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ZIMSEC O Level · 7014/1 · N2017

Computer Science Paper 1 November 2017

Questions
39 of 40
Time allowed
60 min
Syllabus code
7014/1

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Questions
39
Pass mark
24
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Answer every question in the printed order, get marked at the end, then see the answers.

The questions

Question 1

Computer system structure
The CPU component that has the functions of fetching, decoding and executing instructions is the
  1. Aarithmetic logic unit.
  2. Bcontrol unit.
  3. Cmemory register.
  4. Dsystems clock.

Question 2

Communications
The time taken to download a 256 kilobyte file from an internet website when the data transfer speed is 9 600 bits/sec is
  1. A3.64 minutes.
  2. B3.56 minutes.
  3. C4.55 minutes.
  4. D0.44 minutes.

Question 4

Logic gates
The entire logic circuit in Question 3 -- an OR gate and an AND gate both fed by inputs A and B, whose outputs feed a NAND gate producing P -- can be replaced by
  1. Aan AND gate.
  2. Ban OR gate.
  3. Ca NAND gate.
  4. Da NOR gate.

Question 5

Computer system structure
The electronic component that has been the key to recent development is the
  1. Aimproved vacuum tube.
  2. Bintegrated circuit.
  3. Cdiode.
  4. Dtransistor.

Question 6

System software
A multiprocessing system is a computer system that allows
  1. Aone user at a time to use the system in an interactive mode.
  2. Ba number of programs to be run at apparently the same time.
  3. Ca number of processors to share the execution of the same job.
  4. Da user to submit the job specifications before processing begins.

Question 7

Applications of ICT
An electronic point of sale system that uses automatic stock control provides the following services except
  1. Aan automatic products stock update.
  2. Ba reminder report on goods running out of stock.
  3. Ca report on products stock level.
  4. Dan account balance for EFTPOS customers.

Question 8

Applications
Which aspect is not an advantage of CAD software used by engineers to design structures?
  1. ACAD does not take time to learn and use efficiently.
  2. BCAD designs can be computer simulated and tested.
  3. CCAD can automatically calculate the bill of quantities from the designs.
  4. DCAD can be linked to CAM to manufacture objects from the designs.

Question 9

Control systems

A computer is used to make sure that the drugs being manufactured have precise ingredients.

The use of a computer in this application is called

  1. Asimulation.
  2. Bmodelling.
  3. Cprocess control.
  4. Ddata logging.

Question 10

Control systems

A chemical manufacturing company wishes to purchase a computer that could

(i) monitor a variety of variables at the same time using sensors
(ii) compare sensor collected data with set ranges
(iii) analyse collected data and automatically adjust out of range variables
(iv) provide feedback on adjustments made to variables

Which system would be recommended?

  1. Aan embedded control system
  2. Ba data logging system
  3. Can artificial intelligence system
  4. Da process control system

Question 11

Control systems
Which process is controlled by a computer?
  1. Arobot operation
  2. Bweather forecasting
  3. Cdata logging
  4. Deconomic modelling

Question 12

Control systems

The operations of most household appliances are now being controlled by microprocessors.

The microprocessors in these appliances are called

  1. Adata logging systems.
  2. Bprocess control systems.
  3. Cembedded systems.
  4. Dinteractive systems.

Question 13

Expert systems
Which computer system is not likely to use artificial intelligence to determine outputs or provide decisions?
  1. Aexpert systems
  2. Bvirtual reality
  3. Ccomputer simulations
  4. Dcomputer chess games

Question 14

Data capture

An examination board uses e-marking to assess candidates' examination performance. Handwritten answer scripts are scanned and uploaded into the computer.

The computer is used to identify what has been written by candidates through the use of

  1. Aoptical mark reading
  2. Boptical character recognition
  3. Cmagnetic ink character recognition
  4. Dtext-to-speech translation

Question 15

ICT careers
The job that is carried out by the systems analyst during the development of a new system is
  1. Aconverting current data to a format suitable for the new system.
  2. Bsupervising and controlling the use of the implemented system.
  3. Ccoding and testing software for the new system.
  4. Dleading and coordinating the development of the new system.

Question 16

Social effects of ICT
Which is the positive impact of introducing computers at a workplace?
  1. Ade-skilling of workers
  2. Bretrenchment of workers
  3. Cretraining of workers
  4. Dloss of job status

Question 17

Health and safety

A computer user who spends long hours capturing data complains of backaches.

The best advice that could be given to the user is to

  1. Ause an ergonomically designed desk.
  2. Buse an ergonomically designed keyboard.
  3. Ctake regular breaks from computer use.
  4. Dtake medication and continue the data capturing.

Question 18

Security
The data security measure that reduces chances of virus problems in a network is
  1. Abacking up data regularly.
  2. Bsetting up antivirus programs and firewalls.
  3. Cencrypting stored files.
  4. Dsetting up passwords and file restrictions.

Question 19

Computer system structure
Which one would improve computer performance?
  1. Ausing a large monitor
  2. Bincreasing the size of RAM
  3. Cincreasing the number of applications running
  4. Dusing a faster printer

Question 20

Data protection
Which regulation is not part of the Data Protection Act?
  1. APersonal data may be disclosed for National Statistical purposes.
  2. BPermission must be sought for disclosure of personal data to a third party.
  3. CPersonal data must be collected and used for lawful purposes.
  4. DData subject forfeits rights to personal data once under control of data user.

