1.

1 INFORMATION REPRESENTATION AHMED THAKUR

1.1 INFORMATION REPRESENTATION – EXERCISE

Q1 2015-June, P31

5 A gardener grows vegetables in a greenhouse. For the vegetables to grow well, the
temperature needs to always be within a particular range.
The gardener is not sure about the actual temperatures in the greenhouse during
the growing season.
The gardener installs some equipment. This records the temperature every hour

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during the growing season.

(c)

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The equipment records temperatures in the greenhouse. It does this for seven
locations.
Each recording is stored as two successive bytes. The format is shown below:

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The location is indicated by the setting of one of the seven bits in byte 1. For example,
location 4 is indicated by setting bit 4.
Bit 0 of byte 1 acts as a flag:
• The initial value is zero
• When the reading has been processed it is set to 1
Byte 2 contains the temperature reading (two’s complement integer).

(i) Interpret the data in byte 1 shown below:

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HM

.............................................................................................................................................

.............................................................................................................................................

.............................................................................................................................................

........................................................................................................................................ [2]
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(ii) The system receives a temperature reading of –5 degrees from sensor 6.

Complete the boxes below to show the two bytes for this recording. The
reading has not yet been processed

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1.1 INFORMATION REPRESENTATION – EXERCISE

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Q2 2015-June, P13
1 (a) (i) Using two’s complement, show how the following denary numbers could be

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stored in an 8-bit register

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(ii) Convert the two numbers in part (a) (i) into hexadecimal.

124 ....................................................................................................................

-77 .................................................................................................................. [2]

(b) Binary Coded Decimal (BCD) is another way of representing numbers.

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(i) Write the number 359 in BCD form.

.............................................................................................................................. [1]
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(ii) Describe a use of BCD number representation.

…………………………………………………………………………………………………

…………………………………………………………………………………………….. [2]

Q3 2015-June, P11/P12
2 (a) Sound can be represented in a computer in a digital format.
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(i) Give the definition of the term sampling.

….................................................................................................................................

….................................................................................................................................

............................................................................................................................... [1]

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1.1 INFORMATION REPRESENTATION – EXERCISE

(ii) Give one reason why 16-bit sampling is used in an audio compact disc (CD).

….................................................................................................................................

............................................................................................................................... [1]

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(iii) Explain what is meant by the term sampling resolution.

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….................................................................................................................................

….................................................................................................................................

............................................................................................................................... [1]

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(iv) Give one benefit and one drawback of using a higher sampling resolution.

….................................................................................................................................
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….................................................................................................................................

............................................................................................................................... [2]

(b) Describe two typical features found in software for editing sound files.

……….….................................................................................................................................
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……….….................................................................................................................................

……….…............................................................................................................................ [2]
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Q4 2015-June, P12, Q1
1 (i) Convert the following binary number into hexadecimal.
10111000

…............................................................................................................................ [1]

(ii) Convert the following denary number into BCD format.

97
A

............................................................................................................................... [1]

(iii) Using two’s complement, show how the following denary numbers could be
stored in an 8-bit register:

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1.1 INFORMATION REPRESENTATION – EXERCISE

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KU
Q5 2014-June, P11

2. (c) Explain the difference between lossless and lossy data compression
techniques.

A
……….….................................................................................................................................

……….….................................................................................................................................

……….….................................................................................................................................
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……….….................................................................................................................................

……….…............................................................................................................................ [3]

Q6 2014-June, P33
5 (a) A computer system stores integers as an 8-bit two’s complement integer.
Give the denary number represented by Byte 1 and Byte 2.
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Byte1 ……………………………………………………

Byte2 …………………………………………………… [2]

(b) Two bytes together are used to represent a Binary Coded Decimal (BCD)
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number.
State the denary number represented by Byte 3 and Byte 4.

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1.1 INFORMATION REPRESENTATION – EXERCISE

Denary ……………………………………………………... [2]

(c) Byte 5 and Byte 6 together represent a 16-bit colour code used in a drawing
program.

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The drawing program displays a colour code as a hexadecimal number. State
the hexadecimal number for this colour code.
……………………………………………… [2]

A
(d) Many computer systems need to store and process real numbers.

A computer uses two bytes to store a real number. The first (Byte 7) stores the
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mantissa and the second (Byte 8) the exponent. Both mantissa and exponent
use two’s complement.

(i) What denary number is represented by Byte 7 and Byte 8?

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Show your working

………………………………………………………………………………………………..
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………………………………………………………………………………………………..

………………………………………………………………………………………………..

………………………………………………………………………………………………..

