Brainscape's Knowledge GenomeTM

Browse over 1 million classes created by top students, professors, publishers, and experts.


See full index

Computer Science Flashcards > 2. Data transmission > Flashcards

2. Data transmission Flashcards

1
Q

Define a data packet

A

a small part of a message/data that is transmitted over a network

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
2
Q

Define packet header

A

the part of the data packet that contains the IP addresses of the sender and receiver, and includes the packet number which allows reassembly of the data packets

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
3
Q

Define packet trailer

A

The part of a data packet test indicates the end of the data packet and CRC.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
4
Q

Define CRC

A

An error checking method in which all the 1-bits I’m the data packet payload are added and the total is stored in the packet trailer.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
5
Q

Define payload

A

The actual data being carried on a data packet

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
6
Q

Define node

A

Stages in a network that can receive and transmit data packets

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
7
Q

Define packet switching

A

A method of transmission in which a message is broken into many data packets which can be sent along pathways independently to each other

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
8
Q

Define router

A

A device that enables data packets to be moved between different networks

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
9
Q

Define real time streaming

A

the transmission of data over a network for live events where the data is sent as soon as it is received or generated

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
10
Q

Define hop/hopping number

A

a number in a data packet header used to stop data packets that never reach their destination from ‘clogging up’ the data paths/routes

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
11
Q

Define simplex

A

data that can be sent on one direction only

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
12
Q

Define half-duplex

A

data that can be sent in both directions but not at the same time

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
13
Q

Define full duplex

A

data that can be sent in both directions at the same time (simultaneously)

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
14
Q

Define serial data transmission

A

sending data down one channel/wire one bit at a time

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
15
Q

Define parallel data transmission

A

sending data down several channels/wires several bits at a time (usually 1 byte)

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
16
Q

Define skewed data

A

data that arrives at the destination with the bits no longer synchronised

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
17
Q

Define USB

A

a type of serial data transmission which has become the
industry standard for connecting computers to devices via a USB port

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
18
Q

Define parity check

A

a method used to check if data has been transferred correctly; it makes use of even parity (an even number of 1-bits) or odd parity (an odd number of 1-bits)

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
19
Q

Define parity bit

A

a bit (either 0 or 1) added to a byte of data in the most significant bit position; this ensures that the byte follows the correct even parity or odd parity protocol

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
20
Q

Define parity block

A

a horizontal and vertical parity check on a block of data being transmitted

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
21
Q

Define parity byte

A

an extra byte of data sent at the end of a parity block; it is composed of the
parity bits generated from a vertical parity check of the data block

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
22
Q

Define checksum

A

a verification method used to check if data transferred has been altered or corrupted; calculated from the block of data of data being sent; the checksum value is sent after each data block

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
23
Q

Define ARQ

A

a method of checking transmitted data for errors; it makes use of acknowledgement and timeout to automatically request re-sending of data if the time interval before positive acknowledgement is too long

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
24
Q

Define acknowledgment

A

a message sent to the receiver indicating that data has been received correctly (used in the ARQ error detection method)

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
25
Q

Define timeout

A

the time interval allowed to elapse before an acknowledgement is received (in the ARQ error detection method)

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
26
Q

Define echo check

A

a method used to check if data has been transferred correctly; data is sent to a receiver and then immediately sent back to the sender; the sender then checks if the received data matches the sent data

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
27
Q

Define check digit

A

an additional digit appended to a number to check if the entered number is error-free; check digit is a data entry check and not a data transmission check

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
28
Q

Define eavesdropper

A

another name for a hacker who intercepts data being transmitted on a wired or wireless network

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
29
Q

Define encryption

A

the process of making data meaningless using encryption keys; without the correct decryption key the data cannot be decoded (unscrambled)

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
30
Q

Define plaintext

A

the original text/message before it is put through an encryption algorithm

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
31
Q

Define cipher text

A

encrypted data that is the result of putting a plaintext message through an
encryption algorithm

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
32
Q

Define encryption algorithm

A

a complex piece of software that takes plaintext and generates a ciphertext

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
33
Q

Define symmetric encryption

A

a type of encryption in which the same encryption key is used both to encrypt and decrypt a message

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
34
Q

Define asymmetric encryption

A

a type of encryption that uses public keys and private keys to ensure data is secure

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
35
Q

Define public key

A

a type of encryption key that is known to all users

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
36
Q

Define private key

A

a type of encryption key which is known only to the single computer/user

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
37
Q

Define quantum computer

A

a computer that can perform very fast calculations; it can perform calculations that are based on probability rather than simple 0 or 1 values; this gives
a quantum computer the potential to process considerably more data than existing computers

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
38
Q

What does a packet header consist of

A

» the IP address of the sending device

» the IP address of the receiving device

» the sequence number of the packet (this is to ensure that all the packets can
be reassembled into the correct order once they reach the destination)

» packet size (this is to ensure the receiving station can check if all of the
packets have arrived intact).

