6

Darius is sending several programs that he has created to his friend Selma.

(c) He wants to compress the files to send them as he needs to attach them to an email.

Darius tells Selma he is going to use lossy compression. Selma tells him that he should use
lossless instead.

Explain why Selma tells Darius to use lossless compression instead of lossy.

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(d) Errors can occur when data is transmitted, stored or entered into a system.

Darius could use an error detection method to find whether errors have occurred.

One error detection method he could use is a checksum.

(i) Describe how a checksum detects errors.

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 (ii) State three other error detection methods that Darius could use.

Method 1 ............................................................................................................................

Method 2 ............................................................................................................................

Method 3 ............................................................................................................................
[3]

6 Nadia purchases a printer to print out her homework.

She connects the printer to her computer using USB.

(a) Explain what is meant by USB.

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2 A school network is used to transmit and store data about students.

(a) Different types and methods of transmission can be used to send data across the network.

Three descriptions about data transmission are given.

Tick (3) one Method and tick (3) one Type for each description.

Method Type

Description Serial Parallel Simplex Half- Duplex

(3) (3) (3) duplex (3)
(3)
Data is sent down a single wire in a
single direction only.
Data is sent down multiple wires in
both directions, at the same time.
Data is sent down a single wire in
both directions, but never at the
same time.
[3]
(b) Parity bits are used to help detect errors in data transmission. A parity bit is added to each
binary value before transmission.

Three binary values are to be transmitted using even parity.

(i) Complete the parity bit that would be added to each binary value for even parity.

Binary value Parity bit

1 1 0 0 1 1 1
1 0 1 0 1 0 1
0 1 1 0 1 0 0

[3]

(ii) A number of errors occurred during data transmission.

State why a parity check may not detect transmission errors.

...........................................................................................................................................

..................................................................................................................................... [1]

(c) Data is encrypted using 128-bit symmetric encryption before it is transmitted.

(i) Explain what is meant by encryption.

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...........................................................................................................................................

..................................................................................................................................... [2]

(ii) State how the strength of the encryption can be improved.

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..................................................................................................................................... [1]
(d) Electronic data about the final score for the match is transmitted to a central computer
30 kilometres away, using serial transmission.

(i) Explain why serial transmission is more appropriate than parallel transmission in this
scenario.

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..................................................................................................................................... [3]

(ii) The data transmission is also half-duplex.

Describe half-duplex data transmission.

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..................................................................................................................................... [2]

(iii) The data transmission uses checksums.

Describe how checksums are used to detect errors in data transmission.

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..................................................................................................................................... [3]
(iii) Nadia’s email service uses parity bits as a method of error detection during the
transmission of data.

Describe how the parity bits are used to detect errors.

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(iv) Identify and describe one other method of error detection used during the transmission
of data.

Method ..............................................................................................................................

Description ........................................................................................................................

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[4]
 9

3 Four validation checks and five descriptions are shown.

Draw a line from each validation check to the most appropriate description.

Validation check Description

checks that the data input is

between two values

length check

checks that the data input is

an integer

check digit

checks that the data input has

three digits

range check

checks that the data has

been input

type check

checks that the data input has

the correct digits
[4]
(iii) Nadia’s email service uses parity bits as a method of error detection during the
transmission of data.

Describe how the parity bits are used to detect errors.

...........................................................................................................................................

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(iv) Identify and describe one other method of error detection used during the transmission
of data.

Method ..............................................................................................................................

Description ........................................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................................

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[4]
 9

3 Four validation checks and five descriptions are shown.

Draw a line from each validation check to the most appropriate description.

Validation check Description

checks that the data input is

between two values

length check

checks that the data input is

an integer

check digit

checks that the data input has

three digits

range check

checks that the data has

been input

type check

checks that the data input has

the correct digits
[4]

5 A website allows users to purchase items.

Computer A sends a request for the homepage to the website’s server.

(a) The request is sent using packet switching.

The structure of a packet of data has three elements. One element is the packet header.

(i) Identify two items of data contained in a packet header.

1 ........................................................................................................................................

2 ........................................................................................................................................
[2]

(ii) Identify the two other elements of a packet.

1 ........................................................................................................................................

2 ........................................................................................................................................
[2]
(b) Computer A needs to be directly connected to a router that is located in a different room.

