Edexcel GCSE Computer Science (1CP2) Exam Questions

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

• (Only) 128 different characters can be represented / 7 bits give 2^7 = 128 different codes (1)
• It cannot represent characters from languages other than English / non-English alphabets, e.g. Greek, Chinese (1)
• It cannot represent accented characters, e.g. é, ñ (1)
• It cannot represent symbols or emoji that are not in the ASCII character set (1)

Award a maximum of one mark for the last three bullets, as they are all examples of characters that fall outside the 128 ASCII codes.

Allow 'it can only represent 128 characters, so some characters are missing' for the first bullet.

Do not accept 'it uses 7 bits' / 'it only uses 7 bits' on its own, without saying what this limits.

Do not accept 'it can only store a limited amount of text' / 'it can only store short messages', as 7 bits limits the number of characters available, not the length of a message.

Do not accept 'it can only represent the characters in the ASCII character set', as this repeats the question.

Do not accept 'it is old/out of date' or 'it cannot store numbers'.

Award one mark for each of:

• 5 × 1024^3 / 5 × 1024 × 1024 × 1024 / 5 × 2^30, for the number of bytes (1)
• A fully correct expression with × 8 to convert bytes to bits, in any order, e.g. 5 × 1024^3 × 8, 8 × 5 × 2^30 (1)

Accept 5 × 1 073 741 824 × 8.

Accept 5 × 2^33 or 42 949 672 960 as a fully correct expression (2 marks).

Do not accept 5 × 1000^3 × 8, which uses decimal multiples.

Do not accept ÷ 8, which converts bits to bytes.

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

• Instructions can manipulate/control the hardware/memory/registers directly (1) so the driver can control the specific device it is written for (1)
• The code is written for one specific processor/architecture (1) so it works with the exact hardware it will control (1)
• The programmer controls exactly how memory/registers are used (1) so the code is efficient and needs little memory, which suits a device that has limited memory (1)
• Each instruction maps to one machine code instruction (1) so the driver code is small enough to fit in the memory of the device (1)

Extra detail, such as naming the device the driver controls, is not needed to earn the marks.

Do not accept 'it is closer to machine code' on its own: it must be developed to show how this helps the driver, e.g. it can control the hardware directly.

Do not accept 'it is faster/quicker' with no link to the hardware/device, e.g. the device responds quickly.

Do not accept 'it is easier to learn', 'it is easier to debug' or 'it takes less time to write'.

Award one mark for each correct nibble in the correct order:

• 1100 (1)
• 0111 (1)

0 marks if the response is not 8-bit binary.

Indicative content

What embedded systems are used for in the drone

• An embedded system is a computer built into a larger device that performs a single, dedicated function as part of that device.
• The drone contains several embedded systems, and each one is dedicated to a task such as flight control, navigation, obstacle detection or battery monitoring rather than being a general-purpose computer.
• The flight controller embedded system processes data from the drone's sensors and changes the signals sent to the rotors, so the drone stays stable and can be steered while carrying a parcel.
• The GPS receiver embedded system works out the drone's position and uses it to navigate along the route to the customer's address.
• The camera embedded system captures images or video that are processed to detect obstacles, such as trees, buildings or overhead cables, in the drone's path.
• Sensor embedded systems, for example ultrasonic or infrared sensors, measure the distance to the ground and to obstacles so the drone can land and avoid collisions.
• The battery management and communication embedded systems monitor the charge and send the drone's status and location to the control centre, and the rotor-control embedded systems drive the rotors so the drone can take off, hover and land.

Benefits of using embedded systems in the drone

• Embedded systems use little power, so the drone can fly for longer and deliver more parcels on one charge.
• They are small and light, which is important because a heavier drone needs more power to stay in the air.
• Because each embedded system is dedicated to one task, it can respond quickly and reliably, so the drone can change direction in time to avoid an obstacle.
• Combining the processor, memory and input/output in one unit reduces the number of separate components and the cost per drone, so a fleet of delivery drones is cheaper to build.
• Embedded systems allow the drone to fly autonomously, so the company does not need a human pilot for every delivery.
• Programs are held in ROM, so the drone's behaviour is consistent and predictable each time it flies.

Any drawbacks or limitations of using embedded systems in the drone

• Each embedded system has limited processing power, so the drone may not be able to run complex obstacle-recognition software and could fail to identify an unusual obstacle.
• They have limited storage and RAM, so the drone cannot store much flight data or video on board and must send it to the control centre.
• The software is held in ROM and is difficult to update, so fixing a bug or adding a new feature may mean returning the drone or connecting it to a computer.
• The embedded systems are dedicated to the drone, so they cannot easily be reused for a different task if the drone is retired.
• If an embedded system fails, the drone may crash, which could injure people or damage property, so robustness is essential.
• A general-purpose computer would be too large and heavy for the drone, so the drone has to use these limited dedicated systems and cannot run general-purpose software.

Levels

• Level 0 (0 marks): No rewardable content.
• Level 1 (1–2 marks): Basic, independent points are made, showing elements of understanding of key concepts/principles of computer science. (AO1) The discussion will contain basic information with little linkage between points made or application to the context. (AO2)
• Level 2 (3–4 marks): Demonstrates adequate understanding of key concepts/principles of computer science. (AO1) The discussion shows some linkages and lines of reasoning with some structure and application to the context. (AO2)
• Level 3 (5–6 marks): Demonstrates comprehensive understanding of key concepts/principles of computer science to support the discussion being presented. (AO1) The discussion is well developed, with sustained lines of reasoning that are coherent and logically structured, and which clearly apply to the context. (AO2)

Additional guidance

• Level 3 responses must cover what embedded systems are used for in the drone and both benefits and drawbacks/limitations, with reasoning applied to the delivery drone. Do not accept general-purpose computer uses such as connecting to Wi-Fi to play videos, installing new software, apps or games, or using a server; do not accept the drone itself as a single embedded system unless a specific dedicated function is explained.
• A definition of an embedded system on its own, with no application to the drone, cannot lift an answer above Level 1; limited storage and inability to be repurposed must be linked to the drone, for example little flight data can be stored or the system cannot be reused for another task, to gain credit.