40 Algorithm challenges booklet

This booklet has been created to help students become familiar with creating flowcharts, and using
pseudocode or OCR Reference Language.

Reference may be made to the OCR Reference Language guide at the back of the GCSE (9-1)
Computer Science specification when creating more formally written answers.

Students may wish to write in the programming language that they use within the classroom.

Guidance on assessment of answers may be found in our Sample Assessment Materials for
Component 02, and within the Assessment Story document.

It should be noted that there may be different ways to solve each challenge. Credit should be given
for a solution where it meets the requirements and is technically correct.

As good practice, we suggest allowing time for students to discuss different solutions. They should
reflect on different ideas and techniques, looking at how other students have used them. This
provides good exposure to alternate solution/problem solving and builds confidence in techniques.

Whilst the challenges are graded from 1 to 10 in difficulty, these are approximate, and are suggested
only. The grading in difficulty does not necessarily reflect the GCSE 9-1 grading system.

A list of relevant techniques that students may need to understand to solve these challenges may be
found in the current GCSE (9-1) Computer Science specification. This is available to download
from the J277 Web page.
Contents
Difficulty 1 Challenges..............................................................................................................4
Challenge 1.............................................................................................................................4
Challenge 2.............................................................................................................................4
Challenge 3.............................................................................................................................4
Challenge 4.............................................................................................................................4
Difficulty 2 Challenges..............................................................................................................5
Challenge 5:............................................................................................................................5
Challenge 6.............................................................................................................................5
Challenge 7:............................................................................................................................5
Difficulty 3 Challenges..............................................................................................................6
Challenge 8.............................................................................................................................6
Difficulty 4 Challenges..............................................................................................................6
Challenge 9.............................................................................................................................6
Challenge 10...........................................................................................................................6
Challenge 11...........................................................................................................................7
Challenge 12...........................................................................................................................7
Challenge 13:..........................................................................................................................7
Difficulty 5 Challenges..............................................................................................................8
Challenge 14...........................................................................................................................8
Challenge 15...........................................................................................................................8
Challenge 16...........................................................................................................................8
Challenge 17...........................................................................................................................9
Challenge 18...........................................................................................................................9
Challenge 19...........................................................................................................................9
Pseudocode only challenges.....................................................................................................10
Challenge 20.........................................................................................................................10
Challenge 21:........................................................................................................................10
Challenge 22.........................................................................................................................10
Challenge 23.........................................................................................................................11
No help given, pseudocode only!.............................................................................................12
Challenge 24.........................................................................................................................12
Challenge 25.........................................................................................................................12
Challenge 26.........................................................................................................................12

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 Challenge 27.........................................................................................................................13

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Difficulty 6 Challenges............................................................................................................14
Challenge 28.........................................................................................................................14
Challenge 29.........................................................................................................................14
Challenge 30:........................................................................................................................14
Challenge 31.........................................................................................................................15
Challenge 32:........................................................................................................................15
Difficulty 7 Challenges............................................................................................................16
Challenge 33.........................................................................................................................16
Challenge 34.........................................................................................................................16
Challenge 35.........................................................................................................................16
Difficulty 8 challenges.............................................................................................................17
Challenge 36.........................................................................................................................17
Challenge 37:........................................................................................................................17
Difficulty 9 Challenges............................................................................................................18
Challenge 38.........................................................................................................................18
Challenge 39:........................................................................................................................18
Challenge Rating 10:................................................................................................................18
Challenge 40.........................................................................................................................18

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Difficulty 1 Challenges

Challenge 1
Design a program which asks the user to input their name, age and favourite colour.

You may need the following…

Arithmetic Operations Decisions Iteration
- BEGIN / END - -
INPUT

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Challenge 2
The program asks the user to input their first name. The program then outputs the users first name.

Suggested Pseudocode Statements

Arithmetic Operations Decisions Repetition
- BEGIN / END - -
INPUT
OUTPUT

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Challenge 3
The program asks the user to input their surname and then their first name. The program then
outputs the user’s first name and then their surname separately.