(i) Tick (✓) one box to identify whether serial data transmission or parallel data transmission
is more suitable for this connection.

Explain the reasons for your choice.

Serial data transmission

Parallel data transmission

Reasons for your choice ...................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................................

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..................................................................................................................................... [3]

(ii) The connection will also use full‑duplex data transmission.

Define full‑duplex data transmission.

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..................................................................................................................................... [2]
(c) The data transmission will use parity checks.

(i) The bytes need to be sent using an even parity byte check.

Complete the parity bit for each byte.

Parity
bit

Byte A 1 1 0 0 0 1 1

Byte B 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

[2]

(ii) A parity block check can be used instead of a parity byte check.

Explain how a parity block check might detect an error in transmission that would not be
detected by a parity byte check.

...........................................................................................................................................

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..................................................................................................................................... [2]

(d) Adele also encrypts the data on her mobile device to keep it more secure.

State how encryption will keep the data more secure.

...................................................................................................................................................

............................................................................................................................................. [1]
(iii) The data was sent using an even parity block check. One of the bits has been transmitted
incorrectly.

Parity
Bit 1 Bit 2 Bit 3 Bit 4 Bit 5 Bit 6 Bit 7
bit

Byte 0 1 1 1 0 1 0 0 0

Byte 1 0 0 1 0 0 1 0 0

Byte 2 1 0 1 1 0 0 0 1

Byte 3 1 1 0 0 1 1 1 1

Byte 4 1 0 1 0 0 0 1 0

Byte 5 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

Byte 6 0 1 1 1 1 0 0 0

Parity
0 1 1 0 1 0 1 0
byte

Identify the bit number and the byte number of the incorrect bit.

Bit number ......................................

Byte number ......................................

[2]
(e) At the end of each day the self-driving tractor transmits the data it has collected to the farmer’s
computer in their house.

The transmission uses an echo check.

(i) Describe the role of the self-driving tractor and the farmer’s computer in the echo check.

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(ii) Another method of error checking is a parity block check.

The table shows 7 bytes that are transmitted using odd parity. The parity bit has been
completed for each byte.

Complete the parity byte for the data.

parity
bit 7 bit 6 bit 5 bit 4 bit 3 bit 2 bit 1
bit

byte 1 1 1 0 0 1 1 1 0

byte 2 1 0 0 0 0 1 1 0

byte 3 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0

byte 4 0 1 0 0 1 1 1 1

byte 5 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

byte 6 0 1 1 1 1 1 1 1

byte 7 1 1 0 0 1 1 0 1

parity
byte
[3]
7 Data is transmitted using the internet.

(a) The data is encrypted before transmission.

(i) State the purpose of encrypting data.

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..................................................................................................................................... [1]

(ii) Describe the differences between symmetric and asymmetric encryption.

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(b) The data is transmitted using packet switching.

(i) Identify two items of data contained in a packet header.

1 ........................................................................................................................................

2 ........................................................................................................................................
[2]

(ii) Give the purpose of a router in the packet-switching process.

...........................................................................................................................................

..................................................................................................................................... [1]
7 Umar is a manager in an office. The data that he uses on a daily basis is stored on a file server
close to his computer.

Data is sent from his computer to the file server using parallel simplex data transmission.

(a) Describe how the data is sent using parallel simplex data transmission.

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(b) The file server is moved to another building that is 1 km away.

Explain why the parallel simplex data transmission method that Umar uses is no longer
suitable.

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............................................................................................................................................. [2]

(c) Checksum and Automatic Repeat reQuest (ARQ) are both used when transmitting the data
from a computer to the file server.

Explain why checksum and ARQ are both used.

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(b) Identify which type of compression has been used to compress the sound file.

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............................................................................................................................................. [1]

(c) The student sends the sound file to a friend. The file is transmitted across a network that uses
packet switching.

(i) Identify two pieces of data that would be included in the header of each packet.

1 ........................................................................................................................................

2 ........................................................................................................................................
[2]

(ii) Explain how the file is transmitted using packet switching.

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(c) The student sends the sound file to a friend. The file is transmitted across a network that uses
packet switching.

(i) Identify two pieces of data that would be included in the header of each packet.

1 ........................................................................................................................................

2 ........................................................................................................................................
[2]

(ii) Explain how the file is transmitted using packet switching.

