Pearson Edexcel GCSE Computer Science (1CP2)Specification point 6.3.1

Edexcel 1CP2 6.3.1: Primitive and structured data types

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

What it covers

The last lesson ended with a robot that would not drive "20" centimetres, and a program that thought "20" times 3 was 202020. Both come from the same idea: every value in Python has a data type, and the type decides what you can do with it.

• Five types
• Why the type matters
• Casting: changing the type
• When casting fails

Or do it in the simulator, with tasks that mark themselves

Lessons that teach it

1. F1.8 Data types and casting Programming basics
   Integer, real, Boolean, character and string, and converting between them.
2. F3.3 Lists: one-dimensional arrays Strings, lists and records
   Making, indexing and changing a list; append, remove, in, split and join.
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 F1.8 Data types and casting, 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 5: Data types, and five inputs rewritten as a loop with one 8 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 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 14: Fill the gaps in an algorithm that uses a two-dimensional array 3 marks
• AQA 8525 June 2022 Paper 1, Question 2: Follow a nested IF with AND, then name the data types 6 marks
• AQA 8525 June 2022 Paper 1, Question 9: String indexing, LEN and SUBSTRING 5 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
• AQA 8525 Sample Paper 1, Question 3: The dog biscuit algorithm: selection, iteration, subroutine calls and a data type 5 marks
• AQA 8525 Sample Paper 1, Question 5: A taxi fare: 2 pounds a passenger plus 1.50 a kilometre 7 marks

The specification is Edexcel's own document; this page says which of our lessons teach point 6.3.1 and is not endorsed by the board.