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We’re refreshing the questions on our KS3 and GCSE Computer Science subject knowledge assessment. The current version remains available. Updated questions will be available from 18 May 2026.

GCSE

Lesson 8 Representing text

Curriculum > KS4 > Unit > Lesson

Learners will be introduced to the ASCII character set. They will learn that it traditionally used 7 bits, but now uses 8 bits. They will calculate the maximum number of characters that can be represented using 7 bits, then they will be introduced to the ASCII table. They will then practise coding words using decimal and binary numbers.

Learning objectives

  • Determine the maximum number of states that can be represented by a binary pattern of a given length
  • Explain how ASCII is used to represent characters, and its limitations
  • Explain what a character set is
  • Describe how character codes are commonly grouped and run in sequence within encoding tables

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