Build a practice paper from 659 exam-style questions, each with its mark scheme and example answers. Print it, or answer it on paper and then open the mark schemes. Or browse the questions by topic.
3 questions · 5 marks
Binary, denary and hexadecimal patterns represent numbers.
Convert the binary pattern 1110 1100 to denary.
Award one mark for:
236
Why: Correct: 128 + 64 + 32 + 8 + 4 = 236 (1).
55
Why: Reads the place values from the wrong end (the left-hand bit as 1), so the value is wrong.
5
Why: Counts the 1s instead of adding their place values.
A computer can be used by more than one person.
Describe how an operating system uses access rights to protect each user's files.
Award up to two marks for a linked description such as:
Do not accept responses about asking for a password/username, as this checks who the user is, not what they are allowed to do.
Do not accept 'files are protected/safe' or 'access rights protect files' without saying how access is limited (e.g. read-only access, permissions for different users).
A user can be given read-only access to a file, so they can open it but cannot edit or delete it.
Why: Read-only/read access point (1) and linked development that the user cannot edit/delete the file (1).
A user can be given read-only access to a file.
Why: Read-only/read access point (1); no development saying what this prevents, such as being unable to edit/delete the file (0).
The operating system asks for the password again before the file opens.
Why: Describes asking for a password, which checks who the user is, not access rights to the file; no creditworthy point.
High-level code can be translated by a compiler or by an interpreter.
Describe how a compiler translates high-level code differently from an interpreter.
Award up to two marks for a linked description such as:
Accept the compiler point and the interpreter point in either order.
Do not accept responses about object code/executable files, when the translated code is executed, how errors are reported, or speed/memory use.
Do not accept 'the interpreter executes/runs each line' on its own, without saying that it translates one line/statement at a time.
A compiler translates the whole program in one go, while an interpreter translates one line at a time.
Why: Whole program translated in one go (1) and interpreter translates one line at a time (1).
A compiler translates the whole program in one go.
Why: Whole program translated in one go (1); no linked point about the interpreter translating a line at a time.
A compiler produces an executable file, but an interpreter does not.
Why: Describes the output, not the amount translated at a time; object code/executable files are not accepted.
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