Edexcel GCSE Computer Science (1CP2) Exam Questions

• A Address bus (1)
• The only correct answer is A. The correct answer is address bus. Do not accept 'address' on its own.
• B is not correct because the control bus carries control signals in both directions between the CPU and other components
• C is not correct because the data bus carries data in both directions between the CPU and main memory
• D is not correct because the system bus is the collection of all three buses

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

• A compiler produces object code/machine code/an executable (file) (1) whereas an interpreter produces no object code/translated file (1)
• A compiler produces a machine code file (1) that can be run on its own/without the compiler/translator being present (1)
• An interpreter produces no object code/file (1) because it translates and executes each line instead of saving translated code (1)
• The compiler's output can be saved/stored (1) and run again later, while interpreted code has to be translated again each time it is run (1)

Allow binary for machine code.

Allow executable/an executable for object code.

Do not accept responses about translating the whole program, reporting errors or the speed of execution.

Do not accept 'the interpreter translates/executes one line at a time' on its own: this is how it translates, not what it produces. It earns the development only when linked to no object code/translated file being produced.

Do not accept the interpreter producing object code/an executable.

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

• Data can avoid a busy/congested link (1) because the router can choose another path (1)
• Data can still arrive if a link fails (1) because the router sends it another way (1)
• Data can take the shortest/fastest path (1) because the router compares the routes and chooses the one with the fewest hops/least traffic (1)

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

Allow other valid benefits with a linked reason, e.g. traffic can be shared across routes/load balanced (1) because the router can send some packets by another path (1)

Do not accept 'the route is always the same' as this is not a benefit of choosing a route.

Do not accept 'routers are fast' or 'packets are sent faster' on its own: the reason must say how the route is chosen, e.g. avoiding congestion or using a routing table.