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Unit 1 - Principles of Computing
Unit type: External (written examination)
Guided Learning Hours: 120
Assessment: Written exam set and marked by Pearson
What this unit is about
Unit 1 is one of the most important units in your BTEC Computing qualification - it is externally assessed, meaning your work in this unit is tested through a Pearson exam, not just coursework. It covers the foundational knowledge that underpins all of computing: how to think like a programmer, how to design algorithms, how to write and read code across different paradigms, and how programming languages actually work.
Unit structure
| Section | Topic area |
|---|---|
| A | Computational Thinking |
| B | Standard Methods in Algorithm Development |
| C | Programming Paradigms & Data Structures |
| D | Programming Languages & Translation |
Learning outcomes
By the end of this unit you should be able to:
- Apply computational thinking techniques - decomposition, pattern recognition, abstraction and algorithm design - to solve problems.
- Use pseudocode and flowcharts to represent algorithms clearly.
- Write programs using variables, operators, functions, control structures and data structures.
- Explain and apply standard sorting and searching algorithms.
- Understand the structure and features of procedural, object-oriented and event-driven programming.
- Explain how web-based coding works (client-side vs server-side).
- Describe translation methods and their trade-offs.
How to use these notes
Each page in this unit follows the same pattern:
- Read - clear notes covering every spec point.
- Examples - worked code examples and diagrams.
- Test yourself - MCQ quiz + flashcards at the bottom of each page.
Work through the sections in order. Each one builds on the last.
Where to start
👉 Begin with A1 · Decomposition - the first computational thinking topic.