0% found this document useful (0 votes)

17 views426 pages

A2 CS Past Papers

Uploaded by

charlesma463

We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.

Available Formats

Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd

0% found this document useful (0 votes)

17 views426 pages

A2 CS Past Papers

Uploaded by

charlesma463

We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.

Available Formats

Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd

You are on page 1/ 426

Cambridge International AS & A Level

COMPUTER SCIENCE 9618/03

Paper 3 Advanced Theory For examination from 2021
SPECIMEN PAPER 1 hour 30 minutes

You must answer on the question paper.

No additional materials are needed.

INSTRUCTIONS
Answer all questions.
Use a black or dark blue pen.
Write your name, centre number and candidate number in the boxes at the top of the page.
Write your answer to each question in the space provided.
Do not use an erasable pen or correction fluid.
Do not write on any bar codes.
You may use an HB pencil for any diagrams, graphs or rough working.
Calculators must not be used in this paper.

INFORMATION
The total mark for this paper is 75.
The number of marks for each question or part question is shown in brackets [ ].
No marks will be awarded for using brand names of software packages or hardware.

This document has 16 pages. Blank pages are indicated.

© UCLES 2018 [Turn over

1 In a particular computer system, real numbers are stored using floating-point representation with:

12 bits for the mantissa

4 bits for the exponent
two’s complement form for both mantissa and exponent.

(a) Calculate the normalised floating-point representation of +4.5 in this system. Show your
working.

Mantissa Exponent

Working .....................................................................................................................................

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

.............................................................................................................................................. [3]

(b)
working.

Mantissa Exponent

Working .....................................................................................................................................

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

.............................................................................................................................................. [3]

© UCLES 2018 9618/03/SP/21

Mantissa Exponent

0 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 1

Working .....................................................................................................................................

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

Answer ......................................................................................................................................
[3]

(d) (i) State whether the floating-point number given in part (c) is normalised or not normalised.

...................................................................................................................................... [1]

(ii) Justify your answer given in part (d)(i).

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

...................................................................................................................................... [1]

(e) The system changes so that it now allocates eight bits to both the mantissa and the exponent.

Explain two effects this has on the numbers that can be represented.

1 ................................................................................................................................................

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

2 ................................................................................................................................................

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

...................................................................................................................................................
[4]

© UCLES 2018 9618/03/SP/21 [Turn over

2 The TCP/IP protocol suite can be viewed as a stack with four layers.

(a) Complete the stack by inserting the names of the three missing layers.

Application layer

[3]

(b) BitTorrent is a protocol used at the Application layer for the exchange of data.

(i) State the network model used with this protocol.

...................................................................................................................................... [1]

(ii) State the use of BitTorrent.

...................................................................................................................................... [1]

(iii) Explain how applications use BitTorrent to exchange data.

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

...................................................................................................................................... [4]

© UCLES 2018 9618/03/SP/21

For each protocol, give a different example of an appropriate exchange of data.

Protocol 1 .................................................................................................................................

Example ....................................................................................................................................

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

Protocol 2 .................................................................................................................................

Example ....................................................................................................................................

...................................................................................................................................................
[4]

© UCLES 2018 9618/03/SP/21 [Turn over

3 (a) Complete the Boolean expression that corresponds to the following truth table.

INPUT OUTPUT
A B C X
0 0 0 0
0 0 1 0
0 1 0 0
0 1 1 1
1 0 0 0
1 0 1 0
1 1 0 1
1 1 1 1

X = A . B . C ....................................................................................................................... [2]

The part to the right of the equals sign is known as the sum-of-products.

(b) (i) Complete the Karnaugh map (K-map) for the truth table given in part (a).

AB
00 01 11 10
0
C
1
[1]

The K-map can be used to simplify the function in part (a).

(ii) Draw loop(s) around appropriate groups of 1s to produce an optimal sum-of-products.

[2]

(iii) Using your answer to part (b)(ii), write the simplified sum-of-products Boolean
expression.

