Cambridge International AS & A Level

COMPUTER SCIENCE 9608/43

Paper 4 Further Problem-solving and Programming Skills October/November 2021
MARK SCHEME
Maximum Mark: 75

Published

This mark scheme is published as an aid to teachers and candidates, to indicate the requirements of the
examination. It shows the basis on which Examiners were instructed to award marks. It does not indicate the
details of the discussions that took place at an Examiners’ meeting before marking began, which would have
considered the acceptability of alternative answers.

Mark schemes should be read in conjunction with the question paper and the Principal Examiner Report for
Teachers.

Cambridge International will not enter into discussions about these mark schemes.

Cambridge International is publishing the mark schemes for the October/November 2021 series for most
Cambridge IGCSE™, Cambridge International A and AS Level components and some Cambridge O Level
components.

This document consists of 19 printed pages.

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Generic Marking Principles

These general marking principles must be applied by all examiners when marking candidate answers. They should be applied alongside the
specific content of the mark scheme or generic level descriptors for a question. Each question paper and mark scheme will also comply with these
marking principles.

GENERIC MARKING PRINCIPLE 1:

Marks must be awarded in line with:

• the specific content of the mark scheme or the generic level descriptors for the question
• the specific skills defined in the mark scheme or in the generic level descriptors for the question
• the standard of response required by a candidate as exemplified by the standardisation scripts.

GENERIC MARKING PRINCIPLE 2:

Marks awarded are always whole marks (not half marks, or other fractions).

GENERIC MARKING PRINCIPLE 3:

Marks must be awarded positively:

• marks are awarded for correct/valid answers, as defined in the mark scheme. However, credit is given for valid answers which go beyond the
scope of the syllabus and mark scheme, referring to your Team Leader as appropriate
• marks are awarded when candidates clearly demonstrate what they know and can do
• marks are not deducted for errors
• marks are not deducted for omissions
• answers should only be judged on the quality of spelling, punctuation and grammar when these features are specifically assessed by the
question as indicated by the mark scheme. The meaning, however, should be unambiguous.

GENERIC MARKING PRINCIPLE 4:

Rules must be applied consistently, e.g. in situations where candidates have not followed instructions or in the application of generic level
descriptors.

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GENERIC MARKING PRINCIPLE 5:

Marks should be awarded using the full range of marks defined in the mark scheme for the question (however; the use of the full mark range may
be limited according to the quality of the candidate responses seen).

GENERIC MARKING PRINCIPLE 6:

Marks awarded are based solely on the requirements as defined in the mark scheme. Marks should not be awarded with grade thresholds or
grade descriptors in mind.

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Question Answer Marks

1(a) 1 mark for TopPointer 2

1 mark for correct data in stack

TopPointer 2 Index Data

[7]

[6]

[5]

[4]

[3] (8)

[2] 50

[1] 20

[0] 10

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Question Answer Marks

1(b) 1 mark per bullet point 5

• Function header (and close where appropriate returning an integer)
• Checking if stack is empty …
• … and returning −1 if it is
• If there is data in stack, decrementing TopPointer
• (Otherwise) returning the top Value

Example code:

VB.NET
Function Pop()
Dim Value as Integer
If TopPointer < 0 Then
Return -1
Else
Value = DataStack(TopPointer)
TopPointer = TopPointer – 1
Return Value
End if
End Function

Python
def Pop():
if TopPointer < 0 :
return -1
else:
Value = DataStack(TopPointer)
TopPointer= TopPointer – 1
return Value

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Question Answer Marks

1(b) Pascal
Function Pop(): integer;
var
Value : integer;
begin
if TopPointer < 0 then
Pop := -1
else
Value := DataStack(TopPointer);
TopPointer := TopPointer – 1;
Pop := Value
end;

1(c) 1 mark per bullet point to max 2 2

• In a stack the last item in is the first out/LIFO and in a queue the first item in is the first out/FIFO
• Queue can be circular, but a stack is linear
• Stack only needs a pointer to the top (and can have a base pointer) and a queue needs a pointer to the front and the
rear

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Question Answer Marks

2 1 mark per bullet point 4

• Input mark, calculate grade and output grade on level 1…
• … in correct order
• All grades below calculation
• Selection only on the grades and no other iteration/selection anywhere

GradeGenerator

Input mark Calculation Output grade

grade = A grade = B grade = C grade = D grade = U

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Question Answer Marks

3 1 mark for each completed statement 6

FUNCTION BinarySearch(ThisArray, LowerBound, UpperBound, SearchItem: INTEGER)

