Cambridge IGCSE™

*5015407357*

COMPUTER SCIENCE 0478/12

Paper 1 Computer Systems

You must answer on the question paper.

No additional materials are needed.

INSTRUCTIONS
● Answer all questions.
● Use a black or dark blue pen. You may use an HB pencil for any diagrams or graphs.
● Write your name, centre number and candidate number in the boxes at the top of the page.
● Write your answer to each question in the space provided.
● Do not use an erasable pen or correction fluid.
● Do not write on any bar codes.
● Calculators must not be used in this paper.

INFORMATION
● The total mark for this paper is 60
● The number of marks for each question or part question is shown in brackets [ ].
● No marks will be awarded for using brand names of software packages or hardware.

This document has pages 11. Any blank pages are indicated.

[Turn over
1 The binary number 10100011 is stored in random access memory (RAM).

A logical left shift of three places is performed on the binary number.

(a) Give the 8-bit binary number that will be stored after the shift has taken place.

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(b) Tick (✓) one box to show which statement about a logical left shift of two places is correct.

A It would divide the binary number by 2.

B It would multiply the binary number by 2.

C It would divide the binary number by 4.

D It would multiply the binary number by 4.

[1]

(c) 10100011 can be stored as a two’s complement integer.

Convert the two’s complement integer 10100011 to denary. Show all your working.

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(d) The binary number is measured as a byte because it has 8 bits.

State how many bytes there are in a kibibyte (KiB).

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2 A student has a portable tablet computer.

(a) Identify two input devices that could be built into the portable tablet computer.

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(b) Identify one output device that could be built into the portable tablet computer.

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(c) Identify one type of storage device that could be built into the portable tablet computer.

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3 Hypertext markup language (HTML) colour codes can be represented as hexadecimal.

a. Tick (✓) one box to show which statement about the hexadecimal number system is incorrect.

A It uses the values 0 to 9 and A to F.

B It can be used as a shorter representation of binary.

C It is a base 10 system.

D It can be used to represent error codes.

[1]

b. Denary numbers can be converted to hexadecimal.

Convert the three denary numbers to hexadecimal.

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32 ..............................................................................................................................................

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Working space

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4 A computer uses both random access memory (RAM) and secondary storage.

(a) State the purpose of secondary storage.

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(b) One type of secondary storage is optical.

Circle three examples of optical storage.

read only memory (ROM) secure digital (SD) card compact disk (CD)

hard disk drive (HDD) digital versatile disk (DVD)

Blu-ray disk universal serial bus (USB) drive solid-state drive (SSD)
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(c) Explain why a computer needs RAM.

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5 A farmer uses an automated robot to plant seeds in the field.

(a) State what is meant by the robot being automated.

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(b) Give three characteristics of a robot.

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(c) The robot plants seeds and stops when it reaches a fence. It then turns and continues planting
seeds. The robot uses sensors and a microprocessor to know when it reaches a fence.

Explain how the robot uses sensors and a microprocessor to know it has reached a fence.

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(d) Give two advantages of the farmer using an automated robot to plant seeds.

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(e) Give two disadvantages of the farmer using an automated robot to plant seeds.

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(f) The robot is adapted to have machine learning capabilities.

Explain how this will improve the robot.

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6 Computers represent different types of data in binary.

(a) Tick (✓) one box to show the reason why computers use binary to represent data.

A Computers only allow 1s and 0s to be entered.

B Computers are made of switches and gates that can only be on or off.

C Binary does not need to be converted into other forms of data to be displayed.

D Both computers and humans can quickly process binary data.

[1]

(b) One form of data is characters.

The American standard code for information interchange (ASCII) denary number for the
character ‘N’ is 78.

(i) Tick (✓) one box to identify the ASCII denary number for the character ‘Q’.

A 81

B 80

C 79

D 77
[1]

(ii) Give the binary number for the ASCII denary number for ‘N’.

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Working space

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(iii) Explain how the word ‘RED’ is represented using a character set.

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(c) Sound can be represented as binary.

(i) Explain why recording sound with a higher sampling resolution creates a more accurate
recording.

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(ii) Give one other way that the accuracy of a sound recording can be improved.

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7 A self-driving tractor sows seeds and harvests crops for a farmer. The self-driving tractor
moves automatically through the field, turning at each end and stopping when it has finished.

a. One reason the self-driving tractor is a robot is because it has a mechanical structure
that includes wheels, an engine, and a framework.

Give one other reason why the self-driving tractor is an example of a robot.

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b. If a person is detected within 3 metres whilst the tractor is moving, the self-driving
tractor must stop.

i. Explain how an infra-red sensor, microprocessor and actuator can be used to

stop the self-driving tractor if a person is detected within 3 metres.

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ii. Identify one other sensor that the self-driving tractor might use and how it will
use the sensor.

Sensor ...............................................................................................................................

Use ....................................................................................................................................

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8 (a) Hexadecimal can be used to represent binary numbers.

(i) Convert the denary number 236 into hexadecimal.

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Working space

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(ii) Give one benefit of using hexadecimal instead of binary to represent data.

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(b) Two’s complement can be used to represent positive and negative binary integers.

(i) Convert the two’s complement integer 10110111 into denary.

Show all your working.

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(ii) Convert the denary number 45 into an 8-bit two’s complement integer.

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Working space

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(c) Logical shifts are performed on binary integers.

State the mathematical effect of a right shift of four places on a positive binary integer.

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