GCSE BITESIZE Examinations

General Certificate of Secondary Education

ICT
HIGHER TIER
Time allowed 1 hour 30 minutes

Total marks: 90
Answer all questions in the spaces provided

1. The advert below is used by a plumber to advertise his business.

MACS PLUMBING
AND HEATING
All plumbing and
heating repairs carried
out
Reasonable rates
Phone 01027 191 191

Describe four different ways in which the plumber could use features of a desk-top publishing
package to make his advert more effective.
1..
.
2
..
3.

4..

(4 marks)
4

2.

For each of the following, state whether the device is an input device, an output device or a
storage device.
Laser printer

..

Scanner

..

Floppy disk

..

Bar code reader

..

Mouse

..

Speaker

..
(6 marks)
6

3.

Explain the meaning of the following terms:

File

Record

Field

(3 marks)
3

4. Which 3 of the following are tasks carried out by the operating system of a computer?
A
B
C
D
E
F

Transferring data from the keyboard to the computer

Finding a record in a database
Allocating CPU (processor) time to a task
Finding a website about African animals
Editing a word-processed document
Managing the memory of the computer

(3 marks)

5. It is important that data stored in computer systems is kept safe. One way in which data can
be damaged is by viruses.
a) Describe two other threats to data stored on a hard disk.
1.

2.
(2 marks)
b) How can attack by viruses be prevented?

(2 marks)

6.

A Solicitors Partnership has branches in several towns. Each office has several
computers all connected to a network. Staff at the different offices communicate by email.
a) Give two differences between a LAN and a WAN
1.

2.

(2 marks)

b) Which type of network would be suitable within one of the offices?

.
(1 mark)
c) The Solicitors are considering getting a broadband connection for each of their
offices. Give two reasons why they should do this rather than continuing to use ordinary
dialup access through modems in each branch.
1.

2.

(2 marks)
d) The partnership is expanding and opening offices in France and Australia. It has been
advised that video conferencing facilities would benefit the solicitors. Discuss the
advantages and disadvantages of video conferencing for the partnership and its members.
.
.
.
.
..
..

.
.
.
(7 marks)
12

7.

Data is often collected using automated methods including Optical Character Recognition
(OCR), Magnetic Ink Character Recognition (MICR), Optical Mark Recognition (OMR),
Magnetic Strip reading and Bar Code reading.
For each application state which of these methods would be the best choice.
Explain why it is most suitable.
a) Reading the account number on a gas bill.
Method ..
Reason
.
.
(2 marks)
b) Reading data from a cheque.
Method ..
Reason
.
.
(2 marks)
c) Many people now pay for their goods using a credit or debit card. Shops and businesses
refer to this as Electronic Funds Transfer at the Point of Sale, abbreviated as EFTPOS.
Sarah has just received a new card which she signs immediately. She wants to use the
card to purchase a new DVD. The following list describes key features of using this system
to pay for goods. Use the numbers 1 to 6 to indicate the correct sequence for a successful
EFTPOS transaction.
The card is swiped through the reader at the till
Banks computer checks account to ensure that there is sufficient money in the
customers account
Connection to customers bank through the telephone system
Sarah enters her PIN number
Sarah validates the card for use
Bank system carries out a check against stolen cards
(4 marks)
8

8.

Instructions are used to control a small robot that draws lines. The instruction set includes
the following commands:
Penup raises the pen above the paper
Pendown lowers the pen onto the paper
Forward n move forward n cm
Back n - move backward n cm
Left n turn left n degrees
Right n turn right n degrees
The robot starts in the position shown, facing in the direction of the arrow with the pen on
the paper.
(a) Write the instructions needed to draw the pattern shown below.
25 cm

5 cm
5 cm

5 cm
5 cm
10 cm

START

..

..

..

..

..

..

..

..

..

..

..

..

..

..

..

..

..

..

..

..

..

..

..

..
(6 marks)

(b) In the boxes below, write the essential features of a control system in the correct order.

(1 mark)

(c) Describe the term open loop system

(1 mark)

(d) Modify the diagram above to show a closed loop system

(1 mark)
(e) A baby born prematurely must have its body temperature monitored continuously. Describe a
control system that would enable a nurse to monitor a babys temperature and know when to take
action if the babys temperature becomes too high.

..
..
..
..
..
..
(4 marks)

13

9. Paula wants to go on holiday and has used a spreadsheet as a computer model to work out how
much she needs to save. Paula has already entered all the necessary formulae to update her
spreadsheet automatically.

a. The cost of the flight is reduced by 10.

i)

Which cell should Paula change?

.

(1 mark)

ii) Name two other cells which would change as a result.

..

(2 marks)

b. Write the formula in each of the following cells:

i)

D2 = .

ii) D10 = .

(2 marks)

c. Paula has already paid for the flights and the hotel. She wants to use her
spreadsheet to work out how much she needs to save each month for the next 6
months to cover the rest of the costs. Give the formulae needed in the shaded cells.
i)

D12 =

ii) D13=
iii) D14= .
(3 marks)
d. Explain how Paulas spreadsheet is a computer model.
..

(3 marks)

11

10.

A shop uses ICT systems for a variety of purposes in its store including stock control
and point of sale system. When items are sold the data collected at the tills is used to
produce an itemised receipt for the customer and to update the number in stock. The
structure of the database is shown below.
Supplier
table
supplier code
supplier name
address
town
postcode

Item table
item code
item description
price
number in stock
minimum stock level
reorder quantity
supplier code

a) What is a primary key field?

.
.
(1 mark)
b) Which are the primary key fields in the two tables (files) in this database?
i)

Supplier table .

ii)

Item Table ..
(2 marks)

c) When orders are produced, records in the suppliers table must be linked to records in the
item table. How can this link be made?

(1 marks)
d) To produce an order the database must be searched to find the items that need to be
reordered. Searches are written like the example below:
<minimum stock level> greater than <reorder quantity>
Comparisons used are: greater than
less than
equal to.
Write the search needed to find the items that need to be re-ordered because the number
left is lower than the minimum level allowed.
.
.
.
(2 marks)
e) Give one way in which the shop benefits from this type of stock management system.

(1 mark)

f) Give one way in which this system could benefit customers.

(1 mark)
8

11. Give five of the principles contained in the Data Protection Act of 1998.
1. ..

2. ..

3. ..

4. ..

5. ..

(5 marks)

12. The health problems given below are all related to use of ICT equipment. For the problems
below, state the cause and explain how the risk of the problem arising can be reduced.
a) Headaches
Cause .

How risk can be reduced ...

(2 marks)
b) Repetitive Strain Injury (RSI)
Cause .

How risk can be reduced ...

(2 marks)

13 A student was asked to investigate how a small plastic bottle of water could be cooled for
drinking later. She chose to use a small insulated jacket that had been stored overnight in a deep
freeze. The plastic bottle could be fitted inside the jacket. She tested how effective the jacket was
by using used data logging equipment.
(a) Describe how the data logging would be used in this investigation.
.
.
.
(4 marks)
The graphs below were obtained by the student at the end of her investigation.

50 deg C
Graph A

0 deg C

Time of investigation (hours)

20 deg C
Graph B

0 deg C

Time of investigation (hours)

(b) Investigations using datalogging equipment provide the student with more accurate results.
Using the data from this investigation only, discuss this statement.
..
..
..
..
..

..
..
..
(5 marks)
9