Teach Computer

Science

Edexcel Level 1/Level 2 GCSE

(9-1)

Computer Science
Paper 1: Principles of Computer Science
Paper Code: 1CP2/01

Time: 1 hour 30 minutes

Total
Marks:
Name:

Instructions:
• Answer all questions.
• Answer the questions in the spaces provided - there
may be more space than you need.
• You are not allowed to use a calculator.

Information:
• The total mark for this paper is 75.
• The marks for each question are shown in brackets -
use this as a guide for how much time to spend on
each question.

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1. A graphic designer creates images for a website.
(a) Colours in the website logo are represented in
hexadecimal.
Convert the given binary numbers to hexadecimal.

Hexadecimal
(3)
01011010

11100111

10101100

(b) Convert the hexadecimal number 23 to binary and then

convert the result obtained to denary.
(2)
Binary

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Denary

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(c) Define the term colour depth.

(1)
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(d) If 8 bits represent colours in an image, what is the colour
depth?

(2)

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(e) The website uses both black-and-white images and

colour images.

What is the effect of using a run-length encoding (RLE)

algorithm on the black-and-white images used in the
website?

(3)

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(Total for Question 1 =11 marks)

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2. Binary is used to represent computer data.
(a) Convert the given denary numbers to its 8-bit two’s-
complement.
(2)

8-bit two’s-complement

-5

-4

(+)

(b) Add the two negative numbers in (a) and state the
answer obtained in the table.
(1)

(c) If 8-bits represent a number, what is the range of signed

numbers that can be denoted?

(2)

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(d) A binary number is denoted in 4-bit 2’s complement

form as 1001. Convert this number to denary.

(2)

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(e) An audio file has a bit rate of 1411.2 kbps.

Define the term bit rate.

(1)

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(f) Calculate a 2-minute audio file size with 44,100 samples

per second, a bit depth of 16 bits and 2 channels. State your
answer in megabytes.

(3)

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(g) The audio file is stored in encrypted form.

Why is the data encrypted?
(1)
A. To prevent viruses
B. To reduce storage space
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C. To reduce access time to read data m
(h) Complete the table given using the Caesar algorithm.
(2)

Plain text Shift Cipher text

Savings +6

Interest mrxiviwx

(Total for Question 2 =14 marks)

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3. John von Neumann developed an idea of a computer that
could store programs.
(a) A computer consists of a CPU, memory and storage.
In von Neumann's architecture, what are the two items stored
in the main memory?
(2)

i. …………………………………………………………………………

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ii. …………………………………………………………………………

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(b) i. Define the term register.

(1)

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ii. What is the function of the program counter?

(1)

A. PC contains the next instruction to be executed.

B. PC contains the instruction that is executed currently.

C. PC contains the address of the next instruction that is to

be executed.

D. PC keeps count of the number of instructions executed.

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(c) A computer needs an operating system to function, and the
operating system is responsible for peripheral management.
i. Describe how the processor uses device drivers to manage
peripheral devices?

(3)

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ii. State the function and purpose of disk defragmentation.

(3)

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(Total for Question 3 =10 marks)

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4. Logic gates are the building blocks of electronic circuits.
(a) Complete the given truth table
(4)
A B (NOT (A) ) AND B
0 0
1 1
1 0
1 0

(b) A student gets a completion certificate for a course if

they pass the final test consisting of 50 questions. The
criteria for passing the test is answering all questions and
answering correctly at least 15 difficult questions OR at
least 20 questions with medium difficulty.
This can be expressed as (diffQues >=15 OR medQues >=
20) AND (answered = 50). Complete the truth table.
(6)
answered diffQues medQue (diffQue (diffQues
= 50 >=15 s >= 20 s >=15 >=15 OR
OR medQues
medQue >= 20)
s >= 20) AND
(answere
d = 50)
0 0 0 0 0
0 0 1 1
0 1 0 0
0 1 1 1
1 0 0 0
1 0 1 1
1 1 0 1
1 1 1 (Total1for Question
1 4 =10 marks)

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5. Computer programs can be written either in high-level or
low-level languages.
(a) What are the features of high-level languages and low-level
languages? Explain briefly.
(6)

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(b) Compilers and interpreters play an important role in source-
code translation.
State four features of compilers.
(4)

1. …………………………………………………………………………

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2. …………………………………………………………………………

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3. …………………………………………………………………………

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4. …………………………………………………………………………

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(Total for Question 5 =10 marks)

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6. A banking organisation stores user account information in a
structured database.
(a) Explain how user account information is stored in a
structured database.
(2)

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(b) The banking organisation has branches in several
countries.
What network is used to connect the branches to its head
office?
(1)
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(c) This organisation is planning to move to cloud storage.

What are the advantages and disadvantages of cloud

storage compared to the current local backup methods?

(6)

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(d) The banking organisation employs a network specialist
to secure the network.
i. Define the term ‘penetration testing’.
(2)

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ii. The Network specialist carries out a code review.

What checks are carried out in code review?

(2)

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(Total for Question 6 =13 marks)

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7. A uniform resource locator is given.
http://www.gcsecs.com/computer-science/programming-
language-subset-pls.html
(a) Draw a circle around the protocol and a rectangle
around the domain name.
(2)

(b) State the role of an ISP.

(1)
………………………………………………………………………………
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(c) State the network topology that requires a server.

(1)
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(d) Explain why the binary search algorithm is not

appropriate
25 2 for the
11 list 31
given.3 8 25 9 18

(1)
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(e) Based on a number of comparisons necessary in the
search algorithm, state the best-case and worst-case
scenarios of the linear search algorithm.
(2)

Best case:

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………………………………………………Worst case:

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(Total for Question 7 =7 marks)

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