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
39
Q

What does packet trailer consist of

A

» some way of identifying the end of the packet; this is essential to allow each packet to be separated from each other as they travel from sending to receiving station
» an error checking method; cyclic redundancy checks

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
40
Q

How does CRC error checking method work

A

– this involves the sending computer adding up all the 1-bits in the payload
and storing this as a hex value in the trailer before it is sent

– once the packet arrives, the receiving computer recalculates the number of
1-bits in the payload

– the computer then checks this value against the one sent in the trailer

– if the two values match, then no transmission errors have occurred;
otherwise the packet needs to be re-sent.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
41
Q

Describe packet switching

A

» each packet will follow its own path (route)

» routers will determine the route of each packet

» routing selection depends on the number of packets waiting to be processed
at each node

» the shortest possible path available is always selected – this may not always
be the shortest path that could be taken, since certain parts of the route may
be too busy or not suitable

» packets can reach the destination in a different order to that in
which they were sent.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
42
Q

State the benefits of packet switching

A

» there is no need to tie up a single communication line

» it is possible to overcome failed, busy or faulty lines by simply re-routing
packets

» it is relatively easy to expand package usage

» a high data transmission rate is possible.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
43
Q

State the drawbacks of packet switching

A

» packets can be lost and need to be re-sent

» the method is more prone to errors with real-time streaming (for example, a
live sporting event being transmitted over the internet)

» there is a delay at the destination whilst the packets are being re-ordered.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
44
Q

How are packets lost

A

they keep ‘bouncing’ around from router to router and never actually reach their destination.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
45
Q

How does hopping work

A

Each packet has a maximum op number to start with.

Once a hop number reaches zero, and the packet hasn’t reached its destination,

then the packet is deleted when it reaches the next router.

The missing packets will then be flagged by the receiving computer

a request to re-send these packets will be made.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
46
Q

What are the factors needed to be considered when transmitting data

A

» the direction of data transmission (for example, can data transmit in one direction only, or in both directions)

» the method of transmission (for example, how many bits can be sent at the same time)

» how will data be synchronised (that is, how to make sure the received data is in the correct order).

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
47
Q

What happens When a device is plugged into a computer using one of the USB ports

A

» the computer automatically detects that a device is present (this is due to a small change in the voltage on the data signal wires in the USB cable)

» the device is automatically recognised, and the appropriate device driver software is loaded up so that the computer and device can communicate effectively

» if a new device is detected, the computer will look for the device driver that matches the device; if this is not available, the user is prompted to download the appropriate driver software (some systems do this automatically and the user will see a notice asking for permission to connect to the device website).

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
48
Q

State errors that can occur during data transmission

A

» interference (all types of cable can suffer from electrical interference, which can cause data to be corrupted or even lost)

» problems during packet switching (this can lead to data loss – or it is even possible to gain data!)

» skewing of data (this occurs during parallel data transmission and can cause data corruption if the bits arrive out of synchronisation).

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
49
Q

Describe the checksum process

A

» when a block of data is about to be transmitted, the checksum is calculated from the block of data

» the calculation is done using an agreed algorithm (this algorithm has been agreed by sender and receiver)

» the checksum is then transmitted with the block of data

» at the receiving end, the checksum is recalculated by the computer using the
block of data (the agreed algorithm is used to find the checksum)

» the re-calculated checksum is then compared to the checksum sent with the
data block

» if the two checksums are the same, then no transmission errors have occurred;
otherwise a request is made to re-send the block of data.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
50
Q

Describe echo check

A

» a copy of the data is sent back to the sender

» the returned data is compared with the original data by the sender’s computer

» if there are no differences, then the data was sent without error

» if the two sets of data are different, then an error occurred at some stage
during the data transmission.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
51
Q

What kind of errors can be detected by check digit

A

» an incorrect digit entered, for example 5327 entered instead of 5307

» transposition errors where two numbers have changed order, for example 5037
instead of 5307

» omitted or extra digits, for example 537 instead of 5307 or 53107 instead
of 5307

» phonetic errors, for example 13 (thirteen), instead of 30 (thirty).

