Edexcel GCSE Computer Science (1CP2) Exam Questions

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

• Uses statements/instructions that look like English/maths (1)
• Does not depend on one type of processor / can be run on different types of computer with few or no changes (machine independent) (1)
• A single statement is translated into several machine code instructions (1)
• Provides data structures such as arrays and records (1)
• Provides built-in/library subprograms (1)
• Is translated by a compiler or an interpreter (1)

Allow portable/platform independent for machine independent.

Allow easier to read/write/understand/debug only when linked to the English-like statements, e.g. uses words that look like English so it is easier to understand.

Do not accept a high-level language / not a low-level language with no other detail.

Do not accept written in binary/machine code.

Do not accept faster to run / uses less memory, as these are characteristics of low-level languages.

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

• It can control/manipulate the hardware (components/registers/memory locations) directly (1)
• Each instruction maps to a single machine-code instruction, so the behaviour/timing can be controlled precisely (1)
• The code can run very quickly / has a fast execution time (1)
• The code uses less memory/RAM (1)
• The code can be optimised for a particular processor/chipset (1)

Only award one mark where both 'controls the hardware' and 'accesses registers/memory locations' are given, as these are the same point.

Do not accept 'it is closer to the hardware' without saying that it controls or accesses the hardware directly.

Do not accept easier/faster to write/program/learn/understand/debug (these are advantages of high-level languages).

Do not accept faster/quicker without qualification.

Do not accept portable/machine independent.

Do not accept does not need to be translated/compiled (assembly language must be assembled).

Do not accept it is a low-level language / a repeat of the question.

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.

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

• The interpreter translates and executes each line in turn (1) so it cannot continue past a line it cannot translate (1)
• The interpreter finds the error when it reaches that line (1) so it stops and displays an error message before later lines are executed (1)
• Each line is translated just before it is executed (1) so a syntax error in that line prevents that translation/execution from happening (1)
• The interpreter does not translate the whole program first (1) so it only discovers the error when that line is reached during execution (1)

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

Do not accept 'the program crashes' without saying that the interpreter cannot translate/execute the line.

Do not accept answers about how a compiler reports errors.