
Show understanding of the relationship between Notes and guidance
assembly language and machine code
Describe the different stages of the assembly
process for a two-pass assembler Apply the two-pass assembler process to a given
Trace a given simple assembly language program simple assembly language program

Show understanding that a set of instructions are

grouped Including the following groups:
• Data movement
• Input and output of data
• Arithmetic operations
• Unconditional and conditional instructions
• Compare instructions

Show understanding of and be able to use different Including immediate, direct, indirect, indexed,
modes of addressing relative

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 Cambridge International AS & A Level Computer Science 9618 syllabus for 2024 and 2025. Subject content

The following table is an example of an instruction set:

Instruction Explanation
Opcode Operand

LDM #n Immediate addressing. Load the number n to ACC

LDD <address> Direct addressing. Load the contents of the location at the given address
to ACC
Indirect addressing. The address to be used is at the given address.
LDI <address>
Load the contents of this second address to ACC
Indexed addressing. Form the address from <address> + the contents of
LDX <address>
the index register. Copy the contents of this calculated address to ACC
Immediate addressing. Load the number n to IX
LDR #n
Move the contents of the accumulator to the given register (IX)
MOV <register>
Store the contents of ACC at the given address
STO <address>
Add the contents of the given address to the ACC
ADD <address>
Add the number n to the ACC
ADD #n/Bn/&n
Subtract the contents of the given address from the ACC
SUB <address>
Subtract the number n from the ACC
SUB #n/Bn/&n
Add 1 to the contents of the register (ACC or IX)
INC <register>
Subtract 1 from the contents of the register (ACC or IX)
DEC <register>
Jump to the given address
JMP <address>
Compare the contents of ACC with the contents of <address>
CMP <address>
Compare the contents of ACC with number n
CMP #n
Indirect addressing. The address to be used is at the given address.
CMI <address> Compare the contents of ACC with the contents of this second address
Following a compare instruction, jump to <address> if the compare was
JPE <address> True

JPN <address> Following a compare instruction, jump to <address> if the compare was
False
IN Key in a character and store its ASCII value in ACC

OUT Output to the screen the character whose ASCII value is stored in ACC

END Return control to the operating system

All questions will assume there is only one general purpose register available (Accumulator)
ACC denotes Accumulator
IX denotes Index Register
<address> can be an absolute or symbolic address
# denotes a denary number, e.g. #123
B denotes a binary number, e.g. B01001010
& denotes a hexadecimal number, e.g. &4A

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 Cambridge International AS & A Level Computer Science 9618 syllabus for 2024 and 2025. Subject content

4.3 Bit manipulation

Candidates should be able to:
Show understanding of and perform binary shifts Notes and guidance
Logical, arithmetic and cyclic
Left shift, right shift
Show understanding of how bit manipulation can be Carry out bit manipulation operations
used to monitor/control a device Test and set a bit (using bit masking)

Instruction
Label Opcode Operand Explanation
AND #n / Bn / &nBitwise AND operation of the contents of ACC with the
operand
AND <address> Bitwise AND operation of the contents of ACC with the
contents of <address>
XOR #n / Bn / &nBitwise XOR operation of the contents of ACC with the
operand
XOR <address> Bitwise XOR operation of the contents of ACC with the
contents of <address>
OR #n / Bn / &nBitwise OR operation of the contents of ACC with the
operand
OR <address> Bitwise OR operation of the contents of ACC with the
contents of <address>
LSL #n Bits in ACC are shifted logically n places to the left. Zeros are
introduced on the right hand end
LSR #n Bits in ACC are shifted logically n places to the right. Zeros
are introduced on the left hand end
<label>: <opcode> <operand> Labels an instruction
<label>: <data> Gives a symbolic address <label> to the memory location
with contents <data>
All questions will assume there is only one general purpose register available (Accumulator)
ACC denotes Accumulator
IX denotes Index Register
<address> can be an absolute or symbolic address
# denotes a denary number, e.g. #123
B denotes a binary number, e.g. B01001010
& denotes a hexadecimal number, e.g. &4A

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 Cambridge International AS & A Level Computer Science 9618 syllabus for 2024 and 2025. Subject content

5 System Software

5.1 Operating Systems

Candidates should be able to: Notes and guidance
Explain why a computer system requires an
Operating System (OS)
Explain the key management tasks carried out by
Including memory management, file management,
the Operating System
security management, hardware management
(input / output / peripherals), process management

Show understanding of the need for typical utility Including disk formatter, virus checker,
software provided with an Operating System defragmentation software, disk contents analysis/
disk repair software, file compression, back-up
sof t ware
Including:
Show understanding of program libraries
• software under development is often
constructed using existing code from program
libraries
• the benefits to the developer of software
constructed using library files, including
Dynamic Link Library (DLL) files

5.2 Language Translators

Candidates should be able to:
Notes and guidance
Show understanding of the need for:

• assembler software for the translation of an

assembly language program
• a compiler for the translation of a high-level
language program
• an interpreter for translation and execution of a
high-level language program
Explain the benefits and drawbacks of using either a
compiler or interpreter and justify the use of each
Show awareness that high-level language programs
may be partially compiled and partially interpreted,
such as Java (console mode)
Describe features found in a typical Integrated Including:
Development Environment (IDE)
• for coding, including context-sensitive prompts
• for initial error detection, including dynamic
syntax checks
• for presentation, including prettyprint, expand
and collapse code blocks
• for debugging, including single stepping,
breakpoints, i.e. variables, expressions, report
window