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
52
Q

Describe ISBN-13 method

A

1) add all the odd numbered digits together

2) add all the even numbered digits together and multiply the result by 3

3) add the results from 1 and 2 together and divide by 10

4) take the remainder, if it is zero then use this value, otherwise subtract the remainder from 10 to find the check digit.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
53
Q

Recalculating ISBN-13 method

A

1) add all the odd numbered digits together, including the check digit

2) add all the even number of digits together and multiply the result by 3

3) add the results from 1 and 2 together and divide by 10

4) the number is correct if the remainder is zero.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
54
Q

Define modulo-11

A

1 each digit in the number is given a weighting of 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3 or 2 starting from the
left (weightings start from 8 since the number will become eight-digit when the
check digit is added)
2 the digit is multiplied by its weighting and then each value is added to make a total
3 the total is divided by 11
4 the remainder is then subtracted from 11 to find the check digit (note if the
remainder is 10 then the check digit ‘X’ is used).

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
55
Q

Recalculateing modulo-11

A

1 each digit in the number is given a weighting of 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2 or 1 starting from
the left

2 the digit is multiplied by its weighting and then each value is added to make a total

3 the total is divided by 11

4 the number is correct if the remainder is zero

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
56
Q

Describe ARQ

A

» ARQ uses positive and negative acknowledgements and timeout
» the receiving device receives an error detection code as part of the data transmission (this is typically a Cyclic Redundancy Check ; this is used to detect whether the received data contains any transmission errors

» if no error is detected, a positive acknowledgement is sent back to the sending device

» if an error is detected, the receiving device now sends a negative acknowledgement to the sending device and requests re-transmission of the data

» a time-out is used by the sending device by waiting a pre-determined amount of time ….

» if no acknowledgement of any type has been received by the sending device within this time limit, it automatically re-sends the data until a positive acknowledgement is received ….

» or until a pre-determined number of re-transmissions has taken place

» ARQ is often used by mobile phone networks to guarantee data integrity.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
57
Q

How do DOS attacks work?

A

Large number of requests sent to server at once
Useless traffic floods the server
Server will come to a stop trying to deal with the traffic
Prevents users gaining access to the web server

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
58
Q

What do cookies do?

A

Saves log-in information
Provides customized page for user
Enables target advertisements
One-click purchasing

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
59
Q

3 functions of browsers

A

− Allows user to view web pages
− Renders HTML
− Allows user to bookmark/favourite web pages
− Provides navigation features
− Allows (multiple) tabs
− Stores cookies
− Records history of pages visited
− Has a homepage
− Runs active script
− Allows files to be downloaded from website/internet
− Sends a request to the IP address/web server (to obtain the contents of a web page)
− Sends URL to DNS
− Manages HTTP/HTTPS protocol

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
60
Q

Location of a device on a network

A

IP address

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
61
Q

Number that uniquely identifies device

A

MAC address

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
62
Q

What are data packets+ 2 other names

A

Packets, datagrams
A small part of a message/data that is sent over a network which after transmission reassemble to form the original message/data

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
63
Q

Why are data packets used

A

They are usually 64KiB, †hey are much easier to control and splitting them up means that they can be sent along different routes

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
64
Q

When would data packets be beneficial

A

When a particular transmission route is out of action or blocked

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
65
Q

What is a drawback of packets

A

The packets all need to be reassembled at the destination

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
66
Q

What are packets split up into

A

Packet header
Payload
Trailer

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
67
Q

What do packet headers consist of

A

IP address of the sender
IP adress of the reciever
Sequence number of packet
Packet size

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
68
Q

What does a payload consist of

A

The actual data in the packet
Usually 64 KiB

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
69
Q

What does a packet trailer contain

A

A method of identifying end of packet- allows them to separate from eachother
A method of error checking

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
70
Q

What are CRC’s

A

Cyclic redundancy checks
Sending: adds all the one bits in payload and stores as hex value in the trailer
Recieve: recalculates no of bits in payload
Compares to trailer
Asks to resend

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
71
Q

What does a router do

A

Receives data packet and based on info in header decides where to send it next

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
72
Q

Describe the stages of packet switching

A

The message is split up into smaller data packets.
These packets are then independently sent over the network
Along the transmission route are nodes containing router which use the header/ IP address to determine where to send the packet
The shortest possible route is chosen
Packets reach destination in the wrong order

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
73
Q

What are the benefits of packet switching

A

No need to tie up single communication line
Possible to overcome faulty lines by rerouting
Relatively easy to expand package usage
High data transmission rate is possible

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
74
Q

What are the benefits of packet switching

A

No need to tie up single communication line
Possible to overcome faulty lines by rerouting
Relatively easy to expand package usage
High data transmission rate is possible

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
75
Q

What are the drawbacks of packet switching

A

Packets can be lost and need to be resent
Delay while packets are being reordered
More prone to errors with real-time streaming

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
76
Q

What is hopping

A

Hopping is the use of a hop number that decreases by one each time a packet leaves a router

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
77
Q

What 3 factors need to be considered when transmitting data
By what are they considered

