DARATASSALAM INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL, RIYADH

IGCSE (Centre No.SA025 and SX025)

PREBOARDS EXAMINATION 2020-21
X (IGCSE) Computer Science (0478) M.M : 80 DURATION : 3 Hrs.

CANDIDATE NAME

Paper 01 Paper 02 Total

Date: 04 / 04 / 2021 Marks obtained 50 30 80

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COMPUTER SCIENCE 0478

Paper 1 Theory April 2021
3 hours
Candidates answer on the Question Paper.
Take clear snapshots of all the Exam sheets after completing the paper and send it to subject teacher.
immediately.
No calculators allowed.
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READ THESE INSTRUCTIONS FIRST

Before attempting your paper, read all questions carefully.

Write in dark blue or black pen.
You may use an HB pencil for any diagrams, graphs or rough working.
Do not use staples, paper clips, glue or correction fluid.
Answer all questions.
No marks will be awarded for using brand names of software packages or hardware.
The number of marks is given in brackets [ ] at the end of each question or part question.

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 Paper-01 (50 marks)

1. (a) Andrew wants to print a single page A4 leaflet. He wants to print 10,000 copies.
State whether he should use an inkjet or a laser printer. [1]
.......................................................................................................................................................................
(b) Andrew wants to produce small 3D models of the company logo.
Explain how a 3D cutter could be used to produce the models. [2]
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2 Tina is concerned about security threats to her web server.
Identify three security threats to her web server that Tina might be concerned about. [3]
1 ....................................................................................................................................................................
2 ....................................................................................................................................................................
3 ....................................................................................................................................................................

3 A system controls the flow of vehicles through a barrier based on three lights, A, B and C.
When a light is red, the signal is zero. When a light is green, the signal is one.
The barrier will open when the output X is one. The barrier opens if either:
• light A is red and lights B and C are both green
or
• light A is green and lights B and C are both red
(a) Design a logic circuit for the system. [5]

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(b) Complete the truth table for given logic circuit. [5]

A B C WORKSPACE X
0 0 0
0 0 1
0 1 0
0 1 1
1 0 0
1 0 1
1 1 0

1 1 1

4 Six descriptions and six devices are shown below.

Draw a line to link each description to the correct device. [6]

Description Device
Allows a user to write on a surface using a pen; text and drawings Digital Light Projector
are then captured electronically and stored for later use.

Converts sound into an electrical signal/voltage. Inkjet Printer

Uses thermal bubble and piezoelectric technology to produce a Interactive Whiteboard

hard copy.

Uses a bright white light source and micro mirrors (on a chip) to Laser Printer
produce an image to be shone onto a wall or screen.

Converts a hard copy document into an electronic form to be Microphone

stored as a file on a computer.

Uses negatively charged images on a rotating drum and positively Scanner (2D)
charged toner to output a hard copy.

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5 Six security issues and six descriptions are shown below.
Draw a line to link each security issue to its correct description. [6]

Security Issues Description

Pharming Illegal access to a computer system without the owner’s
consent or knowledge

software that gathers information by monitoring key presses

Phishing on a user’s keyboard; the data is sent back to the originator of
the software

malicious code installed on the hard drive of a user’s

Viruses computer or on a web server; this code will re-direct the user
to a fake website without the user’s knowledge

creator of code sends out a legitimate-looking email in the

hope of gathering personal and financial information from the
Hacking
recipient; it requires the user to click on the link in the email
or attachment

a message given to a web browser by a web server; it is

Spyware stored in a text file; the message is then sent back to the
server each time the browser requests a page from the server

program or code that replicates itself; designed to amend,

Cookies delete or copy data or files on a user’s computer; often causes
the computer to crash or run slowly

6 (a) Four examples of optical storage media are:

• DVD-RW
• DVD-RAM
• CD-ROM
• Blu-ray disc
The table below shows four features of optical storage media.
Tick (✓) the appropriate boxes in the table to indicate which of the features apply to each example of
optical storage media. [4]

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7. A school network is used to transmit and store data about students.
(a) Different types and methods of transmission can be used to send data across the network.
Three descriptions about data transmission are given.
Tick (3) one Method and tick (3) one Type for each description. [3]

(b) Parity bits are used to help detect errors in data transmission. A parity bit is added to each
binary value before transmission.
Three binary values are to be transmitted using even parity.
(i) Complete the parity bit that would be added to each binary value for even parity. [3]

8 Alexandra has a new mobile device.

It has a touch screen that uses capacitive technology.
Alexandra is wearing gloves because it is cold.
She presses an icon on her touch screen but her action is not registered.
(i) Explain why the touch screen will not register her touch. [2]
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(ii) Alexandra does not want to remove her gloves. [2]

Explain how Alexandra could use her mobile device whilst still wearing gloves.
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9 Data is encrypted using 128-bit symmetric encryption before it is transmitted.
(i) Explain what is meant by encryption. [1]
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(ii) State how the strength of the encryption can be improved. [1]
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10 Six statements about assembly language are shown.

