Mr.

Mahmoud Moussa IGCSE ICT 0983

June 22 Paper 1 Final Revision

Question 01
Describe the main differences between RAM and ROM.

RAM

 Random Access Memory

 Data is temporarily stored when running applications.
 This memory can be written to and read from.
 Contents are lost when power to the computer is turned off.
 It is often referred to as a ‘volatile’ or ‘temporary’ memory.
 Large (4GB or more in a typical computer)
 RAM is needed during processing / storing data

ROM

 Read Only Memory

 Holds instructions that need to be permanent such as BIOS
 Data cannot be altered and can only be read from
 Contents are not lost when the computer is turned off
 It is often referred to as a ‘non-volatile’ memory
 Small (1 or 2MB required for the boot program)
 ROM is needed on boot up

Question 02
Computer operating systems have developed since early computers used Command Line Interfaces
(CLI). Many computers now use Graphical User Interfaces (GUI), some of which are capable of using
touch screen technology. Compare and contrast CLI and GUI.

 Post GUI allows the use of pinching, scrolling, expanding

 Post GUI allows the use of touch screen but a CLI does not allow for this
 Icons speed up finding instructions, CLI you have to type out the commands in full
 No editing in CLI
 If a mistake is made in CLI it could have major consequences whereas GUI has less impact
 Due to graphics GUI uses a lot of memory, CLI is a lot smaller program
 Loss of memory slows down the operations of the computer
 GUI cannot operate properly if memory is low
 The loss of memory affects kinds of applications that can be run
 GUI more user friendly CLI the commands have to be memorised
 GUI has a more varied use on other devices not just computers
 In a CLI several commands have to be typed in rather than one command in GUI
 CLI commands have to be typed in every time the same command is run
 GUI sometimes have CLI embedded within them
 CLI and GUI both carry out file management CLI and GUI use similar utilities
 Both are operating systems
 Both control the hardware and software

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Question 3
Drones are unmanned flying vehicles that are used for commercial and leisure activities. Drones are
fitted with cameras to monitor situations. A river has burst its banks following prolonged heavy
rainfall. Explain why drones are used to help monitor the situation.

 Safer to use drones than human life being risked in flood waters
 Drones can fly low over the flooded areas checking the extent of the
 damage, would be more difficult/dangerous for a human
 Drones can be used in areas that would not be accessible to humans
 Cheaper than using a helicopter to film the flooding
 Drones can cover a greater area than a human in the time available
 They are portable and can be transported from place to place easily
 Can automatically return to the base station when fuel is running low

Question 4
OMR, OCR and MICR are methods of direct data entry. Describe each method, giving an example of
an application where each might be used.

OMR
 Optical Mark Recognition
 Pencil/pen marks are read by scanner/Reader
 Position of marks are identified
 Exam papers/school registers/lottery/multiple choice questionnaires
OCR
 Optical Character Recognition
 Text is read by scanner
 Image compared with characters stored in computer
 Converted to text for use with other software
 Utility bill/turnaround documents/word processors/mail/passports/id cards/car number plates

MICR
 Magnetic Ink Character Recognition
 Characters read by magnetic reader
 Characters compared with characters stored in computer
 Converted to text for entry into system
 Bank cheques

Question 5
Describe how RFID technology reads the details from the chip.

 The chip is presented near a computer with a radio-frequency scanner

 The scanning antenna puts out radio-frequency signals in a relatively short range.
 It provides a means of communicating with the transponder/the RFID tag
 The scanning device provides energy, so that the chips can broadcast the information in them for the
computer to read.

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Question 6
3D printers are being used for producing personalised prescription drugs. Give two advantages of
using 3D printers for this purpose.

 Tablets can be customised to individual needs

 Easier to change the percentages of drug in the tablet
 Mass produced or small batches therefore reducing waste
 Created as needed therefore reducing waste
 Patient gets the drugs quicker

Give two disadvantages of using 3D printers for this purpose.

 Cost of buying the printer is expensive

 Materials are expensive
 Can be used for illegal production of drugs
 There are not many 3D printers created to date to do this

Question 7
A payroll office, which prints out large numbers of payslips every month, has decided to install a new
printer. Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of using a laser printer, an inkjet printer or a dot
matrix printer in this office.

Laser printer advantages

 High printing speed
 The toner cartridge lasts longer than inkjet cartridges.
 Laser is cheaper to buy than a dot matrix
Laser printer disadvantages
 More expensive running costs than dot matrix.
 Produce ozone and volatile organic compounds because of their method of printing and type of
toner/ink used. These have been linked to health hazards in the office.
Inkjet printer advantages
 Much cheaper to buy than laser printers.
 Relatively quiet compared with dot matrix printer.
Inkjet printer disadvantages
 Difficult to print a sealed secure payslip.
 Ink cartridges don’t last long and so are not suitable for large print jobs.
Dot matrix printer advantages
 Cheaper to run than inkjet and laser printers.
 Can be used to print carbon copy.
Dot matrix printer disadvantages
 Very noisy – the pins make a lot of noise when they strike the inked ribbon.
 Very slow to print.
Conclusion
I think that a dot matrix printer would be the most suitable in a payroll office, since high quality is not
needed when printing payslips.