Suggested Pseudocode Statements

Arithmetic Operations Decisions Repetition
- BEGIN / END - -
INPUT
OUTPUT
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Challenge 4
The program asks the user to input their first name and then their surname. The program then
outputs the user’s first name and then their surname on the same line.

Suggested Pseudocode Statements

Arithmetic Operations Decisions Repetition
- BEGIN / END - -
INPUT
OUTPUT

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Difficulty 2 Challenges

Challenge 5
The program asks the user to input two numbers. The program adds them together and then
outputs the total.

Suggested Pseudocode Statements

Arithmetic Operations Decisions Repetition
+ BEGIN / END - -
= INPUT
OUTPUT

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Challenge 6
The program asks the user to input two numbers. The program will then output:

 The two numbers added together followed by…

 The two numbers multiplied together.

Suggested Pseudocode Statements

Arithmetic Operations Decisions Repetition
+ BEGIN / END - -
* INPUT
= OUTPUT

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Challenge 7 Tip: Speed = Distance / Time
Write an algorithm that:

 Asks the user for the distance (in metres).

 Asks the user for the time in seconds that a journey was completed in.
 Calculates and outputs the average speed using a function.

Suggested Pseudocode Statements

Arithmetic Operations Decisions Repetition
/ BEGIN / END - -
= INPUT
OUTPUT

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Input distance
Input time
Average(distance, time)
Speed = distance/time
Call function Average
Output speed

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Difficulty 3 Challenges

Challenge 8
The program asks the user to input how many minutes and texts they have used in the last month
and then outputs the total cost of the bill. This is calculated by working out:

 The total cost of the minutes (at £0.10 per minute) and….
 Adding this to the total cost of the texts (at £0.05 per text) and….
 Adding on an additional monthly charge of £10.00.

Suggested Pseudocode Statements

Arithmetic Operations Decisions Repetition
+ BEGIN / END - -
* INPUT
= OUTPUT

Input mins
Input texts
Totalmins = mins*0.1
Totaltexts = texts * 0.05
Month = 10
Output totalmins+totaltexts+month

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Challenge 9
Write an algorithm that:

 Stores a random first name as a variable.

 Asks the user to input their first name.
 If it is the same as the stored name, outputs 'You’re cool.'
 Otherwise outputs 'Nice to meet you.'

Suggested Pseudocode Statements

Arithmetic Operations Decisions Repetition
= BEGIN / END IF -
INPUT ELSE
OUTPUT ==

Names = [“Jen”, “Hema”, “Hamsi”]

Name = names[random(0,2)]
Input firstname
If firstname == name then
Output “You’re cool.”
Else:
Output “Nice to meet you.”

Challenge 10
The program asks the user to input the number of letters in the alphabet. The program must then
output whether they got it correct or incorrect.

Suggested Pseudocode Statements

Arithmetic Operations Decisions Repetition
- BEGIN / END IF -
INPUT ELSE
OUTPUT ==

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Difficulty 4 Challenges

Challenge 11
The program asks the user to input two numbers. It will then output the larger of these two
numbers.

Suggested Pseudocode Statements

Arithmetic Operations Decisions Repetition
> BEGIN / END IF -
= INPUT ELSE
OUTPUT

Challenge 12
Write an algorithm that:

 Generates a random number between 1 and 10.

 It must then ask the user to guess this number.
 If they guess it correctly it should display ‘Correct’
 Otherwise, display ‘Not what I was thinking’

Suggested Pseudocode Statements

Arithmetic Operations Decisions Repetition
= BEGIN / END IF -
RANDOM INPUT ELSE
OUTPUT ==

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Challenge 13
A company calculates holiday allowance for employees.

The company gives each employees 28 days holiday each year. Holidays are awarded based on the
following rules:

1. Full time employees who work 5 days a week get 28 days holiday a year
2. Part time employees get a proportion of holiday allowance based on how many days they
work, e.g. An employee who works 1 day a week would only get 1/5th of the holidays
allowed.

Suggested Pseudocode Statements

Arithmetic Operations Decisions Repetition
/ BEGIN / END IF -
* INPUT ELSE
= OUTPUT ==

days = int(input("How many days a week do you work? "))

holiday = days / 5

hols = holiday * 28

hols = round(hols)

print ("You get", hols, "days of holiday")

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Difficulty 5 Challenges

Challenge 14
Write an algorithm that:

 Asks the user to input the

 If the traffic light colour is green, outputs ‘Go.’
 If the traffic light colour is amber, outputs ‘Get Ready.’
 Otherwise outputs ‘Stop.’

