AP Computer Science A AP 计算机科学A
📌 Course at a glance
· 4 units · key topics drilled across the official outline
· Next exam: 2026-05-06 · 2026-05-06
📝 Full chapter-by-chapter lecture walkthroughs are being written. This page is the course outline — every unit and topic that will be covered, with key concepts you can already start to recognise. Use it as a study map; the chapter notes drop in over the coming weeks.
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Course outline
Unit 1 · Using Objects and Methods 使用对象与方法
Exam weight: 15-25%
1.1 — Why Programming? Why Java? 为什么学编程？为什么学Java？
· Purpose of programming · Features of the Java language · IDE and development environment
1.2 — Variables and Data Types 变量与数据类型
· int · double · boolean · Variable declaration and assignment · Constants
1.3 — Expressions and Assignment Statements 表达式与赋值语句
· Arithmetic operators · Compound assignment operators · Increment and decrement · Integer division · Modulo operation
1.4 — Casting and Ranges of Variables 类型转换与变量范围
· Implicit casting · Explicit casting (type casting) · Integer overflow · Loss of precision
1.5 — Objects and Classes 对象与类
· Relationship between classes and objects · Instantiation · Reference types vs. primitive types · null reference
1.6 — Creating Objects (Constructors) 创建对象（构造方法）
· The new keyword · Constructors · Parameter passing · Overloaded constructors
1.7 — Calling Methods 调用方法
· void methods · Methods with return values · Actual vs. formal parameters · Method signature
1.8 — String Objects and Methods String对象与方法
· String immutability · length() · substring() · indexOf() · equals()
1.9 — Math Class Methods Math类方法
· Math.abs() · Math.pow() · Math.sqrt() · Math.random() · Calling static methods
1.10 — Wrapper Classes: Integer and Double 包装类：Integer和Double
· Autoboxing · Unboxing · Integer.MAX_VALUE · Integer.MIN_VALUE
Unit 2 · Selection and Iteration 选择与迭代
Exam weight: 25-35%
2.1 — Boolean Expressions 布尔表达式
· true and false · Relational operators (==, !=, <, >, <=, >=) · Boolean variables
2.2 — if Statements and Control Flow if语句与控制流
· if statements · Conditional execution · Code blocks
2.3 — if-else and else if Statements if-else与else if语句
· if-else branching · else if chains · Multi-way selection · Nested conditionals
2.4 — Compound Boolean Expressions 复合布尔表达式
· && (AND operator) · || (OR operator) · ! (NOT operator) · Short-circuit evaluation · De Morgan's Laws
2.5 — Equivalent Boolean Expressions 等价布尔表达式
· Application of De Morgan's Laws · Simplifying Boolean expressions · Logical equivalence
2.6 — while Loops while循环
· while loop syntax · Loop condition · Infinite loops · Loop termination condition
2.7 — for Loops for循环
· for loop syntax · Initialization/condition/update · Loop variable · Loop counting
2.8 — Nested Iteration 嵌套迭代
· Nested loops · Outer and inner loops · Time complexity · Pattern printing
2.9 — Developing Algorithms Using Strings 使用字符串开发算法
· String traversal · charAt() · Substring search · String algorithms
2.10 — Informal Code Analysis 非正式代码分析
· Loop tracing · Number of iterations · Program output analysis · Hand-tracing code
Unit 3 · Class Creation 类的创建
Exam weight: 10-18%
3.1 — Anatomy of a Class 类的结构
· Class definition · Components of a class · public and private access modifiers
3.2 — Instance Variables and Encapsulation 实例变量与封装
· private instance variables · Encapsulation principles · Data hiding · Information hiding
3.3 — Writing Constructors 编写构造方法
· Writing constructors · Parameter initialization · Default constructors · The this keyword
3.4 — Accessor and Mutator Methods 访问器与修改器方法
· Getter methods · Setter methods · Return values · void methods
3.5 — Writing Methods 编写方法
· Method design · Parameters and return values · Method calls · The toString() method
3.6 — Static Variables and Methods 静态变量与方法
· The static keyword · Class variables vs. instance variables · Static methods · When to use static
3.7 — Scope and Access 作用域与访问控制
· Local variables · Instance variables · Parameter scope · Variable shadowing
3.8 — this Keyword this关键字
· this refers to the current object · this in constructors · Using this to resolve ambiguity
Unit 4 · Data Collections 数据集合
Exam weight: 30-40%
4.1 — Array Creation and Access 数组的创建与访问
· Array declaration · Creating arrays with new · Index-based access · Default values · ArrayIndexOutOfBoundsException
4.2 — Traversing Arrays 遍历数组
· for loop traversal · Enhanced for loop (for-each) · Array length (.length)
4.3 — Array Algorithms 数组算法
· Finding maximum and minimum values · Sum and average · Search algorithms · Element shifting · Array reversal
4.4 — Introduction to ArrayList ArrayList简介
· Importing ArrayList · Generics (<>) · Dynamic sizing · Differences from arrays
4.5 — ArrayList Methods ArrayList方法
· add() · get() · set() · remove() · size()
4.6 — ArrayList Algorithms ArrayList算法
· Insertion and deletion · Search algorithms · Removing duplicates · Data filtering
4.7 — 2D Array Creation and Access 二维数组的创建与访问
· 2D array declaration and creation · Rows and columns · Index access [row][col] · Matrix concepts
4.8 — Traversing 2D Arrays 遍历二维数组
· Nested for loop traversal · Row-major traversal · Column-major traversal · Enhanced for loop with 2D arrays
4.9 — 2D Array Algorithms 二维数组算法
· Row and column sums · Diagonal operations · Matrix search · Basic image processing
4.10 — Searching Algorithms 搜索算法
· Linear search · Binary search · Comparing search efficiency
4.11 — Sorting Algorithms 排序算法
· Selection sort · Insertion sort · Merge sort (recursive) · Comparing sort efficiency
4.12 — Recursion 递归
· Recursive methods · Base case · Recursive case · Call stack · Recursion vs. iteration
4.13 — Reading Data from Files (NEW) 从文件读取数据（新增）
· File class · Scanner class for file reading · nextInt() · nextLine() · hasNext()