Please check the examination details below before entering your candidate information

Candidate surname Other names

Centre Number Candidate Number

Pearson Edexcel International GCSE (9–1)

Time 3 hours
Paper
reference 4CP0/02
Computer Science
 

PAPER 2: Application of Computational Thinking

You must have: Total Marks
A computer workstation with appropriate programming
language code editing software and tools, including a code
interpreter/compiler, CODES folder containing code and data files,
and pseudocode command set (enclosed)

Instructions
•• Use black ink or ball-point pen.
Fill in the boxes at the top of this page with your name,
centre number and candidate number.
•• Answer all questions.
Answer the questions requiring a written answer in the spaces provided
– there may be more space than you need.
• the
Only one programming language (Python, C# or Java) must be used throughout
examination.
• Carry out practical tasks on the computer system and save new or amended code
using the name given in the question with the appropriate file extension.
•• Do not overwrite the original code and data files provided to you.
You must not use the internet during the examination.

Information
•• The total mark for this paper is 80.
The marks for each question are shown in brackets
– use this as a guide as to how much time to spend on each question.
•• This paper covers Python, C# and Java.
The CODES folder in your user area includes all the code and data files you need.
• The invigilator will tell you where to store your work.
Advice
•• Read each question carefully before you start to answer it.
Save your work regularly.
• Check your answers if you have time at the end. Turn over

*P72406A0116*
P72406A
©2022 Pearson Education Ltd.

Q:1/1/1/e2/
 Answer all questions.
Answer the questions requiring a written answer in the spaces provided.
Some questions must be answered with a cross in a box . If you change your mind about an
answer, put a line through the box and then mark your new answer with a cross .
Carry out practical tasks on the computer system and save new or amended code using the
name given with the appropriate file extension.
Use only ONE programming language throughout the examination.
Indicate the programming language that you are using with a cross in a box .

C# Java Python
           

1 Programmers write code to solve problems.

(a) Identify the description of a variable in a computer program.
(1)
A A value that cannot be used more than once

B A value that must be input

C A value that is always used in a calculation

D A value that can change

(b) Identify the technique that improves the readability of code.

(1)

A Using indents on every line

B Using descriptive names for variables

C Using the correct operators

D Using suitable data structures

(c) Complete the table by giving an example value for each data type.
The first row has been completed for you.
(2)

Data type Example value

integer 12

char

real

2
*P72406A0216* 
 (d) Describe one difference between the data used in boundary testing and the data
used in erroneous testing.
(2)

................................ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ............................................................................................................................................ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

................................ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ............................................................................................................................................ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

................................ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ............................................................................................................................................ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

................................ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ............................................................................................................................................ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

(e) A program should output the value 2

However, there is an error in the code and the actual output is 4
Name this type of error.
(1)

................................ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ............................................................................................................................................ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

(f ) Open Q01f in the code editor.

The program should allow the input of the length of the side of a square and
output the area of the square.
There are three errors in the code.
Amend the code to correct the errors.
Save your amended code as Q01fFINISHED with the correct file extension for the
programming language.
(3)
(g) A program is needed that will accept the input of a letter and compare it with a
stored letter.
It will check whether the letter comes earlier in the alphabet, later in the alphabet
or is the same letter as the stored letter.
It will output the letter and the stored letter with an appropriate message.
Open Q01g in the code editor.
Amend the code to complete the if statement used to produce the output.
You must use the structure given in Q01g to complete the program.
Do not add any further functionality.
Save your code as Q01gFINISHED with the correct file extension for the
programming language.
(4)

(Total for Question 1 = 14 marks)

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2 Raza is writing a program to tell the user whether a number they input is a
prime number.
A prime number is a whole number, larger than one, that can only be divided by
one and itself with no remainder.
This pseudocode contains the logic required to complete the program.

