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ACARA Digital Technologies Years 7–8 — Tracing and Debugging Algorithms

Working out what an algorithm does, and finding where it goes wrong.

Modules (59)

1 Following an algorithm step by step 2 Dry run of an algorithm 3 Variables in an algorithm 4 Input and output in an algorithm 5 Trace Tables 6 Setting up the variable columns of a trace table 7 Recording user prompts and INPUT values in a trace table 8 The OUTPUT column of a trace table 9 Tracing assignments and arithmetic 10 Predicting the outcome of an algorithm 11 Branching with IF ... THEN ... ELSE 12 Joining conditions with AND and OR 13 Tracing an IF statement 14 Adding a condition column to a trace table 15 Nested if blocks in pseudocode 16 Tracing selection with a trace table 17 REPEAT a set number of times 18 REPEAT UNTIL a condition is true 19 Tracing WHILE and REPEAT loops 20 A variable that counts in a loop 21 Counting only some things with IF inside a loop 22 Tracing counting and totalling 23 Working out an average from a total and a count 24 Branching inside a loop 25 Tracing a decision inside a loop 26 A loop inside an if block 27 Nested and mixed iteration 28 Tracing nested loops 29 Reading and tracing complex pseudocode 30 Completing a full trace table for a dry run 31 Working out the purpose of an algorithm 32 Flowchart shapes: start, step and decision 33 Drawing a decision in a flowchart 34 Drawing a loop in a flowchart 35 Logical operators in a flowchart decision 36 Following a flowchart to predict the result 37 Completing a flowchart prediction table 38 Tracing a flowchart whose arrow loops back through a decision 39 Turning a flowchart into written steps 40 Number guessing game algorithm 41 Test cases: input, expected output, actual output 42 Testing an algorithm with different starting values 43 Boundary test values 44 Finding errors in an algorithm 45 Logic error versus syntax error 46 Using a trace table to find an error 47 Sequence: steps in order 48 Error: variable not set to zero first 49 Error: wrong relational operator 50 Error: wrong logical operator 51 A loop that never stops 52 Error: loop repeats one time too many or too few 53 Error: Yes and No branches swapped 54 Error: a step placed inside or outside the loop 55 Errors in a flowchart 56 Suggesting a correction 57 Amending an algorithm 58 Re-tracing a corrected algorithm 59 Writing a bug report from a trace

Smaller journeys, one per content description

The same modules, split up so a class can take just the content description it's working on.

ACARA 7-8 Digital Technologies: Following algorithms and trace tables — AC9TDI8P06 Students learn to follow an algorithm step by step, understand variables, input and output, and record each value in a trace table to predict the result.

ACARA 7-8 Digital Technologies: Tracing decisions and loops in pseudocode — AC9TDI8P06 Students trace IF decisions, repeating loops, counters, totals and nested structures in pseudocode, and work out what a whole algorithm is for.

ACARA 7-8 Digital Technologies: Tracing flowcharts — AC9TDI8P06 Students read and draw flowcharts with decisions and loops, and trace them with prediction tables to find the output for a given input.

ACARA 7-8 Digital Technologies: Testing, finding and fixing logic errors — AC9TDI8P06 Students use test cases and trace tables to find typical logic errors in pseudocode and flowcharts, suggest corrections and check that the fixes work.

Printables for this journey

Every module above has its own free printable worksheet with an answer key. These crosswords and word searches cover the same terms:

VCE Pseudocode Crossword: if-then-else block to Reading and tracing complex pseudocode (Modules 11–28) 10 clues · if-then-else block, else if: chained selection, for loop: for i from 1 to n, Nested for loops and more

VCE Pseudocode Word Search: What is Pseudocode to Reading and tracing complex pseudocode (Modules 1–28) 20 words to find · What is Pseudocode, Pseudocode Writing Conventions, Variable Assignment: x <- value, input keyword and more

Years 5–6 Creating Digital Solutions Crossword: Defining problems and requirements and Designing algorithms with branching and iteration (Modules 1–10) 10 clues · What is a problem a digital system can solve?, User need, Writing a problem statement, Functional requirements and more

Years 5–6 Creating Digital Solutions Crossword: Designing algorithms with branching and iteration (Modules 11–20) 10 clues · Following an algorithm step by step, Variables in an algorithm, Input and output in an algorithm, Condition and more

