CodeHS - AP CSA Cortado Midterm (Difficulty Hard) - Questions and Solutions

AP CSA Java Midterm – Cortado Units 1 & 2 (Hard Version)

This 40-question AP Computer Science A midterm is aligned with the 2025 AP CSA Course and Exam Description and the Cortado Units 1 (Using Objects and Methods) and 2 (Selection and Iteration). Expect questions that require careful code tracing, boolean logic, String algorithms, and loop reasoning.

Focus: Using Objects & Methods (Unit 1) Focus: Selection & Iteration (Unit 2) Difficulty: Hard Question Type: Multiple Choice

Select the best answer for each question, then click Submit Midterm to see your score, estimated AP score, and explanations. This is designed to feel similar to a CodeHS Cortado style unit exam.

1.1 · Algorithms, Programming, Compilers

Question 1. Which statement best describes how Java programs are executed?

A. The compiler directly produces machine code the CPU runs. B. Java source is compiled to bytecode, which the JVM executes. C. Java is interpreted line-by-line with no compilation. D. The JVM converts Java source to HTML for browsers.

1.2 · Variables & Types

Question 2. Which declaration is illegal?

A. int _score = 10; B. double total$ = 3.5; C. boolean done = false; D. int 2ndPlace = 5;

1.3 · Expressions & Output

Question 3. What does the following print?

System.out.println(2 + 3 * 4 - 8 / 2);

A. 6 B. 8 C. 10 D. 12

1.4 · Assignment & Input

Question 4. What is printed?

int x = 5;
int y = x;
y = y + 3;
System.out.println(x + " " + y);

A. 5 3 B. 8 8 C. 5 8 D. 0 8

1.5 · Casting & Range

Question 5. What is printed?

int n = 2000000000;
n = n + 2000000000;
System.out.println(n);

A. 4000000000 B. 0 C. A negative number D. Compile-time error

1.5 · Casting

Question 6. What is printed?

double d = 7 / 2;
double e = 7 / 2.0;
System.out.println(d + " " + e);

A. 3.0 3.5 B. 3 3.5 C. 3.5 3.5 D. 3.0 3.0

1.6 · Compound Assignment

Question 7. What is printed?

int x = 4;
x *= 2 + 3;
System.out.println(x);

A. 14 B. 20 C. 10 D. 8

1.7 · API & Libraries

Question 8. Which call is valid?

A. int pos = indexOf("cat"); B. int pos = "dog".indexOf("o"); C. String pos = name.indexOf("a"); D. indexOf("x", 2);

1.8 · Comments

Question 9. Which is valid Javadoc?

A. // comment B. /* comment */ C. /** comment */ D. /// comment

1.9 · Method Signatures

Question 10. Which pair demonstrates valid overloading?

A. same parameters, different return types B. same signature, different variable names C. int sum(int,int) and int sum(double,double) D. identical parameters with void return

1.10–1.11 · Math Methods

Question 11. What is printed?

double x = Math.pow(2, 3);
double y = Math.sqrt(81);
System.out.println((int)(y - x));

A. 1 B. 3 C. 5 D. 8

1.11 · Math.random

Question 12. Generates random integer −2 to 2?

A. (int)(Math.random()*4) - 2 B. (int)(Math.random()*5) - 2 C. (int)(Math.random()*2) - 2 D. (int)(Math.random()*5 + 2)

1.12–1.13 · Objects & References

Question 13. What is printed?

Point a = new Point(1,2);
Point b = a;
b.translate(3,0);
System.out.println(a);

A. Point[x=1,y=2] B. Point[x=4,y=2] C. Point[x=3,y=0] D. Compile error

1.14–1.15 · Strings

Question 14. What prints?

String s="abca";
s=s.substring(1);
s=s.replace("a","xy");
System.out.println(s);

A. bca B. bcxy C. bxycxy D. bc

1.15 · compareTo

Question 15. What is the sign of the result of "Zoo".compareTo("apple")?

A. Zero B. Positive C. Negative D. Always throws an exception

2.2 · Boolean Expressions

Question 16. What is the value of expr?

boolean expr = !(3 <= 4 && (2 != 2 || 5 > 1));

A. true B. false C. It depends on user input D. Compile-time error

2.3–2.4 · if / nested if

Question 17. What is printed when x = 7?

public static void check(int x) {
    if (x > 0) {
        if (x % 2 == 0) {
            System.out.println("A");
        } else if (x > 5) {
            System.out.println("B");
        } else {
            System.out.println("C");
        }
    } else {
        System.out.println("D");
    }
}

A. A B. B C. C D. D

2.5–2.6 · Boolean Equivalence

Question 18. Which expression is equivalent to !(x >= 10 || y == 0)?