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Question 8
Laptop computers are often equipped with Solid State Drives (SSD) or Hard Disk Drives (HDD).
Give four advantages of SSD compared to HDD.

 The SSD is lighter in weight than the HDD therefore the laptop will be lighter and more portable
 The speed of access in SSD is a lot quicker
 The speed of data transfer in SSD is a lot quicker
 There is less chance of the data becoming corrupted as it can save whilst the laptop is moving
 It is a smaller device therefore the laptop will be smaller/thinner
 SSD uses less energy
 Less chance of impact damage

Question 9
Compare and contrast the use of magnetic tapes with removable magnetic disks to make network
server backups.

 Both can be stored well away from the server in the event of fire they will be secure
 Tapes are cheaper per bit
 Tapes are more compact than a portable hard disk for the same memory
 It is quicker to access lost work using disks
 Disks would make it quicker to restore the system
 Tapes are less prone to data loss and mechanical failure
 Both can store very large amounts of data
 Both have very fast data transfer rates

Question 10
Compare and contrast the use of optical discs and the use of fixed magnetic disks to store data.

 Optical discs such as CDs DVDs and Blu-ray discs are read from and written to using a laser beam
 Magnetic disks are read from and written to using read/write heads
 Optical discs are more portable
 Magnetic disks are more likely to spike
 Optical discs are cheaper to buy
 Magnetic disks store more data
 Optical discs have slower access times
 Optical discs have slower transfer rates
 Optical discs can be more easily lost/stolen
 Optical discs can be more easily scratched
 Both store videos, music
 Both use direct access

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Question 11
Name three network devices and for each one describe what it does.

Hub Broadcasts data packets to computers in a LAN

Router Connects LANs to a WAN/Internet
Switch Directs data packets to specific computers
NIC Enables computers to be connected to a network
Bridge Connects networks/LANs together/Directs data packets to specific networks
Proxy server Stores web pages for faster re-use by computers/can act as a firewall
Modem Modulates data and demodulates phone signals

Explain how the data from a router is routed

 Data is sent in data packets

 Each data packet contains an IP address of the next router
 The router reads the IP address
 It checks the IP address against its routing table
 Data packet is sent to the router with the IP address
 The router uses the IP address to work out the best route

Compare and contrast the features of a switch and a hub.

Comparison

 Both are network devices

 Both are hardware devices
 Both have computers and devices connected to them
 Both send data to devices

Contrast

 In a hub data packets are broadcast to every device connected to it

 A hub is less secure than a switch in distributing data
 Switch checks the data packet
 Switch sends to an appropriate device

Question 12
Describe what is meant by a LAN.

 LAN is a Local Area Network

 LAN covers a small area/one building
 A school network is a LAN

Describe what is meant by a WAN.

 WAN is a wide area network

 WAN covers a large geographical area
 The Internet is a WAN
 A WAN consists of connected LANs

Describe what is meant by a WLAN.

 WLAN is a wireless local area network

 Uses wireless technology to transmit data
 Uses Wireless Access Points (WAPs) connected to a wired network

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Question 13
Compare and contrast Bluetooth and WiFi.

Similarities

 Both WiFi and Bluetooth use wireless communications

 Both WiFi and Bluetooth use radio frequencies for communication
 Both WiFi and Bluetooth allow several devices to be connected
 Both use security when sending data

Differences

 WiFi has faster data transfer rate

 WiFi has a greater range of transmission
 WiFi uses key matching encryption
 Bluetooth uses WEP and WPA security together
 WiFi can be broadcast
 Bluetooth has more channels
 Wifi connects more devices

Question 14
What is an intranet and what would be the benefits of having one.

 Internal restricted access network/secure network

 Uses same protocols as the internet
 Private network
 Used within an organisation eg school
 Limited resources.
Advantages of using intranet:
 Confidential data is kept secure with the organisation.
 Emails remain private and may also be encrypted.
 High bandwidth. No connection limits unlike the internet.
 Information will be useful, accurate and relevant.
 The amount of information is limited so it is easier to search.
 Safety from inappropriate material.
 Less openness to hackers and viruses.

A company’s employees can have access to the internet and the company intranet. Describe the
differences between an intranet and the internet. [6]

 Intranet has restricted access

 Internet is world-wide
 Intranet is used only within a company
 Intranet access has more control of data whereas the internet access is public access
 Intranet is moderated
 The intranet has reduced unauthorised access to material whereas the internet has content that is
general
 Intranet can restrict access to some websites
 Internet has no restrictions on websites
 Data on the intranet is more reliable
 Anyone can add material to the internet
 Intranet sits behind a firewall
 Intranet is protected by passwords and has an extra layer of security
 Intranet is used to give information relating to the company whereas the internet gives general
information
 Internet has more information

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Question 15
Describe what is meant by the internet.