X = ................................................................................................................................ [2]

© UCLES 2018 9618/03/SP/21

4 A student writes a program in a high-level programming language. A compiler translates the

program into machine code.

(a) The compilation process has a number of stages.

The output of the lexical analysis stage forms the input to the next stage.

(i) Identify this stage.

...................................................................................................................................... [1]

(ii) State two tasks that occur at this stage.

1 .........................................................................................................................................

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

2 .........................................................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................................
[2]

(b) The program uses pseudocode in place of a high-level language.

There are a number of reasons for performing optimisation. One reason is to produce code
that minimises the amount of memory used.

State another reason for the optimisation of code.

.............................................................................................................................................. [1]

(c) The following statement assigns an expression to the variable A.

Suggest what a compiler could do to optimise the following expression.

A B + 2 * 6

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

.............................................................................................................................................. [1]

© UCLES 2018 9618/03/SP/21 [Turn over

(d) These lines of code are to be compiled:

X A + B
Y A + B + C

Following the syntax analysis stage, object code is generated. The equivalent code, in
assembly language, is shown below:

01 LDD 436 // loads value A

02 ADD 437 // adds value B
03 STO 612 // stores result in X
04 LDD 436 // loads value A
05 ADD 437 // adds value B
06 ADD 438 // adds value C
07 STO 613 // stores result in Y

Suggest what a compiler could do to optimise this code.

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

.............................................................................................................................................. [3]

© UCLES 2018 9618/03/SP/21

5 Ed wants to send a message securely. Before sending the message, the software encrypts it
using a symmetric key.

(a) (i) Describe what is meant by symmetric key encryption.

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

...................................................................................................................................... [2]

(ii) State two drawbacks of using symmetric key encryption.

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

...................................................................................................................................... [2]

(b) The symmetric key is to be exchanged before the message is sent.

To exchange the key securely, the use of quantum cryptography is being considered.

State two possible benefits of using quantum cryptography.

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

.............................................................................................................................................. [2]

© UCLES 2018 9618/03/SP/21 [Turn over

6 (a) Artificial Intelligence (AI) can be aided by the use of different techniques.

Draw a line from each technique to the correct description.

Technique Description

A structure used to model relationships between

objects.

Artificial Neural Network

A computer system modelled on a brain.

A* Algorithm
A computer program that improves its performance
at certain tasks with experience.
Graph

An abstract data type with a hierarchical structure.

Machine Learning

A computer method used to find the optimal path

between two mapped locations.

[4]

(b) Describe two categories of machine learning.

1 ................................................................................................................................................

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

2 ................................................................................................................................................

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

...................................................................................................................................................
[4]

© UCLES 2018 9618/03/SP/21

7 An ordered binary tree Abstract Data Type (ADT) has these associated operations:

create tree
add new item to tree
traverse tree

A student is designing a program that will implement a binary tree ADT as a linked list of ten
nodes.

Each node consists of data, a left pointer and a right pointer.

A program is to be written to implement the tree ADT. The variables and procedures to be used
are listed below:

Identifier Data type Description

Node RECORD Data structure to store node data and associated
pointers.
LeftPointer INTEGER Stores index of start of left subtree.
RightPointer INTEGER Stores index of start of right subtree.
Data STRING Data item stored in node.
Tree ARRAY Array to store nodes.
NewDataItem STRING Stores data to be added.
FreePointer INTEGER Stores index of start of free list.
RootPointer INTEGER Stores index of root node.
NewNodePointer INTEGER Stores index of node to be added.
CreateTree() Procedure initialises the root pointer and free pointer
and links all nodes together into the free list.
AddToTree() Procedure to add a new data item in the correct
position in the binary tree.
FindInsertionPoint() Procedure that finds the node where a new node is
to be added.
Procedure takes the parameter NewDataItem and
returns two parameters:
Index, whose value is the index of the node
where the new node is to be added
Direction, whose value is the direction of the
pointer (“Left” or “Right”).

