Paper 1 • Section 3
Guaranteed 4–6 Mark Question
Mastering the GCSE Trace Table
Trace tables look intimidating, but they are free marks if you act like a mindless robot. Never skip ahead or do mental math in your head: trace one line at a time, update only the variables that change, and watch out for off-by-one loop conditions!
Trace this algorithm that sums numbers from 1 to 4 using a
while loop.
💡
Click 'Step Line' to trace line 1
Live Variables Inspector:
Terminal Output:
(No output printed yet)
💡 The #1 Golden Rule of GCSE Trace Tables:
Only write in a column when that variable's value changes!
If a variable keeps its old value across iterations, leave its column blank in that row. Writing the same number over and over clutters the table and makes marking harder!
If a variable keeps its old value across iterations, leave its column blank in that row. Writing the same number over and over clutters the table and makes marking harder!
Auto-Sync Mode: As you click Step Line, the table fills automatically and highlights changing variables.
Exam Mark Scheme Criteria: