CP2 Computing June 2006

[1](a)

One feature of a word processing package is a thesaurus. How could a teacher use this feature when writing end of year reports?

[1]

to find alternative words with a similar meaning.

(b)

A section of a spreadsheet that a teacher uses to produce examination results is shown below with formulae being displayed. An IF function is used to determine whether a pupil has passed or failed an examination.

	A	B	C
1
2	Pass Mark	60%
3
4	Pupil Name	Exam Mark	Pass or Fail
5
6	David Blithe	23%	=IF(B6>=B2,"PASS","FAIL")
7	Helen Carter	70%	=IF(B7>=B2,"PASS","FAIL")
8	Harry Davies	42%	=IF(B8>=B2,"PASS","FAIL")
9	Jane Evans	95%	=IF(B9>=B2,"PASS","FAIL")
10
11

(i)

When the formulae are not displayed, what will appear in cell C6 and in cell C7?

[1]

C6 =

C6 = "FAIL"

C7 =

C7 = "PASS"

(ii)

Describe one other feature of a spreadsheet that the teacher could use to analyse this data.

[1]

Formula such as =AVERAGE(B6:B9) to calculate the average exam mark.

[2]

A school is about to equip a new computer room. The headteacher asks the computing department to recommend either installing twenty stand-alone computers or installing a network of twenty computers.

(i)

Apart from sharing hardware such as a printer, give two reasons why the department would probably recommend installing a network.

[2]

a common database could be shared - accessed by users at all workstations.
communication between computers such as email

(ii)

Give one reason why the department might recommend installing stand-alone computers.

[1]

less likely to be attacked by a virus, or accessed by hackers.

(iii)

The department recommends that spooling is used for printing on the network.

(I)

Give two reasons why the department would recommend spooling when printing on the network.

[2]

spooling speeds up the process of printing, because once printing is started the computer can be processing other jobs.
only one printer needs to be bought for the network

(II)

Explain in detail how spooling is used for printing on a network.

[2]

jobs to be printed are sent to a queue on the printer server's hard disc...
...and the printer prints each job in turn when it is ready
...this allows the sending computer to carry on processing once it has sent the job to the server.
Spooling is needed because saving data to a hard disc is faster than printing it direct to the printer.

[3](a)

What is meant by disc cache memory, and explain why disc cache memory is used.

[2]

disc cache is an area of a hard disc set aside to be used as extra memory.
modern applications need a lot of memory to run at a reasonable speed. If there is not enough RAM then disc cache memory can be used.

(b)

Disc drives use blocks when transferring data to and from disc. What is a block?

[1]

a block is the amount of data that can be saved or loaded from a disc in one operation.

[4](a)

Data entered into a database is often verified.
Define the term data verification giving a suitable example.

[2]

data verification checks for transcription errors when data is typed into a computer.
Example : double entry - data is typed in twice by different people and only accepted for processing if the two versions are identical.

(b)(i)

One method of calculating a check digit for a three digit code is given below.

The right digit is multiplied by 1
The middle digit is multiplied by 2.
The left digit is multiplied by 3.
The three numbers calculated above are then added.
The check digit is the right digit of the resulting number.

Find the check digit for the code 147.

[1]

7x1=7
4x2=8
1x3=3
Added together makes 18
...so 8 is the check digit.

(ii)

What is the purpose of the check digit?

[1]

it is a method of validation - checking the input data is sensible and has not been entered incorrectly.

[5](a)

The personal details of members of the WellFit gym are stored on index cards at the reception desk. Members sign a book kept at the reception desk each time they enter the gym. Every month the owner of the gym analyses the visitors book.

Kim is a systems analyst who recommends replacing the paper-based system with a computerised database system.

(i)

Describe two possible problems that could occur with the current paper-based system and explain how the new computerised database system could solve these problems.

[4]

index cards may get lost or misplaced so they cannot be accessed when needed.
....a computerised system will be able to sort the data into order when needed, and will not lose data.
it may be slow to find data
...the computerised databases system can search and find data within a few seconds.

(ii)

Kim recommends a new form of data entry which requires the use of a membership card. Name a specific input device that could be used to read this card, and explain in detail how the data held on the card could be used to update the database.

[3]

magnetic card reader
when a card is swiped through the reader, the unique membership number is input...
...the database is searched for the record with that membership number and updates the record with the date of the visit.

(iii)

Describe one disadvantage, for the owner of the gym, of introducing this new computerised system.