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 Cambridge International AS & A Level Computer Science 9618 syllabus for 2024 and 2025. Subject content

6 Security, privacy and data integrity

6.1 Data Security

Candidates should be able to: Notes and guidance
Explain the difference between the terms security,
privacy and integrity of data
Show appreciation of the need for both the security
of data and the security of the computer system
Describe security measures designed to protect
computer systems, ranging from the stand-alone Including user accounts, passwords, authentication
PC to a network of computers techniques such as digital signatures and
biometrics, firewall, anti-virus software, anti-
spyware, encryption

Show understanding of the threats to computer and Including malware (virus, spyware), hackers,
data security posed by networks and the internet phishing, pharming
Describe methods that can be used to restrict the
risks posed by threats
Describe security methods designed to protect the
Including encryption, access rights
security of data

6.2 Data Integrity

Candidates should be able to:
Describe how data validation and data verification Notes and guidance
help protect the integrity of data
Describe and use methods of data validation
Including range check, format check, length check,
presence check, existence check, limit check,
check digit

Describe and use methods of data verification During data entry including visual check, double
during data entry and data transfer e ntr y
During data transfer including parity check (byte and
block), checksum

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 Cambridge International AS & A Level Computer Science 9618 syllabus for 2024 and 2025. Subject content

Ethics and Ownership

7

7.1 Ethics and Ownership

Candidates should be able to: Notes and guidance
Show understanding of the need for and purpose of
Understand the importance of joining a professional
ethics as a computing professional
ethical body including BCS (British Computer
Society), IEEE (Institute of Electrical and Electronic
Engineers)

Show understanding of the need to act ethically and

the impact of acting ethically or unethically for a
given situation
Show understanding of the need for copyright
legislation
Show understanding of the different types of
Licences to include free Software Foundation, the
software licencing and justify the use of a licence for Open Source Initiative, shareware and commercial
a given situation sof t ware
Show understanding of Artificial Intelligence (AI) Understand the impact of AI including social,
economic and environmental issues
Understand the applications of AI

8 Databases

8.1 Database Concepts

Candidates should be able to: Notes and guidance
Show understanding of the limitations of using a file-
based approach for the storage and retrieval of data
Describe the features of a relational database that
address the limitations of a file-based approach
Show understanding of and use the terminology
associated with a relational database model Including entity, table, record, field, tuple, attribute,
primary key, candidate key, secondary key, foreign
key, relationship (one-to-many, one-to-one, many-
to-many), referential integrity, indexing

Use an entity-relationship (E-R) diagram to

document a database design
Show understanding of the normalisation process First Normal Form (1NF),
Second Normal Form (2NF) and
Third Normal Form (3NF)

Explain why a given set of database tables are, or

are not, in 3NF
Produce a normalised database design for a
description of a database, a given set of data, or a
given set of tables

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 Cambridge International AS & A Level Computer Science 9618 syllabus for 2024 and 2025. Subject content

8.2 Database Management Systems (DBMS)

Candidates should be able to:
Notes and guidance
Show understanding of the features provided by Including:
a Database Management System (DBMS) that
• data management, including maintaining a data
address the issues of a file based approach
dictionary
• data modelling
• logical schema
• data integrity
• data security, including backup procedures and
the use of access rights to individuals / groups
of users

Show understanding of how software tools found Including the use and purpose of:
within a DBMS are used in practice
• developer interface
• query processor

8.3 Data Definition Language (DDL) and Data Manipulation Language (DML)

Candidates should be able to: Notes and guidance

Show understanding that the DBMS carries out all
creation / modification of the database structure
using its Data Definition Language (DDL)
Show understanding that the DBMS carries out all
queries and maintenance of data using its DML
Show understanding that the industry standard for
Understand a given SQL statement
both DDL and DML is Structured Query Language
(SQL)
Understand given SQL (DDL) statements and be Create a database (CREATE DATABASE)
able to write simple SQL (DDL) statements using a
Create a table definition (CREATE TABLE), including
sub-set of statements
the creation of attributes with appropriate data
types:
• CHARACTER
• VARCHAR(n)
• BOOLEAN
• INTEGER
• REAL
• DATE
• TIME
change a table definition (ALTER TABLE)
add a primary key to a table (PRIMARY KEY (field))
add a foreign key to a table (FOREIGN KEY (field)
REFERENCES Table (Field))

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 Cambridge International AS & A Level Computer Science 9618 syllabus for 2024 and 2025. Subject content

8.3 Data Definition Language (DDL) and Data Manipulation Language (DML) continued

Write an SQL script to query or modify data (DML) Queries including SELECT... FROM, WHERE,
which are stored in (at most two) database tables ORDER BY, GROUP BY, INNER JOIN, SUM,
COUNT, AVG

Data maintenance including. INSERT INTO, DELETE

FROM, UPDATE

9 Algorithm Design and Problem-solving

Refer to Pseudocode Guide www.cambridgeinternational.org/support

9.1 Computational Thinking Skills

Candidates should be able to: Notes and guidance
Show an understanding of abstraction Need for and benefits of using abstraction
Describe the purpose of abstraction
Produce an abstract model of a system by only
including essential details