RETURNS INTEGER
DECLARE Flag : BOOLEAN
DECLARE Mid : INTEGER
Flag ← -2
WHILE Flag <> -1
Mid ← LowerBound + ((UpperBound – LowerBound) DIV 2)
IF UpperBound < LowerBound
THEN
RETURN -1
ELSE
IF ThisArray[Mid] > SearchItem
THEN
UpperBound ← Mid – 1
ELSE

IF ThisArray[Mid] < SearchItem

THEN
LowerBound ← Mid + 1

ELSE
RETURN Mid
ENDIF
ENDIF
ENDIF
ENDWHILE
ENDFUNCTION

Question Answer Marks

4(a) 1 mark per clause 2

teacher(fred)
busy(fred, tuesday, 1)

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Question Answer Marks

4(b) 1 mark for 1 correct 2

1 mark for all 3 days of the week correct
busy(jill, monday, 1)
busy(jill, tuesday, 1)
busy(jill, wednesday, 1)

1 mark for 1 correct

1 for the other 2 with OR
busy(jill, monday, 1) OR busy(jill, tuesday, 1) OR busy(jill, wednesday, 1)

4(c) 1 mark 1
busy(X, monday, 3)

4(d) 1 mark per bullet point 4

• Checking X is a teacher
• Checking Y is a timeslot, Z is a day
• NOT(busy(X, Z, Y))
• All included, linked with ANDs and nothing superfluous

teacher(X) AND timeslot(Y) AND day(Z) AND NOT(busy(X, Z, Y))

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Question Answer Marks

5(a) 1 mark per bullet point 4

• Output = 21
• Function calls with Recursion(104,102) and Recursion(103, 102)
• Function calls with 102 and 102, and 92 and 102
• Unwinding the return values 5+5+10+1

Function call A B Return value

Recursion(104, 102) 104 102 5 + Recursion(103, 102)

5 + 16

Recursion(103, 102) 103 102 5 + Recursion(102, 102)

5 + 11

Recursion(102, 102) 102 102 10 + Recursion(92, 102)

10 + 1

Recursion(92, 102) 92 102 1

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Question Answer Marks

5(b) 1 mark per bullet point to max 4 4

• Function header takes two parameters, returns the calculated value accurately (outside/end loop and in all cases)
• Initialising variable to 1 outside loop (or adds 1 before returning)
• Looping while A > 100 // looping until A <= 100 (or equivalent) …
• … checking if A > B inside loop and if true, add 5 to variable and decrement A
• … checking if A<= B in loop and if true, add 10 to variable and A – 10

Example pseudocode:

FUNCTION Recursion(A, B : INTEGER) RETURNS INTEGER

DECLARE Value : INTEGER
Value ← 1
WHILE A > 100
IF A > B
THEN
Value ← Value + 5
A ← A - 1
ELSE
Value ← Value + 10
A ← A - 10
ENDIF
ENDWHILE
RETURN Value
ENDFUNCTION

Question Answer Marks

6(a)(i) 1 mark per bullet point 2

• Data structure to store multiple pieces of data (under one identifier)
• ... (stores data) of that can be different data types

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Question Answer Marks

6(a)(ii) 1 mark per bullet point 2

• record declaration named CustomerData …
• … all 3 correct data items with suitable data types (and identifiers)

TYPE CustomerData
DECLARE CustomerID : INTEGER
DECLARE FirstName : STRING
DECLARE SecondName : STRING
ENDTYPE

6(b) 1 mark per completed statement 5

PROCEDURE StoreRecord(NewData : CustomerData)

HashValue ← CustomerHash(NewData.CustomerID)
Filename ← "CustomerRecords.dat"
OPENFILE Filename FOR RANDOM
SEEK Filename, HashValue
PUTRECORD Filename, NewData
CLOSE Filename
ENDPROCEDURE

6(c) 1 mark for naming a feature, 1 for description. Max 2 for each feature 4
Example:
• Breakpoint
• Stop the program at a set point and check the variables

• Stepping/step-through etc.
• Execute the program one line at a time to check the values

• Variable watch window

• Displays the variable values whilst the program is running so Kobi can make sure they are changed correctly

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Question Answer Marks

6(d) 1 mark for benefit, 1 for drawback 2

Benefit
Example:
• Saves time because does not have to write own code // write program faster
• Programmer can have limited skills and still produce complex programs

Drawback
Example:
• May not perform the tasks exactly as required
• Solution is likely to be inefficient
• Might produce errors
• The programmer may not understand the solution and hence cannot edit/change

