CAMBRIDGE COMPUTER SCIENCE AHMED THAKUR

OL COMPUTER SCIENCE – 2210/01

TOPICAL MARKING SCHEMES

1.3.7 HIGH- AND LOW-LEVEL

LANGUAGES AND THEIR
TRANSLATORS

https://www.facebook.com/groups/OAComputers/
AHMED THAKUR ahmed_thakur@hotmail.com, 0300-8268885
 CAMBRIDGE COMPUTER SCIENCE AHMED THAKUR

Q1 2016-Nov, P13

6 Any two from:

High level language

– easier/faster to write code as uses English-like statements

– easier to modify as uses English-like statements
– easier to debug as uses English-like statements
– portable language code

Any two from:

Low level language

– can work directly on memory locations

– can be executed faster
– translated program requires less memory [4]

https://www.facebook.com/groups/OAComputers/
AHMED THAKUR ahmed_thakur@hotmail.com, 0300-8268885
 CAMBRIDGE COMPUTER SCIENCE AHMED THAKUR

Q2 2016-Nov, P12
1

(a) Any two from:

– direct access to computer processor / special hardware // machine dependent

instructions
– uses up less memory
– can increase the speed of processing a program // executes instructions faster
(b)
[2]

Statements Interpreter ( ) Compiler ( )

Translates the source code into

machine code all at once

Produces an executable file in machine

code

Executes a high-level language

program one instruction at a time

Once translated, the translator does not

need to be present for the program to run

An executable file is produced

[5]

https://www.facebook.com/groups/OAComputers/
AHMED THAKUR ahmed_thakur@hotmail.com, 0300-8268885
 CAMBRIDGE COMPUTER SCIENCE AHMED THAKUR

Q3 2015-June, P12

(b) Any one from:

– code is required to be converted into machine code/binary
– code needs to be produced that can be understood by the computer

[1]

(c) Any one from:

– close to English/native/human language
– easier/faster to correct errors/read/write
– works on many different machines/operating systems (portable)
[1]

(d) Any one from:

– work directly on registers/CPU
– more control over what happens in computer
– can use machine specific functions [1]

(e) 1 mark per correct letter, maximum 2 marks

Assembly code: B
High-level language code: C
Machine code: A

[2]

https://www.facebook.com/groups/OAComputers/
AHMED THAKUR ahmed_thakur@hotmail.com, 0300-8268885
 CAMBRIDGE COMPUTER SCIENCE AHMED THAKUR

Q4 2015-June, P11

Q5 2012-June, P12

13 (a) code B [1]

(b) Any one from:

– no need to understand workings of a computer
– easier to understand for programmer/closer to English
– much easier to debug
– much easier to test
– one to many when writing commands
– not machine specific/portable [1]

(c) Any one from:

– can address memory addresses directly
– no need for compilers/interpreters
– shorter code/code requires less storage/RAM
– can (be written to) run faster [1]

(d) – compiler produces object code / interpreter doesn’t produce object code
– compiler translates whole program in one go / interpreter translates and executes line at
a time
– compiler produces list of all errors / interpreter produces error message each time an
error encountered
– compiler produces “stand alone code” / interpreter doesn’t produce “stand alone code”
– compilation process is slow but resultant code runs very quickly / interpreted code runs
slowly
[2]

https://www.facebook.com/groups/OAComputers/
AHMED THAKUR ahmed_thakur@hotmail.com, 0300-8268885
 CAMBRIDGE COMPUTER SCIENCE AHMED THAKUR

Q6 2011-June,P12

7 (b) Any two from:

– close to English
– one statement is equal to many low-level language statements
– portable
– easy to edit/debug/update
– problem oriented
– needs converting to machine code before execution [2]

(c) Any one from:

– interpreter – runs line by line and locates errors as it runs
– compiler – converts whole program into object code/gives complete list of errors [1]

Q7 2010-June, P11

10 (a) Any two differences from:

compiler interpreter

– needs to be re-compiled every – translates instructions one

time a change is made at a time ….
– code can be executed on its own – then executes the
instructions immediately
– translates whole code in one go – only finds errors as each
instruction executed
– translates source code into – easier to edit/debug
object code/machine code
– produces error list at end of compilation [2]

(b) Any one high level advantage and any one low level advantage:

high-level language

– fewer instructions
– no need to understand registers/computer architecture
– instructions nearer to human language/English
– not machine specific/portable
– easier to debug programs
– easier to write programs

low-level language

– gain knowledge of how a computer works

– more control over how registers (etc.) are accessed
– can access registers (etc.) directly [2]

https://www.facebook.com/groups/OAComputers/
AHMED THAKUR ahmed_thakur@hotmail.com, 0300-8268885
 CAMBRIDGE COMPUTER SCIENCE AHMED THAKUR

(c) Any one from:

– program/algorithm broken down into simpler modules/smaller tasks [1]
– each module is further sub-divided until basic elements produced
– allows several programmers to work at same time on the software
– can test each module independently

https://www.facebook.com/groups/OAComputers/
AHMED THAKUR ahmed_thakur@hotmail.com, 0300-8268885