Classification: Internal

Unit 2.14.1 Error Checking

2.14.1 Error Checking

I don’t understand Expert

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Understand what is meant by an error

Describe how data can become corrupted during transmission

Describe the effects of corruption on the reliability of data and how it can
be checked for errors

Describe principle operations of error checking methods

/53 marks

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Starter ¸ 0
MINS

Play the snake game below to find keywords related to topics we’ve covered so far:

https://tools.withcode.uk/keywords/play/snake/edexcel_gcse_computer_science_2020/2/2.1.1
Classification: Internal

Unit 2.14.1 Error Checking

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Task 1 ¸ 5
MINS

Use the following links to help you describe the different error checking methods mentioned in the
table. List any advantages or disadvantages you can find.

https://www.computerscience.gcse.guru/theory/error-detection

https://isaaccomputerscience.org/concepts/net_comm_error_checking?examBoard=all&stage=all

https://www.teach-ict.com/2016/GCSE_Computing/intl/1_1/errors/miniweb/index.php

/10 marks
Classification: Internal

Unit 2.14.1 Error Checking

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Task 2 ¸ 5
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1- Describe the steps needed for parity checking.

• The sending and receiving computers agree the protocol to be used (even or odd),

• The sending computer adds the correct parity bit to the binary data (either an extra 1 or 0)

• The sending computer sends the binary data, including the parity bit

• The receiving computer checks to make sure the overall parity of the data received is as
agreed (an even or odd number of 1 bits)

• If the parity of the data is incorrect, the receiving computer will request that the data is
transmitted again

/4 marks

2- Describe the steps needed for a checksum.

• The sending computer uses the block of data to be sent, and a predefined mathematical
algorithm, to calculate a checksum value

• The sending computer sends the data, plus the checksum value

• The receiving computer uses the data it receives to also calculate what it believes should
be the checksum, using the same mathematical algorithm

• The two checksum values are compared by the receiving computer

• Due to the nature of the algorithm, it is highly unlikely that corruption has occurred if the
checksum values match

/4 marks

3- What is a disadvantage of checksum?

Checksums determine if data has been corrupted but do not reveal where

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Unit 2.14.1 Error Checking

4- Describe the process of ARQ.

• The sending computer transmits a block of data

• The sending computer waits a period of time to see if the receiving computer
acknowledges receipt of the data

• After no acknowledgement for a set period of time, a timeout occurs which triggers the
data to be automatically resent by the sending computer

• This will continue until the receiving computer acknowledges the data has been received,
or a max number of re-sends occurs

/4 marks

5- Give an example of where check digits may be used.

ISBNs, Barcodes

/1 mark

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Task 3 ¸ 0
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Answer the questions about error checking below.

1. Which of these has odd parity and which has even parity? The numbers in bold are the parity
bits.

BITS ODD PARITY EVEN PARITY

10111101 ☐ ☒
10110100 ☐ ☒
01110101 ☒ ☐
10010111 ☒ ☐
01010110 ☐ ☒

/5 marks
Classification: Internal

Unit 2.14.1 Error Checking

2. Imagine that an employee enters the ISBN-10 code of a book into a computer system (using
a barcode reader or manually) in order to check the database to find out how many copies
there are in stock. The system will perform the below calculation in order to verify that the
ISBN was entered correctly, and notify the user accordingly. For example, if the ISBN-10 code
of a book is 0-105-33041-8, then, as you can see below, the sum of the individual products
(digit × position) is 99.
99 mod 11 equals, 0 (because we can divide 11 by 11 without having any remainders)
therefore the ISBN is valid.

Which of these ISBNs would produce an error (one, neither or both)?

ISBN 0 5 6 2 9 8 1 2 7 7
POSITION 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
PRODUCTS
SUM
MOD

ISBN 0 8 4 3 6 1 0 7 2 7
POSITION 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
PRODUCTS
SUM
MOD

/6 marks
(one mark for each line correct)
Classification: Internal

Unit 2.14.1 Error Checking

Task 3 ¸ 5 MINS

Complete this quiz about error checking. Print screen your results below.

https://www.computerscience.gcse.guru/quiz/error-detection

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Exam Questions ¸ 0
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Classification: Internal

Unit 2.14.1 Error Checking

/1 mark

/4 marks
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Unit 2.14.1 Error Checking

/2 marks

Revision ¸ MINS

Watch the videos below for extra revision about error checking:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8LxltyZf_Z0

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TEICs3IaKF4