Data Types (Cambridge (CIE) IGCSE Computer Science): Revision Note
Exam code: 0478 & 0984
Data Types
What is a data type?
A data type is a classification of data into groups according to the kind of data they represent
Computers use different data types to represent different types of data in a program
The basic data types include:
Data type | Used for | Pseudocode | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
Integer | Whole numbers |
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Real | Numbers with a fractional part (decimal) |
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Character | Single character |
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String | Sequence of characters |
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Boolean | True or false values |
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It is important to choose the correct data type for a given situation to ensure accuracy and efficiency in the program
Data types can be changed within a program, this is called casting
Programming data types
Data type | Pseudocode | Python |
|---|---|---|
Integer |
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Real |
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Character |
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String |
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Boolean |
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Worked Example
Name and describe the most appropriate programming data type for each of the examples of data given. Each data type must be different
[6]
Data: 83
Data: [email protected] (opens in a new tab)
Data: True
Answers
Data type name: Integer [1]
Data type description: The number is a whole number [1]Data type name: String [1]
Data type description: It is a group of characters [1]Data type name: Boolean [1]
Data type description: The value is True (or could be False) [1]
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