A

Direction of data(1 or 2 directions)
Method of transmission(how many bits at a time)
How will data be synchronised (to end up in the right order)
Communication protocols

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
78
Q

When does simplex data transmission occur

A

When data can only be sent in One direction
Eg. Computer toPrinter

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
79
Q

When does Half Duplex data transmission occur

A

When data is sent in Both directions but not at the same time
Eg. Walkie talkie

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
80
Q

When does Full-duplex data transmission occur

A

When data can be sent in both directions at the Same time
Eg. Broadband network connection

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
81
Q

When does Full-duplex data transmission occur

A

When data can be sent in both directions at the Same time
Eg. Broadband network connection

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
82
Q

What is serial data transmission
Benefit
Drawback
Eg

A

When data is sent over a single wire one bit at a time in a single stream(can be simplex etc.)
Data arrives in order
Can be slower than parallel
Computer->USB->printer

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
83
Q

What is parallel data transmission

Benefit
Drawback
Eg

A

When several bits of data are sent over multiple Chanel’s/wires at the same time
Good over short, faster than serial
Can become skewed 20m+
Internal circuits in computer

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
84
Q

What is skewed data

A

Data that is out of order

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
85
Q

What is a USB

A

a type of serial data transmission which has become the industry standard for connecting computers to devices via a USB port

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
86
Q

What kind of data transmission is used by USB

A

Half and full duplex

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
87
Q

What does a USB cable consist of

A

A 4-wire shielded cable with a red and black cable for power and green and white for data transmission
Red-5V
Black-ground
White+
Green- -

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
88
Q

What happens when a device is plugged into a computer using a USB port

A

Computer detects there is a device-voltage change in data signalers
Device is recognized- appropriate software is loaded to communicate effectively
Device is not recognized-user is prompted to download appropriate software

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
89
Q

What are the benefits of USB systems(8)

A

Devices are automatically detected and software is loaded
Only fits in one way -prevents incorrect connection
Support available
Can support different data transmission rates
No need for external power source
Error-free data transmission(is resent)
Easy to add more USB ports with USB hubs
Backward compatible(old versions supported)

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
90
Q

Drawbacks of USB

A

Max cable length(5)-USB hub needed
Very early versions not compatible with new computers
Slower transfer rate than Ethernet connections

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
91
Q

What is the maximum transfer rate of USB

A

480 Mbps

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
92
Q

Methods of transmission

A

Copper cables using electrical pulses
Radio frequency (wireless)
optical fibre (light)
infrared

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
93
Q

Use of fibre optic cables

A

Carry almost 100% of worldwide internet and phone traffic

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
94
Q

Bandwidth

A

Amount of data that can be carried at one time

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
95
Q

Bandwidth

A

Amount of data that can be carried at one time

96
Q

Serial Transmission

Method:

Advantages:

A

Bits are sent one signal at a time

Advantages over parallel:

smaller and simpler connectors
crosstalk creates interference between parallel lines and can result in corrupted bytes which would need to be retransmitted
serial links are much more reliable over greater distances than parallel

97
Q

Parallel Transmission

A

Signals (bits) are sent simultaneously over a number of parallel wires

98
Q

Crosstalk

A

Crosstalk occurs when a signal from one line gets transferred to another line

99
Q

Skew

A

Each wire in a parallel cable has slightly different properties so the signals travel down the wires at slightly different speeds. This means the transmission must be over very short distances to avoid this problem

100
Q

Simplex Transmission

A

Data travels in one direction only

101
Q

Half duplex transmission

A

Data can travel in both directions along a single cable, but not simultaneously (not in both directions at the same time)

102
Q

(Full) Duplex transmission

A

Data can travel in both directions simultaneously using two cables

103
Q

Bit rate and Baud rate

A

The speed of data is measured in bits per second
The baud rate is the rate at which the signal changes
Baseband means one signal (bit) is sent at a time down a serial connection

In standard baseband, bit rate = baud rate

104
Q

Why serial transmission can be faster than parallel

A

With higher bandwidths, more than one bit can be coded in a signal, increasing the bit rate

Bit rate of channel = baud rate x number of bits per
signal

105
Q

Transmission errors

A

When data is transmitted, it doesn’t always arrive in the same format that it was sent

Electric interference
Power surges
Synchronisation
Wear and tear on the cable or connectors

106
Q

Error checking

A

Computers need methods to check for data transmission errors caused by interference

These methods include the use of:

Parity bits, blocks
Check digits
Check sums
Automatic Repeat reQuests (ARQ)

107
Q

Parity bits

A

Computers use either odd or even parity

When sending a byte of data one bit is used as a parity bit

This is bit is set to a 1 or a 0 to make the total number of 1s and 0s in the byte (including the parity bit) odd or even depending on the machine

