Mihir's MCQ Blog

2020 Practice Exam 1 MCQ Blog/Reflection

My score on this MCQ was a 62/67.

I tried to take this test like it was the actual AP test. That means not consulting any external sources, like my friends, when stuck.

I completed this test on Friday, 2/28, which was Before Time.

I ended up spending 1 hour 37 minutes on this test. Considering the MCQ section of the AP test is 2 hours, and the increased stress/pressure that comes with the AP test, I am extremely happy with my score and time.

But, there’s always room to improve. Below are a list of topics with respect to the number of questions on the test, and a percentage of my performance. For space and time purposes, I will display the topics where I failed to get 100% on.

By Topic

Topic	Number of Questions	Average Performance %
2.1: Binary Numbers	5	80%
3.4: Strings	1	0%
3.6: Conditionals	1	0%
3.9: Developing Algorithms	4	75%
5.5: Legal and Ethical Concerns	3	67%

Big Idea 2: Data

In Big Idea 2, I was able to master the topics of 2.2 Data Compression, 2.3 Extracting Personal Information from Data, and 2.4 Using Programs with Data.

That leaves Topic 2.1, Binary Numbers. Now, while I was able to answer all the strictly binary related duqestions, the question I messed up on was:

Question	Correct Answer	Why I Was Wrong	Action Plan to Improve
Which of the following can be represented by a sequence of bits?	D: I, II, and III	I only chose I only, but at the lowest level, all digital data, including integers, alphanumeric characters, and machine language instructions, are represented as sequences of bits.	Review how different types of data (numbers, text, machine instructions) are stored in binary. Study topics like ASCII encoding, machine code, and data representation in computing. Practice more questions on binary representation.

Big Idea 3: Algorithms and Programming

In Big Idea 3, I got 100% on all topics, except for Strings, Conditionals, and Developing Algorithms. The first question I messed up was strings.

Question	Correct Answer	Why I Was Wrong	Action Plan to Improve
Which of the following can be used to store the string "jackalope" in the string variable animal?	B and C	I correctly selected B, but I mistakenly chose D instead of C. B was correct because it properly used Substring and Concat to extract "lope", prepend "a", and then concatenate "jack", forming "jackalope". D was incorrect because it attempted to concatenate "a" too early in the process, leading to the wrong string order. C was actually correct because it properly built "jackalope" by first extracting "jack", adding "a", and then appending "lope". My mistake was likely due to misjudging the order of concatenation in C vs. D.	Review how concatenation order affects final string formation. Carefully trace each step in string-building problems to ensure I understand how substring extractions and concatenations interact. Practice debugging incorrect answers by manually checking the expected vs. actual outputs.

Question	Correct Answer	Why I Was Wrong	Action Plan to Improve
Which selection statements will display true given x = true and y = false?	A and B	I mistakenly selected A and another incorrect option instead of B. A is correct because x is true, so the IF x condition executes, and since x OR y evaluates to true, it displays true. B is also correct because IF (x OR y) evaluates to true (since x = true), and it then displays x, which is true. I likely misunderstood how logical operators (AND, OR) work within conditional statements.	Review Boolean logic, specifically truth tables for AND/OR operations. Practice more Boolean expression evaluations by manually substituting variable values and tracing execution paths. Ensure I check both the condition and the display statement separately.

Question	Correct Answer	Why I Was Wrong	Action Plan to Improve
Which of the following statements is equivalent to the algorithm in the flowchart?	D: available ← (weekday AND (miles < 20))	I selected B, but it was incorrect. B used (miles ≥ 20) instead of (miles < 20), which reverses the condition. The flowchart sets available to true only if weekday = true and miles < 20. Since B checks miles ≥ 20, it incorrectly assigns available in situations where it should be false. D was correct because it follows the exact logic of the flowchart, ensuring both conditions are met correctly.	Carefully check logical conditions, especially comparisons like < vs. ≥. When converting flowcharts into logical expressions, trace each condition step-by-step to ensure accuracy. Practice translating flowchart logic into Boolean expressions.

Big Idea 5: Impact of Computing

In Big Idea 5, I was able to master all topics except data privacy due to a fatal misunderstanding in the way I read the question. More details below.

Question	Correct Answer	Why I Was Wrong	Action Plan to Improve
Which of the following provides the most security when transmitting private data?	C: Sending the data using public-key encryption	I mistakenly selected B: Sending the data using a high-bandwidth connection. While a high-bandwidth connection can improve speed, it does not provide security for private data. Public-key encryption (also known as asymmetric encryption) ensures that only the intended recipient can decrypt the data, protecting it from unauthorized access.	Review the role of encryption in cybersecurity, specifically public-key encryption (asymmetric encryption) and how it is used to securely transmit data. Study real-world applications like SSL/TLS in HTTPS and PGP encryption for emails. Practice identifying security techniques in different networking scenarios.

Final Thoughts

After reviewing my performance on this practice MCQ, I realized that the big idea I messed up on the most was Big Idea 3. This is partly due to the large size of the topic. Before the AP Exam, I will make sure to spend my time most reviewing this big idea.

Even so, I felt that I did phenomenal on this practice test when comparing time and score. I am proud of my efforts and score today.