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 5

4 A student uses a mobile phone to take photographs for a school project.

The student needs to transmit the photographs to their computer. They could use serial data
transmission or parallel data transmission to transmit the photographs.

(a) (i) Describe how the photographs would be transmitted using serial data transmission.

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(ii) Give two benefits of transmitting the photographs using serial data transmission.

1 ........................................................................................................................................

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2 ........................................................................................................................................

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[2]

(iii) State one benefit of the student using parallel data transmission instead of serial data
transmission.

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..................................................................................................................................... [1]
5 Complete and annotate the diagram to demonstrate how packet switching is used to transmit data
across a network, including the use of routers, from Device A to Device B.

Device A Device B

[4]
 4

4 Data packets are transmitted across a network from one computer to another computer.

(a) Describe the structure of a data packet.

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............................................................................................................................................. [3]

(b) Packet switching is used to transmit the data packets across the network.

Identify the device that controls which path is taken by each data packet.

............................................................................................................................................. [1]

(c) Serial data transmission is used to transmit the data packets across the network.

Explain why serial data transmission is used to transmit the data packets.

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7 Data is encrypted to keep it safe during transmission.

Complete the paragraph about asymmetric encryption.

Use the terms from the list.

Some of the terms in the list will not be used. You should only use a term once.

asymmetric certificate cipher text

decrypted encrypted parallel key plain text private key

protected public key serial key symmetric

.............................................................. is encrypted into ..............................................................

using a .............................................................. . The encrypted data is then transmitted from the

sender to the receiver. The encrypted data is then decrypted using a

.............................................................. . [4]

9 A company owner has installed a new network. Data is correct before it is transmitted across the
network.

The company owner is concerned that data might have errors after transmission.

(a) Explain how the data might have errors after transmission.

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............................................................................................................................................. [3]
(b) The company owner decides to introduce an error detection system to check the data for
errors after transmission.

The error detection system uses an odd parity check and a positive automatic repeat query
(ARQ).

(i) Describe how the error detection system operates to check for errors.

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..................................................................................................................................... [8]

(ii) Give two other error detection methods that could be used.

1 ........................................................................................................................................

2 ........................................................................................................................................
[2]
2 Data can be transmitted from one device to another.

(a) Tick (3) one box to show which of the terms is not a method for transmitting data.

A serial

B simplex

C parallel

D parity
[1]

(b) Data is broken down into smaller units to be transmitted from one device to another.

Give the name of the unit that data is broken down into.

............................................................................................................................................. [1]

(c) Data is often encrypted when it is transmitted from one device to another.

(i) Explain how data is encrypted using symmetric encryption.

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..................................................................................................................................... [4]

(ii) Give the purpose of encryption.

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..................................................................................................................................... [1]
6 The table contains statements about error detection methods.

Complete the table by giving the correct error detection method for each statement.

error detection method statement

…………………………………………… An odd or even process can be used.

A value is calculated from the data, using an

…………………………………………… algorithm. This happens before and after the data
is transmitted.

A copy of the data is sent back to the sender by

……………………………………………
the receiver.

…………………………………………… Acknowledgement and timeout are used.

A value is appended to data that has been

…………………………………………… calculated using the data. This value is checked
on data entry.
[5]

5 Complete and annotate the diagram to demonstrate how packet switching is used to transmit data
across a network, including the use of routers, from Device A to Device B.

Device A Device B

[4]
(b) Rebekah decides to encrypt the data that she transmits whilst using the Internet. She does
this to keep the data safe.

(i) State why encryption helps keep the data safe.

...........................................................................................................................................

..................................................................................................................................... [1]

(ii) The data is encrypted using symmetric encryption.

Describe how the data is encrypted using symmetric encryption.

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..................................................................................................................................... [4]

(iii) Identify three other methods Rebekah could use to help keep her data safe.

Method 1 ...........................................................................................................................

Method 2 ...........................................................................................................................

Method 3 ...........................................................................................................................
[3]
 8

5 8 bytes of data are transmitted from one computer to another. Each byte of data has a parity bit.

The data is also sent with a parity byte. Each bit in the parity byte allows a check to be performed
on each column of bits.

A parity check is performed on the data and an error is found in one bit. The table shows the data
that was received.