© UCLES 2018 9618/03/SP/21 [Turn over

These pseudocode declarations and this procedure can be used to create an empty tree with ten
nodes.

TYPE Node
DECLARE LeftPointer : INTEGER
DECLARE RightPointer: INTEGER
DECLARE Data : STRING
ENDTYPE
DECLARE Tree : ARRAY[0 : 9] OF Node
DECLARE FreePointer : INTEGER
DECLARE RootPointer : INTEGER

PROCEDURE CreateTree()
DECLARE Index : INTEGER
RootPointer -1
FreePointer 0
FOR Index 0 TO 9 // link nodes
Tree[Index].LeftPointer Index + 1
Tree[Index].RightPointer -1
NEXT
Tree[9].LeftPointer -1
ENDPROCEDURE

© UCLES 2018 9618/03/SP/21

(a) Complete the pseudocode to add a data item to the tree.

PROCEDURE AddToTree(BYVALUE NewDataItem : STRING)

// if no free node report an error

IF FreePointer ............................................................................................................
THEN
OUTPUT "No free space left"
ELSE
// add new data item to first node in the free list
NewNodePointer FreePointer

.............................................................................................................................
// adjust free pointer

FreePointer ..............................................................................................
// clear left pointer

Tree[NewNodePointer].LeftPointer ................................................
// is tree currently empty?

IF ......................................................................................................................
THEN // make new node the root node

..............................................................................................................
ELSE // find position where new node is to be added
Index RootPointer
CALL FindInsertionPoint(NewDataItem, Index, Direction)
IF Direction = "Left"
THEN // add new node on left

...........................................................................................
ELSE // add new node on right

...........................................................................................
ENDIF
ENDIF
ENDIF
ENDPROCEDURE [8]

© UCLES 2018 9618/03/SP/21 [Turn over

(b) The traverse tree operation outputs the data items in alphabetical order.
This can be written as a recursive solution.

Complete the pseudocode for the recursive procedure TraverseTree.

PROCEDURE TraverseTree(BYVALUE Pointer : INTEGER)

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

ENDPROCEDURE [5]

© UCLES 2018 9618/03/SP/21

8 The following table shows part of the instruction set for a processor. The processor has one
general purpose register, the Accumulator (ACC).

Instruction
Explanation
Opcode Operand
LDM #n Load the denary number n to ACC
LDD <address> Load the contents of the location at the given address to ACC
STO <address> Store the contents of ACC at the given address
ADD <address> Add the contents of the given address to the ACC
INC <register> Add 1 to the contents of the register
CMP <address> Compare the contents of ACC with the contents of <address>
JPN <address> Following a compare instruction, jump to <address> if the
compare was False
END Return control to the operating system

(a) State the addressing mode used by:

LDM ...........................................................................................................................................

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

LDD ............................................................................................................................................

...................................................................................................................................................
[2]

(b) Using opcodes from the table, write instructions to set the value at address 509 to the contents
of address 500 added to the value 12.

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

.............................................................................................................................................. [3]

© UCLES 2018 9618/03/SP/21

BLANK PAGE

Permission to reproduce items where third-party owned material protected by copyright is included has been sought and cleared where possible. Every
reasonable effort has been made by the publisher (UCLES) to trace copyright holders, but if any items requiring clearance have unwittingly been included, the
publisher will be pleased to make amends at the earliest possible opportunity.

Cambridge Assessment International Education is part of the Cambridge Assessment Group. Cambridge Assessment is the brand name of the University of
Cambridge Local Examinations Syndicate (UCLES), which itself is a department of the University of Cambridge.

© UCLES 2018 9618/03/SP/21

Cambridge International AS & A Level
* 7 9 2 0 7 5 1 8 6 5 *

COMPUTER SCIENCE 9618/32

Paper 3 Advanced Theory October/November 2021

1 hour 30 minutes

You must answer on the question paper.