Tick (3) whether the statement is true or false. [6]

Statements True False

Assembly language uses mnemonic codes.
Assembly language programs do not need a translator to be
executed.
Assembly language is a low-level programming language.
Assembly language is specific to the computer hardware.
Assembly language is machine code.
Assembly language is often used to create drivers for hardware.

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 PAPER 2(30 MARKS)

Pre-Release Material:

Your preparation for the examination should include attempting the following practical tasks by writing
and testing a program or programs.

A system is required to record and count votes for candidates in school council elections. The voting
system will allow for one representative to be elected from a tutor group. The school has between 28
and 35 students in each tutor group, five-year groups named Year 7 to Year 11, and there are six tutor
groups in each year group. Tutor group names are their year group followed by a single letter e.g. 7A,
7B, etc.

All students are allowed to vote in the system. Each student may only vote once for a representative
from their tutor group in the election.

Write and test a program or programs for the voting system.

• Your program or programs must include appropriate prompts for the entry of data; data must be
validated on entry.
• Error messages and other output need to be set out clearly and understandably.
• All variables, constants and other identifiers must have meaningful names.

You will need to complete these three tasks. Each task must be fully tested.

Task 1 – Setting up the voting system to allow a tutor group to elect a representative.
Write a program to:
• allow the tutor to enter the name of the tutor group
• allow the tutor to enter the number of students in the tutor group
• allow the tutor to enter the number of candidates in the election; maximum of four candidates
• allow the tutor to enter the names of the candidates and store them in a suitable data structure
• allow each student to input their vote or to abstain
• count the votes for each candidate and student abstentions.

When all students have voted, display the name of the tutor group, the votes for each candidate and
the name of the candidate who has won the election. If there is a tie for first place, display all
candidates with the equal highest number of votes.

1 (a) All variables, constants and other identifiers must have meaningful names.

Name two variables that you could have used for Task 1. State the data type and purpose of each
variable. [3]

Variable 1 name ...........................................................................................................................................

Data type .......................................................................................................................................................
Purpose .........................................................................................................................................................
......................................................................................................................................................................
Variable 2 name ...........................................................................................................................................
Data type ......................................................................................................................................................
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Purpose .........................................................................................................................................................
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(b) Write an algorithm (pseudocode, flowchart, program code) as validation check that could be used
when entering the number of candidates in between 28 and 35 in Task 1. [4]
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(C) Write an algorithm (pseudocode, flowchart) or programming statements to enter the name of
candidates (Using Arrays and FOR –Loops). [4]
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2 Read this section of code that inputs the ages of people entering an event. The input sequence is
ended by inputting a negative value for age. The code outputs the number of people at the event
over the age of 18.

01 Num18 = 0
02 INPUT Age
03 WHILE Age >= 0 DO
04 IF Age >= 18 THEN
05 Num18 = Num18 + Age
06 ENDIF
07 ENDWHILE
08 PRINT Num18 - Age

There are four errors in this code.

State the line number for each error and write the correct code for that line. [4]

Error 1 Line number ......................................................................................................................................

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Correct code ..................................................................................................................................................

Error 2 Line number ......................................................................................................................................

Correct code ..................................................................................................................................................

Error 3 Line number ......................................................................................................................................

Correct code .................................................................................................................................................

Error 4 Line number ......................................................................................................................................

Correct code ..................................................................................................................................................

3 Complete the trace table for this algorithm using the given input data. [5]

Index 0
FOR Count 0 TO 7
INPUT Value
IF Value > 50
THEN
PassMarks[Index] Value
Index Index + 1
ENDIF
NEXT Count
PRINT "Number passed ", Index
Input data: 58, 40, 67, 85, 12, 13, 75, 82

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4 Four statement types and four examples are shown below.
Draw a line to connect each statement type to the correct example. [4]
Statement Type Example
Assignment FOR X 1 TO 10

Iteration READ X

Input PRINT X

Output X Y+Z

5 A database table, DEVICE, has been set up to record the electronic equipment used in a small
business.

(a) The query-by-example grid below selects certain records.

Show what would be the output from the query-by-example. [2]

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(b) Complete the query-by-example grid below to select all Desktop devices that were either purchased
before 31/12/2016 or cost under $1000. Only show the Device ID and Device Type. [4]
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