Parity
Bit 2 Bit 3 Bit 4 Bit 5 Bit 6 Bit 7 Bit 8
bit

Byte 1 0 1 0 1 0 0 1 1

Byte 2 1 0 0 1 1 1 1 1

Byte 3 1 1 1 1 1 1 0 0

Byte 4 1 1 0 1 0 1 0 1

Byte 5 1 0 0 0 1 1 1 0

Byte 6 1 1 1 0 1 0 1 1

Byte 7 1 1 0 0 1 1 0 0

Byte 8 1 1 1 1 0 0 1 1

Parity
1 0 1 1 0 1 1 1
byte

Identify which bit has an error by giving the Byte number and Bit number.

Explain how you found the error.

Byte number ..............................

Bit number .................................

Explanation ......................................................................................................................................

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[4]
9 A system uses parity checks and Automatic Repeat reQuests (ARQ) to detect and correct errors
in the transmission of data.

Describe how parity checks and ARQ operate together to detect and correct errors.

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.................................................................................................................................................... [6]
3 A check digit is to be used to validate an identification number on input. The identification number
contains five digits and the check digit.
The check digit is calculated by adding up the first five digits, dividing by 10 and taking the
remainder.
For example, 5 + 1 + 2 + 4 + 3 divided by 10 gives a remainder of 5 so the six-digit
identification number would be 512435

(a) (i) Calculate the check digit for 69321

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..................................................................................................................................... [1]

Working space ...................................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................................

(ii) State which of these identification numbers have incorrect check digits.

A 123455
B 691400
C 722855
D 231200

...........................................................................................................................................

..................................................................................................................................... [2]

Working space ...................................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................................

(b) (i) Describe an input error that would not be found using this check digit.

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..................................................................................................................................... [2]

(ii) Describe a more suitable algorithm to calculate the check digit for this identification
number.

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...........................................................................................................................................

..................................................................................................................................... [2]
 (c) Identify two other validation checks that could be used when inputting this identification
number.

1 ................................................................................................................................................

...................................................................................................................................................

2 ................................................................................................................................................

...................................................................................................................................................
[2]

6 The table contains descriptions about data transmission methods.

Complete the table by identifying which data transmission methods are described.

Data transmission method Description

Data is transmitted down a single wire, one bit at a time,

............................................................ in one direction only.

Data is transmitted down multiple wires, multiple bits at a

............................................................ time, in both directions, but only one direction at a time.

Data is transmitted down a single wire, one bit at a time,

............................................................ in both directions at the same time.

Data is transmitted down multiple wires, multiple bits at

............................................................ a time, in one direction only.

[4]
 6

4 Data is transmitted between a computer and a printer.

(a) The data is transmitted one bit at a time down a single wire. The computer can transmit data
to the printer and the printer can transmit data to the computer, using the same connection.

Circle the two data transmission methods that will transmit data in this way.

parallel full-duplex parallel half-duplex parallel simplex

serial full-duplex serial half-duplex serial simplex

[2]

(b) An odd parity check is used to detect errors in the data transmission.

Explain how the odd parity check detects errors.

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............................................................................................................................................. [4]

(c) Another error detection method sends the data from the computer to the printer, then a copy
of the data received is sent back from the printer to the computer. The two sets of data are
compared to see if they match.

State the name of this type of error detection method.

............................................................................................................................................. [1]
 9

7 Complete the statements about data packets and packet switching.

Use the terms from the list.

Some of the terms in the list will not be used. You should only use a term once.

destination address first footer header

last main data packets payload

routers servers trailer

Data is broken down into packets. A data packet has a packet .......................................................

that contains the packet number and the ....................................................... .

Each packet could take a different path from the sender to the receiver; this is controlled by

...................................................... .

Packets may arrive out of order. Once the ...................................................... packet has arrived,

the packets are reordered.

[4]
5 Errors can occur when data is transmitted.

(a) Give one reason an error may occur when data is transmitted.

...................................................................................................................................................

............................................................................................................................................. [1]

(b) Some error detection methods use a calculated value to check for errors.

Tick (3) one box to show which error detection method does not use a calculated value to
check for errors.

A Check digit

B Checksum

C Echo check

D Parity check
[1]

(c) An automatic repeat request (ARQ) can be used to make sure that data is received free of
errors. It can use a positive or negative acknowledgement method to do this.

Explain how an ARQ operates using a positive acknowledgement method.

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