AP Computer Science A FRQ guides by year and question.

DogWalker

Write two methods for a dog walker. The first chooses how many dogs to walk for one hour using company helper methods. The second runs an inclusive shift, calculates pay per dog, and adds the correct bonus.

SignedText

Write a complete class that stores name information, builds a formatted signature, and returns text with the signature placed correctly based on whether it is missing, already at the end, or at the beginning.

Round

Write a constructor and a method for a tournament round. The constructor builds a ranked competitor list from an array of names. The method creates match objects by pairing competitors from opposite ends of the ranked list, with a special case for an odd number of competitors.

SumOrSameGame

Write a constructor that creates and fills a 2D integer puzzle with random values from 1 through 9. Then write a method that searches for a valid pair in the same row or a later row, clears both elements, and reports whether a pair was found.

FRQ Archive

2024 AP CSA FRQs

4 guides

Feeder

Write two methods for a bird feeder simulation. One method simulates a single day with either normal bird feeding or an abnormal event. The other repeatedly simulates days and counts how many days food was available.

Scoreboard

Write a complete Scoreboard class for a game with two teams. The class stores team names, scores, and the active team, updates state after each play, and returns a formatted game status string.

WordChecker

Write two methods that analyze an ArrayList of words. One checks whether each word contains the previous word. The other returns a new list of words that start with a target after removing that starting target.

GridPath

Write two methods for a path through a 2D array. One chooses the next Location by comparing the right and below neighbors. The other repeatedly follows those choices and returns the sum of values on the path.

FRQ Archive

2023 AP CSA FRQs

4 guides

AppointmentBook

Write two methods for scheduling appointments. The first finds the earliest free block of consecutive minutes in one class period. The second searches a range of periods, reserves the first valid block, and reports whether the appointment was made.

Sign

Write a complete Sign class that stores a message and line width. The class reports how many lines are needed and returns the message split into width-sized chunks separated by semicolons, with the empty-message case handled correctly.

WeatherData

Write two methods for analyzing daily high temperatures. The first removes values outside an inclusive valid range while preserving order. The second finds the length of the longest streak of temperatures above a threshold.

BoxOfCandy

Write two methods for a rectangular candy box. The first moves a candy upward into the first row of a specified column when possible. The second searches from the bottom row upward for the next candy of a requested flavor, removes it, and returns it.

FRQ Archive

2022 AP CSA FRQs

4 guides

Game

Write two methods for a three-level game. The first computes the most recent game score based on which levels reached their goals and whether the game is a bonus game. The second plays the game repeatedly and returns the highest score.

Textbook

Write a complete Textbook class as a subclass of Book. Store the edition in Textbook, call the Book constructor for title and price, override the book-info method, and determine whether one textbook can substitute for another.

ReviewAnalysis

Write two methods for analyzing website reviews. The first computes the average rating from an array of Review objects. The second collects comments containing exclamation points, prefixes each with its index, and ensures the formatted comment ends with punctuation.

Data

Write two methods for a 2D integer grid. The first fills every grid cell with a random valid value that is divisible by 10 but not by 100. The second counts how many columns are in nondecreasing order from top to bottom.

FRQ Archive

2021 AP CSA FRQs

4 guides

WordMatch

Write two methods for a word-matching game. The first scores a guess by counting overlapping substring matches inside the secret word and multiplying by the square of the guess length. The second chooses the better guess by score, using alphabetical order as the tie-breaker.

CombinedTable

Write a complete CombinedTable class that stores two SingleTable objects. The class determines whether the combined tables can seat a party and computes desirability from the component tables, including a height mismatch penalty.

ClubMembers

Write two ClubMembers methods. The first adds new MemberInfo objects from an array of names. The second removes all graduated members from the list and returns only the removed graduates who were in good standing.

ArrayResizer

Write two static methods for resizing a 2D array. The first determines whether one row has no zero values. The second creates a new 2D array containing only rows that have no zeros, preserving row order.

FRQ Archive

2020 AP CSA FRQs

2 guides

Gizmo

Work with an online purchase list of Gizmo objects: count electronic purchases by maker, detect adjacent equal purchases, and describe a class-design change.

CheckDigit

Validate a number with a rightmost check digit by separating the base number and check digit, then describe how to track valid-call counts.

FRQ Archive

2019 AP CSA FRQs

4 guides

APCalendar

Write two static calendar methods. The first counts leap years in an inclusive year range using a provided helper. The second computes the day-of-week code for a date using helper methods for the first day of the year and the day number within the year.

StepTracker

Write a complete StepTracker class. The class stores an active-day threshold, accepts one daily step reading at a time, tracks the number of active days, and reports the average steps per tracked day.