1 FUNCTION checkPrime(pNumber)
2 BEGIN FUNCTION
3 IF pNumber = 1 THEN
4 check = False
5 ELSE
6 check = True
7 FOR count FROM 2 TO pNumber DO
8 IF pNumber MOD count = 0 THEN
9 check = False
10 END IF
11 END FOR
12 END IF
13 RETURN check
14 END FUNCTION
15
16 SEND "Enter a number: " TO DISPLAY
17 RECEIVE number FROM (INTEGER) KEYBOARD
18 SET result TO checkPrime(number)
19
20 IF result = True THEN
21 SEND (number & " is a prime number") TO DISPLAY
22 ELSE
23 SEND (number & " is not a prime number") TO DISPLAY
24 END IF

4
*P72406A0416* 
 (a) Answer these questions about the pseudocode.
(i) Identify a line number where selection starts.
(1)

................................ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ............................................................................................................................................ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

(ii) Identify the line number where iteration starts.

(1)

................................ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ............................................................................................................................................ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

(iii) Identify a line number where a string and a number are printed on the
same line.
(1)

................................ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ............................................................................................................................................ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

(iv) Identify the name of a local variable.

(1)

................................ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ............................................................................................................................................ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

(v) Identify the name of a parameter.

(1)

................................ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ............................................................................................................................................ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

(b) Write a program to implement the logic in the pseudocode.

Open Q02b in the code editor.
Write the program.
You must use the structure given in Q02b to complete the program.
Do not add any further functionality.
Save your code as Q02bFINISHED with the correct file extension for the
programming language.
(11)

(Total for Question 2 = 16 marks)

5
 *P72406A0516* Turn over
3 Manjit sells copies of a science textbook to schools.
She needs a program to process textbook orders. It must:
• accept the input of the number of textbooks required
• generate the price per textbook
• generate the total cost of the order
• display the price per textbook and the total cost of the order.
The price of one textbook depends on the number ordered:

Quantity Price per textbook

1–5 £20.00

6–9 £15.00

10 or more £12.00

Open Q03 in the code editor.

Write the program.
You must use the structure given in Q03 to complete the program.
Do not add any further functionality.
Save your code as Q03FINISHED with the correct file extension for the
programming language.

(Total for Question 3 = 6 marks)

6
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 BLANK PAGE

QUESTION 4 BEGINS ON THE NEXT PAGE.

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4 Several encryption algorithms have been developed.
(a) Identify what is meant by encryption.
(1)
A Conversion of ciphertext into plaintext

B Conversion of plaintext into ciphertext

C Conversion of code into data

D Conversion of data into information

(b) Figure 1 shows a Pigpen cipher grid.

A B C J K L S W
D E F M N O T U X Y
G H I P Q R V Z
        

Figure 1
Complete the table by adding the symbol for each letter in the word MAY.
(3)

Letter M A Y

Symbol

(c) The message THE ENEMY IS NEAR is encoded using a different

encryption algorithm.
Figure 2 shows the first stage of the encryption process.

T I

H Y S

E M N

E E E R

N A

Figure 2

8
*P72406A0816* 
 (i) Give the key used in the first stage of the encryption process.
(1)

................................ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ............................................................................................................................................ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

(ii) Give the ciphertext that is produced by the encryption algorithm.

(1)

................................ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ............................................................................................................................................ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

(iii) Give the name of the encryption algorithm that has been used to produce
the ciphertext.
(1)

................................ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ............................................................................................................................................ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

(Total for Question 4 = 7 marks)

9
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5 Julia runs a computer gaming club.
(a) She wants a program to check passwords stored in a file.
The file passwords.txt contains the list of passwords.
The program must:
• check each password to ensure that:
• the first character is an uppercase letter
• if it is, that it also includes at least one digit (0–9)
• if a password does not meet these requirements:
• display the password
• increment the number of incorrect passwords
• display the total number of incorrect passwords after all the passwords have
been checked.
Open Q05a in the code editor.
Write the program.
You must use the structure given in Q05a to write the program.
Do not add any further functionality.
Save your code as Q05aFINISHED with the correct file extension for the
programming language.
(9)

10
*P72406A01016* 
 (b) Figure 3 shows an array that stores player scores after a game.

