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

7 questions · 11 marks

Pick again

1Multiple choice1 markProtocols & Layers Swap Remove

A user sends an email from a laptop to a mail server.

Identify the protocol used to send the email.

[1 mark]

AFTP
BHTTP
CSMTP
DTCP

Mark scheme

C SMTP (1)
The only correct answer is C. The correct answer is SMTP.
A is not correct because FTP is used to upload and download files
B is not correct because HTTP is used to request web pages
D is not correct because TCP is a transport-layer protocol that splits data into packets and reassembles them

Example answers and how they were marked

Full marks1/1

C SMTP

Why: Selected the correct email sending protocol (1).

No marks0/1

A FTP

Why: FTP is a file transfer protocol, not an email sending protocol, so no mark is awarded (0).

No marks0/1

B HTTP

Why: HTTP is used for requesting web pages, not for sending email, so no mark is awarded (0).

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 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.

5Describe2 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.

6Describe2 marksWired Connections Swap Remove

A farm uses wired connections to link sensors in its fields to a computer in the farmhouse.

Describe how the range of a wired connection can affect the performance of this network.

[2 marks]

Mark scheme

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

(Twisted pair/copper) cable only carries data over a limited distance (about 100 metres) (1) so sensors further away need another switch/device to pass the data on to the farmhouse (1)
Fibre optic cable can carry data over much longer distances (1) so wired connections can reach sensors across the whole farm (1)
Data sent further than the cable's range is not received (1) so the computer in the farmhouse does not get readings from those sensors (1)
A wireless connection can reach sensors that are out of range of the cables (1) so a mix of the two can give readings across the whole site (1)

Allow responses about signal weakening/being lost over a long cable.

Do not accept responses about bandwidth or speed, as range is about distance, not the amount or rate of data.

Example answers and how they were marked

Full marks2/2

Twisted pair copper cable only carries data for about 100 metres (1) so a switch is needed in each field to pass the readings on to the farmhouse (1).

Why: Point that copper cable has a limited distance (1) linked to needing another device to extend the network (1).

Some marks1/2

Fibre optic cable can carry data much further than copper cable.

Why: Gives the first point of a linked pair (1) but does not develop it to say what this allows the farm to do.

No marks0/2

A longer cable gives the network a bigger bandwidth so the sensors work faster.

Why: About bandwidth and speed rather than range, which the mark scheme says is not accepted.

7Explain2 marksPacket Switching Swap Remove

Data is split into packets before it is sent across the internet.

Explain why each packet has a packet number in its header.

[2 marks]

Mark scheme

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

The receiver can put the packets back into the correct order (1) because packets may arrive out of order/take different routes (1)
The receiver can see if a packet is missing (1) because the sequence of numbers shows a gap (1)
The receiver knows when the whole file has arrived (1) because the total number of packets/last packet number is known (1)

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

Allow 'so the packets can be put back in the correct order/reassembled' for the first mark, but the second mark needs the reason, i.e. packets may arrive out of order/take different routes.

Do not accept 'so the packets can be identified' without stating what the number is used for, e.g. reordering or spotting a missing packet.

Do not accept 'so the router knows where to send it' - the router uses the destination IP address, not the packet number.

Example answers and how they were marked

Full marks2/2

The receiver can put the packets back in the correct order because they may arrive out of order.

Why: Linked point (1) and reason (1): the packet number allows reordering because packets can arrive out of order.

Some marks1/2

It shows the receiver the order of the packets.

Why: The point is given (1) but there is no linked reason, such as packets arriving out of order.

No marks0/2

So the router knows which route to use.

Why: Routers use the destination IP address, not the packet number, so this earns nothing; it is named in the mark scheme as a 'Do not accept'.

Edexcel GCSE Computer Science (1CP2) Exam Questions

Build a paper

Practice paper

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

More ways to revise Edexcel GCSE Computer Science (1CP2)