Edexcel GCSE Computer Science (1CP2) Exam Questions

• A Desktop computer (1)
• The only correct answer is A. The correct answer is Desktop computer.
• B is not correct because a microwave oven uses an embedded system, built into it, to control a dedicated function
• C is not correct because a washing machine uses an embedded system, built into it, to control a dedicated function
• D is not correct because a traffic light uses an embedded system, built into it, to control a dedicated function

• C Pixel (1)
• The only correct answer is C. The correct answer is pixel.
• A is not correct because colour depth is the number of bits used to store the colour of each pixel
• B is not correct because file size is the amount of storage an image takes up, not an area of the image
• D is not correct because resolution is a measure of the number of pixels in an image (such as its width × height), not the smallest identifiable area

Award one mark for any of the following up to a maximum of three marks:

• The address (of the next instruction) is sent from the CPU to main memory / placed on the address bus (1)
• The (next) instruction is fetched/read from main memory (RAM) (1)
• The instruction is brought/copied into the CPU / received into the MDR (1)
• The program counter (PC) is incremented/updated to hold the address of the next instruction (1)

Allow 'the PC/MAR is placed on the address bus' for the address being sent to main memory.

Allow 'the MDR receives the instruction' for the instruction being brought into the CPU.

Do not award a second mark for the instruction being fetched from main memory and the instruction being brought into the CPU; these are the same point.

Do not award 'the instruction is transferred along the data bus' on its own; this is the same point as the instruction being fetched from main memory.

Do not accept answers about decoding the instruction, e.g. 'the instruction is fetched from RAM and decoded', as decoding happens in the decode stage.

Do not accept answers about the execute stage, e.g. 'the ALU carries out the calculation' or 'the result of a calculation is stored in a register', as these happen in the execute stage.

Award up to two marks for a linked description such as:

• Keeps a record/index of where each file is stored on the disk (1) so the file can be found and opened later (1)
• Allocates space on the disk for each file (1) so files are stored without overwriting each other (1)
• Provides facilities to name file(s) and organise them into folder(s)/directories (1) so the user can find and manage their files (1)

Do not accept responses about process management, peripheral management or user management.

Do not accept bare statements of storing/saving, e.g. 'it stores files', 'it saves files' or 'it keeps files safe', with no development.

Do not award a mark for responses that repeat the question, e.g. 'it manages files', with no development.