A. x >= 10 && y == 0 B. x < 10 || y != 0 C. x < 10 && y != 0 D. x <= 10 && y == 0

2.7 · while loops

Question 19. How many times does the loop execute?

int count = 0;
int n = 1;
while (n < 100) {
    n *= 3;
    count++;
}

A. 3 B. 4 C. 5 D. 6

2.7 · While & Short-Circuit

Question 20. What happens?

int x = 0;
while (x != 0 && 10 / x > 1) {
    System.out.println("Loop");
}

A. Infinite loop B. ArithmeticException C. Loop never executes D. Compile error

2.8 · for loops

Question 21. What is printed?

int sum = 0;
for (int i = 1; i <= 5; i++) {
    sum += i * 2;
}
System.out.println(sum);

A. 15 B. 20 C. 30 D. 40

2.8 · for loops

Question 22. Which loop prints even numbers 2–10?

A. for(int i=2;i<10;i+=2) B. for(int i=2;i<=10;i+=2) C. for(int i=0;i<=10;i+=2) D. prints odd numbers

2.9 · Algorithms

Question 23. Counts odd digits. What prints?

int n = 12345;
int count = 0;
while (n > 0) {
    if (n % 2 == 1) {
        count++;
    }
    n /= 10;
}
System.out.println(count);

A. 1 B. 2 C. 3 D. 4

2.10 · String Algorithms

Question 24. What does this print?

String s = "ABABBA";
int runs = 1;
for (int i = 1; i < s.length(); i++) {
    if (s.charAt(i) != s.charAt(i-1)) {
        runs++;
    }
}
System.out.println(runs);

A. 2 B. 4 C. 5 D. 6

2.11 · Nested Iteration

Question 25. How many times is "*" printed?

for(int row=1;row<=3;row++){
  for(int col=1;col<=row;col++){
    System.out.println("*");
  }
}

A. 3 B. 4 C. 5 D. 6

2.11 · Nested Iteration

Question 26. What is printed?

int count = 0;
for(int i=1;i<=4;i++){
  for(int j=1;j<=3;j++){
    if((i*j)%2==0) {
        count++;
    }
  }
}
System.out.println(count);

A. 4 B. 6 C. 8 D. 10

2.12 · Runtime

Question 27. What is the time complexity?

for(int i=0;i

   A. O(1)
   B. O(log n)
   C. O(n)
   D. O(n²)

2.12 · Runtime

Question 28. What is complexity?

int i = 1;
while(i < n){
  i = i * 2;
}

A. O(1) B. O(log n) C. O(n) D. O(n²)

1.14–2.10 · String Search

Question 29. What prints?

String s="APCSAPCS";
int count=0;
for(int i=0;i

   A. 0
   B. 1
   C. 2
   D. 3

1.5–1.6 · Increment

Question 30. What prints?

int x=3;
int y=x++ + ++x;
System.out.println(x+" "+y);

A. 4 7 B. 5 7 C. 5 8 D. 4 8

2.5 · Short-Circuit

Question 31. What prints?

int n = 0;
boolean b = n != 0 && 10/n > 1;
System.out.println(b);

A. true B. false C. ArithmeticException D. Compile error

1.15 · String Immutability

Question 32. What prints?

String a="java";
String b=a.toUpperCase();
a.replace("a","x");
System.out.println(a+" "+b);

A. jxvx JAVA B. java JAVA C. jxvx java D. java java

1.4–1.8 · Scope

Question 33. What is the result?

public static void foo(){
  int x;
  if(true) {
      x=5;
  }
  System.out.println(x);
}

A. Prints 5 B. Prints 0 C. Does not compile D. Runtime exception

2.7 · Loop Behavior

Question 34. For which starting value does this loop run infinitely?

while(n > 0){
  if(n % 2 == 0) {
      n /= 2;
  }
  else n = n + 1;
}

A. n = 1 B. n = 2 C. n = 3 D. None — loop always terminates

1.12–1.14 · Reference Parameters

Question 35. What prints?

public static void move(Point p) {
    p.translate(1,1);
}
Point a = new Point(0,0);
move(a);
System.out.println(a);

A. Point[x=0,y=0] B. Point[x=1,y=1] C. Point[x=2,y=2] D. Compile error

2.3–2.5 · Selection Logic

Question 36. What prints?

int x=4;
if(x>2 && x<5)
  System.out.print("A");
if(x<4 || x==4)
  System.out.print("B");
else
  System.out.print("C");

A. A B. AB C. AC D. ABC

2.8–2.9 · Loop + Break

Question 37. What prints?

int total = 0;
for(int i=1;i<=10;i++){
  total += i;
  if(total > 15){
    break;
  }
}
System.out.println(total);

A. 15 B. 16 C. 21 D. 55

1.11 · Math

Question 38. What prints?

double v = -3.2;
System.out.println(Math.ceil(v) + " " + Math.floor(v));

A. -3.0 -4.0 B. -4.0 -3.0 C. -3 -4 D. -4 -3

2.10 · String Search

Question 39. What prints?

String s="coconut";
int index = s.indexOf("co", 1);
System.out.println(index);

A. 0 B. 1 C. 2 D. -1

1.10–1.15 · Mixed

Question 40. What is printed?

String s="1234";
int a=Integer.parseInt(s.substring(0,2));
int b=Integer.parseInt(s.substring(2));
System.out.println(Math.max(a,b));

A. 12 B. 34 C. 24 D. 43

Tip: You can see only missed questions after grading.

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