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Pearso
n
Edexcel

Subject: Computer Science

Paper 1

16th December 2024 Time: 1 h 20 mins

You must have: Total Marks

Materials required for the paper

Instructions
 Use black ink or a ball-point pen. Use of correction fluid is not allowed.
 Fill in the boxes at the top of the page.
 Answer all the questions
 there may be more space than you need.
 Answer the questions in the space provided.

Information
 The total mark for this paper is 48.
 The marks for each question are shown in brackets.
 use this as a guide as to how much time to spend on each question.

Advice
 Read each question carefully before you answer it.
 Keep an eye on the time.
 Try to answer every question.
 Check your answers if you have time at the end.

1 People use networks in all aspects of their lives.

(a) An office building has desktop computers connected in a network.
One reason for networking computers is to enable technicians to maintain
them remotely.
State two other reasons for connecting computers to a network. (2)

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(b) Access to data must be controlled.

(i) Identify one reason that encryption is used. (1)

A To compress the file so it takes up less storage space

B To make sure both sender and receiver use the same key
C To make sure data is only understood by the intended receiver
D To stop malicious hackers getting into a computer network

(c) 5G is a communication standard.

Identify the characteristic that is true for the 5G communication standard. (1)

A It has a high transmission latency

B It has built-in security
C It has a lower bandwidth than 3G and 4G
D It uses wireless communication

(d) Programmers write and test code.

They use modular testing.
State what is meant by the term modular testing. (1)
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(Total for Question 1 = 5 marks)

2 Computers manipulate binary patterns. People interpret those patterns.

(a) Complete the table by adding the hexadecimal notation for each of the
denary values. (2)
Denary Hexadecimal

(b) Identify the expression to give the number of unique binary patterns that can be
stored in six bits. (1)
(c) Binary patterns are manipulated by shifts.
(i) Give the result of applying a logical shift right by two to the binary

pattern 0101 1100 (1)

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(d) Binary patterns can be interpreted as signed or unsigned integers.

(i) Convert the denary unsigned integer 60 to 8-bit binary. (2)

(ii) Here is a binary bit pattern for a signed integer in sign and magnitude format.
1001 0110

Convert the binary bit pattern to denary.

Be sure to include a sign symbol in your answer. (2)

(Total for Question 2 = 8 marks)

3 Software programs carry out tasks on computers.

(a) Software is divided into two categories.

Describe one difference between system software and application software. (2)
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(b) A series of tasks is written in different programming languages.

Complete the table to show the correct programming language translator for
each task. (4)

(Total for Question 3 = 6 marks)

4 Data packets travel across networks from one device to another.

(a) Identify the measurement of network speeds. (1)

A Mebibits per second

B Mebibytes per second
C Megabits per second
D Megabytes per second

(b) Data packets contain the addresses of the sender and the receiver.
Complete the table to give the number of bits that make up each type of
network address. (2)

(c) Data packets travel over physical media.

(i) Describe one difference between the media used by a wired network and a wireless
network. (2)
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(ii) Some people confuse Ethernet® and Wi-Fi.

Describe what is meant by the term Ethernet®. (2)

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(d) A single physical box connects a desktop computer to the Internet.

The box incorporates three different components.

Complete the diagram to show the names of the components in the correct order. (3)

(e) Users enter passwords when logging onto a network and when creating accounts
using a web page.
Describe one difference between validation and authentication. (2)
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(Total for Question 4 = 12 marks)

5 Hardware devices execute programs to carry out a variety of tasks.

(a) Computers are made up of hardware components.

(i) Complete the diagram by adding directional arrows between the components to show the
flow of communication. (3)
(ii) Identify what is stored in ROM. (1)

A The software firewall

B The basic input output system
C The operating system
D The user interface code

(iii) Cache is used as temporary storage.

One type of cache is located between main memory and the CPU.
Explain one reason cache is used in a computer. (2)
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(b) Programs use logic statements to control physical hardware.

(i) A window shuts when the temperature is too cool or it is a rainy night. (1)
The values are defined as:
A shows it is night time
B shows it is too cool
C shows it is raining.

Complete the truth table to show the results of each operation.

