Victorian Certicate of Education 2010

STUDENT NUMBER Figures Words

SUPERVISOR TO ATTACH PROCESSING LABEL HERE

Letter

INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY: SOFTWARE DEVELOPMENT

Written examination
Thursday 11 November 2010
Reading time: 11.45 am to 12.00 noon (15 minutes) Writing time: 12.00 noon to 2.00 pm (2 hours)

QUESTION AND ANSWER BOOK

Structure of book
Section Number of questions Number of questions to be answered Number of marks

A B C

20 4 13

20 4 13

20 17 53 Total 90

Students are permitted to bring into the examination room: pens, pencils, highlighters, erasers, sharpeners, rulers and one scientic calculator. Students are NOT permitted to bring into the examination room: blank sheets of paper and/or white out liquid/tape. Materials supplied Question and answer book of 22 pages with a detachable insert containing a case study for Section C in the centrefold. Answer sheet for multiple-choice questions. Instructions Remove the insert containing the case study during reading time. Write your student number in the space provided above on this page. Check that your name and student number as printed on your answer sheet for multiple-choice questions are correct, and sign your name in the space provided to verify this. All written responses must be in English. At the end of the examination Place the answer sheet for multiple-choice questions inside the front cover of this book. Students are NOT permitted to bring mobile phones and/or any other unauthorised electronic devices into the examination room.
VICTORIAN CURRICULUM AND ASSESSMENT AUTHORITY 2010

2010 IT-SOFTWARE DEV EXAM

SECTION A Multiple-choice questions Instructions for Section A

Answer all questions in pencil on the answer sheet provided for multiple-choice questions. Choose the response that is correct or that best answers the question. A correct answer scores 1, an incorrect answer scores 0. Marks will not be deducted for incorrect answers. No marks will be given if more than one answer is completed for any question.

Question 1 If you buy a software licence from a company it means you can A. use the software. B. sell the software. C. make copies of the software to give to friends. D. hold the company responsible if your computer fails. Question 2 A small company uses two oors of a building for its ofce. A 24-port switch is used on each oor to connect all the computers on that oor. Each computer has a network card and is connected to the switch by cable. The topology used on each oor is A. bus only. B. star only. C. hybrid. D. a combination of bus and star. Question 3 User documentation is prepared in which phase of the Systems Development Life Cycle (SDLC)? A. design B. analysis C. evaluation D. implementation Question 4 Computer systems use protocols to communicate. A protocol that allows computers to communicate with the Internet is A. HTTP B. TCP/IP C. BIOS D. IP Address

SECTION A continued

2010 IT-SOFTWARE DEV EXAM

The following algorithm applies to Questions 5, 6 and 7. Begin Read T If T>35 then X very hot Else If T>25 then X warm Else If T>20 then X perfect Else If T<20 then X cold End Question 5 When converting the above algorithm into a program it would be best for other programmers if the program used A. meaningful variable names and internal documentation. B. meaningful variable names and external documentation. C. single letter variable names and internal documentation. D. meaningful variable names and no documentation. Question 6 When the above algorithm was tested it was found that it did not provide the correct result when T=20. This was caused by a A. logic error. B. syntax error. C. run time error. D. compile time error. Question 7 Test the above algorithm with the value T=25. The variable X will contain A. cold B. warm C. perfect D. very hot

SECTION A continued TURN OVER

2010 IT-SOFTWARE DEV EXAM

The following two sets of data are required for Questions 8 and 9.
Data set 1
Date Customer ID Customer comment

8/02/2010
12/02/2010
14/02/2010

24917
27493
31113

customer complained that account was in error

she thinks our new web access is fantastic (hooray!)
the customer said he couldnt find where to pay the account

17/02/2010
17/02/2010

28033
23715

client wasnt sent an account and cant access our web page
customer wanted to know how to get web access to