Describe and use decomposition Break down problems into sub-problems leading
to the concept of a program module (procedure /
function)

9.2 Algorithms
Candidates should be able to:
Show understanding that an algorithm is a solution to Notes and guidance
a problem expressed as a sequence of defined steps
Use suitable identifier names for the representation
of data used by a problem and represent these
using an identifier table
Write pseudocode that contains input, process and
output
Write pseudocode using the three basic constructs
of sequence, selection and iteration (repetition)
Document a simple algorithm using a structured
English description, a flowchart or pseudocode
Write pseudocode from:

• a structured English description

• a flowchart
Draw a flowchart from:
• a structured English description
• pseudocode

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 Cambridge International AS & A Level Computer Science 9618 syllabus for 2024 and 2025. Subject content

9.2 Algorithms continued Describe and use the

process of stepwise
refinement to express an algorithm to a level of
detail from which the task may be programmed Use
logic statements to define parts of an algorithm
solution

10 Data Types and Structures

10.1 Data Types and Records

Candidates should be able to: Notes and guidance
Select and use appropriate data types for a problem
including integer, real, char, string, Boolean, date
solution
(pseudocode will use the following data types:
INTEGER, REAL, CHAR, STRING, BOOLEAN, DATE,
ARRAY, FILE)

Show understanding of the purpose of a record Write pseudocode to define a record structure
structure to hold a set of data of different data types Write pseudocode to read data from a record
under one identifier structure and save data to a record structure

10.2 Arrays
Candidates should be able to:
Notes and guidance
Use the technical terms associated with arrays
Including index, upper and lower bound
Select a suitable data structure (1D or 2D array) to
use for a given task
Write pseudocode for 1D and 2D arrays
Write pseudocode to process array data
Sort using a bubble sort
Search using a linear search

10.3 Files
Candidates should be able to:
Notes and guidance
Show understanding of why files are needed
Write pseudocode to handle text files that consist of
one or more lines

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 Cambridge International AS & A Level Computer Science 9618 syllabus for 2024 and 2025. Subject content

10.4 Introduction to Abstract Data Types (ADT)

Candidates should be able to:
Show understanding that an ADT is a collection of Notes and guidance
data and a set of operations on those data
Show understanding that a stack, queue and linked
list are examples of ADTs Describe the key features of a stack, queue and
Use a stack, queue and linked list to store data linked list and justify their use for a given situation
Candidates will not be required to write pseudocode
for these structures, but they should be able to add,
edit and delete data from these structures

Describe how a queue, stack and linked list can be

implemented using arrays

11 Programming

11.1 Programming Basics

Candidates should be able to: Notes and guidance
Implement and write pseudocode from a given
design presented as either a program flowchart or
structured English
Write pseudocode statements for:

• the declaration and initialisation of constants

• the declaration of variables
• the assignment of values to variables
• expressions involving any of the arithmetic or
logical operators input from the keyboard and
output to the console

Use built-in functions and library routines Any functions not given in the pseudocode guide
will be provided
String manipulation functions will always be given

11.2 Constructs
Candidates should be able to:
Notes and guidance
Use pseudocode to write:

• an ‘IF’ statement including the ‘ELSE’ clause

and nested IF statements
• a ‘CASE’ structure
• a ‘count-controlled’ loop:
• a ‘post-condition’ loop
• a ‘pre-condition’ loop

Justify why one loop structure may be better suited

to solve a problem than the others

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 Cambridge International AS & A Level Computer Science 9618 syllabus for 2024 and 2025. Subject content

11.3 Structured Programming

Candidates should be able to:
Notes and guidance
Define and use a procedure
Explain where in the construction of an algorithm it
would be appropriate to use a procedure
Use parameters
A procedure may have none, one or more
parameters
A parameter can be passed by reference or by value

Define and use a function

Explain where in the construction of an algorithm it A function is used in an expression, e.g. the return
is appropriate to use a function value replaces the call
Use the terminology associated with procedures including procedure / function header, procedure /
and functions function interface, parameter, argument, return value
Write efficient pseudocode

12 Software Development

12.1 Program Development Life cycle

Candidates should be able to: Notes and guidance
Show understanding of the purpose of a
development life cycle
Show understanding of the need for different
Including: waterfall, iterative, rapid application
development life cycles depending on the program
development (RAD)
being developed
Describe the principles, benefits and drawbacks of
each type of life cycle
Show understanding of the analysis, design, coding,
testing and maintenance stages in the program
development life cycle

12.2 Program Design

Candidates should be able to:
Use a structure chart to decompose a Notes and guidance
problem into sub-tasks and express the Describe the purpose of a structure chart
parameters passed between the various Construct a structure chart for a given problem
modules / procedures / functions which are part of
Derive equivalent pseudocode from a structure
the algorithm design
chart
Show understanding of the purpose of
state-transition diagrams to document an algorithm

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 Cambridge International AS & A Level Computer Science 9618 syllabus for 2024 and 2025. Subject content

