Computer Science (H046, H446)

Paper 1: Y12 Computer Science Mock Assessment

Unit 1.1 &1.2
Stephanie Jacobs

Please note that you may see slight differences

Mark /70
between this paper and the original. %
Candidates answer on the Question paper. Grade
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Candidate Candidate
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Centre number Candidate number

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• Write your name, centre number and candidate number in the boxes above. Please write clearly and in capital letters.
• Use black ink. HB pencil may be used for graphs and diagrams only.
• Answer all the questions, unless your teacher tells you otherwise.
• Read each question carefully. Make sure you know what you have to do before starting your answer.
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INFORMATION FOR CANDIDATES

• The quality of written communication is assessed in questions marked with either a pencil or an asterisk. In History and Geography
a Quality of extended response question is marked with an asterisk, while a pencil is used for questions in which Spelling, punctuation and
grammar and the use of specialist terminology is assessed.
• The number of marks is given in brackets [ ] at the end of each question or part question.
• The total number of marks for this paper is 70.
• The total number of marks may take into account some 'either/or' question choices.

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1. A software development company is building an operating system for a mobile phone that is in the process of
being designed.

Give one reason the phone needs an operating system.

[1]

2. One use of ROM is to store the Basic Input Output System (BIOS). The BIOS is used when the computer is
first turned on.
i. Describe what the BIOS will do to start up the computer.

[3]
ii. Apart from storing the BIOS, ROM can also be used in other ways.

Describe how an embedded system can make a different use of ROM and why it is an advantage.

[2]

3. A software company decides to release a duplicate file finder which it has named “De-Duplicator”. Duplicate
files are files that are exactly the same (bit for bit identical). Space is often wasted on computers by having
multiple versions of the same file. Duplicate file finders are programs that find and identify duplicate files on a
hard drive so that they can be removed.

A duplicate file finder is an example of a utility. Describe what is meant by a utility.

[2]

4. A company releases a utility called Utility software. The utility creates a virtual storage drive from an area of the
computer's RAM.

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It is important that enough RAM is left for the operating system to use. Describe a technique that allows operating
systems to overcome a lack of available RAM.

[4]

5(a). Operating systems can use many different scheduling algorithms.

i. State three different scheduling algorithms.

[3]
ii. Explain the purpose of scheduling.

[3]

(b). Memory management in a computer for main memory can use either paging or segmentation.
i. Explain what is meant by ‘paging’.

[2]
ii. Explain what is meant by ‘segmentation’.

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 [2]
iii. State two similarities between paging and segmentation.

[2]

6. A computer uses a Von Neumann processor.

Von Neumann architecture uses special registers to store data.

One of these registers is the Current Instruction Register (CIR).

Name two other special registers.

[2]

7. The office workers of a large company each use a standalone computer.

The finance manager needs to work on some files at home and also to assess new software for use in the
finance department.

State three different storage devices that the finance manager would use and describe what each device would
be used for.

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 [6]

8. An embedded system is often a small device that is designed to carry out a limited number of specialised
tasks. Professional athletes sometimes wear small embedded systems called fitness trackers in their shirts.
These can be used to track their speed, position, heart rate and other performance data during an event. The
tracker transmits this data to a pitch-side server which collates the data from all the athletes.

The fitness tracker manufacturers had to decide which type of secondary storage to use.

Explain two reasons why flash (solid state) storage would be the best type of secondary storage for the fitness
tracker system.

[4]

9. State the most appropriate application software for each task in the table.

Task Application Software

Creating graphics such as a logo

Writing letters to clients to confirm

their appointment date and time

Calculating the company profits at

the end of each month

Storing, searching and updating

client details and purchases

Creating brochures and flyers about

the organisation

[5]

10. Low-level languages have features which include opcodes and mnemonics.
i. Explain the term opcode.

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 [2]
ii. Explain the term mnemonics, giving an example.

[3]

11. Pipelining is one factor that affects the performance of a CPU. Identify one other factor.

[1]

12. A program written using the Little Man Computer instruction set is shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 1

Complete the table below to show the output(s) from this program given the inputs.

Inputs Output(s)

12, 5

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 18, 2

16, 4

3, 7

[4]

13(a). Mobile Treasure Hunt is a game played on a mobile phone. The game shows the user's position on a map
of their local area. Treasure randomly appears on the map and users must move to the appropriate area to collect
the treasure before it disappears.

The next page shows a part of the code from Mobile Treasure Hunt.

Explain what is meant by the term ‘encapsulation’ with reference to the attribute called name.

[3]

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(b). Describe what is meant by the term ‘inheritance’, referring to the code in Fig. 2.1.

[3]

(c). Identify all attributes and methods in the TreasureChest class.

Methods: ......................................................................................................................................................

Attributes: ...................................................................................................................................................
[2]

14. A software development team is writing a word game.

The team is using Rapid Application Development.

The software team use a prebuilt library to create the Graphical User Interface.
i. Give two advantages to the software team of using a library.

[2]

ii. The program is compiled. Explain the process of compilation including how code from the library
becomes part of the finished program, justifying why each stage is necessary.

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 [9]

END OF QUESTION PAPER

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