Skip to content

Week 3 - Data Structures and Organising Related Data

This week shifts from single values to collections of related data. The coding module introduces parallel arrays and lists, while the linked section pages start the broader Section 5 work on data structures and modular thinking.

Key knowledge and skills

  • one-dimensional arrays, lists and records
  • iterating through stored data with a consistent index
  • selecting a structure that fits the problem
  • using collections to calculate totals and summaries
  • explaining why grouped data is easier to manage than scattered individual variables

Coding principles covered

  • keep parallel arrays aligned so each index refers to the same item
  • choose arrays for fixed data and lists when the size may change
  • process data systematically instead of repeating similar code by hand
  • display outputs in a predictable format so values are easy to check

Useful theory pages

Task checklist