SQA N5 Computing SQP

N5 Computing

Specimen Paper

Not all questions will have points allocated (generally just multiple choice) but still try your best to defeat everyone else, remember its taking apart that counts and 2nd is just the first loser!

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​Points make prizes!

Multiple Choice

1. Convert the following 8-bit binary number into denary.

1011 0111

• -102

• 138

• 183

• 278

Open Ended

2. Explain why it may be necessary to return to the implementation stage of an iterative development process after the testing stage.

Open Ended

3. State two implications of the General Data Protection Regulation for a business

that stores the personal details of its staff.

Open Ended

4. The code below monitors the speed of a vehicle:

Line 5 RECEIVE speed FROM <sensor>

Line 6 WHILE speed <= 70 DO

Line 7 RECEIVE speed FROM <sensor>

Line 8 END WHILE

Line 9 SEND signal TO <alarm>

Describe what happens in lines 6 to 9 above if the sensor detects a value of

83 at line 5.

Multiple Choice

5. The Bank of Aberdeen uses a firewall and encryption to ensure data is kept secure.

(a) Explain the purpose of a firewall.

• Something to do with tennis balls

• Data is coded/unreadable

• Detects Viruses

• Restricts access to a network

Multiple Choice

5. The Bank of Aberdeen uses a firewall and encryption to ensure data is kept secure.

(b) Explain how encryption can keep data secure.

• Something to do with tennis balls

• Data is coded/unreadable

• Detects Viruses

• Restricts access to a network

Multiple Choice

6. An ASCII character set contains both control characters and printable characters.

Which is an example of a control character?

• ESC

• E

• 0

• Doc

Multiple Choice

6. An ASCII character set contains both control characters and printable characters.

Which is an example of a printable character?

• ESC

• SPACE

• TAB

• ?

Multiple Choice

8. A vector graphic file stores objects and their attributes.

(a) State the name of the object shown above.

• Line

• Rectangle

• Ellipse

• Polygon

Multiple Choice

9. A pottery shop’s database allows users to choose a type of plate, as shown.

(a) State the type of validation

• Presence Check

• Length Check

• Range Check

• Restricted Choice

Multiple Select

9. A pottery shop’s database allows users to choose a type of plate, as shown.

(b) Describe why the database uses this type of validation.

• Numpty proofing

• Eliminates input errors

• Users are presented with the only options

• Referential Integrity

Open Ended

11. Switching off a computer system when it is not being used reduces energy use. Describe two other methods of reducing the energy use of a computer system.

Multiple Choice

12. The value 195 would be stored in a computer system using ‘floating-point representation’ as shown below:

0·195 × 10³

Identify the mantissa in the above floating-point representation.

• 195

• 0.195

• 10

• 3

Multiple Choice

12. The value 195 would be stored in a computer system using ‘floating-point representation’ as shown below:

0·195 × 10³

Identify the exponent in the above floating-point representation.

• 195

• 0.195

• 10

• 3

Open Ended

14. Mark writes a program to calculate a worker’s average weekly wage.

The first part of the program asks the user to log in. They are given three attempts to enter the correct password which is ‘Bingo’.

(a) Complete line 10 of the code above.

Fill in the Blank

14. Mark writes a program to calculate a worker’s average weekly wage.

The first part of the program asks the user to log in. They are given three attempts to enter the correct password which is ‘Bingo’.

(a) Complete line 10 of the code above.

Open Ended

14. (c) When evaluating this code, it is found to be inefficient.

Using a programming language of your choice, rewrite lines 11 to 18 of the code using more efficient constructs.

Fill in the Blank

16. Pam is creating an application that will find and display a person’s tax rate based on their salary.

(a) Analyse the problem and identify the input.

Open Ended

16. Pam is creating an application that will find and display a person’s tax rate based on their salary.

(a) Analyse the problem and identify the process.

Fill in the Blank

16. Pam is creating an application that will find and display a person’s tax rate based on their salary.

(a) Analyse the problem and identify the output.

Open Ended

16. Pam is creating an application that will find and display a person’s tax rate based on their salary.

(b) Using a design technique of your choice, design an efficient solution to

the problem of finding a person’s tax rate.

​17. Angela works in a cycle shop. She decides to create a database to store information on staff and bikes. This would make it easier to record which staff member prepared each bike for sale.

Angela starts by analysing the problem. She looks at what information the store currently holds on paper and makes notes

Draw

17. (a) Complete the entity-relationship diagram below.

Poll

17. (b) Angela notices data entry errors. The two Raleigh Cameo bikes have 8 gears and not 7 as entered in the database.

She writes the following SQL statement to correct these errors.

UPDATE Bike SET gears = 7

WHERE make = “Raleigh”;

(i) Explain why Angela’s SQL statement would not correct these errors.