Two rows have been done for you. (3)
(ii) A warehouse has an automated alarm system.
When the alarm system is activated it will sound if:

• a movement sensor (M) is activated

• a pressure pad (P) is activated
• a key code (C) to deactivate the alarm system has not been entered.
Construct a logic statement, using AND, OR and NOT with the letters M, P and C, to show the
conditions that will sound the alarm. (3)

(e) A computer with a single CPU runs several processes at the same time.
This computer is multitasking.
Describe how the operating system enables processes to share a single CPU.(2)
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(Total for Question 5 = 15 marks)

6 Programmers share algorithms with different people and write algorithms for
different reasons.
(a) A programmer is showing a new algorithm to a group of non-technical managers.
State an appropriate method for writing the algorithm.
Justify your answer. (2)
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Justification.................................................................................................................................
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(b) Figure 1 shows an algorithm that displays a string based on the number input by
the user.
1 SEND ("Enter a number: ") TO DISPLAY
2 RECEIVE inNum FROM (INTEGER) KEYBOARD
3 IF ((inNum = 1) OR (inNum = 2)) THEN
4 IF (inNum = 1) THEN
5 SEND ("First") TO DISPLAY
6 ELSE
7 IF (inNum = 2) THEN
8 SEND ("Second") TO DISPLAY
9 END IF
10 END IF
11 ELSE
12 SEND ("Invalid input") TO DISPLAY
13 END IF

Figure 1

Give one reason why the selection statement on line 7 is not required.(1)
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(c) Figure 2 shows an algorithm that manipulates arrays.

The algorithm works with any number of scores.

1 SET oldScores TO 10, 20, 30, 40, [ 50]

2 SET newScores TO 0, 0, 0, 0, [ 0]
3 SET newIndex TO 0
4
5 FOR oldIndex FROM (LENGTH (oldScores) - 1) TO 0 STEP -1 DO
6 SET newScores[newIndex] TO oldScores[oldIndex]
7 SET newIndex TO newIndex + 1
8 END FOR

Figure 2

(i) Describe what happens to the variable oldIndex when line 5 is executed. (2)
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(ii) State the purpose of the algorithm in Figure 2. (1)

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(d) Cloud storage has become an increasingly popular service.

Discuss the benefits and drawbacks of using cloud storage. (6)
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(Total for Question 6 = 12 marks)
TOTAL FOR PAPER = 48 MARKS
Pseudocode command set
Questions in the written examination that involve code will use this pseudocode
for clarity and consistency. However, students may answer questions using any
valid method.
Data types
INTEGER
REAL
BOOLEAN
CHARACTER
Type coercion
Type coercion is automatic if indicated by context. For example 3 + 8.25 = 11.25
(integer + real = real)
Mixed mode arithmetic is coerced like this:
INTEGER REAL
INTEGER INTEGER REAL
REAL REAL REAL

Coercion can be made explicit. For example, RECEIVE age FROM (INTEGER) KEYBOARD
assumes that the input from the keyboard is interpreted as an INTEGER, not a STRING.
Constants
The value of constants can only ever be set once. They are identified by the keyword
CONST. Two examples of using a constant are shown.
CONST REAL PI
SET PI TO 3.14159
SET circumference TO radius * PI * 2
Data structures
ARRAY
STRING
Indices start at zero (0) for all data structures.
All data structures have an append operator, indicated by &.
Using & with a STRING and a non-STRING will coerce to STRING. For example, SEND ‘Fred’
& age TO DISPLAY, will display a single STRING of ‘Fred18’.



3
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P72937A
Identifiers
Identifiers are sequences of letters, digits and ‘_’, starting with a letter, for example:
MyValue, myValue, My_Value, Counter2
Functions
LENGTH()
For data structures consisting of an array or string.
RANDOM(n)
This generates a random number from 0 to n.
Comments
Comments are indicated by the # symbol, followed by any text.
A comment can be on a line by itself or at the end of a line.
Devices
Use of KEYBOARD and DISPLAY are suitable for input and output.
Additional devices may be required, but their function will be obvious from the context.
For example, CARD_READER and MOTOR are two such devices.
Notes
In the following pseudocode, the < > indicates where expressions or values need to be
supplied. The < > symbols are not part of the pseudocode.

4 P72937A


Variables and arrays

Syntax Explanation of syntax Example
SET Variable TO <value> Assigns a value to a variable. SET Counter TO 0

SET MyString TO ‘Hello world’

SET Variable TO <expression>

Computes the value of an

expression and assigns to
a variable.

SET Sum TO Score + 10

SET Size to LENGTH(Word)

SET Array[index] TO <value> Assigns a value to an element

of a one-dimensional array.

SET ArrayClass[1] TO ‘Ann’

SET ArrayMarks[3]TO 56

SET Array TO [<value>, ...] Initialises a one-dimensional

array with a set of values. SET ArrayValues TO [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]

SET Array [RowIndex,

ColumnIndex] TO <value>

Assigns a value to an element

of a two dimensional array. SET ArrayClassMarks[2,4] TO 92

Selection
Syntax Explanation of syntax Example
IF <expression> THEN
<command>
END IF

If <expression> is true then

command is executed.