Data set 2
Order number 3876 2108 3159 3910 1674 1324 2972 3657 1292 2850 4037 3618 3193 4381 1191 3836 3055 3675 4236 Request date 10/01/2010 10/01/2010 10/01/2010 10/01/2010 11/01/2010 11/01/2010 11/01/2010 11/01/2010 11/01/2010 12/01/2010 12/01/2010 12/01/2010 12/01/2010 12/01/2010 12/01/2010 13/01/2010 13/01/2010 14/01/2010 14/01/2010 Ready date 19/01/2010 20/01/2010 15/01/2010 26/01/2010 28/01/2010 18/01/2010 22/01/2010 13/01/2010 18/01/2010 26/01/2010 21/01/2010 1/02/2010 29/01/2010 1/02/2010 24/01/2010 14/01/2010 18/01/2010 24/01/2010 Number of items 1 4 3 5 1 10 4 4 10 6 6 5 6 2

Question 8 Both data set 1 and data set 2 were obtained from a new system. For which phase of the Systems Development Life Cycle (SDLC) would the data have been collected? A. design B. analysis C. evaluation D. implementation

SECTION A continued

2010 IT-SOFTWARE DEV EXAM

Question 9 Select the most correct pair of statements. A. Data set 1 could be used to measure an efciency objective. Data set 2 could be used to measure an efciency objective. B. Data set 1 could be used to measure an effectiveness objective. Data set 2 could be used to measure an effectiveness objective. Data set 1 could be used to measure an efciency objective. Data set 2 could be used to measure an effectiveness objective. Data set 1 could be used to measure an effectiveness objective. Data set 2 could be used to measure an efciency objective.

C.

D.

The following information is required for Questions 10, 11 and 12. The Big Computer Company (BCC) has a project involving the creation of a new information system for The Small Book Store (SBS). Simon works for BCC. He has just nished installing a new information system at SBSs head ofce. Cheryl works for SBS. She watches Simon run a series of tests on the new system. At the end of the tests Cheryl signs a document agreeing that the system has passed all the tests. Question 10 Cheryls signing of the test document marks a project milestone. This means that A. a major point in the project has been reached. B. a major delay in the project has been avoided. C. a dependency in the project has been completed. D. no further work can happen until another task is complete. Question 11 The procedure carried out by Simon and Cheryl is known as A. informal testing. B. software testing. C. validation testing. D. acceptance testing. Question 12 Simon has worked all weekend to get the new information system up and running by Monday morning. SBS had shutdown its old information system on Friday night. The changeover method being used is A. pilot. B. direct. C. phased. D. parallel.

SECTION A continued TURN OVER

2010 IT-SOFTWARE DEV EXAM

Question 13 Assume A=1, B=2 and C=3. The statement that causes D to become true is A. If A>B and C>B then D true B. If B>A and B>C then D true C. If A>B or C>B then D true D. If A>B or B>C then D true Question 14 The two data types that best store the family name of a person, for example Smith, and their phone number, for example (03) 9999 9999, are A. Number and Time/Date B. Number and String/Text C. String/Text and Time/Date D. String/Text and String/Text Question 15 A variable is required to store a true/false value. The best data type for this variable is A. Number B. Boolean C. String/Text D. Time/Date Question 16 Each diagram below represents a kind of data structure. The diagram that best represents a two-dimensional array is A. B. C. D.

Question 17 Removing data no longer being used and storing it on a DVD in case it is required in the future is known as A. archiving. B. backing up. C. le disposal. D. data security.

SECTION A continued

2010 IT-SOFTWARE DEV EXAM

Question 18 Copying data onto CDs in case the original data is lost is known as A. archiving. B. backing up. C. le disposal. D. data security. Question 19 Below is part of an algorithm that reads and checks passwords. It is to be represented as a Nassi-Schneiderman diagram. Begin Get correctpassword checkpassword not correct While checkpassword is not correct Read code typed on keyboard If code equals correctpassword then checkpassword correct End If End While End Which diagram shows the correct structure for this part of the algorithm? A. B.

true

false

true true false

false

C.

D.

true true false

false

SECTION A continued TURN OVER

2010 IT-SOFTWARE DEV EXAM

Question 20
orders

spare parts

Which statement best represents what is shown in the data ow diagram above? A. A customer places an order for a spare part and an invoice is sent to them. B. A process reads data from two data stores and creates an invoice for customers. C. Two processes send data to a program which then stores the invoice in a le called customer. D. Two data ows are combined in a data store to produce a new data ow which then goes to the customer.

ls ai et ed _d er er ord om _ st ms cu ite +

invoice

customer

t os _c m ite

END OF SECTION A

2010 IT-SOFTWARE DEV EXAM

SECTION B Short answer questions Instructions for Section B

Answer all questions in the spaces provided.