No additional materials are needed.

This document has 16 pages. Any blank pages are indicated.

DC (RW/SW) 206388/2
© UCLES 2021 [Turn over
2

1 (a) Numbers are stored in a computer using floating-point representation with:

• 12 bits for the mantissa

• 4 bits for the exponent
• two’s complement form for both the mantissa and exponent.

(i) Write the normalised floating-point representation of the following unsigned binary
number using this system.

1011100.011001
Working .............................................................................................................................

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

Mantissa Exponent

[2]

(ii) State the consequence of storing the binary number in part (a)(i) as a floating-point
number in this system. Justify your answer.

Consequence ....................................................................................................................

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

Justification .......................................................................................................................

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

...........................................................................................................................................
[2]

(b) Explain the reason why binary numbers are stored in normalised form.

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

............................................................................................................................................. [3]
© UCLES 2021 9618/32/O/N/21
3

2 Draw one line from each programming paradigm to its most appropriate description.

Programming paradigm Description

Programs using the instruction set of a

processor

Declarative
Programs based on events such as user
actions or sensor outputs

Imperative
Programs using the concepts of class,
inheritance, encapsulation and
polymorphism
Low-level

Programs with an explicit sequence of

commands that update the program state,
Object-oriented with or without procedure calls

Programs that specify the desired result

rather than how to get to it

[4]

3 Enumerated and pointer are two non-composite data types.

(a) Write pseudocode to create an enumerated type called Parts to include these parts sold in
a computer shop:

Monitor, CPU, SSD, HDD, LaserPrinter, Keyboard, Mouse

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

............................................................................................................................................. [2]

(b) Write pseudocode to create a pointer type called SelectParts that will reference the
memory location in which the current part name is stored.

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

............................................................................................................................................. [2]

© UCLES 2021 9618/32/O/N/21 [Turn over

4 The following syntax diagrams for a particular programming language show the syntax of:

• a digit
• a capital letter
• a character.

digit capital letter

0 A

1 E

2 I

3 O

4 U

5 character
$

6
%

7
&

8
*

9
#

(a) Write the Backus-Naur Form (BNF) notation of the syntax diagram for character.

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

............................................................................................................................................. [2]

© UCLES 2021 9618/32/O/N/21

(b) A password must begin with a character and be followed by one or more digits or capital
letters.

(i) State an example of a valid password.

..................................................................................................................................... [1]

(ii) A valid password is represented by the syntax diagram:

password
character digit

capital letter

Write the BNF notation of the syntax diagram for password.

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

..................................................................................................................................... [4]

© UCLES 2021 9618/32/O/N/21 [Turn over

5 (a) Compare sequential and serial methods of file organisation.

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

............................................................................................................................................. [4]

(b) State the most suitable method of file access when a record is referenced by a unique
address on a disk-type storage medium.

............................................................................................................................................. [1]

(c) State the most suitable method of file access when a bank stores its data records in ascending
order of account number.

............................................................................................................................................. [1]

© UCLES 2021 9618/32/O/N/21

6 (a) Explain how packet switching is used to transfer messages across the internet.

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

............................................................................................................................................. [5]

(b) Outline the function of a router in packet switching.

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

............................................................................................................................................. [3]

© UCLES 2021 9618/32/O/N/21 [Turn over

7 (a) Write the Boolean expression that corresponds to the given truth table as a sum-of-products.

INPUT OUTPUT

A B C D Z

0 0 0 0 0

0 0 0 1 0

0 0 1 0 0

0 0 1 1 0

0 1 0 0 0

0 1 0 1 0

0 1 1 0 0

0 1 1 1 0

1 0 0 0 0

1 0 0 1 1

1 0 1 0 0

1 0 1 1 1

1 1 0 0 1

1 1 0 1 1

1 1 1 0 1

1 1 1 1 1

Z = ............................................................................................................................................

