Edexcel 1CP2 1.2.5: Types of error
The free BugBot lesson that teach this point, a robot to try it on, and the past-paper questions that test it.
What it covers
Every programmer, on every day of their life, makes mistakes and reads error messages. Getting comfortable with that early is the most useful thing in this module. An error message is not the computer telling you off. It is the computer telling you where to look.
- Read the whole message
- Syntax errors: Python cannot read it
- Runtime errors: it crashes while running
- Logic errors: no message at all
- How to fix things
Or do it in the simulator, with tasks that mark themselves
Lessons that teach it
- F1.4 Errors: syntax, runtime and logic Programming basics
Reading an error message, and the three kinds of error by their exam names.
Try it on a robot
The task from F1.4 Errors: syntax, runtime and logic, 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 2024 Paper 1, Question 3: random.randrange, a test plan, and a syntax and a logic error 6 marks
- AQA 8525 June 2022 Paper 1, Question 5: A syntax error and a logic error in a random number program 5 marks
- OCR J277 June 2024 Paper 2, Question 3(a), (b): Define a syntax error, then correct two logic errors in a range check 6 marks
- OCR J277 June 2023 Paper 2, Question 2: Syntax and logic errors: correct a loop that should total an array 6 marks
- Edexcel 1CP2 June 2025 Paper 2, Question 1: Fix nine errors in a program that discounts a restaurant bill 9 marks
- Edexcel 1CP2 June 2023 Paper 2, Question 2: Fix syntax, name, index and logic errors in a program that picks random exercises 8 marks
- Edexcel 1CP2 June 2022 Paper 2, Question 2: Fix ten errors in a turtle graphics program 10 marks
The specification is Edexcel's own document; this page says which of our lessons teach point 1.2.5 and is not endorsed by the board.