Edexcel GCSE Computer Science (1CP2) Exam Questions

• A It can manipulate the hardware directly (1)
• The only correct answer is A. The correct answer is it can manipulate the hardware directly.
• B is not correct because data structures such as arrays and records are a characteristic of high-level languages
• C is not correct because low-level languages are processor/machine dependent, so they are not machine independent
• D is not correct because in a low-level language one instruction translates into one machine code instruction

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

• The compiler translates the whole program into machine code before it is run (1) so no translation is needed while the program is executing (1)
• The machine code/object code is already produced before execution (1) so the CPU can carry out the instructions directly without translating them (1)
• The compiled program does not need an interpreter at run time (1) so no time is spent translating each line before it is executed (1)

For both marks, the expansion must follow/associate with the statement.

A statement that translation happens before execution, with no linked reason for faster running, earns 1 mark only.

Do not accept 'faster to run' or 'quicker' on its own without a reason linked to translation before/during execution.

Do not accept 'compiled code is optimised' or 'compilation takes less time' without linking this to translation before execution/at run time.

Do not accept answers about the compiler being installed or available.

The question asks why a compiled program usually runs faster, so answers must refer to when translation happens, not just general performance claims.

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

• The compiler produces object code/machine code for the whole program (1) so there is no complete executable until every line has been translated (1)
• The compiler translates all the source code before producing the object code (1) so the program cannot start until translation has finished (1)
• The compiler checks the whole program for errors during translation (1) so all of the source code must be read before an executable can be produced (1)

For both marks, the expansion must follow/associate with the statement.

Allow 'in one go'/'all at once' for the translation point, but this does not earn the second mark unless it is linked to why the program cannot be executed until translation has finished.

A statement that the whole program is translated, with no linked reason about when the program can be executed, earns 1 mark only.

Do not accept 'a compiler is faster' or 'compiled code runs faster' on its own; this does not explain why translation must finish before execution.

Do not accept 'it translates and runs the program one line at a time', as this describes an interpreter.