NAME……………………………………………………………….…….. ADM NO……………..

CANDIDATES SIGN……………………….CLASS……………………. DATE…………………..

451/1
COMPUTER
MAY -2025
TIME: 2½HOURS

BRISTAR HIGH SCHOOL

TERM TWO EXAM-2025
Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (K.C.S.E)
COMPUTER STUDIES
PAPER 1
(THEORY)
INSTRUCTIONS TO CANDIDATES

(a) Write your name and admission number in the spaces provided above.

(b) This paper consists of two sections A and B.

(c) Answer ALL the questions in section A.

(d) Answer question 16 (compulsory) and any other THREE questions from section B.

(e) All answers should be written in the spaces provided.

(f) This paper consists of 12 printed pages. Candidates should check to ensure that all pages are printed as
indicated and no questions are missing.

Section Questions Candidate’s score

A 1-15

16

17

18

B 19

20

TOTAL SCORE

SECTION A (40MARKS)

@2025 FORM FOUR 1 451/1 COMPUTER STUDIES MY BOOSTER

1. James a form four computer student was requested to advice the school administration on the
most suitable printer to be purchased.
(a) State FOUR factors that James had to consider. (2marks)
……………………………………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………………………………….
…………………………………………………………………………………………………….
…………………………………………………………………………………………………….
(b) Identify TWO advantages of hard copy output over softcopy output. (2marks)
……………………………………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………………………………….
…………………………………………………………………………………………………….
…………………………………………………………………………………………………….
2.(a) Differentiate between Serial and Parallel ports. (2marks)
……………………………………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………………………………….
…………………………………………………………………………………………………….
…………………………………………………………………………………………………….
(b) List TWO functions of UPS. (2marks)
……………………………………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………………………………….
…………………………………………………………………………………………………….
…………………………………………………………………………………………………….
3. Masomo Bora form four students noticed some fire in the lab when they were doing their project.
(a) State FOUR measures that they were supposed to take. (2marks)
……………………………………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………………………………….
…………………………………………………………………………………………………….
…………………………………………………………………………………………………….
(b) Explain any TWO possible causes of the fire outbreak. (2marks)
……………………………………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………………………………….
…………………………………………………………………………………………………….
…………………………………………………………………………………………………….

4. Using examples distinguish between a formula and a function as used in spreadsheets. (2marks)
@2025 FORM FOUR 2 451/1 COMPUTER STUDIES MY BOOSTER
 ……………………………………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………………………………….
…………………………………………………………………………………………………….
…………………………………………………………………………………………………….
5. Distinguish between a webpage and a homepage. (2marks)
……………………………………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………………………………….
…………………………………………………………………………………………………….
…………………………………………………………………………………………………….
6. Use the binary value below to answer the questions that follow.
1101 101111011001
(a) Determine the number of bits in the above binary value. (1mark)

(b) Determine the number of bytes in the above binary value. (1mark)

(c) Determine the number of nibbles in the above binary value. (1mark)

7. Differentiate between batch and online processing. (2marks)

……………………………………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………………………………….
…………………………………………………………………………………………………….
…………………………………………………………………………………………………….
8. State TWO examples of secondary storage devices that use random file organization.(2marks)
……………………………………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………………………………….
…………………………………………………………………………………………………….
…………………………………………………………………………………………………….
9. Explain FOUR ways in which ICT can be used during interhouses competitions in your school.
(2marks)
……………………………………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………………………………….
…………………………………………………………………………………………………….
…………………………………………………………………………………………………….

@2025 FORM FOUR 3 451/1 COMPUTER STUDIES MY BOOSTER

10.(a) Give two reasons to justify why SATA cables are used in modern computers to connect the hard
disk to the motherboard. (2marks)
……………………………………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………………………………….
…………………………………………………………………………………………………….
…………………………………………………………………………………………………….
(b) Give two file systems supported by windows operating system. (2marks)
……………………………………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………………………………….
…………………………………………………………………………………………………….
…………………………………………………………………………………………………….
11. Distinguish between a primary key and an index as used in databases. (2marks)
……………………………………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………………………………….
…………………………………………………………………………………………………….
…………………………………………………………………………………………………….
12. Define the term e-learning. (1mark)
……………………………………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………………………………….
…………………………………………………………………………………………………….
…………………………………………………………………………………………………….
13. Explain TWO ways of making a password stronger. (2marks)
……………………………………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………………………………….
…………………………………………………………………………………………………….
…………………………………………………………………………………………………….
14. The table below was created using a word processor. Use it to answer the questions that follow.

Name CAT 1 CAT 2 CAT 3 TOTAL

JOHN WASWA 52 42 48
ALICE KANJA 60 70 50
AVERAGE
(a) Write a function to calculate the total for JOHN WASWA. (1mark)

@2025 FORM FOUR 4 451/1 COMPUTER STUDIES MY BOOSTER

(b) Write a function to calculate the AVERAGE for the two students. (1mark)

15. A principal of a school wishes his school to have internet connection in a bid to improve its
service delivery.Mention four internet connectivity requirement that must be present to enable the
connection. (4marks)
……………………………………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………………………………….
…………………………………………………………………………………………………….
…………………………………………………………………………………………………….
……………………………………………………………………………………………………

@2025 FORM FOUR 5 451/1 COMPUTER STUDIES MY BOOSTER

 SECTION B (60 MARKS)
Attempt question 16 and any other three
16(a) State three features of a compiler. (3marks)
……………………………………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………………………………….
…………………………………………………………………………………………………….
…………………………………………………………………………………………………….
……………………………………………………………………………………………………
(b) When writing a computer program programmers are always advised to use approaches and
techniques that makes the program easy to follow and maintain. List four ways in which a
programmer can make program code easy to follow. (4marks)
……………………………………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………………………………….
…………………………………………………………………………………………………….
…………………………………………………………………………………………………….
……………………………………………………………………………………………………
(c) Study the flowchart below and use it to answer the questions that follow.

