What the board asks
We went through the ISC board papers, question by question, and matched each question to a topic. Here is what was asked, how often, and what was never asked.
Computer Science: 180 topics in the 2027 syllabus, across 10 units. The board has asked 117 of them at least once. 63 were never asked in the papers we checked.
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CS5 Methods
All the topics in Computer Science: Methods
Asked topics first, the most asked at the top. Tap a topic to see what to write, the result, the years, and the real board questions.
14 topics shown
| # | Topic | Type | Marks | Times asked | Last asked | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Design a class on a digit-based special numberWrite the class with the given data member(s), constructor, input method, the helper method that works on digits (sum, product, count, reverse, power sum) as specified, the check method that calls it and prints the result with a message, and main() that creates the object and calls the methods. | Program | 10 | 6 papers | 2026 | Asked |
| 2 | Design a class whose method takes or returns an objectWrite the class with its data member(s), constructor, input and display methods, and the method that receives one or two objects of the same class (and returns a new object if asked) to combine them, such as adding two times, plus main() that creates the objects and calls the methods. | Program | 10 | 3 papers | 2026 | Asked |
| 3 | Fill the blanks in a digit-extraction methodWrite the exact expression or statement for each marked blank (?1?, ?2?, ...) in a given method that walks through the digits of a number, so that the method works for any valid input. | Program | 3 | 3 papers | 2025 | Asked |
| 4 | Instance vs class (static) variables and methods; static finalGive the difference between an instance variable and a static (class) variable, and between a static and a non-static method, and judge statements about a static final data member. | Comparison | 1 | 2 papers | 2026 | Asked |
| 5 | Purpose and uses of the keyword thisState a purpose of this and judge statements about it: it refers to the current object, separates an instance variable from a parameter of the same name, and can be passed or returned as the current object. | Statement | 1 | 2 papers | 2025 | Asked |
| 6 | Method header, return type and the return statementState or judge statements about a method's parts: access specifier, return type, name, parameter list, body, and what return does in void and non-void methods. | Statement | 1 | 1 paper | 2026 | Asked |
| 7 | Method overloading: signature rules and compile-time matchingState what makes a method signature (name plus number, type and order of parameters, not return type) and explain how the compiler picks an overloaded version. | Give reason | 1 | 1 paper | 2025 improvement | Asked |
| 8 | Design a class on dates and day numbersWrite the class with the given data members (day number, date, month, year), constructor, input method, the conversion method (day number to date, date to day number, or date after N days) with the leap year rule, the display method with month names, and main() with the calls. | Program | 10 | 1 paper | 2020 | Asked |
| 9 | Design a class on a factor or prime based numberWrite the class with data members, constructor, input method, a helper method that counts or sums factors or tests primality, the method that applies the number rule using it and displays the result, and main() with the calls. | Program | 10 | 1 paper | 2018 | Asked |
| 10 | Formal vs actual arguments; pass by value vs referenceDefine formal and actual arguments with a one-line example of each, and state how primitive arguments (copy of value) and object or array arguments (copy of the reference) behave differently when the method changes them. | Comparison | 1 | never | Never asked | |
| 11 | Output of code passing primitive and object argumentsDry run a short program that passes an int and an object or array to a method which changes them, and write the exact output, showing which changes the caller sees. | Dry run / output | 2 | never | Never asked | |
| 12 | Output of code using a static counter and static methodsDry run a class whose constructor or methods change a static variable (such as an object counter) and an instance variable, and write the output after several objects are created and used. | Dry run / output | 2 | never | Never asked | |
| 13 | Design a class that sums a series using methodsWrite the class with data members (x, n, sum), constructor, input method, a helper method (factorial, power or term) and a method that adds the terms of the given series using it, a display method, and main() with the calls. | Program | 10 | never | Never asked | |
| 14 | Design a class to find roots of an algebraic equationWrite the class with the coefficients as data members, constructor, input method, a method that computes the discriminant and the roots for each case (real and distinct, equal, not real), a display method, and main() with the calls. | Program | 10 | never | Never asked |
This list was made from the 2027 syllabus and checked with 9 board papers, including the 2027 specimen paper. It is not yet checked with the textbook.
The 10 topics Computer Science papers ask most
Counted on the board papers from 2018 to the 2027 specimen paper, which every unit has been checked against.
- 1.Principle of duality: state it and write the dualCS1 Boolean Algebra · asked 8 times since 2018
- 2.Complement of an expression using De Morgan's theoremCS1 Boolean Algebra · asked 8 times since 2018
- 3.Word problem to truth table and SOP or POSCS1 Boolean Algebra · asked 8 times since 2018
- 4.K-map reduction of a four-variable POS expressionCS1 Boolean Algebra · asked 8 times since 2018
- 5.Pre-order, in-order and post-order traversalCS9 Data Structures · asked 8 times since 2018
- 6.K-map reduction of a four-variable SOP expressionCS1 Boolean Algebra · asked 7 times since 2018
- 7.Read a tree: leaves, internal nodes, parent, siblings, degreeCS9 Data Structures · asked 7 times since 2018
- 8.Truth table to classify tautology, contradiction or contingencyCS1 Boolean Algebra · asked 6 times since 2018
- 9.Convert between cardinal and canonical formsCS1 Boolean Algebra · asked 6 times since 2018
- 10.Address of an element, row major and column majorCS6 Arrays and Strings · asked 6 times since 2018