2

12 January 2011 (a.m.)

SECTION 1
THEORY 60 marks
Answer ALL questions.
1.

(a)

A user interface allows a user to communicate with the computer to get some tasks
done.
(i)

List ONE hardware user interface and give an example of where it is used.
Touch screens. Touch screens are used with your fingers on cell phones and
ATM machines.
(2 marks)

(ii)

State TWO types of software user interfaces and indicate which on is more
suitable for use by someone who is learning to use a computer.
(3 marks)
Command-driven and graphic user interface also menu-driven, also. GUI is
more suitable for use by someone who is learning to use a computer.

(b)

List ONE advantage and ONE disadvantage of real-time processing.

(2 marks)
Advantages:The system is immediately updated; there will be (in most cases) no
processing lag caused by the system
Disadvantage: The system must always be
online and solely dedicated to the task.

(c)

Match the following applications with the type of software that BEST describes the
application. In your answer booklet, write the application number (1, 2, 3) and the
software type letter (A, B, C) besides it.

1 2 3
C A B
(3 marks)
Total 10
marks

2.
(a)
(i)
If the ASCII code for the letter
f is 1100110, find the ASCII code for the letter
K. 7510, (decimal)
01001011 (Binary)
01229020/JANUARY 2011

Type of Software
Applicatio
Application
n
No.
1
Microsoft Office 2003
2
Ubuntu Linux
3
Spanish for beginners
Software Type
Letter
A
Operating system software
B
C

Specialized software
Integrated application
software

3.

Device
No.
1
2
3
4
5
6
4.7
8
9
10

Show ALL calculations.

(3 marks)

(ii)

Convert the binary number 01011110 to hexadecimal 5E

(1 mark)

(iii)

Using twos complement, find the 8-bit representation of 72

(1 mark)
01001000 (binary),
10110111 (ones complement),
Add 1 to the ones complement:
10111000 (twos complement)

(b)

John has an external hard drive with a capacity of 1 terabyte (TB) and Mary has a USB
flash drive with a capacity of 16 gigabyte (GB). Calculate how many flash drives of
information, similar to Marys, can be accommodated on Johns external hard drive.
1 terabyte is = 1024 GB
1024 / 16 = 64
(2 marks)

(c)

For EACH of the following media, indicate whether it is a secondary or primary storage
media.
(3 marks)
(i)
Flash Memory Card
secondary storage media
(ii)
Random Access Memory primary storage media
(iii)
Programmable Read Only Memory (PROM)
primary storage media
Total 10 marks

Match the following tasks with the BEST device suitable to perform the task. In your answer
booklet, write the device number (1, 2, 3 , 10) with the task letter (A, B, ., J) you choose
besides it.
Device

-D
23-B 4-J 5-H 6-A 7-C 8-F
Touch1terminal
G
Joystick
Optical Mark Reader (OMR)
Magnetic Ink Character Reader (MICR)
Task
Biometric System
Plotter
AInkjet
computer
Printer
eight
technicians
Pads and Tablets
and
homes to sell
Headphones
accessories.
Each
Sensor
ability to complete
Task Letter
using debit or credit
A
Printing of large building plans
location.
B
Marking a multiple choice exam
C
Used in small offices for output
(a)
Explain,
D
An interface used at ATM machines
type of business media
E
Help you listen music in private
(2 marks)
F
Used to hand-draw images
G
Widely used in playing video games
H
Used to verify a persons identity
01229020/JANUARY 2011
I
Measures temperature and light
J
Used in processing cheques

9-E

10 - I

Total 10 marks
supplies company has
who travel to business
computer supplies and
technician has the
purchase transactions
cards at any clients
giving a reason, the
that is described above.

4
Wireless, because there was no physical or cabled link to the office.
(b)

Explain what is a hotspot and give ONE disadvantage of having access to a hotspot.
A hotspot is a site that offers Internet access over a wireless local area network
through the use of a router connected to a link to an Internet service provider. Hotspots
typically use Wi-Fi technology. Hotspots may be found in coffee shops, airports and
various other public establishments throughout much of the developed world.
Disadvantage: You could get robbed. Non-availability of secure access or
having to pay for the access.
(2 marks)

(c)

Name TWO devices that can connect to a Wi-Fi. Laptop, cell phone, also game
console, MP3 player, PDA (2 marks)

(d)

Explain the difference between line-of-sight communication and scattered infrared

communication.
(2

marks)
Line of sight communication refers to a point-to-point communication between two
devices whereas scattered infrared communication refers to a broadcast of infrared
transmission in multiple directions.
(e)

5.

