Edexcel GCSE Computer Science (1CP2) exam questions

Build a practice paper from 514 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.

Practice paper

9 questions · 14 marks

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1Multiple choice1 markPacket Switching Swap Remove

Data is broken into packets and sent across the internet.

Identify the device that forwards a packet towards its destination.

[1 mark]

AHub
BRouter
CServer
DSwitch

Mark scheme

B Router (1)
The only correct answer is B. The correct answer is Router.
A is not correct because a hub sends the data it receives to every device on the network
C is not correct because a server provides services, such as web pages, to client computers
D is not correct because a switch forwards data between the devices on one network

Example answers and how they were marked

Full marks1/1

B Router

Why: Selected the correct device: a router reads the destination IP address in each packet and forwards it towards its destination (1).

No marks0/1

D Switch

Why: A near miss: a switch forwards data between devices on one network, but it is a router that forwards packets between networks towards their destination, so no mark.

No marks0/1

A Hub

Why: Misconception from the examiners' reports: confusing LAN hardware with internet routing. A hub sends data to every device on the network and does not read IP addresses to forward packets, so no mark.

2Multiple choice1 markWireless Connections Swap Remove

A wireless network can use the 2.4 GHz or 5 GHz frequency band.

Identify the advantage of using the 5 GHz band instead of the 2.4 GHz band.

[1 mark]

AGreater range
BHigher data transfer speed
CMore able to pass through walls
DUses less bandwidth

Mark scheme

B Higher data transfer speed (1)
The only correct answer is B. The correct answer is higher data transfer speed.
A is not correct because the 2.4 GHz band has the greater range
C is not correct because the 2.4 GHz band passes through walls more easily
D is not correct because the 5 GHz band does not use less bandwidth

Example answers and how they were marked

Full marks1/1

B Higher data transfer speed

Why: Correct advantage: 5 GHz gives higher data transfer rates (1).

No marks0/1

A Greater range

Why: Greater range is a feature of the 2.4 GHz band, not an advantage of 5 GHz; no mark.

No marks0/1

C More able to pass through walls

Why: 5 GHz signals are less able to pass through walls than 2.4 GHz signals; no mark.

3Short recall1 markAddressing Swap Remove

Routers forward data packets across the internet.

State the part of a data packet that a router uses to decide where to send it.

[1 mark]

Mark scheme

Award one mark for:

(Destination) IP address (1)

Allow IP address on its own (the destination is implied).

Do not accept source IP address/IP address of the sender.

Do not accept MAC address.

Do not accept domain name/web address.

Example answers and how they were marked

Full marks1/1

The destination IP address.

Why: Names the destination IP address (1).

No marks0/1

The domain name.

Why: A domain name is not used by a router to route a packet; it must be translated to an IP address first, so no mark.

No marks0/1

The MAC address.

Why: A MAC address is not used to route packets across the internet; the Do not accept line applies.

4Short recall1 markWired Connections Swap Remove

Wired connections have characteristics that affect network performance.

State what is meant by the range of a wired network connection.

[1 mark]

Mark scheme

Award one mark for:

The maximum distance data/a signal can be transmitted before it becomes too weak to be received (1)

Allow 'how far a signal can travel'.

Do not accept the number of devices that can be connected to the network.

Do not accept the speed at which data is transmitted.

Do not accept bandwidth/the maximum capacity of a channel.

Do not accept latency/the delay between a signal being sent and received.

Example answers and how they were marked

Full marks1/1

The maximum distance a signal can be transmitted before it becomes too weak to be received.

Why: Gives the maximum distance a signal can be transmitted before it becomes too weak, which is the creditworthy point (1).

No marks0/1

The maximum capacity of the connection.

Why: This describes bandwidth, which the mark scheme says not to accept for range, so no mark.

No marks0/1

The delay between a signal being sent and received.

Why: This describes latency/delay, which the mark scheme says not to accept for range, so no mark.

5Short recall2 marksWired Connections Swap Remove

A school connects its desktop computers to the network using cables.

Give two reasons why the wired connections give better network performance than the wireless connections.

[2 marks]

Mark scheme

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

Faster transmission speed (1)
Higher bandwidth (1)
Lower latency (1)
Not affected by interference (from other devices/walls) (1)
No blind spots/not affected by distance from the wireless access point (1)

Do not accept benefits of wireless connections, e.g. users can move around the building with their devices

Do not accept 'easier to set up' or 'does not need a password' as these are not about network performance

Example answers and how they were marked

Full marks2/2

The wired connection is not affected by interference from other devices, and it has a lower latency than Wi-Fi.

Why: Interference point (1) and lower latency point (1).

Some marks1/2

It has a faster transmission speed and the users can move around the building with their computers.

Why: Faster transmission speed (1); moving around is a benefit of wireless, so is not credited.

No marks0/2

It is easier to set up the network and the users do not need a password.

Why: Neither point is about network performance; the mark scheme does not accept 'easier to set up' or password points, so no marks.

6Describe2 marksWired Connections Swap Remove

A school connects its desktop computers to the network using Ethernet cables.

Describe one way that using a wired connection can give a faster transfer of data than a wireless connection.