108
Q

Using Parity for error detection

A

When data is transmitted, the parity bit is set at the transmitting end and parity is checked at the receiving end

If the wrong number of bits are ‘on’, an error has occurred

The receiving computer notifies the transmitting end and the data is resent

109
Q

Check digits

A

A check digit is an additional digit at the end of a string of other numbers designated to check for mistakes in input or transmission

Printed books and other products have a unique barcode with an ISBN (International Standard book number) EAN (European Article Number)

The first 12 digits of the barcode are the unique item number, the 13th is the check digit

This can be calculated using the Modulo 10 system

110
Q

Check sums

A

A check sum works similar to a check digit

The checksum of all bytes in a data transmission is calculated using an algorithm

The check sum is sent with the data

The receiving computer recalculates the checksum based on the data it received and compares it with the checksum received or a known, expected value

If it does not match, the data may have been altered or corrupted during transmission and the data is resent

111
Q

Automatic Repeat reQuests

A

Computers using ARQs will automatically return an acknowledgement that the data was correct

The simplest stop and wait ARQ will resend the data if an acknowledgement is not received within a specific period of time period, it will assume that there was a flaw in the data or transmission error

112
Q

Connecting to the internet

A

PC > Router > Modem > ISP > Internet

router provides access to local area network
modem connects to your internet service provider (ISP)
- modem no longer used in modern technology
ISP connects you to the internet

113
Q

Describe serial data transmission

A

Most reliable
Data is sent one bit at a time down a single wire
Bits are kept separate and low chance of data being skewed
Used in USB

114
Q

Describe parallel data transmission

A

Data is sent multiple bits at a time down multiple wires
Quite fast used integrated circuits
Used short distance else high chance of data being skewed
Data sent from computer to printer

115
Q

Synchronous and Asynchronous data transmission

A

Synchronous- data transmitted as a continuous stream, ensures data send and received are in sync
Asynchronous- data transmitted in an agreed pattern using control bits, stops data from being mixed up

116
Q

Describe USB

A

Asynchronous serial data transmission
When plugged in computer, automatically detected, device driver is loaded and communication can occur

Advantages-

Can’t be inserted incorrectly
Supports different transmission speeds
Backward compatible
Robust and portable

117
Q

Describe integrated circuits

A

-Uses parallel data transmission
-IC require high speed
Internal clock used to correct timing of data making it synchronised
-Uses many wires

118
Q

Simplex, duplex, half-duplex

A

Simplex:
-Data transmission in only one direction

Duplex
-Data transmission both directions simultaneously

Half-duplex
-Data transmission both directions but not at the same time

119
Q

Why choose serial over parallel

A

More accurate over long distance
Less chance of interference that will skew or distort data
Data will arrive in order
Cheaper to purchase/install/maintain

120
Q

Why choose parallel over serial

A

Faster transmission speed
Can send lots of data at one go
More efficient short distances

121
Q

data transmission types (5)

A

simplex
duplex
half-duplex
full-duplex
serial
parallel

122
Q

simplex

A

data transmitted one way only

123
Q

duplex

A

data transmitted in both way

124
Q

half-duplex

A

data transmitted in both ways but not at the same time

125
Q

full-duplex

A

data transmitted in both ways at the same time

126
Q

serial(2)

A

one bit sent at a time over a single wire (eg. computer to printer)
used to send data externally between devices

127
Q

parallel (2)

A

multiple bits sent at the same time using multiple wires
- used to send data internally

128
Q

why use serial instead of parallel when connecting device to PC

A

single wire reduces the cost
single wire means less chance of corruption
more reliable over time
bits still synchronised after transmission

129
Q

asynchronous transmission (2)

A

Data is sent in form of byte or character
- time interval of transmission is random

130
Q

synchronous transmission (2)

A

Data is sent in form of blocks or frames
- time interval of transmission is constant

131
Q

USB (7)

A

universal serial bus
data transmission method
uses serial transmission
device automatically detected
only fits one way; it cant fit incorrectly
industry-standard
backwards-incompatible

132
Q

methods of error-checking (4)

A

parity check
checksum
ARQ; automatic repeat request
check digit

133
Q

how does parity check work (5)

A

checks byte of data
a parity bit is added
counts num of 1s
can be odd or even
if parity incorrect, error is detected

134
Q

when will parity check not work (2)

A

multiple errors in same byte
## 2 bits interchanged

135
Q

how does ARQ (automatic repeat request) work (6)

A

uses acknowledgement
check performed on receiving data
if error detected request sent to respond data
resend request repeated until data sent correctly
send an acknowledgement that data is received
if acknowledgement not received in set time data is resent

136
Q

checksum (4)

A

values calculated from the data
it is transmitted with the data
value recalculated after transmission
values compared after transmission to check for error

137
Q

What is simplex data transmission?

