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Computer Science Standard Level Paper 1

The document is an exam paper for the International Baccalaureate Computer Science Standard Level exam. It contains 16 multiple choice and short answer questions covering topics like data types, algorithms, software development processes, standardization, and ethical issues related to computing. It instructs students to answer all questions in Section A and 3 questions from Section B.

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Dinesh Kumar
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Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
117 views

Computer Science Standard Level Paper 1

The document is an exam paper for the International Baccalaureate Computer Science Standard Level exam. It contains 16 multiple choice and short answer questions covering topics like data types, algorithms, software development processes, standardization, and ethical issues related to computing. It instructs students to answer all questions in Section A and 3 questions from Section B.

Uploaded by

Dinesh Kumar
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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INTERNATIONAL BACCALAUREATE N00/650/S(1)

BACCALAURÉAT INTERNATIONAL
BACHILLERATO INTERNACIONAL

COMPUTER SCIENCE
STANDARD LEVEL
PAPER 1

Thursday 9 November 2000 (afternoon)

1 hour 15 minutes

INSTRUCTIONS TO CANDIDATES

! Do not open this examination paper until instructed to do so.


! Answer all of Section A.
! Answer three questions from Section B.

880-400 6 pages
–2– N00/650/S(1)

SECTION A

Answer all questions.

1. Define the terms syntax error, logical error and run-time error. [3 marks]

2. State two reasons for having secondary memory as well as main (internal)
memory. [2 marks]

3. State whether the double entry method of error detection is an example of


verification or validation. [1 mark]

4. Outline the principal characteristic of a real-time system. [2 marks]

5. State the answer to the expression 7 MOD 2. [1 mark]

6. State two iterative constructs used in programming. [2 marks]

7. Outline the function of the CU. [2 marks]

8. State the function of a router in a network. [1 mark]

9. Program construction (which includes testing and debugging) is one of the


stages in the software life cycle. Outline three other stages. [6 marks]

10. Explain when re-transmission would be used to recover from an error. [2 marks]

11. Discuss whether parameters passed into a function should be pass-by-value or


pass-by-reference. [4 marks]

12. When a document needs to be sent from one country to another, it is much
faster to send it by email rather than by normal mail. Outline one further
advantage of email over normal mail, and one disadvantage. [4 marks]

880-400
–3– N00/650/S(1)

SECTION B

Answer three questions.

13. Below is an algorithm fragment which is part of a procedure, ABC, which uses three
parameters. An example call to the procedure is ABC(DATA,LENGTH,COUNT).

HALF <-- LENGTH div 2


MIDDLE <-- HALF + 1
for POSITION <-- 1 upto HALF do
SAME <-- DATA[MIDDLE+POSITION] = DATA[MIDDLE-POSITION]
if SAME then
COUNT <-- COUNT + 1
endif
endfor

Where:

DATA is an integer array containing 9 3 1 0 1 4 9


[1] [2] [3] [4] [5] [6] [7]

LENGTH is an integer variable containing 7, and


COUNT is an integer variable initially containing 0.

(a) State the data type of SAME. [1 mark]

(b) Trace the algorithm fragment with the data given, using the following
trace table format:

HALF MIDDLE POSITION SAME COUNT

3 4 1
[3 marks]

(c) Explain the purpose of the algorithm. [2 marks]

(d) Explain why COUNT should be a pass-by-reference parameter. [2 marks]

(e) Explain why ABC could be declared as a function, rather than a


procedure. [2 marks]

880-400 Turn over


–4– N00/650/S(1)

14. Different software companies have agreed to use a standard code for colours in their graphics.
The colours are stored using 8 bits. Each colour has a code, for example the decimal value for
Red is 5, and Blue is 20.

(a) State the binary representation of the colour with the highest value and
calculate how many different colours can be used with the 8 bit coding. [2 marks]

(b) State the binary representation for Blue. [1 mark]

(c) Outline one other example of standardisation used in computing.


(Include in your answer a brief reason why standardisation is an
advantage for your chosen example.) [2 marks]

(d) Calculate how many gigabytes (GB) of storage would be needed to store
30 000 graphics, if each one is estimated to occupy 1230 kilobytes (kB). [2 marks]

(e) Explain why a data compressor may be used on stored graphics, with
reference to a specific situation. [3 marks]

880-400
–5– N00/650/S(1)

15. A software company is creating a program in a high-level language.

(a) Describe two differences between the operation of a compiler and the
operation of an interpreter when translating a high-level program. [4 marks]

(b) Identify two items of system documentation for the program, and
describe how they would be used for future maintenance. [4 marks]

(c) Suggest one application for which the software company might use an
HTML editor. [2 marks]

880-400 Turn over


–6– N00/650/S(1)

16. A company has an internet server and it provides free email to its employees. Company
managers are allowed to check the contents of any email.

An employee makes copies of CD-ROMs at home to sell to other people. He uses his email
address at the company to receive orders.

(a) Discuss two ethical issues concerning this situation. [4 marks]

(b) Describe one precaution that could be taken in order to minimise the
company’s computers being affected by viruses through the use of
emails. [2 marks]

(c) Outline two tasks that need to be carried out by the network manager
before a new employee can use the system. [4 marks]

880-400

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