Years 5–6 Creating Digital Solutions Crossword: Designing algorithms with branching and iteration and Designing user interfaces (Modules 21–30) 10 clues · Branching inside a loop, Algorithms that use sequence, branching and iteration together, Drawing a sequence in a flowchart, Drawing a decision in a flowchart and more

Years 5–6 Creating Digital Solutions Word Search: Defining problems and requirements and Designing algorithms with branching and iteration (Modules 1–20) 20 words to find · What is a problem a digital system can solve?, User need, Writing a problem statement, Functional requirements and more

Years 5–6 Creating Digital Solutions Word Search: Designing algorithms with branching and iteration and Designing user interfaces (Modules 21–40) 20 words to find · Branching inside a loop, Algorithms that use sequence, branching and iteration together, Drawing a sequence in a flowchart, Drawing a decision in a flowchart and more

VCE Software Development U3O1 Crossword: Errors and debugging and Testing modules (Modules 168–177) 10 clues · Debugging a program with print() and trace tables, Setting a breakpoint, Stepping through code and watching variables, Tracing nested loops and more

VCE Software Development U3O1 Word Search: Errors and debugging to Artificial intelligence in programming (Modules 168–193) 20 words to find · Debugging a program with print() and trace tables, Setting a breakpoint, Stepping through code and watching variables, Tracing nested loops and more

Years 7–8 Creating Digital Solutions Crossword: Defining and decomposing problems and Designing and tracing algorithms (Modules 3–47) 10 clues · Interviewing a user, Decomposing a problem into sub-problems, Decomposition diagrams, Non-functional requirements and more

Years 7–8 Creating Digital Solutions Word Search: Defining and decomposing problems to Evaluating digital solutions (Modules 3–125) 21 words to find · Interviewing a user, Decomposing a problem into sub-problems, Decomposition diagrams, Non-functional requirements and more

Years 9–10 Creating Digital Solutions Crossword: Defining and decomposing problems to Evaluating solutions, impact and innovation (Modules 6–132) 10 clues · Decomposing a problem into a hierarchy chart, Prioritising requirements, Truth tables for AND, OR and NOT, Logical operators in a flowchart decision and more

Years 9–10 Creating Digital Solutions Word Search: Defining and decomposing problems to Evaluating solutions, impact and innovation (Modules 6–132) 20 words to find · Decomposing a problem into a hierarchy chart, Prioritising requirements, Truth tables for AND, OR and NOT, Logical operators in a flowchart decision and more

IGCSE Computer Science Paper 2 Crossword: 7a Program Development Life Cycle (Modules 71–82) 10 clues · Normal test data, Abnormal test data, Extreme test data, Boundary test data and more

IGCSE Computer Science Paper 2 Crossword: 7a Program Development Life Cycle (Modules 83–92) 10 clues · Recording user prompts and INPUT values in a trace table, Tracing assignments and arithmetic, Tracing an IF statement, Tracing a FOR loop and more

IGCSE Computer Science Paper 2 Crossword: 7c Pseudocode and Flowcharts (Modules 232–241) 10 clues · Explaining a flowchart, Finding errors in an algorithm, Error: = used instead of ←, Error: missing ENDIF, NEXT, ENDWHILE or UNTIL and more

IGCSE Computer Science Paper 2 Crossword: 7c Pseudocode and Flowcharts (Modules 242–253) 10 clues · Error: wrong data type or undeclared variable, Errors in a flowchart, Suggesting a correction, Totalling in pseudocode and more

IGCSE Computer Science Paper 2 Crossword: 7c Pseudocode and Flowcharts and 7d Standard Methods of Solution (Modules 254–264) 10 clues · Reading a problem to plan an algorithm, Writing an algorithm in pseudocode from a problem, Writing an algorithm as a flowchart from a problem, Amending an algorithm and more

IGCSE Computer Science Paper 2 Crossword: 8.1b Sequence, Selection and Iteration (Modules 379–388) 9 clues · Using the FOR counter inside the loop, WHILE…DO…ENDWHILE pre-condition loop, A WHILE loop ended by a rogue value, REPEAT…UNTIL post-condition loop and more

IGCSE Computer Science Paper 2 Word Search: 7a Program Development Life Cycle (Modules 71–92) 21 words to find · Normal test data, Abnormal test data, Extreme test data, Boundary test data and more

IGCSE Computer Science Paper 2 Word Search: 7c Pseudocode and Flowcharts (Modules 232–253) 21 words to find · Explaining a flowchart, Finding errors in an algorithm, Error: = used instead of ←, Error: missing ENDIF, NEXT, ENDWHILE or UNTIL and more