[2 marks]

Mark scheme

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

(Ethernet) cables are not affected by interference from other devices (1) so data is transferred at a consistent/steady speed (1)
Each device has its own cable to the switch (1) so the full bandwidth is available to that device and speeds do not drop as more users join (1)
Fibre optic cable has a higher bandwidth than a wireless link (1) so more data can be sent along the cable each second (1)
The cable gives a direct/physical path to the switch (1) so data is less likely to be lost and resent, which would slow the transfer (1)

Do not accept responses about security, reliability or users being unable to move around, as these are not about speed.

Do not accept answers that only say a wired/cable connection is faster, or that fibre is faster, without saying why.

Example answers and how they were marked

Full marks2/2

The cable is not affected by interference from other devices such as other networks or microwaves (1) so the data is sent at a steady speed instead of slowing down (1).

Why: Point that the cable is not affected by interference (1) linked to a consistent data transfer speed (1).

Some marks1/2

Ethernet cables are not affected by interference.

Why: Gives the first point of a linked pair (1) but does not develop it to say how this makes the transfer faster.

No marks0/2

A wired connection is faster because the data travels down a cable and not through the air.

Why: Repeats the question (wired is faster) with no reason, which the mark scheme's final line says is not accepted.

7Describe2 marksWireless Connections Swap Remove

A school provides a wireless network for its students.

Describe how the range of a wireless network can affect its performance.

[2 marks]

Mark scheme

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

The further a device is from the wireless access point (1) the weaker the signal becomes (1)
A device outside the range of an access point (1) cannot connect to the network / loses its connection (1)
Walls and other obstacles reduce the range of the signal (1) so some areas of a building have a poor or no connection (1)
A wireless network with a greater range (1) allows devices to connect from further away (1)

Do not accept responses that only state that range is measured in metres or give a definition of range, as these do not describe an effect on performance.

Do not accept responses about the number of devices or interference unless they are linked to range.

Example answers and how they were marked

Full marks2/2

The further a device is from the access point, the weaker the signal becomes, so the device may lose its connection.

Why: Linked point: distance from the access point (1), developed by the weaker signal and lost connection (1).

Some marks1/2

Walls and other objects can reduce the range of a wireless signal.

Why: Point given: obstacles reduce range (1), but there is no development of the effect on performance.

No marks0/2

Range is the maximum distance a wireless signal can travel.

Why: A definition of range, not a description of its effect on performance, which the mark scheme does not accept.

8Explain2 marksThe Internet Swap Remove

Every device that connects to the internet is given an IP address.

Explain one reason why every device on the internet needs a unique IP address.

[2 marks]

Mark scheme

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

Data/packets are delivered to the correct device (1) because the IP address identifies that device on the internet (1)
A reply is sent back to the device that made a request (1) because the sender's IP address is used as the destination address for the reply (1)
Routers can forward packets to the right device (1) because each packet's destination IP address matches only one device (1)
A device can be contacted by other devices (1) because other devices use its IP address to send data to it (1)

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

Allow 'so the router knows where to send data' only when expanded to say the IP address identifies the destination device / is used by routers to forward the packet to that device.

Do not accept 'so it can connect to the internet' / 'so it can access the internet' without saying how the address is used to identify the device or deliver data to it.

Do not accept 'so the device can be identified' on its own without saying what the identification is used for, e.g. delivering data or returning a reply.

Do not award a mark for restating that an IP address is unique / every device has a different address.

Example answers and how they were marked

Full marks2/2

So that data reaches the correct device. The IP address is how the internet tells one device apart from another, so packets are sent to that device and not to a different one.

Why: Point (1): data reaches the correct device. Reason (1): the IP address identifies/tells devices apart, so packets are sent to that device.

Some marks1/2

So that packets go to the right device, because every device has a different address.

Why: Point (1): packets go to the right device. The reason only restates that every device has a different address, which the mark scheme says does not earn the second mark.

No marks0/2

So it can connect to the internet.

Why: No linked explanation of how the address is used; 'so it can connect to the internet' is not accepted without expansion.

9Explain2 marksWired Connections Swap Remove

Latency is the delay between data being sent and received. A player of online games uses a wired Ethernet connection instead of a wireless connection.

Explain one reason why the wired connection can have a lower latency.

[2 marks]

Mark scheme

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

The cable provides a direct physical path to the switch/router (1) so data does not have to travel through the air where it can be delayed by obstacles such as walls (1)
The cable is not shared with other wireless devices (1) so data does not have to wait for a free channel before it is sent (1)
The data travels straight along the cable to the switch (1) so the time taken for it to reach its destination is short (1)

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

Do not accept 'the wired connection is faster' on its own without saying why the delay between sending and receiving is shorter.

Do not accept a definition of latency without a reason.

Example answers and how they were marked

Full marks2/2

The cable gives the computer a direct physical path to the switch, so the data does not have to travel through the air where it could be delayed by obstacles.

Why: Gives the point of a direct physical path (1) and links it to data not being delayed by obstacles in the air (1).

Some marks1/2

The wired connection gives a direct path, so it is quicker.

Why: Gives the point about the direct path (1) but 'quicker' only restates lower latency and does not explain why the delay is shorter.

No marks0/2

Wired connections have lower latency because the internet speed is faster.

Why: Confuses speed with latency; no reason is given for a shorter delay, and 'faster' on its own is not accepted.

Edexcel GCSE Computer Science (1CP2) Exam Questions

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Questions by topic

2.1 Binary

2.2 Data representation

2.3 Data storage and compression

3.1 Hardware

3.2 Software

3.3 Programming languages

4.1 Networks

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