 Public network/not policed

 International network of networks
 WAN/wide area network
 World wide/global/international
 Public information system
 web/email/gophers/social networking/video conferencing is part of the internet

Question 16
Describe web-conferencing and how it could be used

 Real time collaboration/communication

 Multiple users are connected to the internet using TCP/IP connections
 See the same screen at all times in their web browsers
 Allows texting, VOIP and Full motion video

Explain the differences between video- and web-conferencing.

 Video-conferencing provides real-time two-way audio/video communication whereas web-

conferencing can be either two-way or a webcast
 Video-conferencing tends to be via the internet whereas web-conferencing uses a phone or VOIP
 Video-conferencing requires specialised equipment on both ends for a successful connection
whereas web-conferencing uses a computer
 Video-conferencing participants use a shared microphone and speakers whereas web-conferencing
participants sit at their own computers
 Sound quality on video-conferencing is poorer than web-conferencing

Question 17
Describe what is meant by Physical fax and electronic fax

Physical fax

 Dedicated machine connected to a telephone line.

 It requires the number of the recipient to be dialled before the document is copied and then sent
electronically)

Electronic faxing

 This requires a network, such as the internet, for the fax to be sent.

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Question 18
The use of computers continues to change the way employees work.
Describe how the use of computers has led to a number of employees changing their working patterns.

 Some workers may job-share with other workers this means that two workers share the same job one
starting as the other finishes
 Some workers may work compressed hours this means working a five-day week but compressed to
four days
 Some workers may work flexible hours so the worker and the employer negotiate a time the
employee works and this means the employee can arrive later/leave later as long as they work the set
number of hours
 Workers can change their work pattern to meet domestic chores/avoid rush hour
 Some workers can work from home

Question 19
Define the following terms

Job sharing

Two or more employees doing the same job but working at different times

Part-time working

When a person is employed to work fewer hours than the normal working week

Working flexible hours

When employees work the full normal hours in a week but work at times which suit them and the employer

Working compressed hours

When an employee works the full normal hours in a week but works fewer days

Question 20
Explain what is meant by VOIP.

 Voice over Internet Protocol

 A set of rules that enable people to use the Internet to make telephone calls/talk each other
 Sends voice data in packets using IP

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Question 21
Describe how the sensors and computer system are used to monitor the patients and to alert doctors
and nurses of a possible problem.

 Sensors for oxygen, heart/pulse rate (etc.) send signals to computer

 Converted (by ADC) into digital data
 Computer compares this data with stored data/pre-set values
 Sends vital signs data to monitors
 If the new information is out of range, computer sends signals to sound an alarm/warn doctors and
nurses
 Signals need to be first converted into analogue (by DAC)
 Monitoring is continuous (until machine is switched off)

Question 22
The diagram below shows one of Niagara Drug’s chemical processes. This process is dependent on pH
and temperature. Sensors are used to relay back information.

Describe how the sensors and microprocessor are used to control the conditions in the chemical
process.

 pH sensor and temperature sensor send signal to microprocessor

 signal converted to digital by ADC if signal is analogue
 microprocessor compares input values against previously stored range
 if pH too low, sends signal to actuator to open valve and add acid
 if ph in range then do nothing
 if temperature too low, sends signal to actuator to turn on heater
 system continually monitors pH and temperature
 if temperature is in correct range then do nothing
 microprocessor sends signals to control room displays to allow operators to monitor conditions
 microprocessor can send signals to warn operators of malfunction
 sensors also on heater and acid feed
 to warn of (local) malfunction e.g. out of acid/heater not working

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Question 23
Give three reasons why computer modelling is used instead of the real thing.

 Model is less dangerous

 Saves cost (rather than doing the real thing)
 Real thing may waste raw materials or natural resources
 Possible to try out various scenarios in advance
 Costs less to change data
 The real thing may be impossible to create
 It is often faster to do a simulation than the real thing. Some applications could take years before a
result was known
 Extremes which can’t be tested in real life can be tested using models

Question 24
Robots are now used on many car production lines. Discuss the benefits and drawbacks to the car
company of using robots.

Benefits
 Can operate continuously, 24 hours per day and 7 days per week.
 Less expensive to run as you don’t have to pay wages.
 Can work in extreme conditions (e.g., a robot can lift heavier loads).
 More accurate than humans.
 More consistent (Produce the same standard every time)
 Greater productivity (can usually do a given task in a shorter time than a human)
 No industrial disputes (e.g will not go on strike).
Drawbacks
 If a change is made in the manufacturing process the robot needs to be re-programmed.
 If a robot makes a mistake it will continue to make the same mistake.
 Expensive to set up/maintain
 Robots are not capable of performing tasks autonomously without guidance from humans/they
cannot think for themselves.
 If they break down then they are difficult/impossible to repair.
 If the robot breaks down the whole process stops.
 The abilities of robots are suitable only for simple activities in which no major difficulties are met.

