Data structures and abstract data types | AQA Computer Science 7517

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Data structures1 objectives

Data structures: Be familiar with the concept of data structures. It may be helpful to set the concept of a data structure in various contexts that students may already be familiar with. It may also be helpful to suggest/demonstrate how data structures could be used in a practical setting.

Single- and multi-dimensional arrays (or equivalent)1 objectives

Single- and multi-dimensional arrays (or equivalent): Use arrays (or equivalent) in the design of solutions to simple problems. A one-dimensional array is a useful way of representing a vector. A two-dimensional array is a useful way of representing a matrix. More generally, an n-dimensional array is a set of elements with the same data type that are indexed by a tuple of n integers, where a tuple is an ordered list of elements.

Fields, records and files1 objectives

Fields, records and files: Be able to read/write from/to a text file. Be able to read/write data from/to a binary (non- text) file.

Abstract data types/data structures1 objectives

Abstract data types/data structures: Be familiar with the concept and uses of a: • queue • stack • graph • tree • hash table • dictionary • vector. Be able to use these abstract data types and their equivalent data structures in simple contexts. Students should also be familiar with methods for representing them when a programming language does not support these structures as built-in types. Be able to distinguish between static and dynamic structures and compare their uses, as well as explaining the advantages and disadvantages of each. Describe the creation and maintenance of data within: • queues (linear, circular, priority) • stacks • hash tables.

Data structurePractical contextVectorMatrixFieldRecordAbstract data typePriority queue

Link the structure to its use: When asked to explain a data structure, include both a definition and a practical example showing how the data is organised.
State the indexing convention: When giving an array position, make clear whether indexing starts at zero or one, and identify what each index represents.

Describing a data structure as a programming language: Explain that a data structure is an organisation of data used within a program; a programming language is used to write the program.
Confusing dimensions with the number of elements: The number of dimensions is the number of indices needed to identify one element. A one-dimensional array can contain 20 values; a two-dimensional array can contain many rows and columns.

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