Paper 1

Question 1

Identify one reason why programmers use hexadecimal notation.

Answer 1

Easier for humans to read

Question 2

Identify the number of binary patterns that can be represented by 8 bit

Answer 2

(2 to the power of 8)

256 values

Question 3

Give the number of bits per character used by standard ASCII.

Answer 3

7

Question 4

State what is meant by the term pixel.

Answer 4

The smallest block of colour in an image

Question 5

[…]16 different colours.
State the minimum number of bits that would be needed to represent
one pixel.

Answer 5

4

Question 6

Give one reason for connecting computers in a local area network.

Answer 6

communicate (e.g. email)

Question 7

State the purpose of network protocols.

Answer 7

enable
communication
between devices

Question 8

Identify the layer of the TCP/IP model that would add the File Transfer Protocol (FTP)

Answer 8

Application

Question 9

Give one task carried out by the network layer

Answer 9

Adds the source/destination IP address to each packet so that they can reach their designated destination

Question 10

Benefit of Bus topology

Answer 10

The length of cable required is less than star topology

Question 11

Disadvantage of bus topology

Answer 11

If the main cable/a terminator fails or gets
damaged the whole network will fail

Question 12

Give two reasons why lossy compression is used when distributing music files over the internet

Answer 12

Reduces time taken to upload/download

People have a limited hearing range / can’t
tell the difference

Question 13

Identify a file format that uses lossy compression

Answer 13

JPEG

Question 14

why must a computer have hardware and software

Answer 14

The software “tells” the hardware which tasks to perform, and hardware makes it possible to actually perform them

Question 15

Give two reasons, other than cost and capacity, why Zakir may choose a solid state drive rather than a hard disc drive

Answer 15

• Less heat generated
• Silent operation
• Longer battery life

Question 16

Explain one difference between flash memory and RAM

Answer 16

Flash memory is non-volatile (1) whereas RAM is
volatile

Question 17

Explain the purpose of cache memory

Answer 17

cache is a temporary storage
and is used to speed up processing

Question 18

types of anti-malware software

Answer 18

• Antivirus (1)
• Anti-spyware (1)
• firewall

Question 19

Give one reason, other than cost, why scientists use simulations.

Answer 19

Predict/model outcomes

Question 20

Explain one reason why a simulation may require a powerful processor.

Answer 20

• Simulations (may) use/collect large amounts of
  data (1)
• Simulations (may) involve a large number of
  calculations (1)

Question 21

Describe the stored program concept

Answer 21

Instructions are stored in memory (1)
* Instructions (and data) are fetched, decoded, and
executed (1)

Question 22

types of registers

Answer 22

• Program counter / PC
• Memory address / MAR
• Accumulator/ACC

Question 23

Describe the role of the address bus and the data bus during the fetch part of the cycle.

Answer 23

Address of instruction carried on address bus to main memory. Contents at that address carried back to the CPU on the data bus

Question 24

Effect of Increasing the width of the
data bus

Answer 24

Increases the number of data

Question 25

Effect of Increasing the width of the address bus

Answer 25

Increases the number of memory locations that can be directly addressed

Question 26

Explain why the variable Temp is needed

Answer 26

You need to swap the contents of array values (1) and without
Temp one of the values would be lost (1)

Question 27

two advantages of choosing a programming language that uses a compiler,rather than an interpreter, for a program that will be distributed on a DVD.

Answer 27

Compiled code is smaller than the original code (1),
which may not fit on the DVD

Question 28

Explain one difference between DNA computing and traditional computing

Answer 28

DNA uses chemical reactions (1) rather than
electrical properties (1)

Question 29

Give a definition of the term superposition in quantum computing.

Answer 29

Multiple probabilities at the same time

Question 30

Ethically, everyone should be able to access the benefits of technology.
Give two reasons why this may not be possible.

Answer 30

• Some people may not want to use technology
• Some people may not be able to afford to use
  technology

Question 31

(PART ONE )Discuss the negative environmental impact of using computers and actions that
could be taken to reduce it.

Answer 31

• needs lots of water for manufacturing
• Some countries require sellers to recycle own waste

Question 32

(PART TWO)Discuss the negative environmental impact of using computers and actions that
could be taken to reduce it.

Answer 32

• Computing devices sent to landfills contaminate ground and water
• Find charities which take donations of old devices

Question 33

(PART THREE)Discuss the negative environmental impact of using computers and actions that
could be taken to reduce it.

Answer 33

• Alot of energy used to keep machines cool with air conditioning or fans
• Turn off machines when not in use

Question 34

analougue to digitaL

Answer 34

• set the sample rate
• sample the analogue sound
• measure the sound amplitude

Question 35

internal and external differences

Answer 35

HDDs or SSDs :
- large amounts of data
- portable
- moving parts

USB sticks SD cards:
- smaller
- reasonably large amounts of data

Question 35

exernal

Answer 35

HDDs or SSDs
large amounts of data
portable
moving parts
USB sticks SD cards (smaller/reasonable large amounts of data)

Question 36

wireless advantages

Answer 36

convinient - move around while connected

cheaper

easy to add more users

Question 37

wireless dissadvantages

Answer 37

• generaly less secure (access point available to all devices so hackers can gain access)
• less reliable