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Question 25
Three types of call monitoring, monitor, whisper and barge. Describe each one

Monitor

This allows the manager/supervisor to listen in on calls (the line is muted so that neither the employee nor
the other person being called is aware of their presence)

Whisper

This allows the manager to speak to employees to help them with a call (only the employee can hear the
manager/supervisor’s voice

Barge

This allows the manager/supervisor to be heard by both the employee and the other person in the call

Question 26
Expert systems are used in mineral exploration. Name two other uses of expert systems.

- Car engine fault diagnosis - Medical diagnosis

- Chess games - Planet identifications
- Weather Forecasting - Animal Identification
- Careers advice - Tax systems
- Drug effectiveness of a medication - Oil prospecting/rock classification

Question 27

A group of car mechanics wants to have an expert system to help them with their work in diagnosing
car engine faults. Describe how such a system would be created.

 Experts in the field are interviewed to find out what is needed in the expert system.
 Data is then collected from these experts.
 A knowledge base is designed and then created.
 The rules base is designed and created.
 An inference engine is designed and created.
 The input screen and output format are also designed and created – this is known as the user
interface.
 The expert system is tested against known conditions and scenarios.

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Expert systems are used to diagnose illness in patients.

Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of using an expert system to diagnose illness.

Advantages

 They provide more consistent answers

 Do not forget to ask a question
 Can reduce the time to find the solution
 They give a number of different possibilities
 Less need for specialists/doctors therefore reduces the cost of finding a solution
 Allows the system to be used in parts of the world where experts not available
 Use the collective wisdom of more than one expert
 Can be used online/24/7

Disadvantages

 They are machines therefore lack common sense

 If the knowledge base contains errors then incorrect decisions can be made
 Expensive to set up in the first place
 The need for training for operators
 Cost of training for operators
 Expensive to maintain

Question 28

How satellite navigation systems can be used to calculate a vehicle’s position

 Satellites in outer space transmit signals to the Earth

 Computers in the bus receive and interpret these signals
 The satellite relies on very accurate timing
 each satellite transmits data indicating position and time
 computer in bus calculates its position based on received satellite data
 at least three satellites are used to give the bus its exact position

Question 29
A supermarket uses POS terminals. The stock levels in the supermarket are updated automatically.
Describe the steps involved in updating the stock level of a product when the bar code is read.

 The stock file is searched

 Until a match is found with the entered bar code
 The number in stock of the matching record is read
 One/number purchased is subtracted from the number in stock
 The number in stock is compared with the minimum stock level
 If it is equal to/less than the minimum stock level then more goods are automatically re-ordered.
 The new value of number in stock is written back to the file
 Next bar code is read

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Question 30
The library uses a database with two tables: borrowers and books. They have recently
purchased a biometric reader which will identify the borrower from their thumb print. A
borrower may only borrow a maximum of six books. Describe the computer processing involved when
a book is borrowed using this system

 Converts the image of the thumbprint into a code

 Searches for the code in its database until a matching record is found or error returned
 Reads the number of books from the borrowers record/on loan
 If less than 6 transaction continues otherwise error message produced
 Searches the books table for the book code data until a matching book record is found
 Flag as book as being borrowed
 Produces error message if no match
 Updates the borrowers table
 Updates the books table

Question 31
Automatic number plate recognition (ANPR) systems are used to read the number plates on cars in a
number of applications. Describe how ANPR is used in a car park to enable entry and exit to be
automatically controlled by a computer system.

 A sensor detects a vehicle and sends a signal to a microprocessor

 Microprocessor instructs a camera to capture an image of the front of the vehicle
 Characters is then recognised using optical character recognition (OCR) software
 Characters are converted into text
 Text is then stored on a database.
 Car park barrier is raised and the motorist is issued with a ticket with date and time of entering the
car park
 When the motorist returns to the car park, they insert their ticket into a machine
 Car park charges are calculated.
 The payment is registered on the database.
 The motorist then drives to the exit barrier and the ANPR system again reads the number plate
checks its database.
 If the number plate is recognised (and payment has been made), the exit barrier is raised.

Question 32
Adam is paying his bill in a restaurant using a contactless debit card.
Describe the computer processing involved in Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT) using contactless
cards.

 The reader checks the amount to pay is less than the contactless limit
 The data is read from the chip using RFID / NFC
 The restaurant’s bank's computer contacts the customer’s bank's computer
 The card is checked if it is valid
 If valid the transaction continues
 If not valid the transaction is terminated
 An authorisation code is sent to the restaurant
 The price of the meal is deducted from the customer’s account
 Added to the restaurant’s account

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Question 33
A company wishes to replace its current system with a new computerised system. It has employed a
systems analyst to investigate the current system. Describe three methods the systems analyst could
use to research the current system.

