Python

Candidates for this exam should be able to recognize and write syntactically correct Py thon code that will logically solve a given problem and recognize data types supported by Python.
Candidates are expected to have had at least 150 hours of instruction and/or hands-on experience with the Python programming language, be familiar with its features and capa bilities, and understand how to write, debug, and maintain well-formed, well-documented Python code.

To be successful on the test, the candidate is also expected to have the following prerequi site knowledge and skills:

• 8th grade reading skills
• Basic computer skills
• Algebra I

1. Operations using Data Types and Operators

1.1 Evaluate expressions to identify the data types Python assigns to variables

• str, int, float, and bool

1.2 Perform and analyze data and data type operations

• Data type conversion, indexing, slicing, construct data structures, lists, list operations

1.3 Determine the sequence of execution based on operator precedence

• Assignment, comparison, logical, arithmetic, identity (is), containment (in)

1.4 Select operators to achieve the intended results

• Assignment, comparison, logical, arithmetic, identity (is), containment (in)

2. Flow Control with Decisions and Loops

2.1 Construct and analyze code segments that use branching statements

• if, elif, else, nested and compound conditional expressions

2.2 Construct and analyze code segments that perform iteration

• while, for, break, continue, pass, nested loops, loops that include compound conditional expressions

3. Input and Output Operations

3.1 Construct and analyze code segments that perform file input and output operations

• open, close, read, write, append, check existence, delete, with statement

3.2 Construct and analyze code segments that perform console input and output operations

• Read input from console, print formatted text (string.format() method, f-String method), use command-line arguments

4. Code Documentation and Structure

4.1 Document code segments

• Use indentation, white space, comments, and documentation strings; generate documentation by using pydoc

4.2 Construct and analyze code segments that include function definitions

• Call signatures, default values, return, def, pass

5. Troubleshooting and Error Handling

5.1 Analyze, detect, and fix code segments that have errors

• Syntax errors, logic errors, runtime errors

5.2 Analyze and construct code segments that handle exceptions

• try, except, else, finally, raise

5.3 Perform unit testing

• Unittest, functions, methods, and assert methods (assertIsInstance, assertEqual, assertTrue, assertIs, assertIn)

6. Operations using Modules and Tools

6.1 Perform basic file system and command-line operations by using built-in modules

• io, os, os.path, sys (importing modules, opening, reading and writing files, command-line arguments)

6.2 Solve complex computing problems by using built-in modules

• Math (fabs, ceil, floor, trunc, fmod, frexp, nan, isnan, sqrt, isqrt, pow, pi) datetime (now, strftime, weekday), random (randrange, randint, random, shuffle, choice, sample)