CSP Exam Reference Sheet
Instruction Explanation
Assignment, Display, and Input
Text: Evaluates expression and then assigns a copy of the result to
a ← expression the variable a.
Block:
a expression
Text: Displays the value of expression, followed by a space.
DISPLAY(expression)
Block:
DISPLAY expression
Text: Accepts a value from the user and returns the input value.
INPUT()
Block:
INPUT
Arithmetic Operators and Numeric Procedures
Text and Block: The arithmetic operators +, -, *, and / are used to perform
a + b arithmetic on a and b.
a - b For example, 17 / 5 evaluates to 3.4.
a * b
The order of operations used in mathematics applies when evaluating
a / b
expressions.
Text and Block: Evaluates to the remainder when a is divided by b. Assume that
a MOD b a is an integer greater than or equal to 0 and b is an integer
greater than 0.
For example, 17 MOD 5 evaluates to 2.
The MOD operator has the same precedence as the * and /
operators.
Text: Generates and returns a random integer from a to b, including
RANDOM(a, b) a and b. Each result is equally likely to occur.
Block:
For example, RANDOM(1, 3) could return 1, 2, or 3.
RANDOM a, b
Relational and Boolean Operators
Text and Block: The relational operators =, ≠, >, <, ≥, and ≤ are used to test
a = b the relationship between two variables, expressions, or values. A
a ≠ b comparison using relational operators evaluates to a Boolean value.
a > b
a < b For example, a = b evaluates to true if a and b are
a ≥ b equal; otherwise it evaluates to false.
a ≤ b
AP Computer Science Principles Exam Reference Sheet | 1
V.1
© 2020 College Board
Instruction Explanation
Relational and Boolean Operators (continued)
Text: Evaluates to true if condition is false; otherwise
NOT condition evaluates to false.
Block:
NOT condition
Text: Evaluates to true if both condition1 and condition2
condition1 AND condition2 are true; otherwise evaluates to false.
Block:
condition1 AND condition2
Text: Evaluates to true if condition1 is true or if
condition1 OR condition2 condition2 is true or if both condition1 and
condition2 are true; otherwise evaluates to false.
Block:
condition1 OR condition2
Selection
Text: The code in block of statements is executed if the
IF(condition) Boolean expression condition evaluates to true; no
{ action is taken if condition evaluates to false.
<block of statements>
}
Block:
IF condition
block of statements
Text: The code in first block of statements is executed
IF(condition) if the Boolean expression condition evaluates to true;
{ otherwise the code in second block of statements is
<first block of statements> executed.
}
ELSE
{
<second block of statements>
}
Block:
IF condition
first block of statements
ELSE
second block of statements
AP Computer Science Principles Exam Reference Sheet V.1 | 2
© 2020 College Board
Instruction Explanation
Iteration
Text: The code in block of statements is executed n times.
REPEAT n TIMES
{
<block of statements>
}
Block:
REPEAT n TIMES
block of statements
Text: The code in block of statements is repeated until the
REPEAT UNTIL(condition) Boolean expression condition evaluates to true.
{
<block of statements>
}
Block:
REPEAT UNTIL condition
block of statements
List Operations
For all list operations, if a list index is less than 1 or greater than the length of the list, an error message is produced and the program
terminates.
Text: Creates a new list that contains the values value1, value2,
aList ← [value1, value2, value3, ...] value3, and ... at indices 1, 2, 3, and ...
respectively and assigns it to aList.
Block:
aList valuel, value2, value3
Text: Creates an empty list and assigns it to aList.
aList ← []
Block:
aList
Text: Assigns a copy of the list bList to the list aList.
aList ← bList
For example, if bList contains [20, 40, 60],
Block:
then aList will also contain [20, 40, 60] after the
aList bList assignment.
Text: Accesses the element of aList at index i. The first element
aList[i] of aList is at index 1 and is accessed using the notation
aList[1].
Block:
aList i
AP Computer Science Principles Exam Reference Sheet | 3
V.1
© 2020 College Board
Instruction Explanation
List Operations (continued)
Text: Assigns the value of aList[i] to the variable x.
x ← aList[i]
Block:
x aList i
Text: Assigns the value of x to aList[i].
aList[i] ← x
Block:
aList i x
Text: Assigns the value of aList[j] to aList[i].
aList[i] ← aList[j]
Block:
aList i aList j
Text: Any values in aList at indices greater than or equal to i are
INSERT(aList, i, value) shifted one position to the right. The length of the list is increased by
1, and value is placed at index i in aList.
Block:
INSERT aList, i, value
Text: The length of aList is increased by 1, and value is placed at
APPEND(aList, value) the end of aList.
Block:
APPEND aList, value
Text: Removes the item at index i in aList and shifts to the left
REMOVE(aList, i) any values at indices greater than i. The length of aList is
decreased by 1.
Block:
REMOVE aList, i
Text: Evaluates to the number of elements in aList.
LENGTH(aList)
Block:
LENGTH aList
Text: The variable item is assigned the value of each element of
FOR EACH item IN aList aList sequentially, in order, from the first element to the last
{ element. The code in block of statements is executed
<block of statements> once for each assignment of item.
}
Block:
FOR EACH item IN aList
block of statements
AP Computer Science Principles Exam Reference Sheet | 4
V.1
© 2020 College Board
Instruction Explanation
Procedures and Procedure Calls
Text: Defines procName as a procedure that takes zero or more
PROCEDURE procName(parameter1, arguments. The procedure contains block of statements.
parameter2, ...) The procedure procName can be called using the following
{ notation, where arg1 is assigned to parameter1, arg2 is
<block of statements> assigned to parameter2, etc.:
} procName(arg1, arg2, ...)
Block:
PROCEDURE procName parameter1,
parameter2,...
block of statements
Text: Defines procName as a procedure that takes zero or more
PROCEDURE procName(parameter1, arguments. The procedure contains block of statements
parameter2, ...) and returns the value of expression. The RETURN
{ statement may appear at any point inside the procedure and
<block of statements> causes an immediate return from the procedure back to the calling
RETURN(expression) statement.
} The value returned by the procedure procName can be assigned
to the variable result using the following notation:
Block:
result ← procName(arg1, arg2, ...)
PROCEDURE procName parameter1,
parameter2,...
block of statements
RETURN expression
Text: Returns the flow of control to the point where the procedure was
RETURN(expression) called and returns the value of expression.
Block:
RETURN expression
Robot
If the robot attempts to move to a square that is not open or is beyond the edge of the grid, the robot will stay in its current location
and the program will terminate.
Text: The robot moves one square forward in the direction it is facing.
MOVE_FORWARD()
Block:
MOVE_FORWARD
Text: The robot rotates in place 90 degrees counterclockwise (i.e., makes
ROTATE_LEFT() an in-place left turn).
Block:
ROTATE_LEFT
AP Computer Science Principles Exam Reference Sheet | 5
V.1
© 2020 College Board
Instruction Explanation
Robot
Text: The robot rotates in place 90 degrees clockwise (i.e., makes an in-
ROTATE_RIGHT() place right turn).
Block:
ROTATE_RIGHT
Text: Evaluates to true if there is an open square one square in the
CAN_MOVE(direction) direction relative to where the robot is facing; otherwise evaluates to
Block: false. The value of direction can be left, right,
forward, or backward.
CAN_MOVE direction
AP Computer Science Principles Exam Reference Sheet | 6
V.1
© 2020 College Board