Observation
Involves watching personnel using the existing system to find out exactly how it works.
Questionnaires
Involves sending out questionnaires to the work force to find out their views of the existing system and find
out how some of the key tasks are carried out.
Interviewing
Involves a one-to-one question-and-answer session between the analyst and the employee
Looking at existing paperwork
Allows the analyst to see how the paper files are kept, look at operating instructions and training manuals,
check the accounts.

Question 34
Describe two ways of verification and explain why verification is needed.

Double data entry – Data is typed in twice by one typist or data is typed in by two operators and computer
compares versions. If different freezes/sounds buzzer
Visual check: this is the checking for errors by comparing entered data on the screen with the data in the
original document

Verification is needed for the following reasons:

 Data may be entered/copied inaccurately
 Check needs to be carried out to ensure accurate data entry
 Validation may not pick up that although the data is acceptable it may still be incorrect

Question 35
In the answer to a question on verification, a student wrote:
‘An example of verification is proofreading’. Explain why proofreading is not necessarily verification.

 Proofreading often involves reading through the document without referring to the original source
document.
 This is to check for errors in the typing/spelling/grammar.
 Verification involves reading through the document but referring to the original source document.
 Verification can involve one person reading the document and a second one re-reading the
document.
 Proofreading does not involve two people keying in the same data for the computer to compare the
versions.

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Question 36
The customer is then sent to another screen where they have to input:
 the goods reference number which is 8 digits long
 today’s date which must be in the form dd/mm/yyyy
 the customer’s telephone number
For each input give one validation check that should be performed. A different type of check must be
given in each case.

Goods reference number

 Length check
 Type/character check
 Presence check
 Check digit
Today’s date
 Format check
 Presence check
 Length check
 Range check (on each component)
Telephone number
 Type/character check
 Presence check
 Length check

Question 37
The systems analyst must now produce a screen input form. Design a suitable screen input form which
the owner could use to input the details of one book. Consider both the fields that you will include and
the form layout.

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Question 38
Name and describe four types of test data which are used when testing a system.

Normal data – data within a given range/appropriate for that data type
Abnormal data – data outside the range/of the wrong data type
Extreme data – data that is on the edge of acceptability.
Live data – data that has been used in the previous/existing system

Question 39:
Chad has developed a new computer system. He now needs to implement it. He has decided against
using phased implementation. Name and describe three other methods which could be used to
implement a new system.

Direct changeover
New system replaces existing system immediately/overnight
Parallel running
New system runs alongside/together with existing system
Phased implementation
New system is implemented part by part
Pilot running
System is implemented in one branch/one office (at a time)

Question 40
A new system is being implemented in a company. The systems analyst has a number of ways that the
system can be implemented. For each named method, give an advantage of using the implementation
over the others.

Parallel running
 If the new system fails then the old system is still running.
 There is always a backup of the whole system.
Direct changeover
 Saves on the costs as less personnel
 Saves the time of implementing the new system
 Advantages are immediate
Phased implementation
 If the new system fails then most of the old system still in place.
 Possible to see if part of the new system works before proceeding

Question 41
Part of José’s job will be to produce both technical and user documentation for the new system. For
each type of documentation give two reasons why it is needed.

Technical documentation
 Designed to help programmers/systems analysts
 to improve a system.
 to maintain a system.
 to upgrade a system.
User documentation
 To help the user understand how the new system works
 To help the user to learn how to use the new system
 Technical documentation may be too complex for the user to understand
 To help the user deal with problems

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Question 42
There are a number of security risks associated with using the Internet.
Name three of these risks. For each, state why it is a risk and describe how the risk can be minimised.

Risk: hacking
Reason: illegal/unauthorised access to data deletion/amendment of data
Minimised:
 Use of firewalls
 Encrypt data/encryption
 Usernames and strong passwords to stop remote and local logins
 Use different passwords for different accounts
 Biometric systems to ensure the official user is present
 Electronic dongles which only allow login when the dongle is plugged in
 Dedicated computers which are the only ones allowed to log in

Risk: virus
Reason: can corrupt/delete data cause computer to crash/run slow can fill up hard drive with data
Minimised:
 Use of /run anti-virus software
 Do not download software or data from unknown sources

Risk: spyware/key logging (software)

Reason: can read key presses/files/monitors on a user’s computer
Minimised:
 Use of/run anti-spyware software
 Use data entry methods such as drop-down boxes to minimise risk

Risk: phishing
Reason: link/attachments takes user to fake/bogus website website obtains personal/financial data
Minimised:
 Do not open/click emails/attachments from unknown sources
 Some firewalls can detect fake/bogus websites

Risk: pharming
Reason: redirects user to fake/bogus website
redirection obtains personal/financial data
Minimised:
 Only trust secure websites, e.g. look for https check the URL matches the intended site
 Use up to date firewall services on DNS servers
 Use up to date anti-virus/anti-pharming/anti-spyware software

Risk: credit card fraud/identity theft

Reason: loss of money due to misuse of card/stealing data
Minimised: set passwords encrypt data/encryption

Risk: Smishing
Reason: text contain a link to redirect user to fake/bogus website
Minimised:
 Never text back to unknown sender
 Never respond to any of these types of texts
 Never click on any links within the text message
 Never give out personal information in a text
 Don’t allow your mobile phone number to be included in call lists
 Blocking unfamiliar texters/numbers

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Question 43
Explain how a firewall could be used to secure the data in a computer connected to the
internet.