A

data transmission in one direction only

138
Q

What is half-duplex data transmission?

A

data transmission in two directions but not at the same time

139
Q

What is full-duplex data transmission?

A

data transmission in two directions at the same time

140
Q

What is serial transmission?

A

data sent one bit at a time over a singe wire or channel

141
Q

What is parallel transmission?

A

several bits of data sent down several wires/channels at the same time

142
Q

What is asynchronous transmission?

A

data being transmitted in an agreed bit pattern

143
Q

What is synchronous transmission?

A

a continuous stream of data which is accompanied by timing signals generated by an internal clock

144
Q

What is a Universal serial bus? (USB)

A

an asynchronous serial data transmission method which has become an industry standard

145
Q

What are the advantages of a USB?

A

the device is automatically detected
can only be entered one way around (prevents false connections)
device drivers are automatically loaded

146
Q

What are parity checks?

A

Allows us to see if any bits have been skewed in data transmission
can either be odd or even number of 1’s (parity complete with parity bit)

147
Q

What are Automatic repeat request (ARQ)?

A

Uses an acknowledgement to indicate data is received correctly
A timeout is used which is the time allowed to elapse before an acknowledgement is received

148
Q

What is checksum?

A

an additional value known as checksum is sent at teh end of the block of data
the checksum is based on the number of bytes in the block
if the checksum does not match on the receivers end, then an error has occoured

149
Q

What is an echo check?

A

the data is returned to the sender
the sender then compares the data received with the data sent
if they are different then an error in data transmission has occoured

150
Q

What is the issue with echo checks?

A

the data could become skewed when transferred back and not have been affected when sent to the receiver

151
Q

Define data transmission

A

data transmission is the movement of data bits between at least 2 digital devices over short and long distances

152
Q

what is serial transmission

A

data is transmitted one bit at a time over one single wire or channel, it is synchronous, it is slower then parallel. it is for long distances
e.g USB

153
Q

what is parallel transmission

A

data transmitted multiple bits at a time over multiple wires/channels. it is asynchronized, it is expensive, it is fast, its for short distances
e.g Integrated Circuit

154
Q

what is simplex transmission

A

it is in 1 direction

e.g computer to printer

155
Q

what is half-duplex transmission

A

this is data transmitted in both directions but not simultaneously
e.g walkie talkie

156
Q

what is full-duplex data transmission

A

it is in both directions and simultaneously

e.g phone call

157
Q

what is synchronous data transmission

A

it is transmitted in a continuous stream of data
the data is accompanied by timing signals
ensures sender and receiver are synchronized
timing must be accurate
faster than asynchronous

158
Q

what is asynchronous data transmission

A

it is transmitted in discrete packets
each packet of data is sent with control bits
so the receiver knows when the data starts and ends
prevents data being mixed up
sent with time intervals
slower than synchronous

159
Q

What happens when a device is plugged into a computers using one of the USB ports?

A

The device is automatically detected.

a device driver is loaded.

160
Q

describe parity checking

A

this is used to check whether data has been changed or corrupted following transmission from one device to another
even parity - even number of 1s
odd parity - odd number of 1s

161
Q

method of parity checking

A

both parties agree on protocol
sender adds parity bit to data
sends the data
receiver checks that it is the parity bit agreed
it is incorrect, the receiver requests for the data to be resent

162
Q

describe automatic repeat requests

A

Uses acknowledgement and time out
Check performed on received data
If error detected, request sent to resend data
if acknowledgement sent data is correct
If no acknowledgement is sent that data is received
Data is resent / Resend request repeated, till data is resent correctly
or request times out // limit is reached

163
Q

describe checksum

A

Sending device creates value from calculation on data
Value is transmitted with the data
Receiving device performs same calculation
Values are compared after transmission
If values do not match an error is detected

164
Q

describe echocheck

A

receiver sends a copy of data immediately back to the sender for comparison - you cant tell when error occurred

165
Q

What are the parts of a data packet?

A

Packet header
Payload
Trailer

165
Q

What are the parts of a data packet?

A

Packet header
Payload
Trailer

166
Q

What does the packet header contain?

A

Destination IP address
Sender’s IP address
Packet number

167
Q

What are the steps of packet switching?

A

Data is broken into packets and given a sequence number
Each packet will take a different route to the next depending on the quickest route
The router controls the route that the packet takes
When packets arrive, they are reordered based on their packet number

168
Q

What is serial transmission?

A

Data bits are sent one at a time down one cable at high speeds

169
Q

What is serial transmission used in?

A

USB

170
Q

What are the disadvantages of serial transmission?

A

Lower transmission speeds

171
Q

What are the advantages of serial transmission?