[1]

there will be a significant expense when buying the computer equipment and software.

(b)

The gym members pay by bank direct debit and their bank and payment details are stored on the database. The owner of the gym will have to comply with the Data Protection Act. Two of the principles that the owner has to comply with are:

the data will be obtained lawfully.
the data will only be used for its intended purpose.

Describe three other principles with which the owner of the gym will need to comply.

[3]

the data must be kept up-to-date.
the data must be kept secure.
the data must not be kept longer than is necessary for the intended purpose.

[6](a)

The mode of operation that controls an aeroplane is known as real-time processing. Describe in detail how real-time processing works in this case and explain why it is the most suitable mode of operation.

[3]

any change in the aeroplane controls results in new input data...
data that is input to the system must be processed immediately...
...which may result in the output of control signals being sent to the aeroplane's devices such as flaps etc...
real time is the most suitable because there is immediate response to changes in the controls.

(b)

The mode of operation that is used to book theatre tickets is known as real-time transaction processing. Describe in detail how real-time transaction processing works in this case and explain why it is the most suitable mode of operation.

[2]

each booking is placed in a queue in the transaction file.
the booking is immediately processed and any files updated to show the booking has been made.
real-time transaction is the most suitable because there will be no chance of double-booking as the files are updated as soon as a booking is made.

[7](a)

Explain the difference between serial file organisation and sequential file organisation.

[2]

serial file organisation - records are placed onto the end of the file as they arise.
sequential file organisation - records are suited in order of a key field.

(b)

Records within a file can be fixed length or variable length. Give one advantage of a fixed length record and one advantage of a variable length record.

[2]

fixed length - faster processing of records.
variable length - smaller files

(c)

Draw a detailed diagram that clearly shows how the master file is updated using a transaction file when a company runs the monthly payroll.

[3]

[8]

A local council has its own web site, accessed via the Internet. The council is considering setting up a staff Intranet.

(i)

What is the difference between the Internet and an Intranet?

[1]

Only staff in the council can access the Intranet - anybody can access the Iternet.

(ii)

Giving an example, explain what type of information the council would have on their staff Intranet but not on their Internet web site.

[2]

Information that staff on the Council would need, but should not be accessible to people outside
Eg. personal data such as staff payroll information

[9]

Explain what is meant by each of the following terms:

(i)

address bus

[1]

the path on the motherboard between the CPU and the memory down which addresses travel

(ii)

data bus

[1]

the path down which data travels between the CPU and other components

[10](a)

Many people now use a Personal Digital Assistant (PDA) or a handheld computer. Often these devices are too small to have a usable keyboard and many use handwriting recognition.

(i)

Give one advantage and one disadvantage of using handwriting recognition as a method of input.

[2]

data can be input using a simple stylus or pen - there is no need for a bulky keyboard
people with poor handwriting may have difficulty as the processor is unable to interpret their writing.

(ii)

Describe one other suitable method of input for this type of device.

[1]

touch screen - options selected by touching the small screen.

(b)

PDAs and handheld computers are often used to store personal and confidential information. Some devices now have Biometric Fingerprinting that scans the owner's fingerprints to confirm their identity.

Describe two reasons why this method of security may be preferred to passwords.

[2]

greater security - passwords may be found out and used by unauthorised people.
a user may forget their password - they cannot lose their fingerprint

[11]

In the following question, additional credit (up to 3 marks) will be given if your answer demonstrates skill in written communication.

Many office employees now use computers all day and require access to the Internet and email. Some employers allow employees limited use of the Internet and email for personal use.

Describe any drawbacks or benefits for the company of employees having access to the Internet and email for personal use.

Describe any health concerns employers may have over employees using computers for prolonged periods. Explain any preventative measures that could be implemented to reduce these risks.

[7+3]

If employees can access the Internet, they can use it to research any problems they may be having or access forums to see if others have suggestions or solutions. There may also be problems with users wasting too much time on recreational or inappropriate sites, such as gambling or pornography sites, when they should be working. Shopping sites may also be too tempting.

With access to emails, employees can request assistance from others and receive fast responses, but there may also be a problem of spreading viruses around the office network.

Sitting for long periods at a computer can cause some health problems such as RSI (Repetitive Strain Injury), back or neck problems or eye strain. The best way of preventing these problems is to have suitably arranged desks and chairs, and to make sure that the employees have frequent breaks. The lighting in the office should also be considered - if the lighting is too bright it may result in eye strain.