 Monitors and controls incoming and outgoing data traffic.

 Helps to prevent malware getting into computer from the internet.
 Prevents computer accessing undesirable sites.
 Prevents unauthorized computers using the internet accessing the computer.
 Keeps a list of undesirable sites /IP addresses
 Keeps a list of acceptable sites /IP addresses
 Warns you regarding threats and allows you to accept or reject downloaded programs

Question 44
As more and more people use the internet at home to carry out transactions they are at risk of
downloading software that could corrupt files or copy credit card details. Discuss the effectiveness, or
otherwise, of using different methods of increasing the security of a home computer.

 Answers may make reference to, for example:

 Up to date antivirus software needed/scan files/attachments when downloading/install anti-virus
software
 Computer/emails/uploads need to be scanned regularly
 Firewall required to stop attacks from suspicious computers
 Has a blocked website list/has a white list
 A firewall can be looked through therefore two are better than one
 Stops fraudulent sites attacking the computer
 Up to date anti-spyware software can be used
 Use of strong passwords
 Changing passwords from default passwords
 Regularly changing passwords
 Using different passwords for sites
 Not using a computer/mobile device in a public area
 Data on the cloud needs to be encrypted and have a strong password
 Good antivirus can be expensive to purchase
 Free antivirus software may not be up to date
 This can cause memory issues in the computer as updates use memory
 Antivirus needs to be in operation at all times slowing the operation of the computer
 Backup will not necessarily stop a virus
 Some viruses hide in the system therefore antivirus needs to be in operation
 at all times
 The firewall can affect the operation of the computer and stop some uploads
 May need to be shut down at times to upload files therefore making computer unsafe
 Some legitimate software can be blocked by the firewall
 Spyware sends a user to a fraudulent website and records key logs
 User does not know that the spyware has been uploaded
 Popups are stopped by anti-spyware, pop-under are not
 Too complex a password can be easily forgotten
 Password files may not be backed up
 Hackers can breach most passwords

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Question 45
Suppose a history website is aimed at children and a different history website is aimed at adults.
Describe how these two websites differ

Website aimed at children

 Lots of images
 Very easy navigation.
 Lots of bright colours.
 No long words or sentences.
 Uses fun animations such as cartoons.
Website aimed at adults
 Images more appropriate for adults.
 More complex page design.
 More complex navigation.
 More subtle colours use
 Longer words and sentences
 More subtle cartoons, used sparingly.

Question 46
Explain what is meant by software copyright.

Lawful protection given to authors, software companies and publishers which prevents purchaser from
making unlimited copies to the software and sell it, rent it to others or change the software without the
company’s permission

Question 47
What is the difference between HTTP and HTTPS?

 HTTPS is secure; HTTP is not secure

 HTTPS uses SSL/Secure Socket Layers
 HTTPS is encrypted
 Servers using HTTPS must have a public key certificate

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Question 48
A student is carrying out some research using the internet but is concerned about the reliability of
some of the information he has found. Explain how he would assess the reliability of the websites
where he has found information.

 If site has excessive advertising it could be unreliable

 If the advertising is related only to its own products it could be unreliable
 The final part of a URL can help to identify reliability
 Examples .ac, .gov, .org, .edu government // academic sites are usually fairly reliable
 Can compare information from other websites to see if it is reliable
 If site is endorsed by reliable/reputable people/organisations it could be accepted as being reliable //
If it has links to other reliable sites/ sites which have testimonials it is usually reliable // If it has
testimonials that can be confirmed it is likely to be reliable
 If the author’s credentials are good, it is likely to be reliable
 If information is comparable to information from reliable/authenticated text books it is likely to be
reliable
 If the date of the last update was a long time ago it is likely to be unreliable
 Sites which have grammatical/spelling mistakes are likely to be unreliable
 Compare information from text books/experts to see if the results are similar
 If it has been recommended by teachers, it is likely to be reliable
 If there is a contact page with a real postal address that can be confirmed then it is likely to be
reliable
 URL contains https/padlock

Question 49
Tawara are currently backing up their data onto a tape drive system. They are considering backing up
onto the cloud. Evaluate in your own words the use of the cloud to backup data compared to their tape
drive system. Recommend the most appropriate back up storage for Tawara Heritage Mining to use.