…………………………………………………………………………………………….. [3]
A

(ii) How can you recognise that this 16-bit pattern (Byte 7 and Byte 8) is
normalized?

…………………………………………………………………………………………… [1]

(iii) The positive number 2.0 is to be represented as a normalised real number.

Show the mantissa and exponent for this value.

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1.1 INFORMATION REPRESENTATION – EXERCISE

(iv) What is the largest positive number that can be represented? Use the same
8-bit mantissa and 8-bit exponent. Show the mantissa and exponent.

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Do not attempt to evaluate this. [2]

A
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ED
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A

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 1.1 INFORMATION REPRESENTATION AHMED THAKUR

1.1 INFORMATION REPRESENTATION – EXERCISE

Q7 2014-June, P13
1 The following diagram shows five questions on the left and eight numerical values on
the right. Draw arrows to connect each question to the correct numerical value.

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KU
A
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ED
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[5]
A

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1.1 INFORMATION REPRESENTATION – EXERCISE

Q8 2014-June, P11
9 A vending machine dispenses drinks and has a number of drinks options.

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KU
A
The vending machine is controlled by a microprocessor.
If a customer keys in 23 then they will receive a cup of coffee with milk and sugar.
A selected code is stored in a 7-bit register:
So, 23 will be stored as
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If an invalid code is keyed in, an error message is displayed.
(a) A customer selects a lemon drink.
Show how the code for this selection is stored in the 7-bit register
ED
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(b) Name the drink selected if the register contains:

…………………………………………………………………………………………………… [1]

(c) State what would happen if the customer keys in a code which results in the
A

following 7-bit register content:

…………………………………………………………………………………………………………

…………………………………………………………………………………………………………

…………………………………………………………………………………………………… [1]

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 1.1 INFORMATION REPRESENTATION AHMED THAKUR

1.1 INFORMATION REPRESENTATION – EXERCISE

Q9 2014-Nov, P13
5 The table below represents a data structure. It is called Binary Number and stores:

• the place values for a binary integer, in the locations represented by the first row of
the table
the bits of a binary number, in the locations represented by the second row of the

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•
table

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(a) What is the denary value of this binary number?

………………………………………………………………………………………………… [1]

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(b) (i) What type of data structure is Binary Number?

………………………………………………………………………………………………… [1]
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Q10 2014-Nov, P12
5 A microprocessor-controlled alarm clock uses the 24-hour clock. The current time is
stored in two 8-bit memory locations:
 The hours value is stored in memory location A
 The minutes value is stored in memory location B
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(a) State the time currently stored in A and B.

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Hours: ………………………………… Minutes: ………………………………. [2]

(b) Two 8-bit memory locations, C and D, store the hours (C) and minutes (D) of the
alarm time.
The alarm has been set for 07:30. Show how 07:30 would be stored:
A

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 1.1 INFORMATION REPRESENTATION AHMED THAKUR

1.1 INFORMATION REPRESENTATION – EXERCISE

Q11 2013-Nov, P33

3 (b) (i) Convert the hexadecimal number 7F into denary.

…………………………………………………………………………………………… [1]

(iii) Convert the denary number 291 into hexadecimal.

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…………………………………………………………………………………………… [1]

(iv) Why do computer scientists often write binary numbers in hexadecimal?

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…………………………………………………………………………………………………

…………………………………………………………………………………………… [1]

Q12 2013-Nov, P32

3 (b) (i) Convert the denary number 60 into hexadecimal.

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…………………………………………………………………………………………… [1]

(ii) Convert the hexadecimal number 10F into denary.

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…………………………………………………………………………………………… [1]

Q13 2013-Nov, P13

2 (a) (i) A positive integer is represented in binary as 10101101. What is the denary
value?

……………………………………………………………………………………………… [1]
ED

(ii) How would the denary value 73 be represented as a positive binary integer?

……………………………………………………………………………………………… [1]

(b) Explain what is meant by the character set of a computer.

HM

…………………………………………………………………………………………………… [2]

(c) Explain how a character is represented in a computer.

…………………………………………………………………………………………………… [2]
A

Q14 2012-Nov, P32

2 (a) A binary pattern can be interpreted in a number of different ways. Consider the
binary Pattern 1001 1010

(i) What denary number is this if it represents a sign and magnitude integer?

………………………………………………………………………………………………… [1]

(ii) What denary number is this if it represents a two’s complement integer?

