AQA GCSE Computer Science (8525)Specification point 3.2.6

AQA 8525 3.2.6: Data structures

The free BugBot lessons that teach this point, a robot to try it on, and the past-paper questions that test it.

Lessons that teach it

1. F3.3 Lists: one-dimensional arrays Strings, lists and records
   Making, indexing and changing a list; append, remove, in, split and join.
2. F3.4 Iterating over a list Strings, lists and records
   Loops over items and indexes, totals, counts, min and max, and linear search.
3. F3.5 Two-dimensional arrays Strings, lists and records
   Rows and columns: the depth grid as a list of lists.
4. F3.6 Records Strings, lists and records
   Grouping related fields: a sensor reading as a record, and a list of records as a table.

Try it on a robot

The task from F3.3 Lists: one-dimensional arrays, running here. Change the program and press Run.

Past paper questions on this

Real exam questions that test this, each worked through with a program you can run.

• AQA 8525 June 2025 Paper 1, Question 9: Which of five algorithms correctly total an array 2 marks
• AQA 8525 June 2025 Paper 1, Question 10: Records, and the smallest value in an array without min or sort 8 marks
• AQA 8525 June 2024 Paper 1, Question 8: Trace a loop over three arrays that uses DIV 6 marks
• AQA 8525 June 2024 Paper 1, Question 9: A data structure, a RECORD definition, and the dearer of two books 7 marks
• AQA 8525 June 2024 Paper 1, Question 12.1 to 12.5: A sliding puzzle: move tiles, and read nested loops that find the blank 7 marks
• AQA 8525 June 2024 Paper 1, Question 15: Move 1 or 2 along a row of cells, back to 0 on an X or past the end 8 marks
• AQA 8525 June 2023 Paper 1, Question 12.2: Write your own linear search 7 marks
• AQA 8525 June 2023 Paper 1, Question 14: Fill the gaps in an algorithm that uses a two-dimensional array 3 marks
• AQA 8525 June 2022 Paper 1, Question 9: String indexing, LEN and SUBSTRING 5 marks
• AQA 8525 June 2022 Paper 1, Question 13.2: Find a run of five in a sorted array of 100 cards 6 marks
• AQA 8525 June 2022 Paper 1, Question 14.1: Fill a two-dimensional array with nested WHILE loops 4 marks
• AQA 8525 June 2022 Paper 1, Question 14.2: Write a subroutine that counts the asterisks on a bingo ticket 8 marks

The specification is AQA's own document; this page says which of our lessons teach point 3.2.6 and is not endorsed by the board.