← IGCSE Computer Science Paper 2

The analysis stage

The first stage of the PDLC: work out exactly what problem must be solved and what the program must do, using abstraction and decomposition, before any design or code.

Part of: IGCSE Computer Science 0478 — 7a Program Development Life Cycle — Module 2, WA Computer Science ATAR Year 11 — Pseudocode and Algorithm Design — Module 3

Understanding The analysis stage in IGCSE Computer Science Paper 2

What it does: Decomposition is the analysis task of breaking a problem into smaller parts. The PDLC order puts analysis first. Design, coding and testing only start once the problem and requirements are clear. Abstraction means focusing on what matters for the problem and ignoring detail that is not needed. Flowcharts, hierarchy charts and pseudocode show how the solution will work, so they belong to design, not analysis.

Common mistakes: The PDLC order is Analysis, Design, Coding, Testing. Stage 3 should be Coding, not Testing, because there is no program to test until it has been coded. Analysis is the first stage of the PDLC. Stage1 should be "Analysis", because the problem must be understood before any coding.

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This module's key terms are also in a printable crossword (Modules 1–16) and word search (Modules 1–26).

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Learning

Duo

Which stage of the program development life cycle comes first?

AnalysisCoding

Matches

A student starts writing code in the analysis stage

↓

Code is written in the coding stage, not in analysis. Analysis only works out the problem and what the program must do, before any design or code.

Applying

Meanings

Term

Analysis

Meaning

The first stage of the PDLC: work out exactly what problem must be solved and what the program must do, using abstraction and decomposition, before any design or code.

Practice

// ANALYSIS: school quiz program

Testing

Gaps

// Stage 1:

Check Answer

Spots

2OUTPUT "Stage 2: Design"

3OUTPUT "Stage 3: Testing"

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Quick Questions

1. Which stage of the program development life cycle comes first?

A. Coding

B. Analysis ✓

Analysis is the first stage. The programmer must understand the problem before designing, coding or testing anything.

2. Which task belongs to the analysis stage?

A. Working out exactly what the program must do ✓

B. Writing the program in a programming language

Analysis is about understanding the problem and the requirements. Writing the program happens later, at the coding stage.

3. A student starts typing code before they understand the problem. What has gone wrong?

A. They skipped analysis ✓

B. They finished the testing stage early

Analysis must happen before any design or code, otherwise the program may not solve the right problem.

4. Which is a purpose of abstraction during analysis?

A. Keeping the important details and removing unnecessary ones ✓

B. Adding as many extra details as possible

Abstraction means focusing on what matters for the problem and ignoring detail that is not needed.

5. Which describes decomposition at the analysis stage?

A. Joining several small programs into one file

B. Breaking a large problem into smaller sub-problems ✓

Decomposition splits a complex problem into smaller parts that are easier to understand and solve.

Match the Pairs

Analysis → The first stage of the PDLC, where the programmer works out exactly what problem must be solved and what the program must do

Abstraction → Keeping only the details needed to solve the problem and hiding the ones that are not needed

During analysis, a big problem is split into smaller sub-problems that are easier to solve → Decomposition

Analysis happens before any design or coding, so the first stage comes before flowcharts, pseudocode and program code → Analysis -> Design -> Coding -> Testing

A student starts writing code in the analysis stage → Code is written in the coding stage, not in analysis. Analysis only works out the problem and what the program must do, before any design or code.

Analysis: draw a flowchart of the algorithm → Drawing a flowchart is a design task, not analysis. Analysis identifies the problem and requirements, using abstraction and decomposition.

Key Term

Analysis

The first stage of the PDLC: work out exactly what problem must be solved and what the program must do, using abstraction and decomposition, before any design or code.

Fill in the Blanks

1. // Stage 1: Analysis // Work out what the program must do

Hint: Type the name of the first stage of the PDLC.

2. // Analysis comes before design and coding

Hint: Type the word that describes when analysis happens compared with design and coding.

3. // Use abstraction to ignore extra detail

Hint: Type the technique that removes unnecessary detail from a problem.

4. // Decomposition splits a problem into parts

Hint: Type the technique that breaks a problem into smaller sub-problems.

5. // Analysis lists the requirements

Hint: Type the word for what the program must do, which is written down during analysis.

Spot the Error

Question 1

A OUTPUT "Stage 1: Analysis"

B OUTPUT "Stage 2: Design"

C OUTPUT "Stage 3: Testing"

D OUTPUT "Stage 4: Testing"

Line C — The PDLC order is Analysis, Design, Coding, Testing. Stage 3 should be Coding, not Testing, because there is no program to test until it has been coded.

Question 2

A Stage1 ← "Coding"

B Stage2 ← "Design"

C Stage3 ← "Coding"

D Stage4 ← "Testing"

Line A — Analysis is the first stage of the PDLC. Stage1 should be "Analysis", because the problem must be understood before any coding.

Question 3

A // Problem: bus timetable app

B // Keep: paint colour

C // Ignore: paint colour

Line B — Abstraction keeps only the details needed to solve the problem. Paint colour is irrelevant to a timetable app, so it should be ignored, and the kept details should be the bus number and time.

Question 4

A // Decompose: join problems

B // Part 1: ask questions

C // Part 2: mark answers

D // Part 3: show score

Line A — Decomposition means splitting a problem into smaller sub-problems, not joining problems together. The line should say split.

Question 5

A Problem ← "Mark a test"

B Input ← "Final score"

C Output ← "Final score"

D Process ← "Compare answers"

Line B — The final score is produced by the program, so it is an output. The input at the analysis stage is the student answers.

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