Cambridge International General Certificate of Secondary Education

NAME: Mr. BD Ngwenya

DATE: 16 February 2024 CLASS: Form 4A & 4B

INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

SUBJECT CODE - 0417
CHAPTER 1 – TYPES AND COMPONENTS OF THE COMPUTER SYSTEM
TOTAL MARKS -60
DURATION - 2 PERIODS

READ THESE INSTRUCTIONS FIRST

• Write your Name, Class and Date in the spaces at the top of this page

• Write in dark blue or black pen.

• Answer all questions.

• The number of marks is given in brackets [ ] at the end of each question are part of

the question.

MARKS
1. Identify the hardware from the descriptions given.
a) A volatile internal memory that stores the current instruction.

Random Access Memory//RAM [1]

b) A printed circuit board containing the CPU and other components of a computer.

Motherboard [1]

c) A printed circuit board that controls the output to a monitor.

Graphics card [1]

d) A printed circuit board that is installed in a computer so that the computer can be
connected to a network.

Network (interface) Card/NIC [1]

e) Non-volatile internal memory used to store the start-up instructions

Read Only Memory/ROM [1]

f) An internal component that provides the input and output of audio signals

Sound card [1]

g) An internal component that is composed of the main memory, the control unit
and the arithmetic logic unit.

CPU/Processor [1]

ICT – Chapter 1 2
2. A computer consists of both hardware and software.
a) Define the term hardware.
The physical components of the computer

[1]
b) Give two examples of internal hardware devices.
Processor
Motherboard
Video/graphic card
Sound card
[2]
c) Define the term software.
Programs for controlling the operation of a computer
Programs for processing of electronic data - Program/data/applications
[1]
d) There are two types of software: system and applications.
Give two examples of applications software.
Word processing
Spreadsheet
Database
Presentation

[2]

ICT – Chapter 1 3
3. Compare RAM and ROM. Your answer must include similarities and differences.
Similarities
Both are internal memory
Both are the primary storage
The data on both can be read
Both are directly accessed by the CPU
Differences
RAM is volatile//ROM is non-volatile
RAM data can be read from and written to//ROM is read-only
RAM is temporary memory//ROM is permanent memory
ROM stores the start up instructions, whereas RAM is used to store the
current program/instruction
[5]

4. There are two types of software: applications and system.

Tick (✓) the most appropriate type of software for each of the following.

Applications System

Device driver ✓

Linker ✓

Photo-editing software ✓

Spreadsheet ✓

[2]

ICT – Chapter 1 4
5. Smart technology is increasingly being used in everyday life. Many people are now
using smart devices such as smartwatches.
a) Tick (✓) whether the following statements most appropriately refer to a desktop
computer, a tablet computer or a smartwatch.

Desktop Tablet Smartwatch

Computer Computer (✓)
(✓) (✓)
A computer made up of separate ✓
units
Is an example of wearable ✓
technology
A portable device that allows text to ✓
be typed relatively easily
Most easily used for fitness and ✓
health monitoring by runners

[4]

b) Smartphones are more likely to be used than laptops for everyday ICT use.
Describe three advantages of using a smartphone rather than a laptop computer.
More portable as it is lighter in weight
Smaller in size therefore can fit in in your pocket
More likely to have the smartphone with you at all times
Easier to receive and make phone calls on the move
More of a chance of retaining the signal//can be used in more places than a
laptop computer - Less power consumption
[3]

ICT – Chapter 1 5
6. A group of students are carrying out a study of the quality of river water for a project.
They can either use a tablet computer or a smartphone to monitor and record their
findings. Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of using a tablet computer
rather than a smartphone for this project.
Advantages
• Easier to connect devices to a tablet
• Larger screen to see the findings
• Larger onscreen keyboard to enter the data
• Better software suited to the task
Disadvantages
• Smartphones are more portable and can be carried in a pocket
• Students are more likely to have smartphones with them
• If cameras are to be used, then it is easier to use a camera with a smartphone

[6]
7. A smartphone has many uses, for example making and receiving telephone calls.
Give four other uses of a smartphone.
- Global Positioning System//satellite navigation - Calendar
Video calling - Social networking
Online banking - Emails
Playing and streaming videos/music - Text messaging
Searching the internet - Taking photos
Gaming - Control of home devices
Language translation

[4]

ICT – Chapter 1 6
8. Tick (✓) whether the following statements refer to a Command Line Interface (CLI)
or a Graphical User Interface (GUI).

CLI GUI
(✓) (✓)
The user has to type in every ✓
instruction
The user does not need to learn any ✓
of the instructions
Each instruction has to be typed in ✓
correctly
The user is in direct communication ✓
with the computer
[2]

9. Some people use dialogue-based user interfaces to operate their car audio system.
a) Describe what is meant by a dialogue-based user interface.
Allows for hands free control
Safer than using a standard interface
More useful for physically disabled users

[2]
b) Describe the benefits and drawbacks of using a dialogue-based user interface in
this way.
Limited access due to the number of commands stored
More expensive to develop
May not operate reliably due to background noise/speech impediment/accents
Need to be ‘trained’ by the user
Can be distracting if the commands are not understood

[4]

ICT – Chapter 1 7
10. Some gaming systems use gesture based user interfaces to operate a game.
a) Describe what is meant by a gesture based user interface.
Where the human body interacts with the device
Where a human gives a command ...
… without using a keyboard/mouse/pointing device

[2]

b) Describe the drawbacks of using gesture-based user interfaces in this way.

Fatigue/gorilla arm
User can unintentionally activate the device … by moving their arms/fingers
Not as accurate as other interfaces
Issues with stopping the gesture … if the user touches a button, the interface
knows the command is completed.
Have to learn what the gestures do//Having to remember the gestures
Could cause damage if in restricted space
May have a limited number of gestures that can be used
Users with physical disabilities may not be able to make the gestures
Have to use/learn the gestures accurately; otherwise, they may not be identified
[4]

ICT – Chapter 1 8
11. Rockit Motors has opened a car store in a shopping mall. Customers can test drive
the cars they are planning to purchase using virtual reality systems within the store.
a) Name two devices which would be used in this virtual reality system.
Headset/head-mounted displays/HMD
Data goggles - Steering wheel
Large monitor/screen/projector
Surround Speakers
[2]
b) Explain the term virtual reality.
A computer-generated simulation
Uses a three-dimensional environment
Can be interacted within a real or physical way
The equipment is fitted with sensors

[3]

ICT – Chapter 1 9
12. Some smartphones connected to the internet can allow the user to point their
phone’s camera at an object or image to display information about it on the phone’s
screen. The object acts like an item in a search engine. This is called augmented
reality. One example of its use is in mobile games, where the user tries to catch
characters from the game as the characters appear to walk in the streets. Explain,
using examples, other ways in which augmented reality could be used in everyday
life.

Gather information – about buildings, paintings,

Can be used as a direction finder – are you moving in (shopping mall, airport,
railway station, filling stations, hotels)
Visualize how something looks like in real life – exterior designers, try on clothes, try
on makeups, colour clothing,
Could be used for facial recognition – used by police recognizing suspects.

[4]

ICT – Chapter 1 10