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Edexcel GCSE Computer Science (1CP2) Exam Questions

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1Short recall3 marksFetch Decode Execute Cycle Swap Remove

The fetch-decode-execute cycle is used by the CPU.

State three things that happen during the fetch stage.

[3 marks]
Mark scheme

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.

Example answers and how they were marked
Full marks3/3

The address of the next instruction is sent to main memory, the instruction is fetched from RAM, and the program counter is incremented.

Why: Address sent to main memory (1), instruction fetched from RAM (1) and program counter incremented (1).

Some marks1/3

The instruction is fetched from main memory and then decoded.

Why: Fetching the instruction from main memory (1); decoding happens in the decode stage, so it is not creditworthy in the fetch stage.

No marks0/3

The ALU carries out the calculation and the result is stored in a register.

Why: The ALU carrying out a calculation and storing a result happen in the execute stage, not the fetch stage, so no point is creditworthy.

2Describe2 marksSecondary Memory Swap Remove

A laptop uses a solid state drive (SSD) for secondary storage.

Describe how data is stored on a solid state drive.

[2 marks]
Mark scheme

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

  • Data is stored on (flash) memory chips/cells (1) as a pattern of electrical charges (1)
  • A current/voltage forces electrons through a barrier (1) so that they are trapped (or not trapped) to hold/represent a value (1)
  • Cells with a trapped charge and cells with no trapped charge (1) represent 1s and 0s/binary (1)
  • The trapped charge remains when the power is turned off (1) so the data is not lost/it is non-volatile (1)

Do not accept responses that describe magnetic storage, e.g. magnetised platters, spinning disks or read/write heads, or optical storage, e.g. lasers, pits and lands.

Do not award a mark for 'it is solid state' or 'it has no moving parts' without a description of how the data is stored.

Do not award a mark for restating the stem, e.g. 'a laptop uses an SSD' or 'an SSD uses flash memory'.

'Data is stored as electrical charges' on its own, with no reference to memory chips/cells or to how the charge is held, earns a maximum of one mark (1).

A response that only describes electrons being trapped, with no link to how the value/data is represented, earns one mark (1). The second mark needs a link such as trapped and not trapped charge representing 1s and 0s, or the trapped charge being kept so the data is not lost.

Example answers and how they were marked
Full marks2/2

A current is used to force electrons through a barrier so that they become trapped, and a cell with a trapped charge or a cell with no trapped charge represents a 1 or a 0.

Why: Linked description: a current forces electrons through a barrier (1) and trapped/not trapped charge represents 1s and 0s (1).

Some marks1/2

The data is stored in flash memory chips.

Why: Gives the creditworthy point that data is stored on flash memory chips (1) but does not develop it, e.g. by saying the data is held as electrical charges or by describing trapped electrons.

No marks0/2

The data is stored as magnetised areas on a spinning platter.

Why: This describes magnetic storage, which the mark scheme says not to accept for a solid state drive.

3Explain2 marksPrimary Memory Swap Remove

A computer follows the von Neumann stored program concept. A program's instructions are stored on secondary storage before the program is run.

Explain one reason why the instructions of a program must be held in RAM before they can be executed.

[2 marks]
Mark scheme

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

  • The CPU can only fetch/read instructions from main memory/RAM (1) so the instructions of a running program must be copied/loaded into RAM before they can be executed (1)
  • RAM is faster to access than secondary storage (1) so the instructions can be fetched quickly enough for the CPU to execute them (1)
  • The CPU needs the instructions in RAM to fetch and execute them (1) because the fetch-decode-execute cycle reads each instruction from main memory/RAM (1)
  • The address of the next instruction is sent to RAM on the address bus (1) so the instruction can be transferred to the CPU/registers for decoding/execution (1)

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

Allow the point and reason in either order if they are linked.

Do not accept answers that only say the CPU needs instructions, or that RAM is faster, without linking this to fetching/executing the instructions.

Do not accept answers that only say RAM holds data and instructions without linking this to the fetch-decode-execute cycle.

Do not accept 'RAM is permanent/non-volatile storage, so the instructions are kept safe' - RAM is volatile.

The response does not need to name the address bus or the fetch stage for full marks; a linked reason that explains why instructions must be in RAM (for example, the CPU can only fetch from RAM, or RAM is faster than secondary storage) is enough.

Example answers and how they were marked
Full marks2/2

The CPU can only fetch instructions from main memory, so the instructions of a running program must be copied into RAM before they can be executed.

Why: Linked point (1) for the CPU only being able to fetch instructions from main memory/RAM, and reason (1) for instructions being copied into RAM before execution.

Some marks1/2

The CPU can only fetch instructions from main memory.

Why: Point (1) only; there is no linked reason that explains why this means the instructions must be held in RAM before execution, such as RAM being faster than secondary storage.

No marks0/2

Instructions are kept in RAM because RAM is permanent storage and does not lose the instructions when the power is turned off.

Why: Misconception: RAM is described as permanent/non-volatile, which the mark scheme's 'Do not accept' line rules out; no creditworthy linked point.

Questions by topic

2.1 Binary

Build a paper on this topic 58
Adding Binary Numbers 6 questions Binary and Hexadecimal Basics 10 questions Binary Shifts 6 questions Binary to Denary Conversion 6 questions Binary to Hexadecimal Conversion 6 questions Denary to Binary Conversion 6 questions Denary to Hexadecimal Conversion 6 questions Denary to Negative Binary Conversion 6 questions Hexadecimal to Binary Conversion 6 questions

2.2 Data representation

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Character Sets 18 questions Images 19 questions Sound 19 questions

2.3 Data storage and compression

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Compression 18 questions Units & Conversion 6 questions

3.1 Hardware

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Embedded Systems 17 questions Fetch Decode Execute Cycle 15 questions Primary Memory 15 questions Secondary Memory 15 questions Stored Program Computers 15 questions

3.2 Software

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File Management 18 questions Memory Management 16 questions Peripheral Management 11 questions Process Management 12 questions Purpose & Function of Operating Systems 17 questions Software Basics 13 questions User Management 18 questions Utility Software 19 questions

3.3 Programming languages

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Low and High Level Languages 19 questions Translators 18 questions

4.1 Networks

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Addressing 16 questions LANs & WANs 16 questions Network Speed 5 questions Packet Switching 16 questions Protocols & Layers 17 questions The Internet 16 questions Topologies 17 questions Wired Connections 17 questions Wireless Connections 18 questions

4.2 Network security

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Network Security Risks 18 questions Preventing Network Security Risks 18 questions

5.1 Environmental

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E-waste 17 questions Manufacturing Technology 19 questions

5.2 Ethical and legal

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Data Protection Act 17 questions Impact of AI 18 questions Intellectual Property 18 questions Software Licences 18 questions

5.3 Cybersecurity

Build a paper on this topic 36
Malware 18 questions Social Engineering 18 questions

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