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1 Binary is a number system used by computers.

(a) Tick (3) one box to show which statement about the binary number system is correct.

A It is a base 1 system

B It is a base 2 system

C It is a base 10 system

D It is a base 16 system
[1]

(b) Denary numbers are converted to binary numbers to be processed by a computer.

Convert these three denary numbers to 8-bit binary numbers.

50 ..............................................................................................................................................

102 ............................................................................................................................................

221 ............................................................................................................................................
[3]

Working space

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(c) Binary numbers are stored in registers.

Negative denary numbers can be represented as binary using two’s complement.

Complete the binary register for the denary number –78

You must show all your working.

Working space ..........................................................................................................................

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Register:

[2]

(d) Two 8-bit binary numbers are given.

Add the two 8-bit binary numbers using binary addition.

Give your answer in binary. Show all your working.

00110011
+01100001

[3]

(e) Two binary numbers are added by a computer and an overflow error occurs.

Explain why the overflow error occurred.

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2 A student has a sound file that is too large to be stored on their external secondary storage device.
The student compresses the sound file to make the file size smaller.

The compression method used reduces the sample rate and the sample resolution of the sound
file.

(a) State what is meant by the sample rate and sample resolution.

Sample rate ..............................................................................................................................

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Sample resolution .....................................................................................................................

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[2]

(b) Identify which type of compression has been used to compress the sound file.

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(c) The student sends the sound file to a friend. The file is transmitted across a network that uses
packet switching.

(i) Identify two pieces of data that would be included in the header of each packet.

1 ........................................................................................................................................

2 ........................................................................................................................................
[2]

(ii) Explain how the file is transmitted using packet switching.

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3 Secondary storage devices are used to store data in a computer.

(a) Circle three components that are secondary storage devices.

central processing unit (CPU) compact disk (CD)

hard disk drive (HDD) random access memory (RAM) read only memory (ROM)

register sensor solid-state drive (SSD)

[3]

(b) Tick (3) one box to show which statement about secondary storage is correct.

A It is directly accessed by the CPU.

B It is magnetic storage only.

C It is used to permanently store software and data files.

D It is volatile.

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1 Computers store data as binary. The binary number 10101110 is stored.

(a) Convert the binary number to denary.

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Working space

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(b) Convert the binary number to hexadecimal.

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Working space

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(c) A logical left shift of three places is performed on the binary number.

(i) Give the 8-bit binary number that would be stored after this logical left shift.

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(ii) Tick (3) one box to show which statement is true about the impact the logical left binary
shift would have on the binary number.

A The least significant bits are lost.

B The most significant bits are lost.

C The number has been divided by six.

D The number stays the same.

[1]

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(d) Add the two 8-bit binary numbers 11101110 and 00110001 using binary addition.

Give your answer in binary. Show all your working.

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(e) The denary number 301 needs to be stored.

Calculate the least number of bits that can be used to store the denary number 301.

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Working space

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(f) The hexadecimal number A4D needs to be stored.

Calculate the least number of bits that can be used to store the hexadecimal number A4D.

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Working space

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2 A library has a self-checkout system that allows customers to register books that they want to
borrow.

The self-checkout system has a central processing unit (CPU).

The CPU has two cores.

(a) State the purpose of a core in the CPU.

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(b) The CPU is replaced with one that has four cores.

Explain the effect this has on the performance of the self-checkout system.

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(c) The CPU contains registers and buses.

(i) Describe the role of a register in the CPU.

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(ii) Identify one bus that can be found in the CPU and explain its purpose in the
fetch–decode–execute cycle.

Bus ....................................................................................................................................

Purpose .............................................................................................................................

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[3]

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(d) The self-checkout system allows the user to input their library membership number.

Give two appropriate input devices that would allow the user to do this.

1 ................................................................................................................................................

2 ................................................................................................................................................
[2]

(e) The self-checkout system uses a monitor to display information about the book.

Users who are blind also need to use the self-checkout system.

Give an appropriate output device that would allow a blind user to be given this information.

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(f) The self-checkout system uses two types of primary storage.

Circle two types of primary storage that would be used in the system.

compact disk (CD) digital versatile disk (DVD)

hard disk drive (HDD) random access memory (RAM)

read only memory (ROM) universal serial bus (USB) flash memory drive
[2]

(g) The self-checkout system is linked to a stock control system that is updated every time a
book is borrowed from the library.

A microprocessor is used in the stock control system to update the stock.

Explain the role of the microprocessor in this system and how it is used to update the stock
when a book is borrowed.

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3 Five network terms or definitions are given in the table.

Complete the table by giving the missing term or definition.

Term Definition

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router
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This address is assigned by the network and used to

identify a device on a network.
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network interface card (NIC)
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This address is assigned by the manufacturer and is used

to uniquely identify the device.
.............................................................

This can be hardware or software based and filters traffic

coming into and out of a network.
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[5]

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1 Output devices are used to output data from a computer.

Circle three devices that are output devices.

actuator digital versatile disk (DVD) keyboard

microphone mouse printer scanner

sensor solid‑state drive (SSD) speaker

[3]

2 Binary numbers can be converted to hexadecimal.

(a) Convert the two binary numbers to hexadecimal.

10010011 ..................................................................................................................................

00001101 ..................................................................................................................................
[4]

Working space

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(b) A value is stored as a binary number in a register.

0 1 1 1 1 0 1 0

A logical right shift of three places is performed on the binary number.

(i) Complete the binary register to show its contents after this logical right shift.

[1]

(ii) State one effect this logical shift has on the binary number.

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(c) Give two reasons why a programmer may use hexadecimal to represent binary numbers.

1 ................................................................................................................................................

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2 ................................................................................................................................................

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[2]

(d) Denary numbers can also be converted to hexadecimal.

Convert the denary number to hexadecimal.

301 ...................................................................................................................................... [2]

Working space

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3 When keys are pressed on a keyboard, the text is converted to binary to be processed by the
computer.

(a) Describe how the text is converted to binary to be processed by the computer.

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(b) Text that is input into a computer can be stored in a text file.

A text file can be compressed using lossless compression.

(i) State what effect this has on the file size.

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(ii) Describe how lossless compression compresses the text file.

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(iii) Give two reasons why the text file may have been compressed.

1 ........................................................................................................................................

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2 ........................................................................................................................................

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[2]

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4 A student uses a mobile phone to take photographs for a school project.

The student needs to transmit the photographs to their computer. They could use serial data
transmission or parallel data transmission to transmit the photographs.

(a) (i) Describe how the photographs would be transmitted using serial data transmission.

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(ii) Give two benefits of transmitting the photographs using serial data transmission.

1 ........................................................................................................................................

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2 ........................................................................................................................................

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[2]

(iii) State one benefit of the student using parallel data transmission instead of serial data
transmission.

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(b) The photographs are also transmitted across a network to cloud storage. A device on the
network forwards the data towards its correct destination.

(i) State the name of this device.

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(ii) Describe what is meant by cloud storage.

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(iii) Give one disadvantage of storing the photographs in cloud storage instead of storing
them locally.

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