Delimiters

Write two methods for delimiter processing. The first extracts only the open and close delimiters from a token array. The second determines whether a delimiter list is balanced by tracking open delimiters that still need matches.

LightBoard

Write two LightBoard methods. The constructor fills a 2D boolean grid so each light is on with a given probability. The evaluation method counts on-lights in a column and decides whether a specific light should be on in the next step.

FRQ Archive

2018 AP CSA FRQs

4 guides

FrogSimulation

Write two methods for a frog hopping simulation. The first runs one attempt until the frog reaches the goal, drops below zero, or uses all hops. The second runs many attempts and returns the success proportion.

WordPairList

Write the WordPairList constructor and a matching-count method. The constructor builds every ordered pair of words where the second word appears later in the array. The method counts pairs whose two strings match.

CodeWordChecker

Write a complete CodeWordChecker class. The class stores valid length bounds and a forbidden substring, supports two constructor forms, and reports whether a candidate string satisfies all rules.

ArrayTester

Write two static methods for array analysis. The first extracts a column from a 2D array. The second determines whether a square array is Latin by using the first row, column extraction, and provided helper methods.

FRQ Archive

2017 AP CSA FRQs

4 guides

Digits

Build a Digits object from an integer and determine whether the stored digits are strictly increasing from left to right.

MultPractice

Write a practice-problem class that stores a constant first factor, advances the second factor, and returns the current multiplication prompt.

Phrase

Modify a Phrase class by replacing a specific occurrence of a target string and finding the last occurrence of a target.

Successors

Search a 2D array for values, return Position objects, and build a same-sized array that stores successor positions.

FRQ Archive

2016 AP CSA FRQs

4 guides

RandomStringChooser

Implement a chooser that returns each available string at most once, then use it as the base for a letter chooser in the archive prompt.

LogMessage

Parse log messages into machine and description fields, detect a whole word in a description, and remove matching messages from a system log.

Crossword

Decide which white squares in a crossword should be labeled and construct a grid of Square objects from a black-square pattern.

StringFormatter

Calculate word lengths and gap sizes, then format a list of words into a line with distributed spaces.

FRQ Archive

2015 AP CSA FRQs

4 guides

DiverseArray

Write helper methods to sum arrays, produce row sums, and determine whether all row sums are different.

HiddenWord

Write a hint method for a word-guessing game that compares each guessed character with the hidden word.

SparseArray

Use a list of sparse entries to return a value at a row and column, then remove a column while shifting later columns.

NumberGroup

Define a number-group interface, implement a range, and check whether any stored group contains a value.

FRQ Archive

2014 AP CSA FRQs

4 guides

ScrambleWord

Scramble a word by swapping selected adjacent characters and then update a list by replacing or removing words based on whether they change.

Director

Write a legacy GridWorld actor that alternates color and, on one color state, turns neighboring actors before acting.

SeatingChart

Fill a seating chart from a list of students and remove absent students while preserving the prompt-specified seat order.

Trio

Write a Trio menu item whose name combines three items and whose price charges for the two highest-priced items.

FRQ Archive

2013 AP CSA FRQs

4 guides

MusicDownloads

Search a music download list by title and update counts, creating new records when a title has not appeared before.

TokenPass

Initialize a token game with random values and simulate distributing the current player tokens around a circular array.

GridWorldUtilities and JumpingCritter

Find empty locations in a grid and write a legacy critter that jumps to a random empty location or removes itself when none exists.

SkyView

Load one-dimensional telescope scan data into a 2D view using alternating row direction, then average a rectangular region.

FRQ Archive

2012 AP CSA FRQs

4 guides

ClimbingClub

Add climb records to a club list, first as appended entries and then in alphabetical order by peak name.

RetroBug

Write a legacy bug that remembers the location and direction from its most recent act and can restore that state when possible.

HorseBarn

Find the index of a named horse in a barn array and consolidate horses toward the front while preserving order.

GrayImage

Count white pixels in a grayscale image and process pixels by subtracting values from diagonal positions when they exist.

FRQ Archive

2011 AP CSA FRQs

4 guides

Sound

Limit sample amplitudes to a maximum absolute value and return a new array with leading silence removed.

AttractiveCritter

Write a legacy critter that attempts to move other actors one cell closer before moving like a normal critter.

FuelDepot

Find the lowest fuel tank at or below a threshold and move a robot to a target tank without moving past the ends.

RouteCipher

Fill a 2D character block from a message and encrypt message chunks by reading the block in the route order.

FRQ Archive

2010 AP CSA FRQs

4 guides