Topics of PCAP - Certified Associate in Python Programming (PCAP-31-02) Exam

The syllabus for the PCAP - Certified Associate in Python Programming (PCAP-31-02) examination is listed below in detail of each section and their topics:

1. Control and Evaluations (25%)

Objectives covered by this section:

• controlling loop execution: break, continue
• conditional statements: if, if-else, if-elif, if-elif-else
• basic input and output: input(), print(), int(), float(), str() functions
• Boolean operators: not and or
• bitwise operators: ~ & ^ | « »
• accuracy of floating-point numbers
• simple strings: constructing, assigning, indexing, slicing comparing, immutability
• literals: Boolean, integer, floating-point numbers, scientific notation, strings
• relational operators ( == != > >= < <= ), building complex Boolean expressions
• operators: unary and binary, priorities and binding
• expanding loops: while-else, for-else, nesting loops and conditional statements
• basic concepts: interpreting and the interpreter, compilation and the compiler, language elements, lexis, syntax and semantics, Python keywords, instructions, indenting
• building loops: while, for, range(), in, iterating through sequences
• string operators: * +
• simple lists: constructing vectors, indexing and slicing, the len() function
• formatting print() output with end= and sep= arguments
• the pass instruction
• numeric operators: * / % // + -
• assignments and shortcut operators

2. Data Aggregates (25%)

Objectives covered by this section:

• lists in lists: matrices and cubes
• tuples vs. lists: similarities and differences, lists inside tuples and tuples inside lists
• dictionaries: building, indexing, adding and removing keys, iterating through dictionaries as well as their keys and values, checking key existence, keys(), items() and values() methods
• lists in detail: indexing, slicing, basic methods (append(), insert(), index()) and functions (len(), sorted(), etc.), del instruction, iterating lists with the for loop, initializing, in and not in operators, list comprehension, copying and cloning
• strings in detail: ASCII, UNICODE, UTF-8, immutability, escaping using the \ character, quotes and apostrophes inside strings, multiline strings, copying vs. cloning, advanced slicing, string vs. string, string vs. non-string, basic string methods (upper(), lower(), isxxx(), capitalize(), split(), join(), etc.) and functions (len(), chr(), ord()), escape characters
• tuples: indexing, slicing, building, immutability

3. Functions and Modules (25%)

Objectives covered by this section:

• map(), filter(), reduce(), reversed(), sorted() functions and the sort() method
• pyc file creation and usage
• name scopes, name hiding (shadowing), the global keyword
• converting generator objects into lists using the list() function
• the if operator
• defining and invoking your own functions and generators
• Python hashbangs, using multiline strings as module documentation
• import directives, qualifying entities with module names, initializing modules
• constructing and distributing packages, packages vs. directories, the role of the init.py file
• return and yield keywords, returning results, the None keyword, recursion
• lambda functions, defining and using
• hiding module entities
• writing and using modules, the name variable
• parameters vs. arguments, positional keyword and mixed argument passing, default parameter values

4. Classes, Objects, and Exceptions (25%)

Objectives covered by this section:

• using predefined exceptions and defining your own ones
• class methods: defining and using, the self parameter meaning and usage
• class attributes: class variables and instance variables, defining, adding and removing attributes, explicit constructor invocation
• inheritance and overriding, finding class/object components
• introspection: dict, name, module, bases properties, examining class/object structure
• single inheritance vs. multiple inheritance
• invoking methods, passing and using the self argument/parameter
• name mangling
• input/output basics: opening files with the open() function, stream objects, binary vs. text files, newline character translation, reading and writing files, bytearray objects
• exceptions hierarchy, assigning more than one exception to one except branch
• adding your own exceptions to an existing hierarchy
• the try-except-else-finally block, the raise statement, the except-as variant
• read(), readinto(), readline(), write(), close() methods
• the init method
• hasattr(), type(), issubclass(), isinstance(), super() functions
• the role of the str method
• defining your own classes, superclasses, subclasses, inheritance, searching for missing class components, creating objects
• assertions
• the anatomy of an exception object
• writing and using constructors

Reference: https://pythoninstitute.org/certification/pcap-certification-associate/

What is the duration, language, and format of PCAP - Certified Associate in Python Programming (PCAP-31-02) Exam

• Number of Questions: 40
• Duration of Exam: 65 minutes + 10 minutes(Non-Disclosure Agreement/Tutorial)
• Language of Exam: English
• Type of Questions: Single-choice and multiple-choice questions
• Passing Score: 70%

PCAP - Certified Associate in Python Programming (PCAP-31-02) Certification Path

The Certified Associate in Python Programming Certification includes only one PCAP-31-02 exam. There are no official prerequisites for the exam but the applicants are recommended to have little prior knowlegde of any programming language, should have very basic knowledge of Mathematics and have attempted the PCAP-31-02 practice exams.