Explain whether line-of-sight communication or scattered infrared communication is

MORE effective in transmitting data.
(2 marks)
Scattered infrared communication is more effective as there is no blockage in
transmission
Total 10 marks

State ONE advantage and ONE disadvantage of EACH of the following scenarios:
(a)

Offering automated voice mail where the caller presses a number to be transferred to
an extension.
(2 marks)
Advantage: If an employee misses a telephone call, they can listen to a recorded voice
mail messages at any time. Disadvantage: The employee might activate the voice
message too late if it was urgent and needed required immediate action.

(b)

Working a home or conducting business using a computer to communicate with

colleagues and/or clients.
(2 marks)
Advantage: An employee can be at home with their family and still perform their
workplace duties. Disadvantage: If there is no power or internet a breakdown in
communication channels, they will lose the link to the office

(c)

Using only credit or debit cards for transactions.

(2 marks)
Advantage: One can perform transactions over the internet with ease without having
to pay cash. Disadvantage: One can become a victim of credit card fraud; also credit
cards could get lost or stolen; machines can malfunction.
Use of Information Technology and computers in most areas of work.
(2 marks)

(d)

01229020/JANUARY 2011

5
Advantage: You can complete tasks quickly, efficiently and store them for future use or
reference. Disadvantage: If the computer crashes and you did not back up your work, it
can be disastrous.

6.

(e)

Using a computer for a long time to complete an urgent task.

(2 marks)
Advantages: You can complete tasks accurately and on time; storage and retrieval of
large amounts of information, and increased productivity
Disadvantages: You can suffer from back, wrist or eye strain; the need for workers to
be retrained or keep themselves up-to-date with technology.
Total 10 marks

(a)

For EACH of the file structures labeled (i) to (v) below, state whether the record
arrangement is ordered (O), unordered (U) or can be ordered or unordered (OU).
(i)
(i)
(iii)
(iv)
(v)

(b)

Direct Access File OU

Indexed-Sequential File
Random Access File
Sequential File
O
Serial File
U

O
U

State whether EACH of the following flies is temporary or permanent.

(6 marks)
(4 marks)

(i)

Grand Father File - (the third most recent version of a backed up file, after
father and son files)
Temporary

(ii)

Master file -

(A collection of records pertaining to one of the main

subjects of an information system, such as customers,
employees, products and vendors)
Permanent

(ii)

Transaction file -

(A collection of transaction records. The data in transaction

files is used to update the master files, which contain the
data about the subjects of the organization (customers,
employees, vendors, etc.). Temporary

(iv)

Transaction log -

(A transaction log (also database log or binary log) is a

history of actions executed by a database management
system to guarantee ACID properties over crashes or
hardware failures. Physically, a log is a file of updates done
to the database, stored in stable storage).
Permanent
Total 10 marks

SECTION 2
01229020/JANUARY 2011

PRODUCTIVITY TOOLS 15 marks

Answer ALL questions.
7.

Answer the following questions based on the spreadsheet given below:

A
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8

Bank
BD
DB
GBTI
RB
SB

Saving Checking
s
800
500
12,000
15,000
5,000
600
15,000
1,250
2,500
1,500

Loan

Total

125
3,000
200
900
600

(a)

State the range of cells containing the names of the banks.

A3:A7

(1 mark)

(b)

What data format has been applied to the data with the number of accounts for each of
the banks? Number format with comma used for the 1000 separator
(1 mark)

(c)

The data in the spreadsheet have been sorted. Indicate the name of the field used for
the sort.
Bank
(1 mark)

(d)

Write the function thats should be used to find the HIGHEST number of loan accounts
in a bank.
=MAX(D3:D7)
(2 marks)

(e)

You are asked to create a pie chart to show the TOTAL number of accounts in EACH
bank. Write the TWO ranges of data you would use. =A3:A7 and E3:E7 (2 marks)
Total 7 marks)

01229020/JANUARY 2011

7
8.