Suggested Pseudocode Statements

Arithmetic Operations Decisions Repetition
- BEGIN / END IF -
INPUT ELIF
OUTPUT ELSE
==

Challenge 15
Write a program that:

 Asks the user to name one of the Olympic Values (Respect, Excellence and Friendship)
 If they correctly name one, output 'That’s correct‘
 Otherwise outputs ‘Incorrect’

Suggested Pseudocode Statements

Arithmetic Operations Decisions Repetition
- BEGIN / END IF -
INPUT ELIF
OUTPUT ELSE
==

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Challenge 16
Write an algorithm that:

 Asks the user how long on average they spend watching TV each day.
 If it is less than 2 hours, outputs ‘That should be ok’
 If it is between 2 and 4 hours, outputs ‘That will rot your brain’
 Otherwise outputs “That is too much TV”

Suggested Pseudocode Statements

Arithmetic Operations Decisions Repetition
< BEGIN / END IF -
>= INPUT ELIF
< OUTPUT ELSE
AND

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Challenge 17
Write an algorithm that:
• Outputs all numbers between 1 and 10 only.

Suggested Pseudocode Statements

Arithmetic Operations Decisions Repetition
< BEGIN / END - WHILE or FOR
+ OUPUT
=

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Challenge 18
Write an algorithm that:

 Outputs all odd numbers between 1 and 20 only.

Suggested Pseudocode Statements

Arithmetic Operations Decisions Repetition
< BEGIN / END - WHILE or FOR
+ OUTPUT
=

num = 1

while num < 21:

numb = num%2

if numb != 0:

print (num)

num = num +1

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Challenge 19
Write an algorithm that:

 Asks the user to input a number and repeat this until they guess the number 7.
 Congratulate the user with a ‘Well Done’ message when they guess correctly.

Suggested Pseudocode Statements

Arithmetic Operations Decisions Repetition
= BEGIN / END IF -
INPUT ELSE
OUPUT ==
ELSE

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OCR Reference Language/High-level programming language only challenges

Challenge 20
MyHotPizza company have developed a new loyalty reward system for customers. Customers are
automatically sent a reward card if they order more than 20 pizzas in a year.

They have a log of customer’s orders stored in a file, as shown:

Customer Name Large Medium Small Card?

Smith, J 5 6 1 No
Williams, P 10 12 3 Yes
etc

Write an algorithm that goes through the customer orders, and where needed, sends customers a
loyalty card if they do not already have one. If they have not ordered enough pizzas, then it removes
them from the card list.

Suggested Pseudocode Statements

Arithmetic Operations Decisions Repetition
>= BEGIN / END IF -
= ELSE
==

Challenge 21
A local swimming centre offers the following discounts:

1. Members who are aged between 13 and 15 receive a 30% discount.

2. Members who are aged between 16 and 17 receive a 20% discount.
3. Members who are aged 50 and over receive a 40% discount.
4. All other members receive no discount.

Create an algorithm using Pseudocode for the above actions.

Suggested Pseudocode Statements

Arithmetic Operations Decisions Repetition
>= BEGIN / END IF -
<= INPUT ELIF
AND , OR OUTPUT ELSE
=

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Challenge 22
Write an algorithm that:

 Asks the user to input how many marks they got on a test.
 It should then convert this to a grade between 1 to 9 using the table below and then output
the grade to the user. If they have not scored enough to be given a grade than a ‘U’ grade
must be output.

Mark Grade
Greater than or equal to 10 1
Greater than or equal to 20 2
Greater than or equal to 30 3
etc

Suggested Pseudocode Statements

Arithmetic Operations Decisions Repetition
>= BEGIN / END IF -
< INPUT ELIF
AND OUTPUT ELSE
= ==

Challenge 23
Create an algorithm that will:

 Allow the user to input how much money they want to change to coins.
 Select which coin they want to convert the money into £1, 50p, 20p, 10p, 5p, 2p ,p
 Calculate how many of each coin will be given in.