Question 1 Sue Sands Super Store has an extensive database of all items that it sells. One of the les in the database uses 3.5 GB (gigabytes) of hard disk space. A new procedure requires individual records from this le to be displayed on the screen. Two alternative methods for obtaining the data have been suggested. Method 1 At the start of the program read the whole le into memory and search memory each time a record is required. Method 2 Obtain the record from the le each time it is required. a. State one disadvantage of method 1.

1 mark b. State one disadvantage of method 2.

1 mark c. i. Outline how the le could be organised to make method 2 more efcient.

ii.

Explain why this le organisation will be more efcient.

1 + 1 = 2 marks

SECTION B continued TURN OVER

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10

Question 2 Threats to computer systems come in many forms. a. Explain the key difference between the way viruses and trojans get into a computer system.

2 marks b. Explain the key difference between the purpose of spyware and the purpose of viruses.

2 marks Question 3 Novorodsky Dancing Shoes (NDS) manufactures custom-made dancing shoes in its small Sydney factory. Its information system consists of a database containing product and customer information. The company has a long list of regular customers and it relies on its excellent reputation to get new sales. About 50% of its orders come from Sydney, the rest from other parts of Australia. They are usually made over the phone although some are made by fax or letter. It usually takes about a month to ll an order. The owner of NDS has decided that it is time for her company to have a presence on the World Wide Web. She would like a website that includes an online ordering page. It will link to NDSs existing database. a. In addition to allowing customers to order dancing shoes, state two other purposes NDS might have in putting its information system into a global environment.

2 marks

SECTION B Question 3 continued

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2010 IT-SOFTWARE DEV EXAM

b.

In addition to security concerns, explain one disadvantage for NDS in putting its information system into a global environment.

2 marks c. The online ordering page of the website will require a program that allows the user to look at a catalogue of products and place an order. NDS can either buy an existing web-based ordering program or hire a programmer to write its ordering program. i. State one advantage of buying an existing program.

ii.

State one advantage of hiring a programmer to write NDSs own program.

1 + 1 = 2 marks Question 4 The main result of the analysis phase of the Systems Development Life Cycle (SDLC) is the logical design of a new or modied information system. The main result of the design phase of the SDLC is the physical design of a new or modied system. a. Describe the main difference between the logical design and the physical design of a new system.

2 marks b. State one type of tool that can be used to represent the physical design of a new system.

1 mark Total 17 marks

END OF SECTION B TURN OVER

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12

SECTION C Case study Instructions for Section C

Answer all questions in the spaces provided. Remove the case study insert and read all the information provided before you answer these questions. Answers must apply to the case study.

Question 1 At the beginning of his analysis, Percy wants to make sure that he understands why RuraLink is being created. a. State the governments main reason for the creation of RuraLink.

1 mark b. Is this a technical, economic or social factor that is prompting change?

1 mark Question 2 After completing his analysis Percy draws a context diagram for the new RuraLink system. Complete his context diagram by lling in the boxes.

m ed ica ld at a

ds or ec tr en ati p

m ea su re m en ts +o bs er va tio ns

RuraLink

m +m edic +o ea al +p bse sur data at rv em ien at e t r ion nts ec s or ds

4 marks

SECTION C continued

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2010 IT-SOFTWARE DEV EXAM

Question 3 During his investigation Percy found that a single consultation with a patient could create about 1 GB (gigabyte) of data. He also found that in 0.1% of cases complications can arise up to ve years after the consultation. Many doctors told him that it would be an advantage if they could review a patients video and other data again. a. Assuming 100 consultations occur across the state on any day, and given that there are 365 days in a year, how much data will need to be stored for ve years (ignoring leap years)?

1 mark Percy has three possible solutions for storing this data. Solution A: Store all the patient data in the RuraLink system for ve years. Solution B: Store only the data for the 0.1% of cases the doctors wish to review. Solution C: Store the data onto a DVD and give it to the patients to keep. b. Select one solution and justify why you think this would be the best choice for RuraLink. Solution Justication

3 marks

SECTION C continued TURN OVER

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14

Question 4 One of RuraLinks specications is that a specialist in Melbourne can access patient records stored in a country hospitals database. Patients, however, may have data about them stored at more than one hospital. So that RuraLink can provide data to the specialist from any hospital database, the patients Medicare numbers will be used as a link between databases.