............................................................................................................................................. [3]

© UCLES 2021 9618/32/O/N/21

(b) (i) Complete the Karnaugh map (K-map) for the given truth table.

CD 00 01 11 10

[2]

(ii) Draw loop(s) around appropriate group(s) of 1s in the K-map to produce an optimal
sum-of-products. [2]

(iii) Write the Boolean expression from your answer to part b(ii) as a simplified
sum-of-products.

Z = .....................................................................................................................................

..................................................................................................................................... [2]

(iv) Write the simplified Boolean expression for your answer to part b(iii).

Z = .....................................................................................................................................

..................................................................................................................................... [1]

© UCLES 2021 9618/32/O/N/21 [Turn over

8 (a) Describe the purpose of the Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) and Transport Layer Security (TLS)
protocols.

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

............................................................................................................................................. [2]

(b) Explain how SSL/TLS protocols are used when a client-server communication is initiated.

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

............................................................................................................................................. [4]

© UCLES 2021 9618/32/O/N/21

9 (a) The diagram shown represents an artificial neural network.

Output
Layer
Input
Layer
Hidden Hidden
Layer 1 Hidden Layer 3
Layer 2

(i) State the reason for having multiple hidden layers in an artificial neural network.

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

..................................................................................................................................... [1]

(ii) Explain how artificial neural networks enable machine learning.

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

..................................................................................................................................... [4]

© UCLES 2021 9618/32/O/N/21 [Turn over

(b) Find the shortest path between the Home and School nodes using the A* algorithm.
Show your working in the table provided.

The first two rows in the table have been completed.

h = 10 Home 9
g=1 4
A 5 C
3
7
B 6
2
6
D 6
3
7
F
1
2
3
E
3 5
School

Node Cost from Home node (g) Heuristic (h) Total (f = g + h)

Home 0 14 14

A 1 10 11

Final path
[5]

© UCLES 2021 9618/32/O/N/21

10 (a) State three essential features of recursion.

1 ................................................................................................................................................

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

2 ................................................................................................................................................

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

3 ................................................................................................................................................

...................................................................................................................................................
[3]

(b) Explain the reasons why a stack is a suitable Abstract Data Type (ADT) to implement
recursion.

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

............................................................................................................................................. [3]

(c) Identify two ADTs other than a stack.

1 ................................................................................................................................................

2 ................................................................................................................................................
[2]

© UCLES 2021 9618/32/O/N/21 [Turn over

(d) The function StackFull() checks whether a stack is full.

The function uses the variable TopOfStack to represent the pointer to the most recent
position used on the stack, and the variable Max to represent the maximum size of the stack.
Assume TopOfStack and Max are global variables.

FUNCTION StackFull() RETURNS BOOLEAN

IF TopOfStack = Max THEN
RETURN TRUE
ELSE
RETURN FALSE
ENDIF
ENDFUNCTION

An algorithm AddInteger is required to add a new integer data element to a stack.

The stack is implemented as an array ArrayStack.

The function AddInteger() calls StackFull() and returns an appropriate message.

Complete the pseudocode for the function AddInteger().

FUNCTION AddInteger(NewInteger : INTEGER) RETURNS STRING

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

ENDFUNCTION
[5]

© UCLES 2021 9618/32/O/N/21

BLANK PAGE

© UCLES 2021 9618/32/O/N/21

BLANK PAGE

To avoid the issue of disclosure of answer-related information to candidates, all copyright acknowledgements are reproduced online in the Cambridge
Assessment International Education Copyright Acknowledgements Booklet. This is produced for each series of examinations and is freely available to download
at www.cambridgeinternational.org after the live examination series.

© UCLES 2021 9618/32/O/N/21

Cambridge International AS & A Level
* 4 0 8 1 7 6 1 7 1 4 *

COMPUTER SCIENCE 9618/33

Paper 3 Advanced Theory May/June 2021

1 hour 30 minutes

You must answer on the question paper.