IGCSE Computer Science Paper 2 Word Search: 7c Pseudocode and Flowcharts and 7d Standard Methods of Solution (Modules 254–274) 21 words to find · Reading a problem to plan an algorithm, Writing an algorithm in pseudocode from a problem, Writing an algorithm as a flowchart from a problem, Amending an algorithm and more

IGCSE Computer Science Paper 2 Word Search: 8.1b Sequence, Selection and Iteration and 8.1c Procedures and Functions (Modules 379–398) 21 words to find · Using the FOR counter inside the loop, WHILE…DO…ENDWHILE pre-condition loop, A WHILE loop ended by a rogue value, REPEAT…UNTIL post-condition loop and more

ACARA Digital Technologies Years 5–6 Crossword: Representing Data with Numbers and Algorithms with Branching and Repetition (Modules 85–104) 8 clues · The number 5 compared with the text "5", Sorting values into number, text or true/false, Operations on numbers: + - * /, Joining text together and more

ACARA Digital Technologies Years 5–6 Crossword: Algorithms with Branching and Repetition (Modules 106–119) 10 clues · Spotting a repeating pattern, A loop that never stops, A variable that counts in a loop, Counting only some things with IF inside a loop and more

ACARA Digital Technologies Years 5–6 Crossword: Algorithms with Branching and Repetition (Modules 120–132) 10 clues · Drawing a decision in a flowchart, Drawing a loop in a flowchart, Showing a counter in a flowchart, Following a flowchart to predict the result and more

ACARA Digital Technologies Years 5–6 Word Search: Representing Data with Numbers and Algorithms with Branching and Repetition (Modules 73–104) 21 words to find · Colouring cells by their number with a conditional formatting rule, Adding more rules for more colours, A black-and-white picture from 0s and 1s in a spreadsheet, Making pixel art with whole numbers in a spreadsheet and more

ACARA Digital Technologies Years 5–6 Word Search: Algorithms with Branching and Repetition (Modules 106–132) 20 words to find · Spotting a repeating pattern, A loop that never stops, A variable that counts in a loop, Counting only some things with IF inside a loop and more

Crossword: Algorithms, Flowcharts and Pseudocode and Tracing and Debugging Algorithms (Modules 420–481) 10 clues · Tracing a decision inside a loop with a trace table, Adding a condition column to a trace table, Tracing a decision inside a loop, Completing a flowchart prediction table and more

Crossword: Tracing and Debugging Algorithms and Programming with Control Structures and Functions (Python) (Modules 482–519) 10 clues · Writing a bug report from a trace, Scratch scripts and typed Python side by side, Scratch say block as print(), Scratch variable blocks as Python assignment and more

Word Search: Algorithms, Flowcharts and Pseudocode to Programming with Control Structures and Functions (Python) (Modules 420–519) 20 words to find · Tracing a decision inside a loop with a trace table, Adding a condition column to a trace table, Tracing a decision inside a loop, Completing a flowchart prediction table and more

Frequently Asked Questions

Are these worksheets free?

Yes — every worksheet and its answer key is free to view, download, and print, with no account required to access any individual module.

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What year level is this for?

This curriculum is aligned to the Australian Curriculum (ACARA) and Victorian Curriculum, spanning roughly Years 3 to 10 — from first sequencing and variables through to object-oriented programming and advanced data structures. Start wherever matches your class's current level; each module builds on the last.

Can I print them?

Yes — every module has a one-click Print Worksheet button that generates a printable page with the practice questions and a full answer key.

Is this aligned to a curriculum?

Yes — the module sequence is mapped to the Australian Curriculum (ACARA) and Victorian Curriculum, and a class's progress is reported back against those curriculum bands (e.g. ACARA Years 5–6 sequencing and iteration, Years 7–8 functions and data structures), not just a generic difficulty scale.

Can students use this without a teacher?

Yes — students can start any module and practice directly, no class or account required. Joining a teacher's class with a class code adds progress tracking, class badges, and live Sprints, but isn't needed to work through the worksheets or modules solo.

Do I need to know ACARA Digital Technologies Years 7–8 myself to teach this?

No — every module comes with a full worked answer key, and Cloodit tracks who's stuck automatically, so you don't need to solve each exercise yourself before assigning it or be able to debug a student's work line by line.

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