Computing blog with past exam questions separated by topic.
(a) describe syntax errors and logic errors which may occur while developing a program
(b) understand and identify syntax and logic errors
(c) select and justify test data for a program, stating the expected outcome of each test.
(a) define the terms variable and constant as used in an imperative language
(b) use variables and constants
(c) describe the data types integer, real, Boolean, character and string
(d) select and justify appropriate data types for a given program
(e) perform common operations on numeric and Boolean data
(f) use one-dimensional arrays.
(a) explain the difference between high level code and machine code
(b) explain the need for translators to convert high level code to machine code
(c) describe the characteristics of an assembler, a compiler and an interpreter
(d) describe common tools and facilities available in an integrated development environment (IDE): editors, error diagnostics, run-time environment, translators, auto-documentation.
(a) understand algorithms (written in pseudocode or flow diagram), explain what they do, and correct or complete them
(b) produce algorithms in pseudocode or flow diagrams to solve problems.
(a) describe the nature of the internet as a worldwide collection of computer networks
(b) describe the hardware needed to connect to the internet including modems, routers
(c) explain the need for IP addressing of resources on the internet and how this can be facilitated by the role of DNS services
(d) explain the importance of HTML and its derivatives as a standard for the creation of web pages
(e) describe common file standards associated with the internet such as JPG, GIF, PDF, MP3, MPEG
(f) explain the importance of compressing files that are transmitted via the internet
(g) describe the differences between lossy and lossless compression.
(a) explain the advantages of networking stand-alone computers into a local area network
(b) describe the hardware needed to connect stand-alone computers into a local area network, including hub/switches, wireless access points
(c) explain the different roles of computers in a client-server and a peer-to-peer network
(d) describe, using diagrams or otherwise, the ring, bus and star network topologies
(e) describe the differences between a local area network and a wide area network such as the internet
(f) explain the terms IP addressing, MAC addressing, packet and protocols
(g) explain the need for security measures in networks, such as user access levels, suitable passwords and encryption techniques
(h) describe and justify network policies such as acceptable use, disaster recovery, failover, back up, archiving.
(a) describe a database as a persistent organised store of data
(b) explain the use of data handling software to create, maintain and interrogate a database.
(c) describe how a DBMS allows the separation of data from applications and why this is desirable
(d) describe the principal features of a DBMS and how they can be used to create customised data handling applications.
(e) understand the relationship between entities and tables
(f) understand the components of a relational database, such as tables, forms, queries, reports and modules
(g) understand the use of logical operators in framing database queries
(h) explain the use of key fields to connect tables and avoid data redundancy
(i) describe methods of validating data as it is input.