Percy is writing the program specication. For the section dealing with entry of the Medicare number he writes If the user makes a mistake entering the Medicare number, the program has to provide as much information as possible about what is wrong. Therefore include these validation tests. Length to make sure that the correct number of characters has been entered Existence to make sure that the number entered exists on Medicares database Null to make sure something has been entered Type to make sure that only numeric characters have been entered Note: These tests must be performed in the most effective order. a. Place these validation tests in the most effective order. 1. b. 2. 3. 4. 1 mark Give three reasons why this order is the most effective way of doing these validation tests. Reason 1

Reason 2

Reason 3

3 marks

SECTION C continued

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2010 IT-SOFTWARE DEV EXAM

Question 5 Percy decides to use a BrandX video camera for the telemedicine trolley. However, Suzie, Percys chief programmer, found a much higher resolution video camera at a similar cost and reliability. She also makes sure that her camera will be compatible with the other equipment on the telemedicine trolley. Suzie argues that her choice will improve the images the specialists in Melbourne receive in real time. Explain one other aspect of the system that needs to be checked before changing to Suzies choice of video camera.

2 marks Question 6 The specialists in Melbourne require real-time data about patients. Nurses need to use a portable device to nd patient records on the hospital database enter various observations such as blood pressure and pulse rates then upload these from the portable device to the telemedicine trolley access important blood test results read reports from doctors and other nurses. One way of connecting the portable device to the telemedicine trolley is to use a cable. a. Suggest another way to connect to the telemedicine trolley.

1 mark b. Other than cost, explain one major advantage and one major disadvantage of your method. Advantage

Disadvantage

2 marks

SECTION C continued TURN OVER

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16

Question 7 Percy has to decide what type of portable device needs to be purchased for the nurses. The most important feature of these portable devices is the method of communication. Select three essential features from the list below and explain why each is important. Features touch screen battery life weight keypad storage capacity (bytes) stylus USB connections Ethernet connection screen size Feature 1 Explanation

Feature 2 Explanation

Feature 3 Explanation

3 marks

SECTION C continued

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2010 IT-SOFTWARE DEV EXAM

Question 8 Percy has decided to rst build a trial system. It will connect one country hospital to one Melbourne hospital. The country hospital chosen for the trial is the Wanlan Base Hospital. One of Percys aims in conducting the trial will be to evaluate the software to be used on the telemedicine trolley computer. Software qualities are measured on the basis of effectiveness efciency stability reliability usability maintainability. Percy is proposing four criteria to evaluate the software. For each criterion listed in the table, select from the above list one quality that the criterion is measuring. Criteria After 1 hours training the software can be operated by doctors and nurses without further help in 98% of all cases. The software can be modied to take on new diagnostic equipment where needed. The software uses less than 50% of its allowable bandwidth to transmit data at maximum resolution. The software allows all video and images to be transmitted in a clear high-resolution format. 4 marks Software quality

SECTION C continued TURN OVER

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18

Question 9 During the trial it was found that when nurses changed their passwords for the portable devices the program failed and they were locked out. Investigation found that entering certain characters caused the problem, so it was decided to limit the passwords to just alphabetic letters and numbers. Suzie has suggested the algorithm below to validate a new password before it is stored in the system. She must now test it. Begin Get Password Charcount 1 PasswordChar 1st Character of Password ValidPassword True Repeat PasswordChar Next Character of Password Charcount Charcount +1 If (PasswordChar is Not Numeric) Or (PasswordChar is Not Alphabetic) Then ValidPassword False EndIf Until Charcount=length(password) If ValidPassword=False Then Print Password rejected Else Print Password accepted EndIf End Suzie created the test data shown below. a. For each item of data, give a reason for why that data was chosen. Test data 12a Reason for choosing it

*1a

1*a

1a*

4 marks SECTION C Question 9 continued

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2010 IT-SOFTWARE DEV EXAM

b.

