NATIONAL CERTIFICATE

COMPUTER PRACTICE: FARMING N6

(40903546)

22 May 2024 (X-paper)

09:00–12:00

Candidates are allowed 30 minutes to read the instructions in the question paper
before the start of the examination.

This question paper consists of 17 pages and an answer sheet of 4 pages.

020Q1J2422
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DEPARTMENT OF HIGHER EDUCATION AND TRAINING

REPUBLIC OF SOUTH AFRICA
NATIONAL CERTIFICATE
COMPUTER PRACTICE: FARMING N6
TIME: 3 HOURS
MARKS: 200

Read the following instructions carefully before answering the questions. Invigilators will
explain if necessary.

INSTRUCTIONS AND INFORMATION

1. The question paper consists of TWO sections:

SECTION A: Theory (40 marks)

SECTION B: Word processing (80 marks), Spreadsheet (80 marks)

SECTION A (QUESTION 1–5) must be answered on the separate ANSWER SHEET

The ANSWER SHEET must be placed in the front of the EXAMINATION FOLDER.
30 minutes should be spent on this section.

SECTION B is done on computer with the aid of a word processing and spreadsheet
program and approximately 150 minutes should be spent on this section.

2. In the event of a power failure or a computer or printer error/breakdown, the invigilator

must make the necessary arrangements for the candidates to continue and the actual time
lost should be added.

3. If there is a problem with certain printers, e.g. not printing special characters or not printing
the watermark etc., a report must accompany the centre’s answers.

4. A candidate may use a list of ASCII codes. A spelling checker may be used.

5. Each answer must be printed on ONE side of a separate sheet of paper ONLY (Do not
print back-to-back). PRINTOUTS must be placed in the EXAMINATION FOLDER.

6. At the end of the examination session, all PRINTOUTS to be marked must be placed in
the EXAMINATION FOLDER and handed to the invigilator. Only ONE PRINTOUT per
question or subsection of a question may be handed in. PRINTOUTS not submitted for
marking must be collected by the invigilator at the end of each session and destroyed at
the end of the day. No PRINTOUTS whatsoever may be removed from the EXAMINATION
ROOM or placed in the wastepaper bins.

7. PRINTOUTS to be marked must be arranged in the same order as that of the questions
in the QUESTION PAPER.

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8. In SECTION B (Word processing) only Courier New 12 pt may be used unless

instructed differently.
In SECTION B (Spreadsheet) Calibri 11 pt or Arial 10 pt may be used unless
instructed differently.
9. Key in the QUESTION NUMBER as well as your EXAMINATION NUMBER for
each question as indicated in the instructions. Answers without printed
EXAMINATION NUMBERS will not be marked.
10. All work on the computer should be saved at regular intervals to prevent loss
of work in the event of a power failure. No additional time will be allowed to redo
such lost work. It is the candidates’ responsibility to protect their answers
through regular saving.
11. At the end of the examination session, each candidate must hand in the
PRINTOUTS of the answers as well as the compact disk/memory stick with the
saved answers (properly marked with the candidate’s EXAMINATION
NUMBER). If the candidate’s work is saved on the hard disk/network, the
invigilator(s) must copy the answers to a compact disk/memory stick and the
answers must be deleted from the hard disk/network. These diskettes must be
handed to the examination section for safekeeping of at least SIX months in
case enquiries should be made by the Department of Higher Education and
Training.
12. No question paper may be taken out of the examination room until at least ONE
hour after the start of the last session. All question papers must be handed in
before candidates leave the EXAMINATION ROOM.
13. In the event of a QUESTION PAPER being written in more than one session,
invigilators must ensure that all answers are backed up and removed from the
hard disks/network before the candidates for the next session are allowed into
the EXAMINATION ROOM.
14. The use of the internet is strictly prohibited. Even if a computer/terminal has
internet access, you are not allowed to access the internet during the
examination. Accessing the internet during the examination is considered as
an irregularity.
15. No candidate may print/share his/her work for/with another candidate, make
his/her compact disk/memory stick available to another candidate or access
another candidates’ work on the network or by means of e-mail and the internet
or any other manner. Any attempt to access information from or transfer
information to another candidate in whatever manner is considered an
irregularity and against the rules and regulations as set out by the Department
of Higher Education and Training. Should an irregularity be declared against a
candidate, further steps will be taken and the candidate may be liable for
suspension from current and future examinations.