12.3 Program Testing and Maintenance

Candidates should be able to:
Show understanding of ways of exposing and Notes and guidance
avoiding faults in programs
Locate and identify the different types of errors
• syntax errors
• logic errors
• run-time errors

Correct identified errors

Show understanding of the methods of testing Including dry run, walkthrough, white-box, black-
available and select appropriate data for a given box, integration, alpha, beta, acceptance, stub
method
Show understanding of the need for a test strategy
and test plan and their likely contents
Choose appropriate test data for a test plan
Including normal, abnormal and extreme/boundary
Show understanding of the need for continuing
Including perfective, adaptive, corrective
maintenance of a system and the differences
between each type of maintenance
Analyse an existing program and make
amendments to enhance functionality

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 Cambridge International AS & A Level Computer Science 9618 syllabus for 2024 and 2025. Subject content

A Level content
Computational thinking is further developed at A Level to extend methods for searching, sorting, structuring
and storage of data. This includes understanding of Artificial Intelligence (AI). Programming paradigms are
considered together with an extension of programming skills to include recursion and exception handling.

Computational thinking is supported by developing an in-depth understanding of how computer architecture,

hardware, systems software, security measures and communication systems can have different structures
and protocols. These can be combined to provide an appropriate infrastructure for solutions of problems. The
syllabus encourages opportunities for students to apply their skills in a practical context that are required in the
digital industry.

13 Data Representation

13.1 User-defined data types

Candidates should be able to: Notes and guidance
Show understanding of why user-defined types are
necessary
Define and use non-composite types
Including enumerated, pointer
Define and use composite data types
Including set, record and class/object
Choose and design an appropriate user-defined
data type for a given problem

13.2 File organisation and access

Candidates should be able to:
Show understanding of the methods of file Notes and guidance
organisation and select an appropriate method of Including serial, sequential (using a key field),
file organisation and file access for a given problem random (using a record key)
Show understanding of methods of file access
Including
Sequential access for serial and sequential files
Direct access for sequential and random files

Show understanding of hashing algorithms Describe and use different hashing algorithms to
read from and write data to a random / sequential file

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 Cambridge International AS & A Level Computer Science 9618 syllabus for 2024 and 2025. Subject content

13.3 Floating-point numbers, representation and manipulation

Candidates should be able to: Notes and guidance

Describe the format of binary floating-point real Use two’s complement form
numbers Understand of the effects of changing the allocation
of bits to mantissa and exponent in a floating-point
representation

Convert binary floating-point real numbers into

denary and vice versa
Normalise floating-point numbers Understand the reasons for normalisation
Show understanding of the consequences of a Understand how underflow and overflow can occur
binary representation only being an approximation
to the real number it represents (in certain cases)
Show understanding that binary representations
can give rise to rounding errors

14 Communication and internet technologies

14.1 Protocols
Candidates should be able to: Notes and guidance
Show understanding of why a protocol is essential
for communication between computers
Show understanding of how protocol
implementation can be viewed as a stack, where
each layer has its own functionality
Show understanding of the TCP / IP protocol suite Four Layers (Application, Transport, Internet, Link)
Purpose and function of each layer
Application when a message is sent from one host
to another on the internet

Show understanding of protocols (HTTP, FTP, BitTorrent protocol provides peer-to-peer file sharing
POP3, IMAP, SMTP, BitTorrent) and their purposes

14.2 Circuit switching, packet switching

Candidates should be able to:
Notes and guidance
Show understanding of circuit switching Benefits, drawbacks and where it is applicable
Show understanding of packet switching Benefits, drawbacks and where it is applicable
Show understanding of the function of a router in
packet switching
Explain how packet switching is used to pass
messages across a network, including the internet

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 Cambridge International AS & A Level Computer Science 9618 syllabus for 2024 and 2025. Subject content

15 Hardware and Virtual Machines

15.1 Processors, Parallel Processing and Virtual Machines

Candidates should be able to: Notes and guidance

Show understanding of Reduced Instruction Set Differences between RISC and CISC
Computers (RISC) and Complex Instruction Set Understand interrupt handling on CISC and RISC
Computers (CISC) processors processors
Show understanding of the importance / use of
pipelining and registers in RISC processors
Show understanding of the four basic computer
SISD, SIMD, MISD, MIMD
architectures
Show understanding of the characteristics of
massively parallel computers
Show understanding of the concept of a virtual
machine Give examples of the role of virtual machines
Understand the benefits and limitations of virtual
machines

15.2 Boolean Algebra and Logic Circuits

Candidates should be able to:
Produce truth tables for logic circuits including half Notes and guidance
adders and full adders May include logic gates with more than two inputs
Show understanding of a flip-flop (SR, JK)
Draw a logic circuit and derive a truth table for a
flip-flop
Understand of the role of flip-flops as data storage
elements
Understand De Morgan’s laws
Show understanding of Boolean algebra
Perform Boolean algebra using De Morgan’s laws
Simplify a logic circuit/expression using Boolean
algebra
Understand of the benefits of using Karnaugh maps
Show understanding of Karnaugh maps (K-map)
Solve logic problems using Karnaugh maps

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 Cambridge International AS & A Level Computer Science 9618 syllabus for 2024 and 2025. Subject content

