APCS: AP Computer Science A @sfhs

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The first quarter exam will be in Room 405 on Monday October 17, 2025 (90 min).  The average of the two quarter exams is worth 20% of your grade. The exam will be similar to the chapter tests that we have had. You have 90 minutes to answer some Free Response questions, and some other questions which are a combination of true/false, short answer, and multiple choice.  

 The first Free Response Question question will ask you to write a method (much like a [[https://codingbat.com/java/Warmup-1|codingbat.com]] warmup exercise), and the second question will ask you to  complete a class bu writing some methods.  


 The first quarter exam is a cumulative exam that covers 
  - The [[https://mathorama.com/wiki/doku.php?id=summer_assignment|summer assignment]]
  - [[https://mathorama.com/wiki/doku.php?id=turtle_graphics|Turtle Graphics]] 
  - [[https://mathorama.com/showHWbyQtr2020apcs.php?block=D&qtr=1|Classroom labs]] (including mathorama wiki, Litvin, and  [[https://runestone.academy/runestone/default/user/login|Runestone]] exercises)
  - [[https://myap.collegeboard.org|AP Classroom]] (Class 7 Sampler, Videos, Qtr 1 MC Practice, Qtr 1 FRQ Practice)
  - Chapters 3 through 5 of the Litvin textbook (Homework, Labs, Chapter Tests). If it has been a quile, you may wish to re-read as least the **paragraphs in bold**.  I hope you find that Chapter 3 makes a lot more sense after Chapter 5!
  
Links to Practice Problems

  * [[https://apclassroom.collegeboard.org/| Qtr 1 MC and FRQ Practice]] assignment at AP Classroom
  * [[https://codingbat.com/java/Warmup-1|codingbat.com]] Warm-up 1
  * [[https://codingbat.com/java/Logic-1|codingbat.com]] Logic 1
  * [[Writing classes Practice]]
  * []albert.io
  * [[https://mathorama.com/apcs2/practice_frq_qtr_1.pdf |Old Practice FRQs' for Qtr 1]]


====Things to watch out for:====
  - Constructors should initialize the class's  fields  (fields are ''private'', to encapsulate) 
  - When initialzing fields in a constructor, **Do not** mention its type- this accidentally makes a local variable instead of initializing the classes field that has the same name.
  - Remember to make fields ''private'' and methods ''public'', 
  - Remember local variables are **never** public nor private
  - Remember method names should use () for the parameter list, even if there are no parameters
  - Watch for dangling else statements (p 148) - without brackets, the last ''else'' belongs to the previous ''if''
  - **Do not** add a ''System.out.print'' when no printing is requested (This can be a 1 or 2 point **Extraneous code that causes side effect** [[https://mathorama.com/wiki/lib/exe/detail.php?id=qtr_1_study_guide&media=apcs_penalty_points.png|penalty on the AP Exam]])
  - **Do not** use local variables before first declaring them ( also a [[https://mathorama.com/wiki/lib/exe/detail.php?id=qtr_1_study_guide&media=apcs_penalty_points.png|AP scoring penalty]]).  
  - Variables are declared ONLY ONCE, not every time.
  - **Do not** assign a value to a parameter inside a method unless you are asked to (also a [[https://mathorama.com/wiki/lib/exe/detail.php?id=qtr_1_study_guide&media=apcs_penalty_points.png|AP scoring penalty]] called **Destruction of data**)
  - **Never** use ''return'' in a constructor
  - Remember to ''return'' something of the same type as a method's header. 
  - **Do not** ''return'' something when writing a ''void'' method ( a method that isn't supposed to return something (This too has a [[https://mathorama.com/wiki/lib/exe/detail.php?id=qtr_1_study_guide&media=apcs_penalty_points.png|AP scoring penalty]])
 
Finally, please remember to get a good night's rest and a healthy breakfast!
Good Luck!