DO NOT TURN THE PAGE BEFORE THE INVIGILATOR

INSTRUCTS YOU TO DO SO.

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🔳
SECTION A: THEORY

Answer QUESTIONS 1 to 5 on the ANSWER SHEET (attached).

QUESTION 1: COMPUTER CONCEPTS AND APPLICATION SKILLS

Various options are given as possible answers to the following questions. Choose the
answer and write only the letter (A–D) next to the question number (1.1–1.10) on the
ANSWER SHEET.

1.1 The information processing cycle consists of the following:

A
B
C
Input, processing, output, storage devices
Scanner, mouse, keyboard and printer
Data, information, instructions and storage
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D None of the above

1.2 Cloud computing refers to ...

A making changes in an application software program.

B the delivery of computer services or resources over the internet.
C searching the information available on the web.
D All of the above.

1.3 SaaS stands for …

🔳
A System as a Service.
B Sharing as a Service.
C Software as a Service.
D Suites as a Service.

1.4 Several cloud applications can be used for sharing content and include the
following cloud sharing accounts:

A Facebook
B Simple Messaging system
C Hadoop or HPCC
D Google Drive, Microsoft OneDrive, Apple iCloud, Dropbox

1.5 Some of the advantages of using ICT includes …

A GPS.

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B improved working conditions.
C internet banking.
D All of the above.

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1.6 Direct entry devices …

A
B
C
capture data automatically.
🔳
capture data manually on a computer system.
capture data with a stylus or digital pen.
D capture data through the use of a touch screen.

1.7 The process of reorganising the files stored on a disk so that the files are stored
in adjoining sectors, is known as …

A fragmentation.
B disk sector.
C defragmentation.
D optimising driver.

1.8 Any software intentionally designed to cause damage to a computer, server,

client, or computer network, is also known as …

A malware.
B ransomware.
C adware.

🔳
D spyware.

1.9 One can protect a computer system from viruses, by ...

🔳
A conducting regularly scheduled scans.
B keeping software up to date.
C always saving and scanning all files downloaded from the Internet.
D All of the above.

1.10 Compressing computer files can …

A use more data.

B reduce the size of the file.
C take up more storage space.
D None of the above.
(10 × 1) [10]

QUESTION 2: SAFEGUARDING COMPUTER SYSTEMS AGAINST THREATS

2.1 The safety and security rely on on-screen messages to which users should pay
attention.

List any FIVE signs that a computer has a virus or has been hacked. (5)

2.2 Safe use of the internet is one way to safeguard against computer viruses.

List any FIVE other measures. 🔳 (5)

[10]

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QUESTION 3: ELECTRONIC COMMUNICATION AND INTERNET APPLICATIONS

Emails are a digital version of traditional letters.

🔳
Name the following basic parts of an email message by writing the answer next to the
question number (3.1–3.5) on the ANSWER SHEET.

3.1

3.2

🔳 3.3

3.4

3.5

(5 × 1) [5]

QUESTION 4
🔳
Write the following abbreviations in full next to the question number (4.1–4.5) on the
ANSWER SHEET.

4.1 VoD

4.2 B2C

4.3 FTP

🔳
4.4 RSS

4.5 GUI
(5 × 1) [5]

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QUESTION 5

5.1 Briefly name and explain the purpose of the following social media platforms:

5.1.1 🔳
5.1.2

5.1.3

(3 × 2) (6)

5.2 Differentiate between downloading and streaming. (2 × 2) (4)

[10]

🔳 TOTAL SECTION A: 40

SECTION B: PRACTICAL

This section is done on the computer.

All PRINTOUTS to be marked must be placed in the EXAMINATION FOLDER in the

same sequence as the questions in the QUESTION PAPER.

QUESTION 6: WORD PROCESSING [30]

1. Retrieve the document, Wheat developments, saved in the COMPUTER

PRACTICE FARMING N6 folder.

🔳
2. Save the document as QUESTION 6.