Suggested Pseudocode Statements

Arithmetic Operations Decisions Repetition
/ BEGIN / END IF -
= ELIF
ELSE
==

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Challenge 24
Create an algorithm that that:

 Randomly generates the computer status ‘rock’ ‘paper’ or ‘scissors.’

 Asks the user to input their status ‘rock’ ‘paper’ or ‘scissors.’
 If the computer and user have the same status then output ‘Game Tied.’
 If the computer generates ‘Rock’ and user generates ‘Scissors’ then output ‘Computer Wins’
 If the computer generates ‘Paper’ and user generates ‘Rock’ then output ‘Computer Wins’
 If the computer generates ‘Scissors’ and user generates ‘Paper’ then output ‘Computer
Wins’

Otherwise output ‘You Win!’

Challenge 25
SpeedyClub Runners is a local sports club, who organise a 5k race every year.

The results of the race are stored in a record structure (called RaceFile) as follows:

RunnerNumber Name AgeCatagory Club?

44325 Wilburforce, Emily U18 SpeedyClub
543 Chan, Zhu Snr
2425 Patel, Aisha Vet
5552 Ewards, Craig Snr LighteningFast
Runners

Produce an algorithm that counts the number of runners in each Age category for the race.

Challenge 26
A dog that is 5 years old is equivalent to a 42 year old human. Ashok is writing a program which
converts the age of the dog to the equivalent age for a human.

The program uses the following method:

 The user inputs age of the dog in years

 If the age is 2 or less, the human equivalent is 12 times the age
 If the age is more hen 2, the human equivalent id 24 for the first 2 years, plus 6 for every
additional year.

Write an algorithm to calculate and output the human equivalent of the age of the dog using the
method described.

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Challenge 27
The cost of a day-time journey is £3 for the first kilometre and £2 for every kilometre after that. If
there are five of more passengers in the taxi, and extra 50% is added to the charge.

Write an algorithm to calculate the cost of a day-time journey.

Your algorithm should:

 Allow the number of passengers and he distance of the journey to be input as whole
numbers,
 Calculate the cost of the journey,
 Output the cost that has been calculated.

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Difficulty 6 Challenges

Challenge 28
A gardener needs to buy some turf
for a project they are working on. The garden is rectangular with a circular flower bed in the
middle.

Produce an algorithm that:

 Asks the user for the dimensions of the lawn and the radius of the circle (in metres)
 Calculates and output the amount of turf needed

Tip: Circle area = Pi x Radius2

Challenge 29
The wages earned by a worker is either £2 for every teddy bear the have made or £5 for every hour
they have worked, whichever is larger.

Write an algorithm that:

 allows the user to input the number of teddy bears made and the number of hours worked
 calculates the wages for the number of teddy bears made
 calculates the wages for the number of hours worked
 outputs the larger of the two results.

Challenge 30
An isosceles triangle is a triangle that has at least two equal sides. The diagram below shows
examples of isosceles triangles. In each diagram the marked sides are equal.

Write an algorithm for a computer program that determines whether a triangle in an isosceles
triangle.

 The user inputs the lengths of the three sides as Length 1, Length 2 and Length 3
 If any two side have the same length the program outputs “Isosceles”

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  Otherwise the program outputs “Not Isosceles”

Challenge 31
The student is writing an algorithm to solve a problem.

 The user will provide a series of numbers, representing the weights in grams of individual
fruits.
 The weights are always whole positive numbers.
 The number of weights to be entered will also be provided by the user.
 The solution should calculate and report the mean weight of the fruits to two decimal
places.

Two examples of the executing solution are shown below:

How many weights do you want to How many weights do you want to
enter? enter?
3 4
Enter a weight: Enter a weight:
138 279
Enter a weight: Enter a weight:
135 135
Enter a weight: Enter a weight:
285 145
Average weight is: 186.00 Enter a weight:
138
Average weight is: 174.25

Write an algorithm for the process described above.

Challenge 32:
Norma would like to invest her savings in a bank account that generates the most money. She
would like a program that will allow her to:

 Enter the amount of money she wants to save.

