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PCAP exam study plan (PCAP-31-03)

Every PCAP-31-03 syllabus objective in tick-off order, with its block's exam weight and a 40-hour budget, linked to the free Python docs.

27 items · 7 sections · study, python, programming, certification

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Before you start (1)

  • Check which exam version you will sit (31-03, or 31-04 from 31 Oct 2026) and its syllabus1 h with booking. 40 items, 65 minutes, 70% to pass.pythoninstitute.org

1. Modules and packages (12%, 6 items) (5)

  • 1.1 import, from ... import, import as, import *, dir() and sys.path1 hdocs.python.org
  • 1.2 math: ceil, floor, trunc, factorial, hypot, sqrt0.5 hdocs.python.org
  • 1.3 random: random, seed, choice, sample0.5 hdocs.python.org
  • 1.4 platform: platform, machine, processor, system, version, python_implementation, python_version_tuple0.5 hdocs.python.org
  • 1.5 Your own modules and packages: __pycache__, __name__, private names, __init__.py, nested packages1 hdocs.python.org

3. Strings (18%, 8 items) (3)

  • 3.1 ASCII, Unicode, UTF-8, code points and escape sequences1 hdocs.python.org
  • 3.2 ord, chr, indexing, slicing, immutability, in / not in, comparing strings2 hdocs.python.org
  • 3.3 isxxx(), join, split, strip, index, find, rfind and sorted() on strings2.5 hdocs.python.org

4. Object-oriented programming (34%, 12 items) (6)

  • 4.1 Class, object, property, method, encapsulation, superclass and subclass1 hdocs.python.org
  • 4.2 Instance vs class variables, __dict__, private names and name mangling2 hdocs.python.org
  • 4.3 Methods and the self parameter1 hdocs.python.org
  • 4.4 Introspection: hasattr, __name__, __module__, __bases__1.5 hdocs.python.org
  • 4.5 Single and multiple inheritance, isinstance, overriding, is / is not, __str__, the diamond problem (MRO)3.5 hdocs.python.org
  • 4.6 Constructors: __init__ and calling the superclass constructor1.5 hdocs.python.org

2. Exceptions (14%, 5 items) (2)

  • 2.1 try/except order, except as, grouped excepts, the hierarchy, raise, assert, args, else and finally3 hdocs.python.org
  • 2.2 Your own exception classes inside the existing hierarchy1 hdocs.python.org

5. Comprehensions, lambdas, closures, I/O (22%, 9 items) (5)

Exam practice (5)

  • Timed mock 1: 40 questions in 65 minutes (about 97 seconds each)1.5 h
  • Mark every miss against its syllabus objective2 h
  • Re-study the weakest block by points lost3 h
  • Timed mock 2: aim for 80% or more before booking1.5 h
  • Book the exam; for OnVUE run the system test on the same computer and room1 h

Written from pythoninstitute.org

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