16 System Software

16.1 Purposes of an Operating System (OS)

Candidates should be able to: Notes and guidance
Show understanding of how an OS can maximise
the use of resources
Describe the ways in which the user interface hides
the complexities of the hardware from the user
Show understanding of process management
The concept of multi-tasking and a process The
process states: running, ready and blocked The need
for scheduling and the function and
benefits of different scheduling routines (including
round robin, shortest job first, first come first served,
shortest remaining time)
How the kernel of the OS acts as an interrupt
handler and how interrupt handling is used to
manage low-level scheduling

Show understanding of virtual memory, paging and The concepts of paging, virtual memory and
segmentation for memory management segmentation
The difference between paging and segmentation
How pages can be replaced
How disk thrashing can occur

16.2 Translation Software

Candidates should be able to:
Show understanding of how an interpreter can Notes and guidance
execute programs without producing a translated
version
Show understanding of the various stages in the
compilation of a program Including lexical analysis, syntax analysis, code
Show understanding of how the grammar of a generation and optimisation
language can be expressed using syntax diagrams
or Backus-Naur Form (BNF) notation
Show understanding of how Reverse Polish
Notation (RPN) can be used to carry out the
evaluation of expressions

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 Cambridge International AS & A Level Computer Science 9618 syllabus for 2024 and 2025. Subject content

17 Security

17.1 Encryption, Encryption Protocols and Digital certificates

Candidates should be able to: Notes and guidance

Show understanding of how encryption works Including the use of public key, private key, plain
text, cipher text, encryption, symmetric key
cryptography and asymmetric key cryptography
How the keys can be used to send a private
message from the public to an individual/
organisation
How the keys can be used to send a verified
message to the public
How data is encrypted and decrypted, using
symmetric and asymmetric cryptography
Purpose, benefits and drawbacks of quantum
cryptography
Purpose of SSL / TLS
Show awareness of the Secure Socket Layer (SSL)/
Use of SSL/TLS in client-server communication
Transport Layer Security (TLS)
Situations where the use of SSL/TLS would be
appropriate
How a digital certificate is acquired
Show understanding of digital certification How a digital certificate is used to produce digital
signatures

Artificial
18 Intelligence (AI) 18.1 Artificial

Intelligence (AI)
Candidates should be able to: Notes and guidance
Show understanding of how graphs can be used to aid
Artificial Intelligence (AI) Purpose and structure of a graph
Use A* and Dijkstra’s algorithms to perform
searches on a graph
Candidates will not be required to write algorithms
to set up, access, or perform searches on graphs

Show understanding of how artificial neural

networks have helped with machine learning
Show understanding of Deep Learning, Machine Understand machine learning categories, including
Learning and Reinforcement Learning and the supervised learning, unsupervised learning
reasons for using these methods.
Show understanding of back propagation of errors
and regression methods in machine learning

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 Cambridge International AS & A Level Computer Science 9618 syllabus for 2024 and 2025. Subject content

19 Computational thinking and Problem-solving

19.1 Algorithms
Candidates should be able to: Notes and guidance
Show understanding of linear and binary searching Write an algorithm to implement a linear search
methods Write an algorithm to implement a binary search
The conditions necessary for the use of a binary
search
How the performance of a binary search varies
according to the number of data items
Write an algorithm to implement an insertion sort
Show understanding of insertion sort and bubble
sort methods Write an algorithm to implement a bubble sort
Performance of a sorting routine may depend on
the initial order of the data and the number of data
items
Write algorithms to find an item in each of the
Show understanding of and use Abstract Data
following: linked list, binary tree
Types (ADT)
Write algorithms to insert an item into each of the
following: stack, queue, linked list, binary tree
Write algorithms to delete an item from each of the
following: stack, queue, linked list
Show understanding that a graph is an example of
an ADT. Describe the key features of a graph and
justify its use for a given situation. Candidates will
not be required to write code for a graph structure
Describe the following ADTs and demonstrate how
Show how it is possible for ADTs to be implemented they can be implemented from appropriate built-
from another ADT in types or other ADTs: stack, queue, linked list,
dictionary, binary tree
Including use of Big O notation to specify time and
Show understanding that different algorithms which space complexity
perform the same task can be compared by using
criteria (e.g. time taken to complete the task and
memory used)

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 Cambridge International AS & A Level Computer Science 9618 syllabus for 2024 and 2025. Subject content

19.2 Recursion

Candidates should be able to: Notes and guidance

Show understanding of recursion Essential features of recursion
How recursion is expressed in a programming
language
Write and trace recursive algorithms
When the use of recursion is beneficial

Show awareness of what a compiler has to do to Use of stacks and unwinding

translate recursive programming code

20 Further Programming

20.1 Programming Paradigms

Candidates should be able to: Notes and guidance
Understanding what is meant by a programming
paradigm
Show understanding of the characteristics of a
Low-level Programming:
number of programming paradigms:
• understanding of and ability to write
• Low-level low-level code that uses various addressing
modes: immediate, direct, indirect, indexed and
relative

• Imperative (Procedural) Imperative (Procedural) programming:

• Assumed knowledge and understanding of
Structural Programming (see details in AS
content section 11.3)
• understanding of and ability to write imperative
(procedural) programming code that uses
variables, constructs, procedures and functions.
See details in AS content

