Course Description

Computer Science A with Java 3
Algorithms, Inheritance, and Polymorphism
Purpose: Builds algorithmic reasoning and extends object-oriented thinking through inheritance, overriding, and polymorphic behavior.
Key student outcomes

Trace and implement sequential search and binary search appropriately.

Trace and compare selection sort and insertion sort.

Use searching and sorting inside larger programs.

Explain and design superclass/subclass relationships.

Predict dynamic dispatch and work with polymorphic references.
Units and topics

1. Search algorithms
single match, count patterns, sorted-data assumptions, binary search tracing
2. Sorting algorithms
selection sort, insertion sort, trace practice, algorithm comparison
3. Applied algorithms
record-manager task, decomposition, testing, documentation of choices
4. Inheritance fundamentals
reuse, specialization, hierarchy design, inheritance vs composition
5. Overriding and polymorphism
super, override errors, runtime behavior, superclass collections
6. Hierarchy design and assessment
abstract planning, critique, FRQ-style practice, unit assessment