PCAP Certified Associate in Python Programming Certification is a comprehensive mock exam with emphasis on using the PCAP-31-03 Syllabus as guide on the question topic. The audience should have basic knowledge in Python or have a good grasp on other programming language because this is not a tutorial.
All questions are based on individual topics and all topics have been covered. Some of the topics may not be thoroughly covered but each and every topic in the syllabus have a corresponding question with sufficient representation.
Exam block #1: Modules and Packages
Objectives covered by the block (6 items)
import variants; advanced qualifiying for nested modules
dir(); sys.path variable
math: ceil(), floor(), trunc(), factorial(), hypot(), sqrt(); random: random(), seed(), choice(), sample()
platform: platform(), machine(), processor(), system(), version(), python_implementation(), python_version_tuple()
idea, __pycache__, __name__, public variables, __init__.py
searching for modules/packages; nested packages vs directory tree
Exam block #2: Exceptions
Objectives covered by the block (5 items)
except, except:-except; except:-else:, except (e1,e2)
the hierarchy of exceptions
raise, raise ex, assert
event classes, except E as e, arg property
self-defined exceptions, defining and using
Exam block #3: Strings
Objectives covered by the block (8 items)
ASCII, UNICODE, UTF-8, codepoints, escape sequences
ord(), chr(), literals
indexing, slicing, immutability
iterating through,
concatenating, multiplying, comparing (against strings and numbers)
in, not in
.isxxx(), .join(), .split()
.sort(), sorted(), .index(), .find(), .rfind()
Exam block #4: Object-Oriented Programming
Objectives covered by the block (12 items)
ideas: class, object, property, method, encapsulation, inheritance, grammar vs class, superclass, subclass
instance vs class variables: declaring, initializing
__dict__ property (objects vs classes)
private components (instance vs classes), name mangling
methods: declaring, using, self parameter
instrospection: hasattr() (objects vs classes), __name__, __module__, __bases__ properties
inheritance: single, multiple, isinstance(), overriding, not is and is operators
constructors: declaring and invoking
polymorphism
__name__, __module__, __bases__ properties, __str__() method
multiple inheritance, diamonds
Exam block #5: Miscellaneous (List Comprehensions, Lambdas, Closures, and I/O Operations)
Objectives covered by the block (4 items)
list comprehension: if operator, using list comprehensions
lambdas: defining and using lambdas, self-defined functions taking lambda as as arguments; map(), filter();
closures: meaning, defining, and using closures
I/O Operations: I/O modes, predefined streams, handles; text/binary modes
open(), errno and its values; close()
.read(), .write(), .readline(); readlines() (along with bytearray())
Bonus block
Objectives covered by the block (1 item)
Questions in the Practice tests are much more difficult than what is included in the Certified Associate in Python Programming Certification. I recommend doing hands-on to test the validity of the answers and emphasize on the importance of coding different permutations and combinations on the examples given.
All questions are self-explanatory and it will be easier to understand if the code is run on IDLE or the user's preferred Python IDE.
