JUNE 2010 COMPUTER APPLICATIONS Instructions to candidates: a) Time allowed: Three hours (plus an extra ten minutes reading

time at the start - do not write anything during this time) b) Answer Question 1 (spend about one hour on this) and any THREE other questions c) Question 1 carries 40 marks and ALL other questions carry 20 marks each. Marks for sections of questions are shown in [ ] d) Mark allocation should determine the length of your answer and the time you spend on it. Generally, ONE valid point scores ONE mark e) Ensure that you pay particular attention to words underlined, in CAPITALS or in bold. FEW OR NO MARKS will be awarded to any question where these are ignored f) Where you are asked HOW to achieve a particular result using a named package, explain in general terms how it is achieved rather than listing particular keys to be pressed, i.e. "Mark the sentence from start to end" rather than Press F4" g) You are advised to read an entire question before answering any part of it h) No computer equipment, books or notes may be used in this examination 1. a) b) c) d) e) f) g) h) i) j) 2. Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of use control of a package by GUI compared with commands. [4] Briefly discuss how to upgrade a software package to a later version. [4] List FOUR fields on a stock file that would be necessary to perform automatic reordering when stocks run low. Explain why EACH is necessary. [4] Explain what is meant by an INTEGRATED package. Give an example and state ONE advantage of it being integrated. [4] Explain, with particular reference to files, how the PIN prevents fraud when a customer, using a bank ATM, attempts to draw money from a bank account. [4] A database system is able to produce a list of students attending a particular course at a college. Suggest FOUR uses that could be made of this list. [4] LOOKUP, IF and COUNT are standard functions in a spreadsheet package. Choose ONE of these, explain its purpose and how it is used. A brief example would help. [4] Explain an EFFICIENT way to change a whole sentence in a word processing document, without retyping it, from upper case to lower case but with a capital letter on the first word. [4] Explain how the use of computers for engineering/scientific work differs from the use for business. [4] Define the term thesaurus. Explain how to implement it within a word processing package. [4]

This paper was first produced using a word processing program. In stages, the questions were refined and reordered before the final version emerged. Below is a list of some of the changes made. Explain WHICH features of a word processing program should be used to make the changes and HOW each is achieved. The most efficient method should be chosen in each case. a) There were some typing errors. [2] b) One question was rejected and was replaced by another question created as a complete file on a separate diskette. [4] c) To prevent a question running over from one page to another, the order of questions was changed. [4] d) The word program was changed to package in MOST cases but not all. Each time the word program appeared, the author had to have the opportunity whether to change it or not without missing any instances. [4] e) Some parts of questions had to be emphasised by using capitals, emboldening or underlining. [3] f) Indentations such as f) in this question had to be standardised across the whole paper and the initial instructions. [3] continued overleaf

3.

Name a particular database package you will be using to answer this question after you have read the whole question through. a) Explain why each field of a database is defined with a particular data-type. [4] b) A database holds records of its thousands of customers who have accounts and for which they are invoiced each month. The manager requires a printout of the identity and spending pattern of all customers who have not made a purchase within the last three months. Explain how a search can be made to find this information with the least of user involvement. Name the fields needed to achieve this. [6] c) Describe how a report can be designed to print the results in table format from the search in b). [4] d) Databases can be ordered by either INDEXING or SORTING. Distinguish carefully between the two. Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of EACH of these. [6] The table below shows part of a spreadsheet screen set up by a sales manager to show sales over six months by three of his salesman. The figures for MAY were accidentally omitted. The file called SALESMEN is on a diskette. A B C D E SALES ANALYSIS FLINTOFF HARMISON VAUGHAN Jan 2531.18 2357.00 2395.72 Feb Mar Apr Jun 3532.34 2447.56 2556.76 2778.97 3446.12 2981.24 3112.35 2294.67 2549.43 2445.53 2331.72 2887.99

4.

TOTALS State the name and version of the spreadsheet program you used in answering this question. Explain clearly HOW to perform each of the following tasks as efficiently as possible. State WHERE the cursor is positioned at the start of each process: a) Read in the file from diskette. [2] b) Align each salesman's name over the numbers below. [2] c) Total the figures for each person placing the value in row 9. This total must automatically adjust itself when additional lines are inserted later. [4] d) The May figures for the three salesmen were later found to be 2456.89, 2831.71, 2537.66 respectively. Arrange for this extra row to be inserted into the table after April. [3] e) In column E, place formulae to calculate the AVERAGE sales of the three salesmen for each month and also for the TOTALS row. [4] f) Round money values to the nearest integer. [2] g) Display all sales figures as a histogram with each salesman's results shown separately on the ONE chart. [3] 5. State the name of a commercial graphics package. a) With the aid of diagrams, explain how the user is able to select from its range of drawing features using this package. [4] b) Select FOUR different drawing tools and explain IN DETAIL what EACH achieves and how EACH is implemented. [4 each] Discuss TWO major business tasks for which an electricity public utility company would use a computer. For each: a) name the application and describe its overall purpose b) describe the data. Explain how it is captured. c) describe the printed outputs that are produced d) describe the files which would be accessed or updated, how each would be organised and how each would be accessed [10 each]

6.

INSTITUTE OF COMMERCIAL MANAGEMENT