No additional materials are needed.

This document has 12 pages.

DC (LO) 213987
© UCLES 2021 [Turn over
2

1 Real numbers are stored in a computer system using floating-point representation with:

• 10 bits for the mantissa

• 6 bits for the exponent
• Two’s complement form for both the mantissa and the exponent.

(a) Calculate the normalised floating-point representation of –7.25 in this system.

Show your working.

Mantissa Exponent

Working .....................................................................................................................................

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

...................................................................................................................................................
[3]

(b) Calculate the denary value of the given binary floating-point number.
Show your working.

Mantissa Exponent

1 0 1 1 0 0 0 1 1 1 0 0 0 1 1 1

Working .....................................................................................................................................

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

Answer ......................................................................................................................................
[3]

© UCLES 2021 9618/33/M/J/21

(c) The given binary floating-point number is not normalised.

Normalise the floating-point number. Show your working.

Mantissa Exponent

0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 1 1 0 0 1 1 1

Mantissa Exponent

Working .....................................................................................................................................

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

...................................................................................................................................................
[3]

(d) The denary number 513 cannot be stored accurately as a normalised floating-point number in
this computer system.

(i) Explain the reason for this.

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

..................................................................................................................................... [3]

(ii) Describe an alteration to the way floating-point numbers are stored to enable this number
to be stored accurately using the same total number of bits.

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

..................................................................................................................................... [2]

© UCLES 2021 9618/33/M/J/21 [Turn over

2 (a) Describe the purpose of a user-defined data type.

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

............................................................................................................................................. [2]

(b) Define, using pseudocode, the following enumerated data types:

(i) SchoolDay to hold data about the days students are usually in school.

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

..................................................................................................................................... [1]

(ii) WeekEnd to hold data about the days that are not school days.

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

..................................................................................................................................... [1]

• first name and last name

• the two days they attend:
one on a school day
one not on a school day.

Use the enumerated types you created in part (b).

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

............................................................................................................................................. [4]

© UCLES 2021 9618/33/M/J/21

3 (a) Draw one line to connect each Operating System (OS) term to the most appropriate
description about it.

OS term Description

Using secondary storage to simulate

additional main memory
Multi-tasking

Managing the processes running on

the CPU
Paging

Managing the execution of many programs

that appear to run at the same time

Interrupt handling

Locating non-contiguous blocks of data and

relocating them

Scheduling
Transferring control to another routine when
a service is required

Virtual memory
Reading/writing same-size blocks of data
from/to secondary storage when required

[5]

(b) Explain how an interpreter executes a program without producing a complete translated
version of it.

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

............................................................................................................................................. [4]

© UCLES 2021 9618/33/M/J/21 [Turn over

4 (a) (i) Explain why Reverse Polish Notation (RPN) is used to carry out the evaluation of
expressions.

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

..................................................................................................................................... [2]

(ii) Identify, with reasons, a data structure that could be used to evaluate an expression
in RPN.

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

..................................................................................................................................... [2]

(b) Write the infix expression in RPN.

(a – b) * (a + c) / 7

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

............................................................................................................................................. [1]

(c) Write the RPN expression as an infix expression.

a b / 4 * a b + -

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

............................................................................................................................................. [1]

(d) Evaluate the RPN expression:

a b + c d / /

where a = 17, b = 3, c = 48 and d = 12.

Show your working.

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

............................................................................................................................................. [2]

© UCLES 2021 9618/33/M/J/21

5 (a) Calculate the shortest distance between the base and each of the other towns in the diagram
using Dijkstra’s algorithm.

Show your working and write your answers in the table provided.

Base
4
5

Town 1 2
1 Town 2
8

Town 3

7 3 Town 6
1

5
6
Town 4 Town 5

Working .....................................................................................................................................

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

Answers

Town 1 Town 2 Town 3 Town 4 Town 5 Town 6

[5]

© UCLES 2021 9618/33/M/J/21 [Turn over

(b) Explain the use of graphs to aid Artificial Intelligence (AI).