Benefits of cloud
 access to files and data anywhere at any time vs access to tape physical location
 reduced hardware/software costs as there is no hardware
 only pay for the storage you use, on a tape system you have to buy a brand new tape
 more fault tolerance – greater chances of recovering data from raided/mirror cloud storage
 access to data on cloud is faster than tape as tape may need to come from off-site store/direct access
to storage within the cloud vs sequential access on tape
 storage capacity may be unlimited on the cloud vs capacity of storage limited on tape
Drawbacks of cloud
 concerns over security of data/multiple copies, don’t know where data is stored, tape systems are
more secure
 ownership of data, data on tapes is fully owned by you
 need internet access to update/access files, tapes you don’t/data restrictions through ISP
 pay monthly subscription to cloud storage provider/ongoing cost

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Question 50
Explain, using at least three different examples, what is meant by the term ‘generic file formats’.

Generic file formats are those that when files are saved in that format they can be used in different types of
application software.
Examples:
 A .txt file can be imported into any text editor/ word processing/DTP package
 A .csv file can be imported into any spreadsheet
 A .jpg/.gif/.png file can be used in most bitmap image editing software
 A .pdf can be used in any document format reader
 A .rtf can be used in any word processor and retains some formatting
 A .css can be opened in any text editor
 A .htm can be opened by any web browser

Question 51
Describe what is meant by the following file formats.

.txt

 Text file with very little/no formatting/used by a variety of text editors

 Can be opened by any software package that reads text/generic text format
 Any formatting is lost when saved

.gif

 Graphic interchange format

 Bitmap graphic format/GIF files use data compression to reduce the file size
 Image format that will allow still or moving images to be stored

.pdf

 Portable document format

 Makes it possible to display text and graphics in the same fixed layout on any computer screen
 Reduces file size of read only document for transmission

.jpeg

 Joint photographics experts group

 Commonly used for lossy compression for digital images/Used for complex
images/photographs/used for saving storage space/used for increasing transmission speed/reduced
download time (particularly with web pages)
.png

 Portable network graphics

 Uses lossless data compression/Used for transferring logos or images with no colour gradient

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Question 52
Describe four advantages of using a mail merge

 Faster than editing each individual letter

 Fewer errors than retyping the data
 More consistency in the reports
 Error checking only needs to be carried out once on the data and the template
 Reduces the time taken to type out all the reports separate

Question 53
A systems analyst is creating a new database for a shop to store the details of its mobile (cell) phones.
Part of the design of this database will involve the identification of suitable validation checks. Below is
a list of some of the data to be included in the database.

For the following fields write down the most appropriate validation check. Each validation
check must be different. The database will have at least 100 records and each ID number will
be different.

ID_number

Format check/length check

Connectivity

Lookup check/length check

Price

Range check/limit check

The system is being tested using live data. Write the search criteria you would enter into the database
to search for a mobile (cell) phone costing less than $200.00 which has a connectivity of 4G.

Price<$200.00 AND Connectivity = 4G

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Question 54
The owner of a gardening company is planning to create a database to store the details of all his
customers. He has the choice of using a flat file database or a relational database.
Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of using a relational database rather than a flat file
database.

Advantages of relational databases

 Less data entry / data is stored only once / avoids duplication of data
 Less inconsistency of data
 Easier to edit data / records
 Easier to edit data / record format
 Easier to add / delete data / records
 More complex queries can be carried out
 Better security
 More ability to cater for future requirements / expansion
Disadvantages of relational databases
 More complex than a flat file database as more tables are required
 Takes more time to set up
 More of a reduction in performance if many tables are needed
 Slower extraction of meaning from data
 Less robust due to broken keys and records / each table requires a key field and relationships to other
tables
 More developer expertise / personnel to run the database:
 More expensive to create a relational database
 More processing power needed for complex queries.
Advantages of flat file databases
 All records are stored in one place
 Easier to understand / use
 Sorting is simpler
 Filtering is simpler
 Can be used with a spreadsheet / single table DBMS
Disadvantages of a flat file database
 Data is more likely to be duplicated / difficult to stop duplication
 Records can be duplicated and the flat file will not stop this
 Harder to update
 Every record in the database has to have the same fields, even though many are not used
 Harder to change data format
 Harder to produce complex queries
 Almost no security

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Question 55
A travel agent keeps a spreadsheet record of his customers’ holiday bookings to various destinations.

Explain what the function in cell C2 does.

It looks through A8 to A18 and it checks whether A8 to A18 contains the contents of B2 which is BRA and
it counts all the cells where there is a match. Then it writes the answer 4 in cell C2.

What value would you expect to see in cell C3? 2

Explain what the function in cell D2 does.

The function checks whether A8 to A18 contains the code BRA which is the contents of cell B2, if there is a
match adds up all the corresponding cells in B8 to B18 and produces the answer 48.

What value would you expect to see in cell D5? 31

Describe, with examples, how you would use formulae to check that the total Duration and total
number of Days are the same. (You may use cells B19, D6 and D7 to help you.)

