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Learn Extracted exam questions IGCSE Computer Science 0478_s23_qp_12

0478_s23_qp_12

Source PDF on the left, extracted YAML on the right. Compare numbering, marks, options and text.

2 short_answer

2 Binary numbers can be converted to hexadecimal.

(a) Convert the two binary numbers to hexadecimal. 10010011 00001101 [4] Working space (b) A value is stored as a binary number in a register. 0 1 1 1 1 0 1 0

A logical right shift of three places is performed on the binary number.

(i) Complete the binary register to show its contents after this logical right shift.

[1]

(ii) State one effect this logical shift has on the binary number [1]

(c) Give two reasons why a programmer may use hexadecimal to represent binary numbers. 1 2 [2]

(d) Denary numbers can also be converted to hexadecimal.

Convert the denary number to hexadecimal. 301 [2] Working space

2a 3 marks short_answer 1.1
2b short_answer
2bi 4 marks long_answer 1.1
2bii 1 mark calculation 1.1
2c 2 marks calculation 1.1
2d 2 marks calculation 1.1
1 1 mark short_answer 1.1

1 Output devices are used to output data from a computer.

Circle three devices that are output devices.

actuator digital versatile disk (DVD) keyboard

microphone mouse printer scanner

sensor solid‑state drive (SSD) speaker

[3]

3 short_answer

3 When keys are pressed on a keyboard, the text is converted to binary to be processed by the computer.

(a) Describe how the text is converted to binary to be processed by the computer [3]

(b) Text that is input into a computer can be stored in a text file.

A text file can be compressed using lossless compression.

(i) State what effect this has on the file size [1]

(ii) Describe how lossless compression compresses the text file [4]

(iii) Give two reasons why the text file may have been compressed. 1 2 [2]

3a 3 marks calculation 1.2
3b short_answer
3bi 1 mark short_answer 1.3
3bii 4 marks calculation 1.3
3biii 2 marks short_answer 1.3
4 short_answer

4 A student uses a mobile phone to take photographs for a school project.

The student needs to transmit the photographs to their computer. They could use serial data transmission or parallel data transmission to transmit the photographs.

(a) (i) Describe how the photographs would be transmitted using serial data transmission [2]

(ii) Give two benefits of transmitting the photographs using serial data transmission. 1 2 [2]

(iii) State one benefit of the student using parallel data transmission instead of serial data transmission [1]

(b) The photographs are also transmitted across a network to cloud storage. A device on the network forwards the data towards its correct destination.

(i) State the name of this device [1]

(ii) Describe what is meant by cloud storage [2]

(iii) Give one disadvantage of storing the photographs in cloud storage instead of storing them locally [1]

4a short_answer
4ai 2 marks short_answer 2.1
4aii 2 marks calculation 2.1
4aiii 1 mark calculation 2.1
4b short_answer
4bi 1 mark short_answer 3.4
4bii 2 marks calculation 3.3
4biii 1 mark calculation 3.3
5 short_answer

5 A programmer writes a computer program using a high‑level language.

(a) Tick (3) one box to show which statement is correct about writing computer programs in a high‑level language.

A Mnemonics are used to create instructions.

B The computer program is harder to debug than a low‑level language program.

C The computer program is machine independent.

D The hardware of the computer can be directly manipulated.

[1]

(b) The programmer uses a compiler to translate the computer program.

(i) Describe how the compiler translates the computer program [3]

(ii) Describe how the compiler reports errors [2]

(c) The programmer uses an integrated development environment (IDE) to create the computer program.

One function of the IDE is that it has the built‑in compiler.

Give three other common functions of an IDE. 1 2 3 [3]

5a 1 mark short_answer 4.2
5b short_answer
5bi 3 marks calculation 4.2
5bii 2 marks calculation 4.2
5c 3 marks short_answer 4.2
6 short_answer

6 (a) Complete the statements about cookies.

Use the terms from the list.

Some of the terms in the list will not be used. Some terms may be used more than once.

compression executable hypertext markup language (HTML)

hypertext transfer protocol (HTTP) image internet protocol (IP) address

persistent session sound text

uniform resource locater (URL) web browser web server

Cookies are small files that are sent between a and a cookies are stored in memory and not in the user’s secondary storage.

When the web browser is closed a cookie is lost, whereas a cookie is not lost.

[6]

(b) Give three functions of a cookie. 1 2 3 [3]

6a 6 marks calculation 5.1
6b 3 marks calculation 5.1
7 short_answer

7 A distributed denial of service attack (DDoS) is a cyber security threat.

(a) Draw and annotate a diagram to represent the process of a DDoS.

[6]

(b) State two aims of carrying out a DDoS attack. 1 2 [2]

(c) Give two security solutions that can be used to help prevent a DDoS attack being successful. 1 2 [2]

7a 6 marks calculation 5.3
7b 2 marks short_answer 5.3
7c 2 marks short_answer 5.3
8 short_answer

8 A computer is connected to a network and assigned an IPv4 address.

(a) Tick (3) one box to show which device would assign the IPv4 address to the computer.

A Domain name server (DNS)

B Network interface card (NIC)

C Router

D Web server

[1]

(b) Describe the characteristics of an IPv4 address [4]

8a 1 mark short_answer 5.1
8b 4 marks calculation 5.1
9 short_answer

9 One component of an expert system is the inference engine.

(a) Identify the three other components in an expert system. 1 2 3 [3]

(b) Describe the role of the inference engine in an expert system [2]

9a 3 marks short_answer 6.3
9b 2 marks calculation 6.3
10 short_answer

10 A user has both system software and application software installed on their computer.

(a) Describe the difference between system software and application software.

Give an example of each software in your answer [4]

(b) State which component in the computer would store both types of software when the power is turned off [1]

10a 4 marks calculation 4.1
10b 1 mark calculation 3.3

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