• Object Oriented Object-Oriented Programming (OOP):

• understanding of the terminology associated
with OOP (including objects, properties/
attributes, methods, classes, inheritance,
polymorphism, containment (aggregation),
encapsulation, getters, setters, instances)
• understanding of how to solve a problem by
designing appropriate classes
• understanding of and ability to write code that
demonstrates the use of OOP
• Declarative Declarative programming:
• understanding of and ability to solve a problem
by writing appropriate facts and rules based on
supplied information
• understanding of and ability to write code that
can satisfy a goal using facts and rules

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 Cambridge International AS & A Level Computer Science 9618 syllabus for 2024 and 2025. Subject content

20.2 File Processing and Exception Handling

Candidates should be able to:
Notes and guidance
Write code to perform file-processing operations Open (in read, write, append mode) and close a file
Read a record from a file and write a record to a file
Perform file-processing operations on serial,
sequential, random files

Show understanding of an exception and the Know when it is appropriate to use exception
importance of exception handling handling
Write program code to use exception handling

Teacher guidance
Equipment and facilities
Computer science is a practical subject and the Cambridge AS and A Level syllabus places emphasis on the use of
procedural high-level programming languages. Centres must ensure that their equipment and facilities are
adequate for candidates to be able to satisfy the requirements of the syllabus. The hardware facilities needed will
depend on the number of candidates, but should be sufficient for all candidates to have enough time to practise
their programming skills.

Hardware
Candidates need to have access to a system with direct-access file capability on backing store and hardcopy
facilities.

Sof t ware
Candidates should have experience of using a high-level programming language, chosen by the centre, from
the following list:
• Java (console mode)
• Visual Basic (console mode)
• Python (console mode).

Books
The British Computer Society (BCS) book list for schools and colleges are suitable for use as reference.
Teachers will need to consult several books to cover the whole syllabus adequately. There is a suggested book
list on our website.

Practical skills
Computing is a practical subject and a range of practical exercises should supplement the study of most parts
of the syllabus.

It is important that centres encourage candidates, as early as possible in the course, to develop a systematic
approach to practical problem-solving using appropriate resources.

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 Cambridge International AS & A Level Computer Science 9618 syllabus for 2024 and 2025.

4 Details of the assessment

The AS Level will be assessed through two external written papers. Both papers are compulsory.
• Paper 1 – Theory Fundamentals
• Paper 2 – Fundamental Problem-solving and Programming Skills

Paper 1 Theory Fundamentals will assess content described in this syllabus, sections 1 to 8. Candidates
will answer a number of questions, requiring some short and some longer answers. The questions will test
knowledge and understanding of the principles behind computer science as well as the application of these to
solve problems.

Paper 2 Fundamental Problem-solving and Programming Skills will assess content described in this
syllabus, sections 9 to 12. Candidates will answer a number of questions, requiring some short and
some longer answers. The questions will test programming knowledge and skills. Candidates will not
be required to write programming code. Candidates will be provided with an Insert to use in the exam
with pseudocode built-in functions and operators. For more information on the pseudocode please see
w w w.cambridgeinternational.org /suppor t

The A Level will be examined through four papers, papers 1 and 2 at AS Level plus:
• Paper 3 – Advanced Theory (written paper)
• Paper 4 – Practical

Paper 3 is a written paper and paper 4 is a practical programming paper carried out on a computer. Both
papers are compulsory.

Paper 3 Advanced Theory will assess content described in this syllabus, sections 13 to 20. Candidates will
answer a number of questions, requiring some short and some longer answers.

Paper 4 Practical will assess practical application of content described in the syllabus, sections 19 to 20, except
for low-level and declarative programming. The programming tasks will be based around a small number of
scenarios, candidates will be assessed on their ability to write programs or program elements to solve tasks.
Centres must ensure that all candidates have access to computers that belong to the centre and these must
not have internet access or access to email.

The source files given will not contain binary files.

Please see section 2: Assessment overview.

Submission of Paper 4 Practical

The evidence document supplied by Cambridge International should be saved with the centre number,
candidate’s name and candidate’s number. At each stage in the assessment of Paper 4, candidates will be
asked to copy program listings or take screenshots of results to paste into the evidence document. Candidates
must save their work at regular intervals and centres are recommended to enable the auto save function. If
there is no evidence of work in the evidence document, the work will not receive any marks.

Details of how to administer Paper 4 Practical can be found in the Cambridge Handbook which is available on
our website: www.cambridgeinternational.org/examsofficers

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 Cambridge International AS & A Level Computer Science 9618 syllabus for 2024 and 2025. Details of the assessment

Command words
Command words and their meanings help candidates know what is expected from them in the exam. The table
below includes command words used in the assessment for this syllabus. The use of the command word will
relate to the subject context.