Question Answer Marks

7(a) 1 mark per bullet point to max 2 2

• To stop the program crashing …
• To stop a run-time error …
• … to make sure the input is the correct data type // other reasonable example

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Question Answer Marks

7(b) 1 mark per bullet point 3

• Using try (and close where appropriate) followed by the input
• Catching exception
• Outputting appropriate message (built-in or otherwise)

Example program code:

VB.NET
Try
Dim Value As Integer
Console.WriteLine("Enter a number")
Value = Console.ReadLine()
Catch ex As Exception
Console.WriteLine(ex.Message)
End Try

Python
try:
Value = int(input("Enter a number"))
except:
print("Invalid number")

Pascal:
begin
try
readln(Value);
except
On E : Exception do writeln("Invalid number");
end;

7(c) 1 mark per example 2

• Check file exists
• No input
• No data in file
• Array out of bounds
• Calculation / division by 0
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Question Answer Marks

8(a) 1 mark for rows with index 0, 1 and 3 2

1 mark for null pointers set to −1

Index LeftPointer Data RightPointer

RootNode 0 [0] 3 50 1

[1] 6 67 2

[2] –1 77 –1

[3] 4 35 5

[4] –1 2 –1

[5] –1 43 –1

[6] –1 52 –1

[7] –1 –1

[8] –1 –1

[9] –1 –1

[10] –1 –1

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Question Answer Marks

8(b) 1 mark for each completed statement 5

PROCEDURE PostOrder(RootNode : INTEGER)
IF BinaryTree[RootNode, 0] <> -1 THEN
PostOrder(BinaryTree[RootNode, 0])
ENDIF
IF BinaryTree[RootNode, 2] <> -1 THEN
PostOrder(BinaryTree[RootNode, 2])
ENDIF
OUTPUT(BinaryTree[RootNode, 1])
ENDPROCEDURE

Question Answer Marks

9(a) 1 mark per bullet point 3

• array named StoredData of type integer
• with 10 000 elements, index 0 – 9999
• All elements initialised with −1

Example pseudocode

DECLARE StoredData : ARRAY[0:9999] OF INTEGER

FOR X ← 0 to 9999
StoredData[X] ← -1
NEXT X

9(b) 1 mark per bullet point to max 7 7

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Question Answer Marks

9(b) • Function declaration (and end where appropriate) taking data as (integer) parameter (returns Boolean)
• Calculate hash: parameter mod 1000 + 6

• Check if StoredData[hashed value] = –1 …

• … if it is –1, store data at hash …

• … and return true

• … if not –1, increment/decrement hashed value by 1 …

• … if reached index 9999 return to index 0 // checking and going to 9999 if not at 0
• … repeatedly decrement until either found or all elements checked …
• … returning False if full and True when stored

Example program code

VB.NET
Function AddItem(DataToAdd)
Dim Location As Integer
Dim Found As Boolean
Dim Counter As Integer

Location = (DataToAdd Mod 1000) + 6

If StoredData(Location) <> -1 Then
Found = False
Counter = 0
While Found = False And Counter < 9999
Location = Location + 1
If Location > 9999 Then
Location = 0
End If
If StoredData(Location) = -1 Then
Found = True
End If
Counter = Counter + 1
End While

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Question Answer Marks

9(b) If Found = True Then

StoredData(Location) = DataToAdd
Return True
Else
Return False
End If
Else
StoredData(Location) = DataToAdd
Return True
End If
End Function

Python
def AddItem(DataToAdd):
Location = (DataToAdd % 1000) + 6
if StoredData[Location] <> -1:
Found = False
Counter = 0

while Found == False and Counter < 9999:

Location = Location + 1
if Location > 9999:
Location = 0
if StoredData[Location] == -1:
Found = True
Counter = Counter + 1

if Found == True:
StoredData[Location] = DataToAdd
return True
else:
return False
else:
StoredData[Location] = DataToAdd
return True

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Question Answer Marks

9(b) Pascal

function AddItem(DataToAdd:Integer):Boolean;
begin
Location := (DataToAdd mod 1000) + 6;
if StoredData[Location] <> -1 then
begin
Found := false;
Counter := 0;

while (Found = false) and (Counter < 9999) do

begin
Location := Location + 1;
if Location > 9999 then
Location := 0;
if StoredData[Location] = -1 then
found := true;
Counter := Counter + 1;
end;
if Found = true then
begin
StoredData[Location] := DataToAdd;
AddItem := True;
end
Else
begin
AddItem := False;
end;
end
else
begin
StoredData[Location] := DataToAdd;
AddItem := True;
end;
end;

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