3 2 10 8 1 9

Figure 3

(i) Julia uses a bubble sort algorithm to sort the scores.

Complete the table to show how the bubble sort algorithm will sort
the scores.
You may not need to use all the rows.
(3)

3 2 10 8 1 9

(ii) Explain one reason why a bubble sort is very efficient in terms of
memory usage.
(2)

................................. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ........................................................................................................................................... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

................................. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ........................................................................................................................................... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

................................. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ........................................................................................................................................... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

................................. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ........................................................................................................................................... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

11
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 (c) Describe the steps a linear search algorithm takes to find a search item.
(3)

................................ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ............................................................................................................................................ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

................................ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ............................................................................................................................................ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

................................ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ............................................................................................................................................ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

................................ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ............................................................................................................................................ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

................................ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ............................................................................................................................................ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

................................ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ............................................................................................................................................ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

(Total for Question 5 = 17 marks)

12
*P72406A01216* 
 BLANK PAGE

QUESTION 6 BEGINS ON THE NEXT PAGE.

13
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6 Carlos wants you to create a guess the animal game.
Open Q06 in the code editor.
The code contains an array of animals.
It also contains a function that randomly selects an animal from the array. This is the
secret word the user needs to guess.
Carlos wants the program to:
• generate the number of attempts the user has to guess the secret word.
The maximum number of attempts is the length of the secret word +3. For
example, the user has 8 attempts to guess when the secret word is tiger
• keep track of letters from incorrect attempts that are in the secret word and those
that are not. There should be no duplicated letters
• display a message telling the user:
• the number of letters in the secret word
• how many attempts they have left
• force the user to input a word that is the same length as the secret word
• check whether the input word matches the secret word:
• if the words match then a message that includes the secret word and the
number of attempts taken to guess it is displayed
• if the words do not match then:
• letters from the attempt that appear in the secret word should be added
to the correct letters store
• letters from the attempt that do not appear in the secret word should be
added to the wrong letters store
• the contents of the correct and wrong letter stores are displayed
• allow the user another attempt until they have guessed the word or have run out
of attempts
• display a message telling the user the game is over including the random word if
the maximum attempts have been taken and the word has not been guessed.

14
*P72406A01416* 
 Figure 4 shows the contents of the correct and wrong stores after two attempts to
guess the secret word cow.

Secret word cow

First attempt Second attempt

input dog input cat

correct store o correct store oc

wrong store dg wrong store dgat

Figure 4
Your program should include at least two subprograms that you have
written yourself.
You must include comments in the code to explain the logic of your solution.
Save your code as Q06FINISHED with the correct file extension for the
programming language.

You may use this space for planning/design work.

The content of this space will not be assessed.

(Total for Question 6 = 20 marks)

TOTAL FOR PAPER = 80 MARKS

15
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 BLANK PAGE

16
*P72406A01616* 
 Pearson Edexcel International GCSE (9–1)
Paper
reference 4CP0/02
 

Computer Science
Component 2
Pseudocode command set

Resource Booklet
Do not return this Booklet with the question paper.

Turn over

*P72406A*
P72406A
©2022 Pearson Education Ltd.

Q:1/1/1/e2/
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’.

2 P72406A

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.

P72406A 3
 Turn over
Variables and arrays

Syntax Explanation of syntax Example

SET Counter TO 0
SET Variable TO <value> Assigns a value to a variable.
SET MyString TO ‘Hello world’

Computes the value of an

SET Sum TO Score + 10
SET Variable TO <expression> expression and assigns to
SET Size to LENGTH(Word)
a variable.

Assigns a value to an element SET ArrayClass[1] TO ‘Ann’

SET Array[index] TO <value>
of a one-dimensional array. SET ArrayMarks[3]TO 56

Initialises a one-dimensional
SET Array TO [<value>, ...] SET ArrayValues TO [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]
array with a set of values.

SET Array [RowIndex, Assigns a value to an element

SET ArrayClassMarks[2,4] TO 92
ColumnIndex] TO <value> of a two dimensional array.