Command word What it means examine in detail to show meaning, identify elements and the

Analyse relationship between

them
make an informed judgement
Assess
work out from given facts, figures or information
Calculate
give an informed opinion
Comment
identify/comment on similarities and/or differences
Compare
add information to an incomplete diagram or table
Complete
review and respond to given information
Consider
identify/comment on differences
Contrast
give precise meaning
Define
show how or give an example
Demonstrate
state the points of a topic / give characteristics and main features
Describe
take forward to a more advanced stage or build upon given information
Develop
write about issue(s) or topic(s) in depth in a structured way
Discuss
draw a line to match a term with a description
Draw
judge or calculate the quality, importance, amount, or value of something
Evaluate
investigate closely, in detail
Examine
set out purposes or reasons / make the relationships between things evident /
Explain
provide why and/or how and support with relevant evidence
produce an answer from a given source or recall/memory
Give name/select/recognise
Identify support a case with evidence/argument
Justify set out main points
Outline suggest what may happen based on available information
Predict make a simple freehand drawing showing the key features, taking care over
proportions
Sketch
express in clear terms

apply knowledge and understanding to situations where there are a range of valid
State
responses in order to make proposals
Suggest select and present the main points, without detail

write an answer in a specific way

Summarise

Write

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 Cambridge International AS & A Level Computer Science 9618 syllabus for 2024 and 2025.

5 What else you need to know

This section is an overview of other information you need to know about this syllabus. It will help to share the
administrative information with your exams officer so they know when you will need their support. Find more
information about our administrative processes at www.cambridgeinternational.org/eoguide

Before you start

Previous study
Learners starting this course may have previously studied Computer Science.

Guided learning hours

We design Cambridge International AS & A Level syllabuses based on learners having about 180 guided
learning hours for each Cambridge International AS Level and about 360 guided learning hours for a
Cambridge International A Level. The number of hours a learner needs to achieve the qualification may vary
according to local practice and their previous experience of the subject.

Availability and timetables

All Cambridge schools are allocated to one of six administrative zones. Each zone has a specific timetable.

You can enter candidates in the June and November exam series. You can view the timetable for your
administrative zone at www.cambridgeinternational.org/timetables

Private candidates can enter for this syllabus provided that the accommodating centre can make appropriate
arrangements to conduct the practical paper. For more information, see the Cambridge Guide to Making
Entries.

Check you are using the syllabus for the year the candidate is taking the exam.

Combining with other syllabuses

Candidates can take this syllabus alongside other Cambridge International syllabuses in a single exam series.
The only exceptions are:
• Cambridge International AS & A Level Information and Communication Technology 9626
• syllabuses with the same title at the same level.

Group awards: Cambridge AICE

Cambridge AICE (Advanced International Certificate of Education) is a group award for Cambridge International
AS & A Level. It allows schools to offer a broad and balanced curriculum by recognising the achievements of
learners who pass exams in a range of different subjects.

Learn more about Cambridge AICE at www.cambridgeinternational.org/aice

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 Cambridge International AS & A Level Computer Science 9618 syllabus for 2024 and 2025. What else you need to know

Making entries
Exams officers are responsible for submitting entries to Cambridge International. We encourage them to work
closely with you to make sure they enter the right number of candidates for the right combination of syllabus
components. Entry option codes and instructions for submitting entries are in the Cambridge Guide to Making
Entries. Your exams officer has a copy of this guide.

Exam administration
To keep our exams secure, we produce question papers for different areas of the world, known as
administrative zones. We allocate all Cambridge schools to one administrative zone determined by their
location. Each zone has a specific timetable. Some of our syllabuses offer candidates different assessment
options. An entry option code is used to identify the components the candidate will take relevant to the
administrative zone and the available assessment options.

Support for exams officers

We know how important exams officers are to the successful running of exams. We provide them with the
support they need to make your entries on time. Your exams officer will find this support, and guidance for all
other phases of the Cambridge Exams Cycle, at www.cambridgeinternational.org/eoguide

Retakes and carry forward

Candidates can retake Cambridge International AS Level and Cambridge International A Level as many times
as they want to. Information on retake entries is at www.cambridgeinternational.org/entries. To confirm what
entry options are available for this syllabus, refer to the Cambridge Guide to Making Entries for the relevant
series.

Candidates can carry forward the result of their Cambridge International AS Level assessment from one series
to complete the Cambridge International A Level in a following series, subject to the rules and time limits
described in the Cambridge Handbook.

Regulations for carrying forward entries for staged assessment (Cambridge International AS & A Level)
can be found in the Cambridge Handbook for the relevant year of assessment at
www.cambridgeinternational.org/eoguide

L anguage
This syllabus and the related assessment materials are available in English only.

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 Cambridge International AS & A Level Computer Science 9618 syllabus for 2024 and 2025. What else you need to know

Accessibility and equality

Syllabus and assessment design
Cambridge International works to avoid direct or indirect discrimination in our syllabuses and assessment
materials. We aim to maximise inclusivity for candidates of all national, cultural or social backgrounds and with
other protected characteristics. In addition, the language and layout used are designed to make our materials
as accessible as possible. This gives all learners the opportunity, as fairly as possible, to demonstrate their
knowledge, skills and understanding and helps to minimise the requirement to make reasonable adjustments
during the assessment process.

Access arrangements
Access arrangements (including modified papers) are the principal way in which Cambridge International
complies with our duty, as guided by the UK Equality Act (2010), to make ‘reasonable adjustments’ for
candidates with special educational needs (SEN), disability, illness or injury. Where a candidate would otherwise
be at a substantial disadvantage in comparison to a candidate with no SEN, disability, illness or injury, we
may be able to agree pre-examination access arrangements. These arrangements help a candidate by
minimising accessibility barriers and maximising their opportunity to demonstrate their knowledge, skills and
understanding in an assessment.