IF Answer = 10 THEN
SET Score TO Score + 1
END IF

IF <expression> THEN
<command>
ELSE
<command>
END IF

If <expression> is true then first

<command> is executed,
otherwise second
<command> is executed.

IF Answer = ‘correct’ THEN

SEND ‘Well done’ TO DISPLAY
ELSE
SEND ‘Try again’ TO DISPLAY
END IF


5
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P72937A
Repetition
Syntax Explanation of syntax Example
WHILE <condition> DO
<command>
END WHILE

Pre-conditioned loop. Executes

<command> whilst
<condition> is true.

WHILE Flag = 0 DO
SEND ‘All well’ TO DISPLAY
END WHILE

REPEAT
<command>
UNTIL <expression>

Post-conditioned loop.
Executes
<command> until <condition>
is true. The loop must execute
at least once.

REPEAT
SET Go TO Go + 1
UNTIL Go = 10

REPEAT <expression> TIMES

<command>
END REPEAT

Count controlled loop. The

number of times <command>
is executed is determined by
the expression.

REPEAT 100-Number TIMES

SEND ‘*’ TO DISPLAY
END REPEAT

FOR <id> FROM <expression>

TO
<expression> DO
<command>
END FOR

Count controlled loop.

Executes
<command> a fixed number of
times.

FOR Index FROM 1 TO 10 DO

SEND ArrayNumbers[Index]
TO DISPLAY
END FOR

FOR <id> FROM <expression>

TO
<expression> STEP
<expression> DO
<command>
END FOR

Count controlled loop using

a step.

FOR Index FROM 1 TO 500 STEP

25 DO
SEND Index TO DISPLAY
END FOR

FOR EACH <id> FROM

<expression> DO
<command>
END FOREACH

Count controlled loop.

Executes for each element of
an array.

SET WordsArray TO [‘The’, ‘Sky’,

‘is’, ‘grey’]
SET Sentence to ‘‘
FOR EACH Word FROM
WordsUArray DO
SET Sentence TO Sentence &
Word & ‘ ‘
END FOREACH

6 P72937A


Input/output
Syntax Explanation of syntax Example
SEND <expression> TO DISPLAY Sends output to the screen. SEND ‘Have a good day.’ TO

DISPLAY

RECEIVE <identifier> FROM

(type)
<device>

Reads input of specified type.

RECEIVE Name FROM (STRING)
KEYBOARD
RECEIVE LengthOfJourney
FROM (INTEGER) CARD_READER
RECEIVE YesNo FROM
(CHARACTER) CARD_READER

File handling
Syntax Explanation of syntax Example

READ <File> <record>

Reads in a record from a <file>

and assigns to a <variable>.
Each READ statement reads a
record from the file.

READ MyFile.doc Record

WRITE <File> <record>

Writes a record to a file.

Each WRITE statement writes a
record to the file.

WRITE MyFile.doc Answer1,

Answer2, ‘xyz 01’

Subprograms
Syntax Explanation of syntax Example
PROCEDURE <id>
(<parameter>, ...)
BEGIN PROCEDURE
<command>
END PROCEDURE

Defines a procedure.

PROCEDURE CalculateAverage
(Mark1, Mark2, Mark3)
BEGIN PROCEDURE
SET Avg to (Mark1 + Mark2 +
Mark3)/3
END PROCEDURE

FUNCTION <id>
(<parameter>, ...)
BEGIN FUNCTION
<command>
RETURN <expression>
END FUNCTION

Defines a function.
FUNCTION AddMarks (Mark1,
Mark2, Mark3)
BEGIN FUNCTION
SET Total to (Mark1 + Mark2 +
Mark3)/3
RETURN Total
END FUNCTION

<id> (<parameter>, ...) Calls a procedure or a

function. Add (FirstMark, SecondMark)


P72937A 7

Arithmetic operators
Symbol Description
+ Add
- Subtract
/ Divide
* Multiply
^ Exponent
MOD Modulo
DIV Integer division

Relational operators
Symbol Description
= equal to
<> not equal to
> greater than
>= greater than or equal to
< less than
<= less than or equal to

Logical operators
Symbol Description
AND Returns true if both conditions

are true.

OR Returns true if any of the

conditions are true.

NOT

Reverses the outcome of the

expression; true becomes false,
false becomes true.