Suggest one other item of data that will test another aspect of the password procedure and explain why it should also be used. Test data Explanation

2 marks Question 10 a. For the algorithm in Question 9, complete the test table below showing what output is expected from the test data and what it actually produces. Test data 12a Expected output Actual output

*1a
1*a 1a* 2 marks Suzie found her algorithm does not produce the output expected. b. Explain why the algorithm is giving the wrong output.

2 marks c. Explain how the algorithm could be corrected.

3 marks SECTION C continued TURN OVER

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20

Question 11 The new telemedicine trolley for Wanlan Base Hospital arrived with three large printed technical manuals for each component of the hardware and software. These manuals were left with the trolley for the staff to use. The doctors and nurses who are to use the trolley have complained to management that the manuals are unsuitable. a. Explain why these technical manuals are not suitable for use by the doctors and nurses.

1 mark b. Identify two different types of user documentation that would be more suitable for the doctors and nurses. State reasons for your choices. Type 1 Reason

Type 2 Reason

4 marks

SECTION C continued

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2010 IT-SOFTWARE DEV EXAM

Question 12 With the new system in place, Wanlan Base Hospital must now decide on a suitable training program for users of the system before it can be put to use. Doctors and nurses must use this system. a. Identify one other key group of staff that must have training in the operation of this new equipment.

1 mark Percy has developed a training strategy for the hospital and has recommended that all staff be trained on site. b. Discuss why he has recommended this strategy.

2 marks The hospital has been offered a one-day intensive training session for each member of staff. c. Suggest one reason why a one-day session is not considered the most appropriate by the hospital management.

2 marks

SECTION C continued TURN OVER

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22

Question 13 In order to evaluate the success of the new system, the hospital needs to collect data from the system to determine whether the goals and objectives have been achieved. One of the key hospital goals for RuraLink is to improve country patient outcomes through timely specialist treatment of serious medical issues via the telemedicine trolley. Data can be collected to evaluate the extent to which the hospitals goal was achieved. Give two examples of data that could be collected, and explain how this data would be used. Data 1 How this data would be used to evaluate the achievement of the goal

Data 2 How this data would be used to evaluate the achievement of the goal

4 marks Total 53 marks

END OF QUESTION AND ANSWER BOOK

2010 ITSOFTWARE DEV EXAM

CASE STUDY INSERT FOR SECTION C Please remove from the centre of this book during reading time.

TURN OVER

2010 ITSOFTWARE DEV EXAM

Case study
Country hospitals are nding it difcult to employ specialist doctors. To deal with the problems caused by this, it was suggested that doctors in country hospitals be put in touch with specialists in Melbourne via the Internet. The government decided to set up a project to create the suggested system naming it RuraLink. Percy Farmer has been hired to manage the RuraLink system. He was told that RuraLink must allow the specialists in Melbourne to obtain medical data about patients directly from equipment, such as heart-rate monitors, X-ray machines, ultrasound scanners and video cameras the specialists to access patient records in the country hospital databases doctors and nurses at the country hospitals to send any measurements or observations they make; for example patients weight or a description of injuries the specialists in Melbourne to provide immediate advice to the country hospital doctors and nurses. Percy drew this diagram (Figure 1) to help him understand what was required.
medical data about patient (e.g. heart rate, ultrasound images, video) measurement and observations patient records

Internet

requests for information advice country hospitals (doctors and nurses)

Melbourne hospital (specialists)

Figure 1

2010 ITSOFTWARE DEV EXAM

After some investigation Percy found that all country hospitals have a computer-based administration system. These systems are usually small local area networks with workstations located in the administration area, at each ward desk, and in the emergency department, as shown in Figure 2. To keep costs to a minimum Percy has decided that RuraLink should use as much of the existing country hospitals system as possible.
file server Internet

firewall

administration area

hospital wards

emergency department

Figure 2 Percys investigations have also found that it would be better if the equipment came to the patients rather than having the patients moved to the equipment. He drew a diagram showing how a telemedicine trolley might be used to bring the equipment to the patients. It is shown in Figure 3. The computer on the telemedicine trolley will connect to a country hospitals network and use its Internet connection to send data to Melbourne.
detachable video camera microphone highresolution screen

computer with ports for real-time data collection

Figure 3

END OF CASE STUDY INSERT FOR SECTION C