Important:
• Requested access arrangements should be based on evidence of the candidate’s barrier to assessment
and should also reflect their normal way of working at school; this is in line with The Cambridge Handbook
www.cambridgeinternational.org/eoguide
• For Cambridge International to approve an access arrangement, we will need to agree that it constitutes
a reasonable adjustment, involves reasonable cost and timeframe and does not affect the security and
integrity of the assessment.
• Availability of access arrangements should be checked by centres at the start of the course. Details of our
standard access arrangements and modified question papers are available in The Cambridge Handbook
www.cambridgeinternational.org/eoguide
• Please contact us at the start of the course to find out if we are able to approve an arrangement that is not
included in the list of standard access arrangements.
• Candidates who cannot access parts of the assessment may be able to receive an award based on the
parts they have completed.

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 Cambridge International AS & A Level Computer Science 9618 syllabus for 2024 and 2025. What else you need to know

After the exam

Grading and reporting
Grades A*, A, B, C, D or E indicate the standard a candidate achieved at Cambridge International A Level. A* is the
highest and E is the lowest grade.

Grades a, b, c, d or e indicate the standard a candidate achieved at Cambridge International AS Level. ‘a’ is the
highest and ‘e’ is the lowest grade.

‘Ungraded’ means that the candidate’s performance did not meet the standard required for the lowest grade
(E or e). ‘Ungraded’ is reported on the statement of results but not on the certificate. In specific circumstances
your candidates may see one of the following letters on their statement of results:
• Q (PENDING)
• X (NO RESULT).
These letters do not appear on the certificate.

If a candidate takes a Cambridge International A Level and fails to achieve grade E or higher, a Cambridge
International AS Level grade will be awarded if both of the following apply:
• the components taken for the Cambridge International A Level by the candidate in that series included all
the components making up a Cambridge International AS Level
• the candidate’s performance on the AS Level components was sufficient to merit the award of a Cambridge
International AS Level grade.

On the statement of results and certificates, Cambridge International AS & A Levels are shown as General
Certificates of Education, GCE Advanced Subsidiary Level (GCE AS Level) and GCE Advanced Level (GCE A
Level).

School feedback: ‘Cambridge International A Levels are the ‘gold standard’ qualification. They
are based on rigorous, academic syllabuses that are accessible to students from a wide range
of abilities yet have the capacity to stretch our most able.’
Feedback from: Director of Studies, Auckland Grammar School, New Zealand

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 Cambridge International AS & A Level Computer Science 9618 syllabus for 2024 and 2025. What else you need to know

How students, teachers and higher education can use the grades
Cambridge International A Level
Assessment at Cambridge International A Level has two purposes:
• to measure learning and achievement
The assessment:
– confirms achievement and performance in relation to the knowledge, understanding and skills specified
in the syllabus, to the levels described in the grade descriptions.
• to show likely future success
The outcomes:
– help predict which students are well prepared for a particular course or career and/or which students
are more likely to be successful
– help students choose the most suitable course or career.

Cambridge International AS Level

Assessment at Cambridge International AS Level has two purposes:
• to measure learning and achievement
The assessment:
– confirms achievement and performance in relation to the knowledge, understanding and skills specified
in the syllabus.
• to show likely future success
The outcomes:
– help predict which students are well prepared for a particular course or career and/or which students
are more likely to be successful
– help students choose the most suitable course or career
– help decide whether students part way through a Cambridge International A Level course are making
enough progress to continue
– guide teaching and learning in the next stages of the Cambridge International A Level course.

Grade descriptions
Grade descriptions are provided to give an indication of the standards of achievement candidates awarded
particular grades are likely to show. Weakness in one aspect of the examination may be balanced by a better
performance in some other aspect.

Grade descriptions for Cambridge International A Level Computer Science will be published after the first
assessment of the A Level in 2021. Find more information at www.cambridgeinternational.org/alevel

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 Cambridge International AS & A Level Computer Science 9618 syllabus for 2024 and 2025. What else you need to know

Changes to this syllabus for 2024 and 2025

The syllabus has been updated. This is version 2, published April 2023.

You must read the whole syllabus before planning your teaching programme.

Changes to version 2 of the syllabus, published April 2023

Changes to syllabus • 9.2 Algorithms has been updated for clarification.

content Students are expected to draw a flowchart or produce a written
description from pseudocode.
• For Paper 4, the source files given will not contain binary files. Please
see page 40.

Changes to version 1 of the syllabus, published September 2021

Changes to syllabus • Biometrics have been added to page 24.

content
Changes to assessment
• The specimen papers from 2021 have had some minor amendments
(including changes to
specimen papers) for consistency. These amendments do not substantively change the
content of the specimen materials.

Any textbooks endorsed to support the syllabus for examination from 2021 are suitable for use
with this syllabus.

You should take account of the changes described above when using these textbooks.

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School feedback: ‘While studying Cambridge IGCSE and Cambridge International A Levels, students
broaden their horizons through a global perspective and develop a lasting passion for learning.’
Feedback from: Zhai Xiaoning, Deputy Principal, The High School Affiliated to Renmin University of China

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