3. Edit the document as indicated in the text and according to the instructions
below.

4. As a HEADER, insert your EXAMINATION NUMBER (COMPUTER NUMBER)

left-aligned and QUESTION 6 right-aligned, in upper case.

5. Ensure that all margins for the entire document are set at 1.27 cm/0.5’’.

6. The entire document should be fully justified and hyphenated.

7. Change the main heading to Broadway, 16 pt and upper case. Select Intense
Quote from the Styles pane (change the font colour to Black, no fill).

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8. Apply the following instructions:
Centre page 1 horizontally and vertically.
Change the page orientation of page 2 only to landscape.
Insert a shadow page border on page 3 only.

9. Use of the figure label option and insert the following caption for the image on
page 1: “Figure 1: Grain SA – implementing systems”. Position the caption
below the selected item.

10. Insert the following citations where indicated in the document.

POSITION: CITATION 1 CITATION 2

REFERENCE STYLE: APA APA
TYPE OF SOURCE: Web site Web site
AUTHOR: Naomi Raine Siphe Nkoza
NAME OF WEB PAGE: Grain USA Farming SA
YEAR: 1980 2015
YEAR ACCESSED: 2024 2023

11. Insert page numbers in font Arial Narrow 12 pt., bottom centre. Start numbering

🔳
from 25.

12. Select the icon displayed at the end of the document. Link the icon to the email
address: [email protected]. Display the text as follows:
[email protected].

13. Insert a bibliography at the end of the document, where indicated. Ensure that
the word ‘Bibliography’ is displayed. Change the font (excluding the heading),
to Bookman Old Style 10 pt.

14. Save the document as QUESTION 6, print, and place the PRINTOUT in your

🔳
EXAMINATION FOLDER.

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🔳
Wheat developments to boost farmers’ profitability

A shift from wheat quality to wheat yields in the approval of new varieties promises to increase
yields by up to 5%, according to Corné Louw, senior economist at Grain SA.

🔳
He said the shift has resulted in more than two new companies entering the South African market and
the registration of five new varieties, including HB4 wheat. Trials with drought-resistant varieties are
also expected to start soon.

“Quality criteria has been loosened, but is still a priority to ensure our wheat is able to compete in
quality with imported products. The shift has allowed companies that were unable to comply with our
stringent standards to now enter the market,” Louw said. Citation 1

=== insert page break ===

The import tariff for wheat is currently under revision. Louw said that the reference price, which
triggers the variable import tariff should be increased.
The reference tariff price is currently set at US$279/t (about R5 224/t), but Louw said it should be
closer to US$300/t (R5 618/t).

Change the layout of the image as displayed.

Change the picture style to Bevel perspective.
Change the picture size: 3 cm (height), 4 cm (width)

🔳
Louw said that the time it took for tariffs to kick in needed to be shortened to get the full advantage
of the tariffs.

It would however, take time for the system to change, since proposals would have to be submitted to
and approved by the International Trade Administration Commission, after which it will have to be
signed off by the minister.

Heleen Viljoen, economist of Grain SA, said that systems were also being implemented to better
monitor wheat imports. “The 2023 wheat harvest has been higher than last year, and yet imports are
also higher than it has been in each of the past five years.”

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She said the idea will be to collect data about import intentions eight weeks in advance, to give the

🔳
industry a better picture of what is happening with supply levels. In terms of market development,
South Africa was negotiating market access to China for wheat, barley and oats. Louw said wheat
prices might turn more viable if farmers from the Western Cape are able to export high-quality wheat,
barley and oats instead of sending it to the north of South Africa. Citation 2

=== insert page break ===

Insert Bibliography

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🔳
QUESTION 7A: WORD PROCESSING [40]

1. You are the administrator at Grain South Farm. Your task is to create a
registration form for attendance of the annual Grain Conference. The
registration form should be forwarded to attendees via electronic mail.

2. Open a blank MS Word document.

3. Use font Century Gothic 12 pt for the entire document (footer included).

4. As a FOOTER, insert your EXAMINATION NUMBER (COMPUTER NUMBER)

centre-aligned and QUESTION 7 right-aligned in upper case.