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1.1 INFORMATION REPRESENTATION – EXERCISE

………………………………………………………………………………………………… [1]

(iii) Describe one advantage of using two’s complement representation rather

than sign and magnitude.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………

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…………………………………………………………………………………………………… [1]

(b) A computer system stores real numbers using a 12-bit floating point representation.

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The first 8 bits are the mantissa and the final 4 bits the exponent. Both the mantissa
and the exponent use two’s complement representation.
Consider the binary pattern:

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(i) What is the mantissa in denary?
…………………………………………………………………………………………… [1]
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(ii) What is the exponent in denary?
………………………………………………………………………………………… [1]

Q15 2012-June, P33

2 A binary pattern can be used to represent a variety of different data used in a computer
system.
ED

(a) The pattern could represent an ASCII character code.

The table shows part of the ASCII code table.
ASCII Code Table
HM
A

Consider the binary pattern: 0100 1110.

(i) What character is represented by this binary pattern?

…………………………………………………………………………………………… [1]

(ii) What is the hexadecimal for this binary pattern?

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1.1 INFORMATION REPRESENTATION – EXERCISE

…………………………………………………………………………………………… [1]

(b) (i) A computer system needs to be able to store positive and negative integers.
Two possible representations are:
 sign and magnitude
 Two’s complement.

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Describe two advantages of using two’s complement.

…………………………………………………………………………………………………

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…………………………………………………………………………………………………

……………………………………………………………………………………………[2]

(ii) Integers -13 and +59 are to be added using two’s complement addition.

A
Show your working.
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Q16 2012-June, P32
ED

2 A binary pattern can be used to represent different data used in a computer system.

(a) Consider the binary pattern: 0101 0011

The pattern represents an integer.

HM

What number is this in denary?

…………………………………………………………………………………………………… [1]

(b) Consider the binary pattern: 0001 0101 0011

The pattern represents a Binary Coded Decimal (BCD) number.

A

What number is this in denary?

…………………………………………………………………………………………………… [1]

(c) Consider the binary pattern: 1001 0010

This represents a two’s complement integer.

What number is this in denary?

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1.1 INFORMATION REPRESENTATION – EXERCISE

…………………………………………………………………………………………………… [1]

Q17 2012-June, P13

7 (a) (i) Change the denary integer 222 into a binary number, using 10 bits.

…………………………………………………………………………………………… [1]

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(ii) Change the binary number 01101100 into a positive denary integer.

…………………………………………………………………………………………… [1]

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Q18 2011-Nov, P33
2 (b) Convert the following denary numbers into 8-bit, two's complement, binary
numbers:
(i) –3

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……………………………………………………………………………………………………

………………………………………………………………………………………………… [2]
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(ii) – 47
……………………………………………………………………………………………………

………………………………………………………………………………………………… [2]

Q19 2011-Nov, P32

3 (a) Convert the denary number 395 into
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(i) a binary coded decimal number (BCD)

…………………………………………………………………………………………………
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…………………………………………………………………………………………………

…………………………………………………………………………………………….. [3]

(ii) a hexadecimal number

…………………………………………………………………………………………………

…………………………………………………………………………………………………
A

…………………………………………………………………………………………….. [3]

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1.1 INFORMATION REPRESENTATION – EXERCISE

Q20 2011-Nov, P31

3 (b) Convert the following denary numbers into 8-bit, two's complement, binary
numbers:

(i) +93

…………………………………………………………………………………………………………

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…………………………………………………………………………………………………… [2]

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(ii) -69
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………

…………………………………………………………………………………………………… [2]

Q21 2011-June, P33

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7. (a) Express the denary number -95 as a two’s complement integer in an eight-bit byte.

…………………………………………………………………………………………………………
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…………………………………………………………………………………………………… [2]

Q22 2011-June, P32

7. Part of the information stored in the data dictionary describes the type of data which
is being stored. A particular piece of data is 10010110.
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State what the data stands for if the data dictionary describes it as:

(i) a two's complement binary number;

HM

………………………………………………………………………………………………… [1]

(ii) a binary coded decimal number.

………………………………………………………………………………………………… [2]

Q23 2011-June, P13

3. (a) Explain how a character is represented in a computer.
A

…………………………………………………………………………………………………………

…………………………………………………………………………………………………….. [2]

(b) Explain how integers are represented in a computer.

…………………………………………………………………………………………………………

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1.1 INFORMATION REPRESENTATION – EXERCISE

…………………………………………………………………………………………………………

…………………………………………………………………………………………………….. [3]

(c) Explain how a Boolean value is stored in a computer.

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…………………………………………………………………………………………………………

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…………………………………………………………………………………………………….. [2]

A
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ED
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A

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