A university uses a database with two tables to store information on courses that are being
offered by the various faculties. The data in the two tables are given below:
TABLE 1: COURSE
CID
Name
MTH 200 Mathematics 2
ENC 100 Economics 1
HST 100 History 1
CSI 400
Computer science 4

Credits
3
4
6
8

Faculty
NS
SS
EH
NS

TABLE 2: FACULTY
Faculty Dean
NS
Tiwari
SS
Scott
EH
Hussian
(a)

What field in the COURSE table is used to sort the records? Credits

(1 mark)

(b)

State the primary key in the COURSE table.

(1 mark)

(c)

The two tables have been joined by a common field. State the name of the Dean of the
faculty that is offering the course with CID = ENC 100
Scott
(1 mark)

(d)

Write a query to show ALL courses in the NS faculty with MORE than 5 credits.
(2 marks)

CID

Faculty = NS AND Credits > 5

Field
Table
Sort
Show
Criteria
Or

Name
University

Faculty
University

NS

Credits
University

>5

(e)

In the COURSE table it is required to

insert a calculated field named FEE to
compute the fee for EACH course. If the
cost per credit is $250, write the formula
for the calculated field.
(2 marks)

Field
CID
Name
Faculty
Credits
Fee: [Credits] * 250
(f)
State
Table
University University University University
the
Sort
field in
Show

the
Criteria
Or
COURSE table that would be MOST appropriate to use to group the data when preparing a
report.
Faculty
(1 mark)
Total 8 marks

SECTION 3
PROBLEM SOLVING AND PROGRAMMING 45 marks
01229020/JANUARY 2011

8
Answer ALL questions
9.

The two arrays below contain four numbers each.

List1: 2
List2: 1
(a)

4
3

6
5

8
7

Write code in Pascal to declare the array List1.

(5 marks)

VAR List1 : Array [1..4] of integer;

(b)

Write the contents of the two arrays after execution of the following fragment of code:

For x : = 1 to 4 do
List1[x] := List1 [x] - List2 [x]

(5 marks)

List1: 1, 1, 1, 1
List2: 1, 3, 5, 7
The contents of List2 are unchanged while the new contents of List1 are
obtained by subtracting the elements of List2 from the elements of List1
.
Total 10 marks
10.

A program reads two characters comprising *, or # into a 6-index array named TEST.
Assuming that the array and all variables are already initialized write a program fragment to
(a)

Initialize the array

(3 marks)

FOR index := 1 TO 4 DO
TEST[index] := ;
(b)

Print the number of stars (*) in the array

(6 marks)

FOR index := 1 TO 4 DO
IF TEST[index] = *
THEN count := count + 1 ;
WRITELN (count);
(c)

Print the comment NO for all characters other than * or # in the way.

(6 marks)

FOR index := 1 TO 4 DO
IF (TEST[index] ) <> * OR (TEST[index] ) <> #
THEN WRITELN(NO);
Total 15 marks
11.

(a)

Copy and complete the trace table below to show the result of the following algorithm.
1

last = 4

01229020/JANUARY 2011

(4 marks)

9
2
3
4
5
6
7
Number
3
4
5
6
7
(b)

count = 0
While number = 3 to 7 Do
While (number <> last) DO
Count = Count +1
End While
Output count
Count
0
1
2
3
4

What is the name of the structure from lines 3 to 6?

Loop

(1 mark)
Total 5 marks

12.

Explain the difference between EACH of the following pairs of terms.

(a)

Low-level and high-level languages

(2 marks)
Low-level language is a programming language that uses words and symbols that
are close to the language the computer understands; high-level language is a
programming language that uses the words and symbols that are used by humans

(b)

Looping structure and conditional structure

(2 marks)
A Looping structure is a control structure that repeats a statement a certain number
of times or whiles a condition is fulfilled. A conditional structure is a control structure
where a choice has to be made between two or more options

(c)

Testing and debugging

(2 marks)
Testing is running a program to see that it gives correct results, debugging is fixing
errors in programs

(d)

Variable and constant

(2 marks)
A variable is a memory location in which an item of data can be stored and changed.
A constant is a memory location where a fixed item of data is stored

(e)

The symbols = and <>

(f)

Integer and real values

(2 marks)
integers store whole numbers, real store numbers with decimal places, such as prices

(g)

Pseudocode and flowchart

(3 marks)
A pseudocode is a well defined representation of an algorithm with terms that closely
resemble programming language instructions. A flowchart is a diagrammatic
representation of an algorithm
Total 15 marks

= equal to,

END OF TEST
01229020/JANUARY 2011

<> not equal to

(2 marks)

10

01229020/JANUARY 2011