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Answers to Practice Paper 1A

1 a 0 1 1 1 0 0 0 0

b i) 0 0 0 0 1 1 1 0
ii) 14 iii) 112 ÷ 2 3 = 14 → result from shifting is correct.
c i) 128 64 32 16 8 4 2 1
1 1 1 1 0 0 1 0
ii) −14 iii) F 2
2 a i) Universal serial bus; standard connection used to connect devices to a computer.
ii) Any three from:
– USB-C is a 24-pin symmetrical connection.
– USB-C is much thinner cable than USB-A.
– USB-C offers 100W power connectivity (allowing full-sized devices to be charged).
– USB-C has better connectivity (up to 10Gbps) and can support 4K video.

b Method used Data direction

Description Serial Parallel Simplex Half duplex Full duplex
Data sent 8 bits at a time along 8 channels ✔ ✔
in both directions, but not at the same time
Data sent 1 bit at a time along a single ✔ ✔
channel in one direction only
Data sent 8 bits at a time along 8 channels ✔ ✔
in one direction only
16 bits of data sent 1 bit at a time along a ✔ ✔
single channel; the data can be sent in both
directions but not at the same time
16 bits of data sent along 16 channels in ✔ ✔
both directions at the same time

3 a i) W
 hen entering numerical data into a computer, – Memory data register (MDR)
thus ensuring no errors following entry. – Program counter (PC)
ii) Any three from: b Buses:
– incorrect digit entered (for example, 5327 – System buses are parallel transmission channels.
instead of 5307)
– Each channel transmits one bit at a time.
– transposition error where two digits have
– Address bus carries addresses throughout
changed place (for example, 5037 instead
computer system.
of 5307)
– Data bus carries data between CPU, memory
– omitted or extra digits (for example, 537 or
and I/O devices.
53107 instead of 5307)
– Control bus carries signals from control unit to
– phonetic errors (for example 13 (thirteen)
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all other components.

instead of 30 (thirty))
Registers:
iii) When the error didn’t change the check digit
value then no error would be flagged. – Registers are used by the CPU to store data
values needed during processing (for example,
b Stage 1: 9 + 8 + 4 + 1 + 6 + 6 = 34
the next instruction to be executed).
Stage 2: (7 + 1 + 7 + 8 + 8 + 8) x 3 = 117
– CIR stores current instruction being decoded
Stage 3: 34 + 117 = 151 ÷ 10 = 15 remainder 1 and executed.
4 a i) Two from: address bus, data bus, control bus – ACC used when carrying out ALU calculations;
ii) Two from: stores data temporarily during calculations.
– Current instruction register (CIR) – MAR stores address of memory location
– Accumulator (ACC) currently being read from or written to.
– Memory address register (MAR)

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Answers to Practice Paper 1A

– MDR stores data that has just been read from
memory or data that is about to be written to
memory.
– PC stores the address where the next
instruction to be read can be found.
c Cores are made up of ALU, control unit and
registers; quad core processors are made up of
four cores and each core communicates with the
other three cores using 6 channels:
Core 1 Core 2
(6 channels)
Core 3 Core 4
5 a  R codes are a type of barcode which use a matrix
Q –
of dark squares on a light background, rather than
dark and light lines of varying thickness. There are
three large squares at the corners – these are used
to align the QR code when being read by a camera.
b – Passenger points camera on a phone/tablet at
the QR code.
– The image of the QR code is stored on the
phone/tablet.
– A QR app will now process the camera image
converting dark squares into binary data.
– Browser software on the phone/tablet
automatically reads the data generated by
the app and also decodes any web addresses
contained within the QR code.
– The user will be sent to any websites
automatically or information will show on
phone/tablet screen.
c Any one from
Advantages:
– Possible to hold large amounts of information.
– Fewer errors since QR codes contain built-in
error detection methods.
– Easier to read than barcodes (doesn’t need
expensive laser/led scanners).
– QR code can be encrypted which gives greater
security protection.
Disadvantages:
– More than one QR code format exists.
– Anyone can generate QR codes (software
readily/freely available).
QR code can contain malicious codes and/or
fake website addresses (called attagging).
6 a i) P
 ixel array is a matrix of tiny sensors which
make up a CCD; colour depth is the number of
bits used to represent the colour of each pixel.
ii) No. of pixels = 2048 x 1536 = 3 145 728 bits
x colour depth = 24 x 3 145 728 = 75 497 472 bits
÷ 8 to get no. of bytes = 75 497 472/8 = 9 437
184 bytes
÷ (1024 x 1024 x 1024) = 0.00878906 GiBytes
Maximum no. of photos = 64/0.00878906 = 7281
photos
b Using RLE (lossless compression) the logo
code becomes:

