Information Technology AS level

2020-2021
Unit 1 – Practice Questions
Worksheet 3
Date: 10/06/2020

Name:

For your reference:

Command word What it means

Compare identify/comment on similarities and/or differences

Contrast identify/comment on differences

state the points of a topic/
Describe give characteristics and main features

set out purposes or reasons / make the relationships

Explain between things evident / provide why and/or how and
support with relevant evidence

examine in detail to show meaning, identify elements

Analyse
and the relationship between them

Q1 Tick whether the following is a method of validation, verification or proof-reading. [4]

Validation verification proof-reading

Identifying spelling errors

Using a range check

Typing in data twice

Visually comparing data on

screen with the original source
document
 Information Technology AS level
2020-2021

Describe
Q2 Name and describe three validation checks which could be carried out on a 16-digit
credit card number when it is typed into a computer. [6]

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Compare
Contrast
Q3 When data is entered into a database it needs to be checked for accuracy. One of the
methods used to help in this process is verification.
Compare and contrast the different methods used to carry out verification.
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 Information Technology AS level
2020-2021
Explain
Q4 The secretary of a company is transferring workers’ records from paper to a new computer
database. She wishes to make sure the data in the database is accurate. To check the data
she is using verification and validation.
Using an example, or otherwise, explain why she is using validation as well as verification.
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Q5 A head-teacher is updating the school’s record-keeping system. For the new system he is
considering using off-the-shelf software. When the new system is running the secretary will
need to enter all the students’ data. This will require accurate entry of the data.
Describe the different methods of verification the secretary could use.
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Analyze ‘Analyse’ requires that candidates must explain the main points of the topic in detail and explain their
effectiveness and characteristics, identify their characteristics and examine closely
 Information Technology AS level
2020-2021
Q6 A school secretary has just been given some student data to enter into a school’s database
of student records. These include student numbers and dates of birth such as:
13542767 14/07/2000
11987643 13/10/2001
In order to ensure accuracy of the input, the data will be validated. Possible validation checks
which could be used are range checks, check digits and format checks. Analyse the
effectiveness of these checks in validating this data.
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Q7 Validation is often used to check that data entered into a computer is sensible. A customer orders
database contains details of the Customer ID number, the value of the order placed and the date
the order was placed. Any new order, when it is entered, needs to be validated.
Using these examples of database fields, analyse the use of the following different validation rules –
range check, type check, length check and format check.
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 Information Technology AS level
2020-2021
Describe
Q8 A secretary has been given a list of product details. She was asked to type the details into
a spreadsheet. Unfortunately, when she typed them in, wrong data was entered into cells A7.
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(a) Describe which type of validation check could have prevented the errors from occurring,
including a description of how it would have prevented the error.
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(b) The secretary’s manager typed a formula into cell D2 to calculate the price of the product
which is given at the beginning of each Product number.
Write down the formula which he would have entered in cell D2 and describe how the Price
was formatted so that it would appear as it does in the spreadsheet.
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You may use this space for working out.