• All bikes will now have 7 gears

• All bikes will now have 8 gears

• All Raleigh bikes will now have 7 gears

• All Raleigh bikes will now have 8 gears

Multiple Choice

17. (b) Angela notices data entry errors. The two Raleigh Cameo bikes have 8 gears and not 7 as entered in the database.

She writes the following SQL statement to correct these errors.

UPDATE Bike SET gears = 7

WHERE make = “Raleigh”;

(ii) Explain why Angela’s SQL statement would create additional errors

• All bikes will now have 7 gears

• All bikes will now have 8 gears

• All Raleigh bikes will now have 7 gears

• All Raleigh bikes will now have 8 gears

Open Ended

17. (c) Angela wishes to remove the following bike from the database.

Serial Number: 30X76543

Make: Boardman Model: CX Team 14

Type: Road

Gears: 20

(i) Evaluate the effect of running the SQL statement below:

DELETE FROM Bike

WHERE make = “Boardman” AND model = “CX Team 14”;

Open Ended

17. (c) Angela wishes to remove the following bike from the database.

Serial Number: 30X76543

Make: Boardman Model: CX Team 14

Type: Road

Gears: 20

DELETE FROM Bike

WHERE make = “Boardman” AND model = “CX Team 14”;

(ii) Describe a better solution Angela could use to remove the bike from the database.

Fill in the Blank

19. Read the following design for a solution to a problem.

(a) State which design technique has been used for the above solution.

Fill in the Blank

19. Read the following design for a solution to a problem.

(b) State the output expected if the design is tested by Kate Bryant who is flying from Glasgow to Barcelona.

Multiple Select

19. Read the following design for a solution to a problem.

(c) Refinement 3.1 stores the holiday booking reference.

State two programming constructs that would be required to implement this refinement.

• Assignment

• Array

• Data Validation

• Concatenation

Open Ended

19. Read the following design for a solution to a problem.

(d) When implementing the above solution, describe one advantage of using an interpreter to translate the program code into binary.

Open Ended

19. Read the following design for a solution to a problem.

(d) When implementing the above solution, describe one advantage of using a compiler to translate the program code into binary.

Open Ended

19. Read the following design for a solution to a problem.

(e) Using a design technique of your choice, add input validation to refinement 2.1 to ensure that the user only enters a 3 character string.

An error message should inform the user when their input is not valid.

20. Scot Cars (a second-hand car company) has branches located in five different Scottish towns and cities. They maintain a database of all cars they have in stock. Some of the records from the relational database are shown.

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Open Ended

20. (a) Scot Car’s relational database contains primary and foreign keys.

(i) State the purpose of a foreign key in a relational database.

Draw

20 (ii) Complete the table below to identify the keys that were created when this relational database was implemented.

Open Ended

20. (iii) State the relationship that exists between the two implemented tables.

Draw

20. (b) State the output from the following SQL statement.

SELECT make, model, registration

FROM Car

WHERE colour=“Black”

ORDER BY make ASC;

20 (c) Customers often visit Scot Cars looking for a particular make and model of car.

Design a search that would provide customers with an ordered list of cars, as shown.

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Draw

Design a search that would provide customers with an ordered list of cars, as shown

21. Arthur’s Antiques sells old furniture. All staff receive a monthly bonus of £50, which is increased if they sell over 10 items of furniture. The bonus is increased further if they sell over 20 items of furniture.

A design for the program used to calculate the bonus payment for each of the four members of staff is shown.

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Draw

21. (a) List the variables and data types that would be required to implement the design.

The first one has been completed for you.

Multiple Select

21. (b) The program is implemented to match the design.

State examples of exceptional and extreme test data that could be used when inputting staff sales.

• -5

• 0

• 5

• 15

Fill in the Blank

21. (c) The program is further tested with normal test data. The results are shown below.

The test data for Staff 4 shows there is an error in the design.

(i) State the type of error.

Open Ended

21. (c) The program is further tested with normal test data. The results are shown below.

The test data for Staff 4 shows there is an error in the design.

(ii) Describe how this design error could be corrected. You may wish to write a description or re-draw part of the design.

Poll

21. (d) When the program is running it carries out the following tasks:

• stores the original bonus value of 50

• checks if sales > 10

(i) State the part of the processor that would temporarily store the value 50.

• Arithmetic Logic Unit

• Buses

• Central Processing Unit

• Registers

Multiple Choice

21. (d) When the program is running it carries out the following tasks:

• stores the original bonus value of 50

• checks if sales > 10

(ii) State the part of the processor that would compare the sales value to the value 10.

• Arithmetic Logic Unit

• Buses

• Central Processing Unit

• Registers

Poll

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