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Ultimate A-Level Computer Science Podcast

Ultimate A-Level Computer Science Podcast

Written by: Teacher of Computing - AHC
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Welcome to the Ultimate A-Level Computer Science Podcast! Your go-to guide for mastering every topic, from algorithms and data structures to exam techniques and revision tips. Join us as we break down complex concepts into clear, easy-to-understand lessons, packed with practical examples and insider insights. Whether you’re aiming for an A or just want to boost your confidence, tune in and unlock your full potential in A-Level Computer Science!Teacher of Computing - AHC Education
Episodes
  • S7:E7 Data Structures: Trees and Traversal Algorithms
    Jan 15 2026

    This episode offers an in-depth look into tree data structures within computer science, beginning with the fundamental definition of a tree as a connected, undirected graph with no cycles. It then elaborates on rooted trees and specifically binary trees, detailing their structure with nodes, edges, children, and parents. The material further explains how to build and represent binary search trees, including their implementation using arrays. A significant portion focuses on tree traversal algorithms—pre-order, in-order, and post-order—explaining their distinct visiting sequences and practical applications like Polish Notation for expressions. Finally, the episode touches upon the advantages of balanced binary trees for efficient searching and the complexities involved in deleting nodes from these structures.

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    17 mins
  • 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
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