A

Lower interference
More reliable over long distances
Smaller, cheaper connections to produce

172
Q

What are the advantages of USB?

A

Backwards compatible
Cannot be inserted upside down
Do not need an additional power source ~ 5V power
Industry standard

173
Q

What are the disadvantages of USB?

A

Only supports cable lengths of 5m
Slower data transfer speeds
Limitations of backwards-compatability

174
Q

What is parallel transmission?

A

Several bits of data sent simultaneously across several wires

175
Q

What is parallel transmission used for?

A

Printer cables or internal device connections

176
Q

Disadvantages of Parallel transmission?

A

Data corruption commonly occurs over long distances
Skewing
Can only be used for short distances

177
Q

What is skewing?

A

When data bits travel parallel to each other can move at different speeds causing them to arrive out of sync

178
Q

Advantages of Parallel transmission?

A

Very fast data transfer
Can send data in both directions at the same time

179
Q

What is simplex transmission?

A

Data travels only in one direction down a single cable

180
Q

What is an example of simplex transmission?

A

Sending data from the computer to a monitor as it never needs to go the other way

181
Q

What is half-duplex transmission?

A

Data can travel in both directions along a single cable, but not simultaneously

182
Q

What is an example of half-duplex transmission?

A

Printer parallel cables
Text is sent to a printer, and the printer can send ‘Out of paper’ messages back; but only when the computer has finished sending text

183
Q

What is an example of half-duplex transmission?

A

Printer parallel cables
Text is sent to a printer, and the printer can send ‘Out of paper’ messages back; but only when the computer has finished sending text

184
Q

What is duplex transmission?

A

Data can travel in both directions simultaneously using two communication channels

185
Q

What is an example of duplex transmission?

A

Networking or Internet cables to transmit and receive at the same time

186
Q

How does data transmission work?

A

Data in digital computers consist of numbers. To transmit numbers across a channel the numbers have to be converted to a physical form such as electrical currents or pulses of light. Numbers in computers are in binary (base 2) so only two physical states are required for transmission e.g. 0v and 5v.

Communication may be in guided (e.g. along a wire) or unguided (e.g. broadcast to air) channels: in both cases the data are encoded as electro-magnetic signals. Signals decrease in strength with distance and need repeating and error checking mechanisms to ensure revcovery of the data.

187
Q

What is serial data transmission?

A

Bits are sent via an interface one bit at a time over a single wire from the source to the destination
Everything is sent in order

188
Q

When is serial data transmission used?

A

Fibre optics
USB’s (universal SERIAL bus, duh)

189
Q

What is parallel data transmission?

A

Several bits are sent simultaneously over a number of parallel wires
More risk of bits not arriving in order, so error detection and correction is necessary

190
Q

When is parallel data transmission used?

A

Printer using a parallel port
Integrated Circuits (IC)

191
Q

Why would you choose serial or parallel data transmission?

A

Long distance communication uses serial transmission because it is easier to regenerate the signal on a single line (by repeaters). It is also easier to route single lines through switches and cheaper than using multiple cables.
Parallel transmission is confined to short distances because of the problem of skewing, the weight and expense of the cable and the difficulties of switching multiple lines through exchanges or routers.

192
Q

Describe what is meant by ‘encryption’.

A

The process of converting data into a format that cannot be understood by an unauthorised viewer, unless you have access to the key needed to decrypt it

(conversion of plaintext into ciphertext)

193
Q

What is meant by ‘plaintext’?

A

Plaintext describes the original unencrypted text

194
Q

What is the need for encrypting data?

A

To protect the data’s confidentiality

195
Q

Give examples of two forms of encryption.

A

Symmetric encryption
Asymmetric encryption

196
Q

Describe the difference between symmetric and asymmetric encryption.

A

Symmetric uses the same key to encrypt and decrypt the data
Asymmetric uses two different keys - public key to encrypt the data and a private key, which only the recipient knows, to decrypt it

197
Q

Describe how a Caesar cipher works.

A

Realigns the alphabet, substituting each letter of the original message with a letter further down the alphabet

(systematic shift, all letters affected in the same way)

198
Q

(Exam-style question)

Explain one reason why the Caesar cipher is a weak encryption algorithm. (2)

A

The number of keys are limited, making it easy to use brute force to decrypt

199
Q

Bit

A

Binary digit

200
Q

Image file size formula

A

File size(bits) = width(px) x height(px) x colour depth(bits)

201
Q

Hexadecimal

A

Used to avoid errors when manipulating numbers
Represend binary numbers using smaller digits (1 hexadecimal digit = 1 nibble)
Computers don’t process hexadecimal

202
Q

Units

A

kilobit - 1000 bits
megabit - 1000^2 bits
gigabit - 1000^3 bits

kilobyte - 8 x 1000 bits
megabyte - 8 x 1000^2 bits
gigabyte - 8 x 1000^3

kibibyte - 1024 bits
mebibyte - 1024^2 bits
gibibyte - 1024^3 bits

203
Q

Compression

A

Reduce file sizes by repackging or removing some data

204
Q

Compression

A

Reduce file sizes by repackging or removing some data

205
Q

Lossless compression

A

Reduce file size while retaining the exact meaning of the original data.