5. Ensure that all margins for the entire document are set at 2.54 cm/1’’.

6. Insert the picture, Grain Logo.jpg, from the COMPUTER PRACTICE FARMING
N6 folder and change the picture layout to Bending Picture Caption List to

🔳
integrate the image and the text. Change the colour to Dark 1 outline colour
and centre the image. Change the height and width of the SmartArt box to 4 cm.

7. Insert all the text as indicated below. Apply bold and italics as indicated.

8. Insert symbols and draw horizontal lines as required. Insert the heading in font
Arial Black, 18 pt and centre.

9. Insert the required Content Controls as indicated by the manuscript signs.

10. Use the following information to insert a signature line in upper case and italics:

🔳
Anele Mdida, Administrator – Grain South Farm.

11. Save the document as Q7 FORM in the COMPUTER PRACTICE FARMING

N6 folder, print, and place the PRINTOUT in your EXAMINATION FOLDER.

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🔳
Grain
Conference

 011 942 4511 or  084 454 1425  [email protected]

CONFERENCE REGISTRATION FORM

Attending date: Choose an item. Select 18 July

Surname: Click or tap here to enter text.

Name: Click or tap here to enter text.

Insert Rich Text
Gender: Male / Female and Check Box
Content Controls

Organisation name: Click or tap here to enter text.

Dietary requirements: Choose an item.

🔳
X Insert a Signature line with the correct details (U/C)
Anele Mdida
Administrator - Grain south farm

🔳
Insert Date Picker
Date: Click or tap to enter a date Content Control

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QUESTION 7B: WORD PROCESSING

1. Retrieve the document saved at Q7 FORM and change the footer as follows:
🔳 [10]

insert your EXAMINATION NUMBER (COMPUTER NUMBER) left-aligned and

QUESTION 7B right-aligned in upper case.

2. Edit the document as indicated in the text and according to the instructions.

3. Use font Comic Sans 14 pt for the content control fields.

4. Save the document as QUESTION 7B, print, and place the PRINTOUT in your
EXAMINATION FOLDER.

🔳 Grain
Conference

 011 942 4511 or  084 454 1425  [email protected]

CONFERENCE REGISTRATION FORM

Attending date:

Surname:
18 July

Yabo
🔳
Name: Dinu

Gender: ☐ Male / ☒ Female

Organisation name: DRC Farms

Dietary requirements: Vegetarian

X
ANELE MDIDA
ADMINISTRATOR - GRAIN SOUTH FARM

Date: 2024/03/21 (Today’s date)

🔳 [80]

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QUESTION 8: SPREADSHEET

1.
🔳
Retrieve the file, WHEAT SALES, saved in the COMPUTER PRACTICE
[45]

FARMING N6 folder. Save the spreadsheet as Q8A SALES.

Edit the document as indicated in the instructions below and according to the
manuscript signs.

2. Use font Arial 11 pt when creating the spreadsheet, except where instructed
differently.

3. As a header, key in QUESTION 8 left-aligned in upper case and your

EXAMINATION NUMBER (COMPUTER NUMBER) right-aligned.

4. Merge and centre the main heading in row 1 across the spreadsheet, and insert

🔳
today’s date in row 2 across the spreadsheet.

5. Format all the dates in column B as well as row 2 according to the example
below:
01-Mar-2024.

6. Sort the SALESPERSON column with corresponding information in descending

order.

7. Insert the following column and heading and wrap as indicated:

C3: PERIOD
OF
SERVICE

🔳 H3: PROVINCE
INDICATED

8. Align all column headings middle-aligned and centred.

9. Right-align the content of Column C (PERIOD OF SERVICE) and Column H

(PROVINCE INDICATED).

10. Refer to the spreadsheet on the next page and insert calculations where the
letters of the alphabet appear:

A Use the correct formula to calculate the number of years worked for

🔳
each salesperson. Show the answers as integers.

B A salesperson with a service period of 10 years or more, will receive

a bonus of 8% of their gross salary at the end of the month. A
salesperson with a service period of 7 years or more, will receive a
bonus of 4% of their gross salary. A salesperson with a service
period service of less than 7 years, will only receive a 2% bonus of
their gross salary.

