AP Computer Science Principles Question Bank & Worked

Original, AI-authored English practice with worked guidance. Selected topics only; independent teacher review is pending. This is not a complete syllabus, official past-paper collection or predicted exam score. SubjectScout is not affiliated with or endorsed by College Board. SAT practice is not a full adaptive test; AP practice does not simulate an entire exam.

18 original questions across 5 selected topic areas. No account or payment required to practise.

Question 1 · Big Idea 1: Creative Development · foundation

A team prototypes a school bus tracker. Riders testing it cannot distinguish delayed buses from canceled buses. Which next action best uses an iterative development process?A. Release it unchanged because the code runs.B. Revise the status display using rider feedback, then test the revision with riders.C. Remove all status information to prevent feedback.D. Stop gathering requirements once a prototype exists.

Question 2 · Big Idea 2: Data · standard

A sensor must assign a different fixed-length binary identifier to each of 70 locations. All bit patterns may be used, with no reserved codes. What is the minimum number of bits per identifier?A. 6B. 35C. 7D. 70

Question 3 · Big Idea 2: Data · foundation

An archive must recover every character of a text file exactly after compression and decompression. Which statement is justified?A. Any lossy method guarantees exact recovery.B. Compression always makes every possible file smaller.C. Encryption alone guarantees a smaller file.D. A lossless method supports exact recovery, but may not reduce every file's size.

Question 4 · Big Idea 3: Algorithms and Programming · standard

Use AP CSP pseudocode, where <- denotes assignment. What does this code display? values <- [3, 8, 5, 10] total <- 0 FOR EACH value IN values { IF(value MOD 2 = 0) { total <- total + value } } DISPLAY(total)A. 18B. 26C. 2D. 8

Question 5 · Big Idea 3: Algorithms and Programming · challenge

Use AP CSP pseudocode with one-based list indices and <- for assignment. What is displayed? items <- [4, 7, 9] INSERT(items, 2, 6) REMOVE(items, 3) DISPLAY(items[3])A. 6B. 7C. An index errorD. 9

Question 6 · Big Idea 3: Algorithms and Programming · standard

In AP CSP pseudocode, r <- RANDOM(1, 8), followed by IF(r > 5) { DISPLAY("win") }. RANDOM includes both endpoints and makes each integer equally likely. What is the probability of displaying win on one execution?A. 5/8B. 3/8C. 1/2D. 2/7

Question 7 · Big Idea 3: Algorithms and Programming · standard

Several screens in an app compute a delivery charge from distance and parcel mass. The rule changes regularly. Which design best uses procedural abstraction?A. Copy the calculation into every screen and change each copy separately.B. Store only the last charge and reuse it for every parcel.C. Define one charge(distance, mass) procedure and call it with each parcel's inputs.D. Replace both inputs with the same constant for all parcels.

Question 8 · Big Idea 4: Computer Systems and Networks · standard

A network has bidirectional links A-B, B-D, A-C, and C-D, and no others. If link B-D fails while every other link and node works, which statement about sending data from A to D is correct?A. Delivery is impossible because every route uses B-D.B. The path A-C-D remains available, illustrating redundant paths.C. The failure guarantees zero transmission delay.D. Redundant paths require every node to connect directly to every other node.

Question 9 · Big Idea 5: Impact of Computing · challenge

A city trains a sidewalk-repair ranking system using reports submitted only through a smartphone app. Areas with fewer smartphone users receive low priority. Which investigation most directly addresses a possible source of bias?A. Compare report coverage with independent sidewalk inspections across neighborhoods and access groups.B. Increase processor speed without changing the data.C. Assume that no reports proves no damaged sidewalks.D. Delete neighborhood information and assume all sampling bias disappears.

Question 10 · Big Idea 5: Impact of Computing · foundation

A student receives an unexpected message linking to a look-alike school login page and demanding a password. Which response best reduces phishing risk?A. Enter the password because the page uses school colors.B. Forward the password to the sender for verification.C. Open the school's known address independently and report the suspicious message without entering credentials on its linked page.D. Assume that a padlock icon proves the sender is the school.

Question 11 · Big Idea 3: Algorithms and Programming · standard

An account may proceed only when neither suspended nor expired is true. Both variables are Boolean. Which AP CSP expression is equivalent to NOT(suspended OR expired) for every combination of inputs?A. (NOT suspended) OR (NOT expired)B. suspended AND expiredC. (NOT suspended) AND (NOT expired)D. NOT(suspended AND expired)

Question 12 · Big Idea 3: Algorithms and Programming · challenge

Use AP CSP pseudocode, with <- for assignment. What is displayed? PROCEDURE score(n) { IF(n < 4) { RETURN(n + 2) } RETURN(2 * n) } a <- score(3) b <- score(a) DISPLAY(b - a)A. 5B. 2C. 4D. 10

Question 13 · Big Idea 3: Algorithms and Programming · standard

Binary search is applied to the sorted list [2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12, 14, 16, 18, 20, 22, 24, 26, 28, 30]. Each iteration checks the middle value of the remaining candidate interval and discards that value and the impossible half if it is not the target. How many middle-value checks are needed to find 22?A. 3B. 11C. 15D. 4

Question 14 · Big Idea 3: Algorithms and Programming · foundation

A decision problem is known to be undecidable. A developer correctly solves several particular instances. Which conclusion follows?A. The problem must now be decidable because examples were solved.B. Some instances can be solved, but no algorithm can always terminate with the correct yes-or-no answer for every instance.C. Every instance is impossible to solve by any method.D. More processors necessarily produce an algorithm that solves every instance.

Question 15 · Big Idea 3: Algorithms and Programming · standard

Two algorithms solve the same problem. Their operation counts are exactly n^2 and 2^n for an input of size n. In the AP CSP classification, which statement about growth for large n is correct?A. Both counts are polynomial because both use exponents.B. 2^n is polynomial and n^2 is exponential.C. n^2 is polynomial; 2^n is exponential and eventually exceeds any fixed polynomial bound.D. The algorithm requiring 2^n operations must be undecidable.

Question 16 · Big Idea 4: Computer Systems and Networks · challenge

Task A takes 6 seconds and must finish before tasks B and C can start. B takes 4 seconds and C takes 8 seconds; B and C are independent. Each task runs on one processor and cannot be subdivided. Two identical processors are available with no overhead. What is the minimum completion time and speedup relative to running all three tasks sequentially?A. 14 seconds; speedup 9/7B. 9 seconds; speedup 2C. 8 seconds; speedup 9/4D. 18 seconds; speedup 1

Question 17 · Big Idea 5: Impact of Computing · standard

A public travel dataset removes names but retains exact home coordinates and detailed daily routes. Which privacy assessment is most justified?A. Removing names guarantees that no individual can be identified.B. Only the file's creator could ever identify a traveler.C. Encrypting the download connection makes the published records anonymous.D. Linking locations and routes to other available records may reidentify travelers despite name removal.

Question 18 · Big Idea 3: Algorithms and Programming · foundation

A traffic simulation assumes all drivers instantly obey a new speed limit and omits weather. It predicts fewer collisions. Which interpretation is best supported?A. The prediction proves collisions will fall by exactly the simulated amount.B. The prediction is conditional on the model; testing realistic compliance and weather assumptions can improve its usefulness.C. A simulation cannot provide any useful evidence unless it includes every detail of reality.D. Running the unchanged model more often necessarily removes bias from its assumptions.

AP Computer Science Principles practice questions