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Edexcel GCSE Computer Science (1CP2) Exam Questions

Build a practice paper from 693 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.

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2 questions · 3 marks

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1Multiple choice1 markLANs & WANs Swap Remove

Identify a characteristic of a local area network (LAN).

[1 mark]
  • AIt connects devices in different countries
  • BIt covers a large geographical area
  • CIt is owned by the organisation that uses it
  • DIt only uses wireless connections
Mark scheme
  • C It is owned by the organisation that uses it (1)
  • The only correct answer is C. The correct answer is that a LAN is owned by the organisation that uses it.
  • A is not correct because connecting devices in different countries is a characteristic of a WAN
  • B is not correct because a LAN covers a small geographical area
  • D is not correct because a LAN can use wired or wireless connections
Example answers and how they were marked
Full marks1/1

C It is owned by the organisation that uses it

Why: Correct option: a LAN uses infrastructure owned by the organisation that uses it (1).

No marks0/1

A It connects devices in different countries

Why: This describes a WAN, not a LAN (0).

No marks0/1

B It covers a large geographical area

Why: Confuses a LAN with a WAN; a LAN covers a small geographical area (0).

2Describe2 marksWired Connections Swap Remove

A video production company stores large video files on a server. The server is connected to the office switch by an Ethernet cable with a bandwidth of 1 Gbps.

Describe how the bandwidth of this wired connection affects the performance of the network.

[2 marks]
Mark scheme

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

  • Bandwidth is the maximum amount/capacity of data that can be carried each second (1) so a higher bandwidth lets editors open the large video files from the server in less time (1)
  • The bandwidth of the cable is set by the type/standard of cable used (1) so it limits how much of a large file can be sent in a given time (1)
  • A higher bandwidth means the cable can be shared between more transfers at the same time (1) so several editors can open files from the server at once without their transfers slowing down (1)
  • If the bandwidth is too low for the size of the files (1) the transfers take a long time and the editors have to wait for their files to open (1)

Allow 'capacity' for 'maximum amount of data'.

A description that only defines bandwidth earns a maximum of one mark.

Do not accept responses about the time a signal takes to travel (latency) or the distance a signal can reach (range).

Do not accept answers that say bandwidth is how fast the signal/data travels along the cable, that a higher bandwidth gives a faster internet connection, or that bandwidth is the number of cables in the network.

Example answers and how they were marked
Full marks2/2

Bandwidth is the maximum amount of data that can be carried along the cable each second, so a higher bandwidth means the editors can open the large video files from the server in less time.

Why: Point defining bandwidth as the maximum data per second (1) linked to the effect on opening the large files (1).

Some marks1/2

It is the amount of data that can be carried along the cable each second.

Why: Gives the first part of a linked pair (1) but does not develop it to say how performance is affected, so it is capped at one mark.

No marks0/2

A higher bandwidth means the signal travels faster along the cable, so the data reaches the server sooner and the delay is shorter.

Why: Treats bandwidth as transmission speed/latency, which the mark scheme says is not accepted, so no mark is earned.

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