12 80 1 255 4 1 255 2 1 255 1 2 255 2 2 255 1 2 255 1 2 255 2 2 255

80 80 80 80 80 80 80
1 1 255 2 1 255 4 1 255 12 80
80 80 80

The original 10 x 6 logo would need 60 bytes of
storage; using RLE this reduces to 46 bytes – a
reduction of about 23%.
c Lossy: the original file cannot be reformed once
the compression algorithm has been performed.
Lossless: it is possible to get the original file back
again after compression has taken place.
7 a  uffers are used to hold data temporarily; they
B
allow the CPU to carry on with other tasks while
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printing is taking place; once a buffer is empty it
needs to be refilled – this process continues until
all data has been printed out.
b When the buffer is empty, the printer sends an
interrupt to the CPU requesting more data; the
CPU suspends its present task (and stores the
data) and checks the interrupt priority before
servicing the interrupt; this procedure occurs
each time the buffer is emptied until no more data
remains to be printed.

8 a Description of application Appropriate sensor

Pick up the noise of breaking glass in an intruder alert system Acoustic, microphone
Used in mobile phones to switch between portrait and landscape mode when Accelerometer
phone changes its orientation
Used in anti-lock braking systems in a vehicle Magnetic field
Sends data to allow a vehicle’s windscreen wipers to turn on automatically when Infrared (active)
it starts to rain
Used to detect a leak in the refrigerant in an air conditioning unit Gas, level
Monitors the moisture levels in the air in a factory manufacturing microchips Humidity

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Answers to Practice Paper 1A

b i)  Embedded systems are a combination of – The mobile phone number or email address
hardware and software designed to carry out have already been registered with the
a specific function; the hardware is electronic, website being used.
electrical or electro-mechanical. – The user now enters the 8-digit code (OTP)
ii) Temperature sensor into the website giving them authorised
iii) Accelerometer/tilt sensor (e.g. mercury access.
switch) ii) They allow for patches that update software
iv) – Temperature sensor and tilt sensor security, patches that improve software
constantly send data to a microprocessor. performance/features.
– Data goes through an ADC to ensure 10 a Automated system
it is digital before being sent to the b Robot
microprocessor; the microprocessor c Controller
checks the temperature.
d Autonomous
– If temperature >= 4, then a signal is sent to
e Artificial intelligence
an actuator to start the air con compressor.
f Expert system
– If temperature < 4, then a signal is sent to
an actuator to stop the air con compressor. g Machine learning
– Microprocessor checks data from 11
Program that supplies static or
accelerometer/tilt sensor. moving images on a monitor
Virtual memory
– If tilt value > 20 then the microprocessor when a computer has been left
sends a signal to operate an alarm. idle for a period of time.

– Process continues indefinitely. Descriptor

9 a i) Decentralised database where all transactions

Software that rearranges blocks
are stored; it consists of a number of of data to remove unused data
interconnected computers but no central blocks; it arranges the data into Screensaver
server. contiguous sectors.
ii) Each block has a unique hash value; if the data
in a block is tampered with, then the hash Bootstrap
value will also change; its links with the other USB device drivers contain
blocks will then be broken thus preventing any information such as vendor ID
(VI), product ID (PID) and
transaction taking place. unique serial numbers. Printer driver
b i) Manipulating people into breaking their normal
security procedures (such as giving away a
password) in order to gain illegal access to Software that communicates
Disk defragmenter
their computer system or to place malware on with the operating system and
translates data into a format
their computer.
understood by an input/output
ii) Two from: instant messaging containing device.
Solid-state device
malicious links, scareware (for example, fake
virus checkers), phishing scams, memory Used by DRAM to recharge
sticks left lying around infected with viruses capacitors every 15
and other malware or bogus phone calls microseconds to ensure values Disk thrashing
claiming a user’s mobile phone has been are retained by the RAM
compromised. memory.

c i) –  type of authentication that requires two

A Refresh
methods of verification to prove the identity
Device that uses floating gate
of a user.
and control gate transistors to
– User logs onto website and enters their allow the rewriting of data. Cache
username and password.
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– An 8-digit PIN is then sent to user’s mobile

phone (number) or user’s email address.

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