Selection

Syntax Explanation of syntax Example

IF <expression> THEN IF Answer = 10 THEN

If <expression> is true then
<command> SET Score TO Score + 1
command is executed.
END IF END IF

IF <expression> THEN IF Answer = ‘correct’ THEN

If <expression> is true then first
<command> SEND ‘Well done’ TO DISPLAY
<command> is executed,
ELSE ELSE
otherwise second
<command> SEND ‘Try again’ TO DISPLAY
<command> is executed.
END IF END IF

4 P72406A

 Repetition

Syntax Explanation of syntax Example

WHILE <condition> DO Pre-conditioned loop. Executes WHILE Flag = 0 DO

<command> <command> whilst SEND ‘All well’ TO DISPLAY
END WHILE <condition> is true. END WHILE

Post-conditioned loop.
REPEAT Executes REPEAT
<command> <command> until <condition> SET Go TO Go + 1
UNTIL <expression> is true. The loop must execute UNTIL Go = 10
at least once.

Count controlled loop. The

REPEAT <expression> TIMES REPEAT 100-Number TIMES
number of times <command>
<command> SEND ‘*’ TO DISPLAY
is executed is determined by
END REPEAT END REPEAT
the expression.

FOR <id> FROM <expression>

Count controlled loop. FOR Index FROM 1 TO 10 DO
TO
Executes SEND ArrayNumbers[Index]
<expression> DO
<command> a fixed number of TO DISPLAY
<command>
times. END FOR
END FOR
FOR <id> FROM <expression>
TO FOR Index FROM 1 TO 500 STEP
<expression> STEP Count controlled loop using 25 DO
<expression> DO a step. SEND Index TO DISPLAY
<command> END FOR
END FOR
SET WordsArray TO [‘The’, ‘Sky’,
‘is’, ‘grey’]
FOR EACH <id> FROM SET Sentence to ‘‘
Count controlled loop.
<expression> DO FOR EACH Word FROM
Executes for each element of
<command> WordsUArray DO
an array.
END FOREACH SET Sentence TO Sentence &
Word & ‘ ‘
END FOREACH

P72406A 5
 Turn over
Input/output

Syntax Explanation of syntax Example

SEND ‘Have a good day.’ TO

SEND <expression> TO DISPLAY Sends output to the screen.
DISPLAY

RECEIVE Name FROM (STRING)

KEYBOARD
RECEIVE <identifier> FROM
RECEIVE LengthOfJourney
(type) Reads input of specified type.
FROM (INTEGER) CARD_READER
<device>
RECEIVE YesNo FROM
(CHARACTER) CARD_READER

File handling

Syntax Explanation of syntax Example

Reads in a record from a <file>

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

Writes a record to a file.

WRITE MyFile.doc Answer1,
WRITE <File> <record> Each WRITE statement writes a
Answer2, ‘xyz 01’
record to the file.

Subprograms

Syntax Explanation of syntax Example

PROCEDURE CalculateAverage
PROCEDURE <id>
(Mark1, Mark2, Mark3)
(<parameter>, …)
BEGIN PROCEDURE
BEGIN PROCEDURE Defines a procedure.
SET Avg to (Mark1 + Mark2 +
<command>
Mark3)/3
END PROCEDURE
END PROCEDURE
FUNCTION AddMarks (Mark1,
FUNCTION <id>
Mark2, Mark3)
(<parameter>, …)
BEGIN FUNCTION
BEGIN FUNCTION
Defines a function. SET Total to (Mark1 + Mark2 +
<command>
Mark3)/3
RETURN <expression>
  RETURN Total
END FUNCTION
END FUNCTION
Calls a procedure or a
<id> (<parameter>, …) Add (FirstMark, SecondMark)
function.

6 P72406A

 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

Returns true if both conditions

AND
are true.
Returns true if any of the
OR
conditions are true.
Reverses the outcome of the
NOT expression; true becomes false,
false becomes true.

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