Characters typed on a keyboard are stored using ASCII.
Explain how the computer encodes the letter A using ASCII.
Mark scheme
Award up to two marks for a linked explanation such as:
- The computer looks up the character in the ASCII character set/table (1) to find the code that represents it (1)
- Each character has its own unique ASCII code (1) so the letter A is converted to and stored as a 7-bit binary pattern (1)
- ASCII uses 7 bits for each character (1) so A is stored as its ASCII code 1000001 (binary) / 65 (denary) (1)
The second mark requires a linked expansion, so a point on its own (e.g. 'A has the code 65') can only earn one mark.
For both marks, the expansion must follow/associate with the statement.
Accept an 8-bit pattern with a leading 0 (e.g. 01000001) as the binary code for A.
Do not accept 'the character is stored as text' without saying it is changed into a code/binary.
Do not accept a binary value on its own (e.g. 1000001) without saying that it is the ASCII code/that the character is converted to it.
Example answers and how they were marked
The computer finds the unique ASCII code for A, which is 65 in denary, and stores it as the 7-bit binary pattern 1000001.
Why: Linked point that A is given its unique ASCII code (1) and reason/expansion that it is converted to and stored as a 7-bit binary pattern (1).
The computer changes the letter A into a number.
Why: Gives the point that the character is given a code/number (1) but no linked expansion saying it is converted to binary or stored, so stays on one mark.
The letter A is stored as the number 1 because it is the first letter of the alphabet.
Why: Wrong reason and no creditworthy point: it does not say that the character is given its ASCII code and converted to binary.