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

............................................................................................................................................. [3]

6 Give two benefits and two drawbacks of packet switching.

Benefit 1 ...........................................................................................................................................

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

Benefit 2 ...........................................................................................................................................

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

Drawback 1 ......................................................................................................................................

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

Drawback 2 ......................................................................................................................................

..........................................................................................................................................................
[4]

© UCLES 2021 9618/33/M/J/21

7 The diagram shows a logic circuit.

A P
Y
B

C R

Z
Q

(a) Complete the truth table for the given logic circuit. Show your working.

Inputs Working space Outputs

A B C P Q R Y Z
0 0 0
0 0 1
0 1 0
0 1 1
1 0 0
1 0 1
1 1 0
1 1 1
[3]
(b) State the name of the logic circuit.

............................................................................................................................................. [1]

(c) Write the Boolean expressions for the two outputs Y and Z in the truth table as
sum-of-products and state the purpose of each output.

Y = ............................................................................................................................................

Purpose ....................................................................................................................................

Z = ............................................................................................................................................

Purpose ....................................................................................................................................
[4]

© UCLES 2021 9618/33/M/J/21 [Turn over

8 (a) State two factors that may affect the performance of a sorting algorithm.

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

............................................................................................................................................. [2]

(b) The given algorithm is a simple bubble sort that arranges a set of scores stored in a one-
dimensional array into descending order, and orders the corresponding students’ names
stored into a two-dimensional array in the same order as the scores. All the arrays are indexed
from 1.

The contents of both arrays after sorting are shown.

Name
Score
1 2
1 98 1 Smithfield Tom
2 97 2 Johnson Jane

… …

248 5 248 Peters Jade

249 3 249 Allen John

YearSize 249
Flag TRUE
WHILE Flag = TRUE
Flag FALSE
FOR Student 1 TO YearSize - 1
IF Score[Student] < Score[Student + 1] THEN
Temp1 Score[Student]
Temp2 Name[Student,1]
Temp3 Name[Student,2]
Score[Student] Score[Student + 1]
Name[Student,1] Name[Student + 1,1]
Name[Student,2] Name[Student + 1,2]
Score[Student + 1] Temp1
Name[Student + 1,1] Temp2
Name[Student + 1,2] Temp3
Flag TRUE
ENDIF
NEXT Student
ENDWHILE

© UCLES 2021 9618/33/M/J/21

Write an algorithm, using pseudocode, that will perform the same task using an insertion sort.

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

............................................................................................................................................. [6]

© UCLES 2021 9618/33/M/J/21 [Turn over

9 (a) Describe what is meant by an imperative (procedural) programming language.

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

............................................................................................................................................. [2]

(b) Describe what is meant by a declarative programming language.

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

............................................................................................................................................. [2]

Program code example Programming paradigm

male(john).
female(ethel).
parent(john, ethel).
FOR Counter = 1 TO 20
X = X * Counter
NEXT Counter
Start: LDD Counter
INC ACC
STO Counter
public class Vehicle
{
private speed;
public Vehicle()
{
speed = 0;
}
}
[4]

© UCLES 2021 9618/33/M/J/21

Cambridge International Examinations
Cambridge International Advanced Subsidiary and Advanced Level

COMPUTER SCIENCE 9608/03

Paper 3 Advanced Theory For Examination from 2015
SPECIMEN PAPER
1 hour 30 minutes
Candidates answer on the Question Paper.
No Additional Materials are required.

READ THESE INSTRUCTIONS FIRST

Write your Centre number, candidate number and name in the spaces at the top of this page.
Write in dark blue or black pen.
You may use an HB pencil for any diagrams, graphs or rough working.
Do not use staples, paper clips, glue or correction fluid.

Answer all questions.

No marks will be awarded for using brand names for software packages or hardware.
No calculators allowed.