Place the formula =SUM(D2:D5) in cell D6

Place the formula =SUM(B8:B18) in cell B19
Values of D6 and B19 they should be the same

Explain why the $ symbol is used in some of the cells in the spreadsheet above.

Absolute cell referencing is being used. When formulae are replicated, some cell references must remain
unchanged. This makes sure they will stay consistent when replicated.

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Explain the differences between a VLOOKUP function and a LOOKUP function.

 LOOKUP allows for horizontal and vertical searching whereas VLOOKUP allows for vertical
searching
 LOOKUP does not require an index value whereas VLOOKUP requires an index value
 LOOKUP usually only works when the data is sorted
 VLOOKUP only returns data to the right of the searched column
 VLOOKUP user can select either an approximate or exact match to the lookup value

Question 56
Identify and describe the three web development layers.

Content layer
Content can consist of text or images
Presentation layer
This layer is defined by the CSS or styles to indicate how elements are displayed
Behaviour layer
This layer of a Web page allows interaction

Question 57
In the following section of HTML markup there are a number of mistakes.
<td>
<p>Manta conservation workshops and holidays can be booked through
the Xtreme Adventure Holiday Company or by
<a href="http://www.xahc.co.uk" target="_manta">
clicking here.</p>
<td>
<p> <href="mailto:tmcp@cie.org.uk"> Email</a> us for details of our
Manta Education Packs or <a href="mailto,tmcp@cie.org.uk,subject=Donation
by John>">click on this link<a> to discover how to donate to help us
preserve these disappearing species.</p>
</td>

 Missing </a> on fourth line

 Missing </td> on fourth line
 Missing a in <href> on sixth line
 : after mailto
 ? in front of subject
 Extra > in subject line of email
 </a> on eighth line

Question 58
Explain the difference between absolute and relative file paths when used in a website

 Relative path points to current folder

 So relative links uploaded to server will work
 Absolute file path points to a location on a storage device
 So links uploaded to server unlikely to work (unless same structure)

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Question 59
Describe the following file formats.

CSS

 Cascading Style sheet

 Plain text file format
 Used by web pages to produce a consistent format between different web pages
 Used in the presentation layer

.htm

 hypertext markup (language file format)

 Plain text file format
 Used in the content layer
 Consists of a set of markup symbols/codes
 Tells the web browser how to display the page

Question 60
You are a student creating a website for your IGCSE ICT revision work. You have produced some
HTML, but have not yet added the logo or merged the cells. You are aiming to produce the following
page.

Part of the markup you have produced is:

...
<table>
<tr>
<td><h1>IGCSE ICT</h1></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><h3>Theory</h3></td>
<td><h3>Practical 1</h3></td>
<td><h3>Practical 2</h3></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><h3>2 hour<br>Theory exam</h3></td>
<td><h3>2.5 hour<br>Practical exam</h3></td>
<td><h3>2.5 hour<br>Practical exam</h3></td>
</tr>
</table>
Write the HTML that would display the image called “Logo.jpg” as shown in Fig. 1. If the browser
cannot find the image, then the text “Tawara School Logo” will be displayed.
<td rowspan="3"><img src="Logo.jpg" alt="Tawara School Logo"></td>
The third line of HTML currently shown does not produce the title as shown in Fig. 1.
Write the HTML that would produce the title
<td colspan="3"><h1>IGCSE ICT </h1></td>

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Question 61
Aadhya and her family are planning a visit to the Gir National Park and she is creating a web page
about the destination. She has started writing some of the HTML but has made some mistakes.

<html>
<!-- Visit to Gir National Park -->
<head>
</head>
<title>The Gir National Park</title>
<body>
<table style= "width:100%">
<tbody style="background-color: #9acd32>
<tr>
<td rowspan="2"><img src="GIRNP.JPG" width="50" alt="image of an
elephant">
</td>
<td><h1>The Gir National Park</h1>
<h3>A National Park of Gujarat</h3>
</td>
<td ><img scr="GIR-LOGO.JPG" alt="Logo for Gir National Park">
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td colspan="2" >This webpage is under construction.
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
<table>
</body>
</html>

Write down four mistakes which would prevent this markup from working properly. Your answers
must be different in each case.

</head> is in the wrong place // <title> </title> line is in the wrong place
<tbody style="background-color: #9acd32> no ending quotes
scr is not correct syntax should be src
final <table> is not correct should be </table>

Question 62
Explain the purpose of the body section of HTML

 Defines the document’s body

 Contains all the elements of an HTML page
 Contains the content for example Table, images, heading
 Contains style instructions

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A stylesheet can contain styles and classes.

Explain the difference between a style and a class.

 A class definition name starts with a full stop

 A class is used for adding or changing a style within CSS
 Classes are subtypes within an element
 There are a limited number of styles
 Styles are pre-defined classes are user-defined
 Styles are defined in the head section
 Styles are used once but classes are styles saved for future use

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