• S7:E6 Graphs: Structures, Representations, and Applications
    Jan 12 2026

    The episode offers an overview of graphs as a data structure in computer science, distinct from mathematical graphs. It defines key terminology such as vertex/node, edge/arc, weighted graph, undirected graph, and directed graph. The material also explains two primary methods for representing graphs: adjacency matrices and adjacency lists, comparing their advantages and disadvantages regarding memory efficiency and ease of use. Finally, the episode highlights various real-world applications of graphs, including computer networks, social networks, and navigation systems, even mentioning Google's PageRank algorithm as an example.

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    17 mins
  • S7:E5 Hash Tables: Data Storage and Retrieval
    Jan 8 2026

    This episode introduces hash tables as an efficient data structure for nearly instant record retrieval from large datasets, contrasting them with slower sequential and binary search methods. It explains that a hashing algorithm calculates a unique address for data, but this can lead to collisions where different keys generate the same address; various collision resolution strategies are discussed, such as finding the next free slot or using varied skip values. The text also covers different hashing algorithms like mid-square and folding, and how to handle alphanumeric data by converting it to numeric values. Finally, it defines a dictionary as an abstract data type storing key-value pairs, explaining its common uses and operations, and highlighting its connection to hashing for efficient data access.

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    22 mins
  • S7:E4 Understanding Data Stacks and Their Operations
    Jan 5 2026

    This episode provides an educational overview of stacks within computer science, It introduces stacks as abstract data types operating on a Last-In, First-Out (LIFO) principle, contrasting them with queues which are First-In, First-Out (FIFO). The document details essential stack operations like push (adding an item), pop (removing an item), peek (viewing the top item), isEmpty (checking if empty), and isFull (checking if full), along with concepts like overflow and underflow. Furthermore, it explains how stacks are implemented using lists and highlights their practical application in subroutine calls for managing return addresses, parameters, and local variables on the call stack.

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    10 mins
  • S7:E3 Lists and Linked Lists: Data Structures Explained
    Jan 1 2026

    This Episode introduces data structures, focusing on lists and linked lists within the context of A Level Computer Science. It begins by defining abstraction and abstract data types (ADTs), using a queue and a list as examples, highlighting that ADTs allow users to interact with data and operations without knowing their underlying implementation. The material then differentiates between static and dynamic data structures, explaining that static structures have fixed sizes while dynamic ones can change, with many programming languages offering built-in dynamic list support. The document further outlines common operations for lists such as adding, removing, sorting, and searching, and provides pseudocode examples for implementing a queue using a dynamic list. Finally, it elaborates on linked lists as a dynamic ADT implemented with arrays and pointers, detailing how nodes, data, and pointers work together, and illustrating how to add and delete elements within this structure.

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    13 mins
  • S7:E2 Queues: Concepts, Implementations, and Applications in Data Structures
    Dec 29 2025

    This episode offers a comprehensive overview of queues as a fundamental data structure within computer science, focusing on their conceptual understanding and practical applications. It defines queues as a type of Abstract Data Type (ADT), where the focus is on the data's behavior rather than its underlying implementation. The material illustrates key operations for queues, such as adding and removing items, and checking if the queue is empty or full, with examples like managing print jobs or bus schedules. Furthermore, it explores different queue implementations, including linear, circular, and priority queues, highlighting the advantages and disadvantages of each and demonstrating how they address specific challenges, such as efficient memory usage through the MOD function for circular queues. The text also touches upon the distinction between static and dynamic data structures in the context of queue implementation.

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    15 mins
  • S7:E1 Arrays, Tuples, and Records: Essential Data Structures
    Dec 25 2025

    This episode introduces fundamental data structures relevant to computer science, specifically for an OCR A Level curriculum. It aims to familiarize students with the concept of data structures and how various types are represented and stored. The text focuses on arrays, detailing their use in one, two, and multi-dimensional forms, complete with pseudocode examples and trace tables to illustrate their manipulation for sorting and calculations. Additionally, it covers tuples, highlighting their ordered, mixed-type, and immutable properties, and records, describing them as fixed collections of different data types often resembling spreadsheets. The document concludes by differentiating between static and dynamic data structures based on their ability to change size.

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    17 mins
  • S6:E5 Bitwise Manipulation and Masks: Data Types Explored
    Dec 22 2025

    This episode explores methods for manipulating individual bits within binary data. It details three types of shifts: logical, arithmetic, and circular, explaining how each operation affects bit placement and the carry bit. Furthermore, the source examines Boolean logical operations (AND, OR, XOR) and their application with masks to specifically set, clear, or toggle bits, providing practical examples of how these techniques are used in computing, including multiplication and division. The content is designed to educate on fundamental concepts in low-level data manipulation.

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    16 mins
  • S6:E4 Floating Point Arithmetic: Operations and Normalization
    Dec 18 2025

    This episode focuses on data types, specifically floating-point and fixed-point arithmetic. It begins by contrasting the limitations of fixed-point numbers in terms of range and accuracy with the advantages of floating-point numbers for representing very large or very small values using a mantissa and exponent. The document then provides detailed instructions and examples for converting floating-point binary numbers to denary and vice versa, including handling negative mantissas and negative exponents through two's complement. Finally, it explains the crucial process of normalisation to maintain precision and outlines the steps for adding and subtracting floating-point numbers by converting them to fixed-point for calculation.

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    24 mins