Procedural

Programming Study Guide

OCR A Level Computer Science • OCR ERL Pseudocode & Python • No OOP
Each section shows the OCR ERL pseudocode alongside the Python equivalent. You must be able to READ OCR
ERL in the exam, and WRITE in Python (or another high-level language).

1. Comments
A comment is not executed when the program runs. It describes what code does and is especially helpful
when working in teams.

OCR ERL (Pseudocode) Python

// This is a comment # This is a comment

// Comments explain your code # Comments explain your code

2. Variables & Data Types

A variable is declared the first time a value is assigned. It takes the data type of the value given.
Variables inside a subroutine are local. Use global to make a variable accessible everywhere.

OCR ERL (Pseudocode) Python

name = "Alice" // string name = "Alice" # string

age = 17 // integer age = 17 # integer
price = 3.99 // real/float price = 3.99 # float
passed = True // boolean passed = True # boolean
global userID = 5 // global variable # use 'global' keyword inside functions

Data Type Description Example

Text — letters, numbers, symbols. Needs

String "Hello" / "A123"
speech marks.

Integer Whole number. No speech marks. 42 / -7

Real/Float Decimal number. No speech marks. 3.14 / -0.5

Boolean True or False only. Capital letter required. True / False

3. Input & Casting

OCR ERL does not require casting on input. Python always receives input as a string — cast it if you
need to perform calculations.

OCR ERL (Pseudocode) Python

 name = input("Enter name: ") name = input("Enter name: ")
age = input("Enter age: ") age = int(input("Enter age: "))
// OCR treats age as a number price = float(input("Enter price: "))
automatically

Function Converts to Example

int(x) Integer int("17") → 17

float(x) Decimal float("3.14") → 3.14

str(x) String str(42) → "42"

4. Output (print)
The print command outputs content to the screen. Use + to concatenate (join) strings. In Python,
commas can also join values but add automatic spacing.

OCR ERL (Pseudocode) Python

print("Hello World") print("Hello World")

print("Name: " + name) print("Name: " + name)
print("Age: " + str(age)) print("Age:", age) # comma adds space

5. Operators
Comparison Operators:
Operator Meaning

== Equal to (double equals — NOT single =)

!= Not equal to

< Less than

<= Less than or equal to

> Greater than

>= Greater than or equal to

Arithmetic Operators (same in OCR ERL and Python):

Operator Meaning Example

+ Addition 3+5=8

- Subtraction 3 - 5 = -2

* Multiplication 3 * 5 = 15

/ Division 3 / 5 = 0.6

MOD / % Modulus — remainder 20 MOD 3 = 2 / 20 % 3 = 2

 Integer division — whole number
DIV / // 17 DIV 5 = 3 / 17 // 5 = 3
only

^ / ** Exponentiation — power of 5 ^ 3 = 125 / 5 ** 3 = 125

Logical (Boolean) Operators:

OCR ERL (Pseudocode) Python

if username == "admin" AND password == if username == "admin" and password ==

"1234" then "1234":
if answer == "Japan" OR answer == if answer == "Japan" or answer ==
"[Link]" then "[Link]":
if NOT guess == "yellow" then if not guess == "yellow":

Note: Even if using the same variable, you must write it out again — e.g. answer == "Japan" OR answer ==
"[Link]" not just OR "[Link]".

6. Selection (if / elseif / switch)

OCR uses then and endif. Python uses a colon and indentation (no endif needed).
if / elseif / else:
OCR ERL (Pseudocode) Python

if score >= 70 then if score >= 70:

print("Distinction") print("Distinction")
elseif score >= 50 then elif score >= 50:
print("Pass") print("Pass")
else else:
print("Fail") print("Fail")
endif

switch / case (Python uses match / case):

OCR ERL (Pseudocode) Python

planet = input("Enter planet: ") planet = input("Enter planet: ")

switch planet: match planet:
case "Mars": case "Mars":
print("Red planet") print("Red planet")
case "Venus": case "Venus":
print("Hottest planet") print("Hottest planet")
default: case _:
print("Unknown planet") print("Unknown planet")
endswitch

Nested if — an if inside another if:

OCR ERL (Pseudocode) Python

if num1 > 10 then if num1 > 10:

num2 = input("Enter num2: ") num2 = int(input("Enter num2: "))
if num2 > 10 then if num2 > 10:
print("Both over 10") print("Both over 10")
endif
endif
 7. Iteration (Loops)
for loop — count-controlled:
OCR ERL is inclusive (1 to 10 gives 1,2…10). Python range() is exclusive (range(1,10) gives 1,2…9)
so use range(1, 11) to reach 10.

OCR ERL (Pseudocode) Python

for i = 1 to 10 for i in range(1, 11):

print(i) print(i)
next i
# prints 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
// prints 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

while loop — condition-controlled (checks condition BEFORE):

OCR ERL (Pseudocode) Python

answer = "" answer = ""

while answer != "Nairobi" while answer != "Nairobi":
answer = input("Capital of Kenya? ") answer = input("Capital of Kenya? ")
endwhile print("Correct!")
print("Correct!")

do…until loop — condition-controlled (checks condition AFTER — always runs at least once):
OCR ERL (Pseudocode) Python

do # Python has no do..until

answer = input("Capital of Kenya? ") # Use a while True loop instead:
until answer == "Nairobi" while True:
print("Correct!") answer = input("Capital of Kenya? ")
if answer == "Nairobi":
break
print("Correct!")