Question 21

Systems analysis
Which of the following aspects is likely to take place during the investigation stage of systems development?
  1. Adesigning user interfaces
  2. Bexamining existing documents
  3. Cwriting program specifications
  4. Dtraining of staff

Question 22

Systems analysis
When planning a project, staffing issues are principally addressed during
  1. Adesign.
  2. Banalysis.
  3. Cstaff training.
  4. Dfeasibility study.

Question 23

Testing

When software is developed, it goes through a number of testing stages.

The testing of the software by a selected group of trusted customers is called

  1. Abeta testing.
  2. Balpha testing.
  3. Cmodule testing.
  4. Dsystem testing.

Question 24

Documentation
The following are part of technical documentation except
  1. Aprogram listing.
  2. Btutorials.
  3. Calgorithms.
  4. Dtest data.

Question 25

Systems analysis

An organisation has engaged a systems analyst to change its manual system to a computerised system. The systems analyst is yet to decide on which fact finding method to use in order to collect data that would give a clear understanding of the operations of the current system.

Which fact finding method would be recommended to the systems analyst to use?

  1. Adistributing questionnaires to workers
  2. Binterviewing a selected group of workers
  3. Cobserving workers in their daily operations
  4. Dstudying and analysing existing paperwork

Question 26

Testing
The correct sequence in testing software from its development up to the time of releasing the final version for marketing is
  1. Amodule testing; beta testing; bench testing; alpha testing.
  2. Bmodule testing; alpha testing; beta testing; bench testing.
  3. Cbench testing; module testing; alpha testing; beta testing.
  4. Dalpha testing; beta testing; module testing; bench testing.

Question 27

Programming
A pseudocode structure that allows a group of statements in a loop to be executed at least once and tests the condition after entry is the
  1. AIF...ELSEIF...ENDIF construct.
  2. BWHILE...ENDWHILE construct.
  3. CREPEAT...UNTIL construct.
  4. DFOR...NEXT FOR construct.

Question 28

Programming
Which program error is likely to cause an executing program to terminate prematurely without producing expected results?
  1. Atype mismatch
  2. Bdivision by zero
  3. Cincorrect comparison of variables
  4. Dincorrect program statements arrangement

Question 29

Programming
Which statement is not compatible with compilers?
  1. Asource code is translated every time the program is run
  2. Bproduces an object code that can be saved on the disk
  3. Cobject code can be transferred and run without the source code
  4. Damending source code requires recompilation of the source code

Question 30

Programming
Which one is an example of a programming language that is likely to be used when coding artificial intelligence programs?
  1. AJavaScript
  2. BVisual Basic
  3. CFortran
  4. DProlog

Question 31

Programming

Assembly language is an example of a low level language used to write operating system software.

Which one is not a reason for writing operating system programs using low level languages?

  1. Afaster to code.
  2. Bfaster to execute.
  3. Cenhanced security to programs.
  4. Ddirect control over hardware.

Question 32

Programming
The most likely reason for the existence of different high level languages is that they are
  1. Amachine dependent.
  2. Bhardware dependent.
  3. Cproblem oriented.
  4. Deasier to code programs with.

Question 33

Programming

The following is an algorithm:

1 Exponent = 0
2 REPEAT
3 RESULT = 2 ^ Exponent
4 PRINT RESULT
5 Exponent = Exponent + 1
6 UNTIL RESULT < 30

Dry running the algorithm caused a problem because

  1. Aendless looping resulted in no output.
  2. Bendless looping resulted in an overflow error.
  3. Cthe variable exponent was incorrectly incremented.
  4. Dthe PRINT statement should have been outside the loop.

Question 34

Programming

Statement 6 in the Question 33 pseudocode was changed to UNTIL RESULT > 30 and the PRINT statement was placed outside the loop after the UNTIL statement.

Following these changes, the output from the algorithm would be

  1. A32.
  2. B30.
  3. C16.
  4. D64.

Question 35

Networks
The network protocol that allows files to be loaded from an internet website is
  1. AHTTP.
  2. BFTP.
  3. CTELNET.
  4. DVOIP.

Question 36

Networks
A computer network with a central server to which all work stations are connected is called a
  1. Aring network.
  2. Bbus network.
  3. Cmesh network.
  4. Dstar network.

Question 37

Internet
An inquiry on the internet using a search engine produces too many 'hits' for the user. The user can reduce the number of 'hits' by using
  1. Aa different search engine.
  2. Bfewer words on the search item.
  3. Cquotes on the search item.
  4. Da web browser program.

Question 38

Security
Use of mobile phones in e-banking is now on the increase. One of the aspects that a user of a mobile phone in e-banking should be particularly concerned about is
  1. Aaccount details being hacked and used fraudulently.
  2. Bphone bills increasing when using e-banking.
  3. Cincreased profits to the bank.
  4. Dretrenchment of bank tellers.

Question 39

Databases
All car registration codes in Zimbabwe are required to have 3 letters followed by 4 digits with no omission. The suitable input mask to validate the data on entry to the database would be
  1. AAAA9999
  2. BAAA0000
  3. CLLL9999
  4. DLLL0000

Question 40

Spreadsheets

In the spreadsheet shown, a user attempted to calculate the prices of items at 120% of the cost using the formula =A1*B3 in C3 copied down to C5. When the formula was copied from C3 down to C5, an error occurred in cells C4 and C5 as shown.

The solution to this problem is to use the formula

  1. A=A1*B3 in C3 and copy down to C5
  2. B=A$1*B3 in C3 and copy down to C5
  3. C=A1*$B3 in C3 and copy down to C5
  4. D=A1*$B#3 in C3 and copy down to C5

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