T>=90

(i) Given that the user keyed in 3 as the value of a and I as the value of b get the final output of the
flowchart. (3marks)

@2025 FORM FOUR 6 451/1 COMPUTER STUDIES MY BOOSTER

(ii) Use a pseudo code to represent the flowchart in (c). (5marks)

17.(a) Give three ways of representing signed binary numbers in a computer. (3marks)
@2025 FORM FOUR 7 451/1 COMPUTER STUDIES MY BOOSTER
 ……………………………………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………………………………….
…………………………………………………………………………………………………….
…………………………………………………………………………………………………….
(b) Perform the following binary arithmetic and leave your answer in denary from.
(i) 1101.1012+1011.012+111.112 (3marks)

(ii) 10001.10012-1011.1112 (3marks)

(c) Convert the following:

(i) -3410 to twos complement (3marks)

4
7
(ii) 5 to binary. (3marks)

18(a) Describe four services available in the internet that support business. (4marks)

@2025 FORM FOUR 8 451/1 COMPUTER STUDIES MY BOOSTER

 ……………………………………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………………………………….
…………………………………………………………………………………………………….
…………………………………………………………………………………………………….
……………………………………………………………………………………………………

(b) Modern computing have embraced the use of drop box, Google drive and One Drive. These
platforms are hosted by the internet and many computer users prefer backing up their data using
these facilities. Give three reasons to justify this phenomenon. (3marks)
……………………………………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………………………………….
…………………………………………………………………………………………………….
…………………………………………………………………………………………………….

(c) Janet a computer student from Jambo High School launched the browser to access the internet,
the browser displayed an error message Server Not Found on the screen this didn’t allow Janet to
access the internet. State three possible causes of this anomaly. (3marks)
……………………………………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………………………………….
…………………………………………………………………………………………………….

(d) Briefly describe the following features of word processor.

(i) Subscript
…………………………………………………………………………………………………….
……………………………………………………………………………………………………

(ii) Drop cap

……………………………………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………………………………….

(e) State two arithmetic operation that can be performed on a row of a numeric data in a word
processor table. (1mark)
…………………………………………………………………………………………………….
…………………………………………………………………………………………………….

(f) In each case of (e) above give the expression used. (2marks)
……………………………………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………………………………….
…………………………………………………………………………………………………….

19(a) Enumerate four breakthrough in health care instigated by ICT. (4marks)

……………………………………………………………………………………………………
@2025 FORM FOUR 9 451/1 COMPUTER STUDIES MY BOOSTER
 …………………………………………………………………………………………………….
…………………………………………………………………………………………………….
…………………………………………………………………………………………………….
……………………………………………………………………………………………………

(b) Mention four application areas of Artificial Intelligence. (4marks)

……………………………………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………………………………….
…………………………………………………………………………………………………….
…………………………………………………………………………………………………….
……………………………………………………………………………………………………

(c) List three scanning devices available at Electronic Point Sale Terminal. (3marks)
……………………………………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………………………………….
…………………………………………………………………………………………………….
…………………………………………………………………………………………………….
……………………………………………………………………………………………………

(d) Describe two ways of preventing eavesdropping. (2marks)

……………………………………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………………………………….
…………………………………………………………………………………………………….

(e) System failure is considered as threat to data security. Describe three measures an organization
should put in place to guard against system failure. (3marks)
……………………………………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………………………………….
…………………………………………………………………………………………………….
…………………………………………………………………………………………………….
……………………………………………………………………………………………………

20(a) Identify modes of data communication represented in (i), (ii) , (iii) and (iv) below. (4marks)
(i) Principal Addressing students in assembly using public address systems.

@2025 FORM FOUR 10 451/1 COMPUTER STUDIES MY BOOSTER

 ……………………………………………………………………………………………………
(ii) WhatsApp chat
…………………………………………………………………………………………………….
(iii) Phone conversation
…………………………………………………………………………………………………….
(iv) Walkie talkie conversation
…………………………………………………………………………………………………….

(b) List three challenges experienced by networks that are set up using twisted pair cables. (3marks)
……………………………………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………………………………….
…………………………………………………………………………………………………….
…………………………………………………………………………………………………….

(c) Study the diagram below and use it to answer the questions that follow

(i) Identify the parts labelled A,B and C in the diagram above. (3marks)
……………………………………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………………………………….
…………………………………………………………………………………………………….

(ii) State two functions of the part labelled A. (2marks)

…………………………………………………………………………………………………….
……………………………………………………………………………………………………
……………………………………………………………………………………………………

(d) Name any three components of virtual reality. (3marks)

……………………………………………………………………………………………………

@2025 FORM FOUR 11 451/1 COMPUTER STUDIES MY BOOSTER

 …………………………………………………………………………………………………….
…………………………………………………………………………………………………….
…………………………………………………………………………………………………….

THIS IS THE LAST PRINTED PAGE!

@2025 FORM FOUR 12 451/1 COMPUTER STUDIES MY BOOSTER