Nested loops — inner loop completes fully each time outer loop runs once:
OCR ERL (Pseudocode) Python

for i = 1 to 3 for i in range(1, 4):

for j = 1 to 3 for j in range(1, 4):
print(str(i) + "," + str(j)) print(str(i) + "," + str(j))
next j
next i

8. String Handling
Strings are 0-indexed — the first character is at position 0.
Length:
OCR ERL (Pseudocode) Python

subject = "Further Maths" subject = "Further Maths"

print([Link]) print(len(subject))
// outputs: 13 (space counts) # outputs: 13

Substring / Slicing (0-indexed):

 OCR ERL (Pseudocode) Python

text = "Computer Science" text = "Computer Science"

print([Link](3, 3)) print(text[3:6])
// start at index 3, take 3 chars # start at index 3, stop BEFORE 6
// outputs: put # outputs: put

Key difference: OCR second argument = number of characters. Python second argument = index to stop before.
Concatenation (joining strings):
OCR ERL (Pseudocode) Python

first = "Ada" first = "Ada"

last = "Lovelace" last = "Lovelace"
print(first + " " + last) print(first + " " + last)
// outputs: Ada Lovelace # or: print(first, last) # comma adds
space

9. Subroutines — Procedures & Functions

A subroutine must be called to run. A procedure does not return a value. A function uses return to
send a value back. Python uses def for both.

Term Meaning

Parameter The variable in the subroutine definition that receives a value.

Argument The actual value or variable passed in when the subroutine is called.

Procedure (no return value):

OCR ERL (Pseudocode) Python

procedure addition(num1, num2) def addition(num1, num2):

total = num1 + num2 total = num1 + num2
print(total) print(total)
endprocedure
addition(5, 3) # outputs: 8
addition(5, 3) // outputs: 8

Function (returns a value):

OCR ERL (Pseudocode) Python

function division(a, b) def division(a, b):

return a / b return a / b
endfunction
print(division(10, 4)) # 2.5
print(division(10, 4)) // 2.5 answer = division(10, 4)
answer = division(10, 4) print(answer) # 2.5
print(answer) // 2.5

10. Arrays (OCR ERL) & Lists (Python)

Arrays hold elements of the same data type and have a fixed size (static). Python uses lists instead —
lists are dynamic and can mix data types. Both are 0-indexed.
Declaring and accessing a 1D array / list:
OCR ERL (Pseudocode) Python

array names[4] names = ["Ahmad", "Ben",

names[0] = "Ahmad" "Catherine", "Dana"]
names[1] = "Ben" print(names[2]) # Catherine
names[2] = "Catherine"
names[3] = "Dana" # Change element:
print(names[2]) // Catherine names[1] = "Beth"

Looping through a 1D array:

OCR ERL (Pseudocode) Python

// Method 1 — using index: # Method 1 — using index:

for i = 0 to 3 for i in range(len(names)):
print(names[i]) print(names[i])
next i
# Method 2 — for each item:
// Method 2 — for each item: for name in names:
for name in names print(name)
print(name)
next name

Searching an array for a match:

OCR ERL (Pseudocode) Python

for i = 0 to 3 for i in range(len(names)):

if names[i] == "Dana" then if names[i] == "Dana":
print("Found at index " + str(i)) print("Found at index", i)
endif
next i

2D Array — rows and columns:

OCR ERL (Pseudocode) Python

array numbers[4, 6] numbers = [[56,12,93,45,71,16],

numbers[0,0] = 56 [34,27,88,63,19,51],
numbers[2,4] = 50 [47,36,79,11,50,82]]
print(numbers[2,4]) // 50 print(numbers[2][4]) # 50

// Print row 0: # Print row 0:

for i = 0 to 5 for i in range(6):
print(numbers[0,i]) print(numbers[0][i])
next i

11. File Handling

A file must be opened before use and closed after. Python uses open modes: r (read), w
(write/overwrite), a (append).
Writing to a file:
OCR ERL (Pseudocode) Python
 myFile = openWrite("[Link]") myFile = open("[Link]", "w")
[Link]("Hello World") [Link]("Hello World\n")
[Link]() [Link]()

Reading from a file (line by line):

OCR ERL (Pseudocode) Python

myFile = openRead("[Link]") myFile = open("[Link]", "r")

while NOT [Link]() for line in myFile:
print([Link]()) print(line)
endwhile [Link]()
[Link]()
# Python has no endOfFile() method

OCR ERL Python equivalent

openWrite("[Link]") open("[Link]", "w")

openRead("[Link]") open("[Link]", "r")

[Link](text) [Link](text + "\n")

[Link]() [Link]()

[Link]() No direct equivalent — use for loop

[Link]() [Link]()

12. Quick Reference — OCR ERL vs Python at a Glance

Topic OCR ERL Python
Comment // text # text

Variable x = 5 x = 5

Global global x = 5 global x (inside function)

Input x = input("prompt") x = input("prompt")

Cast int/float/str(x) int/float/str(x)

Output print(value) print(value)

Modulus x MOD y x % y

Int division x DIV y x // y

Power x ^ y x ** y

if if cond then ... endif if cond:

elseif elseif cond then elif cond:

switch switch var: case x: match var: case x:

for loop for i=1 to 10 (inclusive) range(1,11) (exclusive)

while while cond endwhile while cond:

do..until do until cond while True: ... break

Length [Link] len(str)

Substring [Link](start,len) str[start : start+len]

Array array arr[n] arr[0]=val arr = [val, val, ...]

2D Array arr[row, col] arr[row][col]

Function function f(p) return x endfunction def f(p): return x

Procedure procedure p(x) endprocedure def p(x):

Write file openWrite / writeLine open("f","w") / write

Read file openRead / readLine open("f","r") / readline

Based on CSNewbs OCR A Level Computer Science video • Procedural Programming • OOP covered in a separate guide