 Input the number of bank accounts she wants to compare.
 Enter the interest rate for each account.
 The interest is calculated by dividing the money to be saved by 100 and then multiplying
this by the interest rate.
 The total is calculated by adding the money to be saved to the interest and then outputted.
 The program should repeat this for all bank accounts.

Create an algorithm for the above actions.

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Difficulty 7 Challenges

Challenge 33
Write an algorithm that:

 Ask the user to input how many GCSE’s they have.

 They should then be allowed to enter a result for each GCSE grade.
 The computer should work out how many points they have got (9=9, 8=8, 7=7 etc).
 If their score is 40 or over it should output ‘You can go to the sixth form’
 If they their score between 35 and 39 it should output ‘A discussion is needed’
 Otherwise it should say ‘Sorry not enough points.’

Challenge 34
Roger has switched to a new electric supplier. He will receive free electric one day a week. He will
not pay for the day that he uses the least amount of electric. Write an algorithm that will:

 Allow the user to input the day of the week and then unit of units of electric used.
 Compare them until all comparisons are completed.

Output the day that will be free of charge.

Challenge 35
Write an algorithm that:

 Asks the user to input many cars are available for a trip.
 Asks the user to input how many people are going on the trip.
 If there are enough seats it should output ‘We have enough seats’
 If there are not enough seats it calculates how many extra cars are needed and then output
‘Another x cars are needed’ with x being the number of cars.

NOTE: Assume you can fit FIVE people in each car.

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Difficulty 8 challenges

Challenge 36
 Petrol costs £1.40 per litre. Diesel costs £1.55 per litre. LPG costs £0.95 per litre.
 Ask the user for which type of fuel their car uses and how much they have put into it.
 Calculate the correct price of the fuel they have taken.
 Ask how much money they have handed over and calculate the amount of change they are
due.
 Finally, ask them if they have a loyalty card and if they do calculate how many points they
should have added to it using the following – 1 point for every litre of fuel they’ve taken
plus 1 point for every full pound they’ve paid.
 If the number of points they get is more than 100 they get a bonus 10% extra points.
 The number of points should then be outputted

Challenge 37
A free drinks machine in an office provides 20 different
drinks.

The machine has a small keypad with keys 0 to 9, OK and

CANCEL. It also has a small LCD screen, which can display
a short message.

To get a drink, users select an item number between 1 and 20

with the keypad and confirm their choice by pressing OK. If
they make a mistake, they can press the CANCEL button and
start again. If the selection is valid and the drink is available
it dispenses the drink. The display screen is used to show
suitable short messages throughout the process.

Write an algorithm of the process described above.

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Difficulty 9 Challenges

Challenge 38
The company also offers a saving plan. Customers pay a fixed amount each year into the savings
plan. At the end of each year, the company adds the value of the savings plan at the start of the year
to the amount paid, and then adds interest of 10% to obtain the final value for the year.

For example, if a customer saves £100 each year, the value of the savings plan for 5 years is shown
in the table below.

Year Start Paid in Interest Final

1 0.00 100.00 10.00 110.00
2 110.00 100.00 21.00 231.00
3 231.00 100.00 33.10 364.10
4 364.10 100.00 46.41 510.51
5 510.51 100.00 61.05 671.56

Write an algorithm which allows the user to input the amount saved each year and the number of
years, and the outputs the growth of the savings plan in the format shown above.

Challenge 39
A primary school teacher wants a computer program to test the basic arithmetic skills of her
students. The program should generate a quiz consisting of a series of random questions, using in
each case any two numbers and addition, subtraction and multiplication. The system should ask
student’s name, then ask 10 questions, output if the answer to each question is correct or not and
produce a final score out of 10.

Scores from the quiz should be stored and added to when a student takes a new quiz.

Write an algorithm for the process described above.

Challenge Rating 10

Challenge 40
Write an algorithm for a game of your choice that:

 Gives the user 3 lives at the start of the game.

 Allows the user to play the game until their have no lives left.
 They should move onto the next level for every 5 points they earn.
 The game is complete when they receive 20 points.
 At the end of the game it should tell the user which level they got up to.

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