C Calculate the PROVINCE INDICATED by using a formula to display

the first THREE characters of the PROVINCE column.
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D Use of a LOOKUP function by referring to the MONTHLY BONUS

🔳
amount in Column G to determine the SALES AWARD for each
salesperson.

E Use a function in Column J to show the GOOD and NOT GOOD

result of TOTAL MONTHLY SALES for March 2024, where GOOD
is the maximum amount of TOTAL MONTHLY SALES, and NOT
GOOD is the minimum amount of TOTAL MONTHLY SALES. All
other cells must be displayed as empty cells..

11. Copy all formulas where applicable. 🔳

12. Create a Pivot table on a new sheet in cell A3 with the following fields:

 Salespersons and Period of Service as rows.

 Province as columns
 and Average of the Monthly Bonus as the values.

13. Insert your EXAMINATION NUMBER (COMPUTER NUMBER) in cell A1 and

QUESTION 8.12 in cell A2.

🔳
14. In the Pivot Table:

 Collapse the salespersons with less than 10 years of service.

 Filter the provinces so that the field of Western Cape does not show.

15. Use the Pivot Table to create a clustered column chart in A17:F32.
Use Chart style 11.
Insert a 3 pt border around the chart. Change the entire document to Arial 11 pt.

16. On both sheets:

🔳
Format all monetary values to display as currency with TWO decimals.

17. Save the spreadsheet. Print both sheets with adjusted column widths in
landscape orientation on TWO separate pages, WITH row and column
headings and gridlines. Place the PRINTOUTS in your EXAMINATION
FOLDER.

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🔳
QUESTION 9: SPREADSHEET [20]

1. Retrieve the spreadsheet, Q

8A SALES, saved in the COMPUTER PRACTICE FARMING N6 folder and
save it as Q9 FORMULA.

2. Change the QUESTION NUMBER in the header to QUESTION 9.

3. Hide columns B, D, E and F.

4. Display the formulae and adjust the column widths to ensure that all formulae
are clearly visible. Scale the document to fit on ONE page and print in
landscape orientation WITH row and column headings and gridlines.

🔳
5. Save the spreadsheet as Q9 FORMULA and place the PRINTOUT in your
EXAMINATION FODLER.

QUESTION 10: SPREADSHEET [15]

1. Retrieve the spreadsheet, Q8A SALES, saved in the COMPUTER PRACTICE

FARMING N6 folder and save it as Q10 CHART.

2. Access the Q8A SALES sheet and create a combination chart to compare the

🔳
TOTAL MONTHLY SALES (line with markers) with the GROSS SALARY
(clustered column) of the SALESPERSON.

3. As chart title, insert the following text in font Rockwell 16 pt and centred:
SALES COMBINE CHART
EXAMINATION NUMBER (COMPUTER NUMBER).

4. Display the legend on the right-hand side of the chart.

🔳
5. Save and print the CHART on a separate sheet in landscape orientation. Place
the PRINTOUT in your EXAMINATION FOLDER.
[80]

TOTAL SECTION B: 160

GRAND TOTAL: 200

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EXAMINATION NUMBER:

CENTRE NUMBER:

22 MAY 2024

ANSWER SHEET

COMPUTER PRACTICE: FARMING N6

This answer sheet consists of 4 pages.

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EXAMINATION NUMBER:

CENTRE NUMBER:

SECTION A

QUESTION 1

1.1

1.2

1.3

1.4

1.5

1.6

1.7

1.8

1.9

1.10
(10 × 1) [10]

QUESTION 2

2.1

(5 × 1) (5)

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EXAMINATION NUMBER:

CENTRE NUMBER:

2.2

(5)
[10]

QUESTION 3

3.1

3.2

3.3

3.4

3.5
(5 × 1) [5]

QUESTION 4

4.1

4.2

4.3

4.4

4.5
(5 × 1) [5]

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EXAMINATION NUMBER:

CENTRE NUMBER:

QUESTION 5

5.1 5.1.1

5.1.2

5.1.3

(3 × 2) (6)

5.2

(2 × 2) (4)
[10]

TOTAL SECTION A: 40

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