206
Q

Lossy compression

A

It reduces file size by permanently deleting some of its data.

207
Q

How is text represented

A

Characters in texts

208
Q

How are characters in text represented

A

Using the ASCII table, each character has a unique bit pattern.
Is a 7-bit code, there are 128 sequences/patterns.

209
Q

How do computers record sound

A

With a microphone (or a recording device) a computer will take samples at a fixed interval (usually thousands of samples per second), it will then convert these values into binary to be stored in a file.

210
Q

Audio file size formula

A

file size (bits) = sample rate(Hz) x bit depth(bits) x recording length (seconds)

211
Q

Signed and Unsigned integer

A

An unsigned integer has no positive or negative sign, a signed one does.
Signed: -8, +8
Unsigned: 8

212
Q

Flowchart symbols

A

“Sausage” - Start/Stop
Rectangle - Process
Rhombus - If/elif/else (conditionals)
Parallelogram - Input / Output
Rectangle with vertical borders - Subprograms

213
Q

Iteration

A

Repetition of code

214
Q

Decomposition

A

Breaking down a big problem into smaller parts

215
Q

Flowchart symbols

A

Terminal/”Sausage” - Start/Stop
Rectangle - Process
Diamond- If/elif/else (conditionals)
Parallelogram - Input / Output
Rectangle with vertical borders - Subprograms

216
Q

Iteration

A

A repetition of code

217
Q

Decomposition

A

Breaking down a bigger problem into smaller parts

218
Q

Abstraction

A

Removing unnecessary details so that only the most important details remain

219
Q

Error types

A

Syntax
Logic
Runtime

220
Q

What device sends packets across a network?

A

Routers

220
Q

What is a data packet broken down into?

A

Header:
- Number of data packets
- Packet number
- Source and Destination Addresses
- Protocol

Payload:
-Data

Trailer:
- Any error checking information

221
Q

Packet switching

A

Method of transmitting data packets across a network where other transmissions are happening at the same time. The router uses a lookup table to find the most efficient route, if it can’t find where to forward it, it will ask other routers to use their lookup table until the destination is found

222
Q

Serial data transmission

A

Data is sent one after another on the same channel

223
Q

Parallel data transmission

A

Data is sent simultaneously along multiple channels.

224
Q

Why is parallel data transmission unreliable over longer distances?

A

Data can arrive at different times due to different speeds
Interference can be caused between the different channels

225
Q

USB 3 advantages

A

Low power consumption
Easy to use
Can charge connected device

226
Q

Parity bit how does it detect for errors?

A

A parity bit is set, even or odd.
After transmission, the amount of ones are counted and if it doesn’t follow the parity bit, we know there was an error during transmission.

227
Q

Why might parity bit not detect a transmission error?

A

If bits are interchanged, it won’t detect an error since the amount of ones would technically remain the same after transmission.

228
Q

Check sum what is it?

A

An additional piece of data added onto the data being transmitted which is also derived from that data.

229
Q

What is check digit?

A

An extra digit added to the end of some numeric data. It is calculated from the other digits in a way that can be replicated, which allows it to be checked after transmission.

230
Q

Echo check steps

A

Data is transmitted from A to B
B transmits a copy of the received data back to A
A checks data received matches original data sent
If data matches, A sends acknowledgement to B
If data does not match, A resends original data

231
Q

what is data transmission?

A

Is the transfer of data of a point to point (or multipoint) communication channel

232
Q

What is serial data transmission?

A

is a form of data transmission were bits of characters are sent one at a time along a communication path
serial data transmissions travel over a single wire in one direction

233
Q

what are advantages and disadvantages of serial data transmission?

A

advantage - travels over a single wire at much less cost

disadvantage - Slower than parallel data transmission

234
Q

what is parallel data transmission?

A

Is a transmission of data where several bits are transmitted simultaneously, each along its own separate channel or multiple channels

235
Q

what are advantages and disadvantages of parallel data transmission?

A

Advantage - faster then serial

disadvantages - not appropriate for long distance. Data transmission
- can be expensive.

Computer Science Flashcards (6 decks)

Brainscape helps you reach your goals faster, through stronger study habits.
© 2025 Bold Learning Solutions. Terms and Conditions