Further preparation
For simpler hackerrank starter problems, this short competition that we wrote for last year’s Science Week might be worthwhile: https://www.hackerrank.com/science-week-code-sprint
For some systematic preparation, students using Python may wish to look at:
- This step-by-step Python tutorial: https://cscircles.cemc.uwaterloo.ca/
- This more advanced but useful Python two page hints sheet
For the 20 page documentation rule (copies allowed into the competition), these useful Coding Club Code-Cards by Chris Roffey can be printed for free. They can also be purchased in pocket book format: http://codingclub.co.uk/codecards/ or schools might wish to use our particular extract from these which we’ve combined with an overview for use of input(), some more helpful snippets and some blank pages at the back which should be completed before the competition if students wish to use these.
If users have any similar suggestions for other languages, please let us know.
About us
Paul Baker (Head of Computing and Digital Strategy) and Dave Gwilt (Head of Computer Science) both teach at The Perse School, Cambridge. Thanks also to Paul Walter, MCS Oxford, who is joining us in the competition planning. For general enquiries, please contact Paul Baker on pdbaker@perse.co.uk, @p_d_baker
Competition topic overview
Algorithmic thinking:
The main point of the problems are to develop algorithmic / computational thinking.
- Logical and Algorithmic Thinking
- Decomposition and Abstraction
- Pattern Identification
- Debugging and continual testing
Language constructs typically used include:
- selection
- iteration
- input/output*
- type conversion (including string, integer, float, Boolean)
- basic string processing (inc. letter by letter iteration, find/replace, reversing…)
- arrays / lists+
- functions
Level 4 problems may have one or two test cases which test the efficiency of the solution within the timeout allowed. * Please note that input prompts / additional output must not be included in solutions because of the auto-marking. + Nested lists, dictionaries, 2D arrays or other structure might be useful on some higher level problems.
Competition Integration
One of the aims of our competition is to help students on a journey towards sitting the superb but demanding British Informatics Olympiad:
If you are looking for something a little more accessible than our competition to start with however then do take a look at these two fantastic national competitions that are free to enter:
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The Bebras Computational Thinking ChallengeThe Bebras Computing Challenge introduces computational thinking to students. It is organised in over 40 countries and designed to get students all over the world excited about computing. Click the logo for more details.
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The TCS Oxford Computing ChallengeA new competition, piloting in March 2017. The top 10% achieving students in the UK Bebras Challenge will be invited to take part in a new challenge which aims to help talented computational thinkers move on to providing programmed solutions to problems. Click the logo for more details.
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