At the end of the examination, fasten all your work securely together.
The number of marks is given in brackets [ ] at the end of each question or part question.

This document consists of 15 printed pages and 1 blank page.

© UCLES 2012 [Turn over

1 Floating-point is to be used to represent real numbers with:

• 8 bits for the mantissa, followed by

• 4 bits for the exponent
• two’s complement used for both mantissa and exponent

(a) (i) Consider this binary pattern.

0 1 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 0

What number is this in denary? Show your working.

[3]

(ii) The representation shown in part (a)(i) is normalised.

Explain why floating-point numbers are normalised.

[1]

(iii) Show the binary pattern for the smallest positive number which can be stored using a
normalised 12-bit floating-point representation.

Mantissa:

Exponent:

Work out its denary value.

Denary: [3]

© UCLES 2012 9608/03/SP/15

(b) The developer of a new programming language decides that all real numbers will be stored
using 20-bit normalised floating-point representation. She cannot decide how many bits to
use for the mantissa and how many for the exponent.

Explain the trade-off between using either a large number of bits for the mantissa, or a large
number of bits for the exponent.

[2]

© UCLES 2012 9608/03/SP/15 [Turn over

2 (a) Complete the diagram to show how the layers of the TCP/IP protocol are related.

Choose from the terms: Internet Layer, Presentation Layer, Data Link Layer,
Application Layer, Transport Layer.

Network Access Layer

[3]

(b) Give the names of two LAN network technologies that the Network Access Layer has to
interface with.

Network technology 1:

Network technology 2: [2]

One layer of the protocol makes use of IP addresses. An IP address is a 32-bit number; for
example, 205.123.4.192 is an IP address.

Part of the IP address is used for the network ID, and part of the address is used for the host ID.

(c) (i) Explain the terms:

network ID:

host ID:

[2]

Most IP addresses fall into one of three classes:

• If the 32-bit address starts with a 0 bit, the address is a Class A address.
• If the 32-bit address starts with the bits 10, the address is a Class B address.
• If the 32-bit address starts with bits 110, the address is a Class C address.

(ii) Show how to determine whether 205.123.4.192 is a Class A, Class B or Class C

address.

[2]

© UCLES 2012 9608/03/SP/15

(iii) • In a Class A address, the first byte represents the network ID and the remaining
three bytes represent the host ID.
• In a Class B address, the first two bytes represent the network ID and the remaining
two bytes represent the host ID.
• In a Class C address, the first three bytes represent the network ID and the
remaining byte represents the host ID.

For the address 205.123.4.192 state the:

network ID:

host ID: [2]

© UCLES 2012 9608/03/SP/15 [Turn over

3 A zoo reptile house has sixteen tanks which accommodate its reptiles. Each tank has to have its
own microclimate where the appropriate levels of heat and humidity are crucial. The zoo
implements a computer system which supplies the conditions in each of the tanks to a terminal in
a central area. Warning messages are flashed up on the screen if any condition arises which
requires the intervention of a zoo-keeper.

(a) State the name of the type of computing system described.

[1]

(b) State two items of hardware which need to be present in the tanks for this system to function
correctly.

2 [2]

01 REPEAT
02 FOR i ← 1 TO ..........
03 READ Condition1, Condition2 in tank(i)
04 IF Condition1 < Extreme[i,1] OR Condition1 > Extreme[i,2]
05 THEN
06 OUTPUT “Warning! Problem in Tank ”, i
07 ENDIF
08 IF Condition2 < Extreme[i,3] OR Condition2 > Extreme[i,4]
09 THEN
10 OUTPUT “Warning! Problem in Tank ”, i
11 ENDIF
12 ENDFOR
13
14 FOR i ← 1 TO 999999
15 ENDFOR
16 UNTIL ...............................

(i) Fill in the gaps in the pseudocode. [2]

(ii) Explain what is stored in the array Extreme.

[2]

© UCLES 2012 9608/03/SP/15

(iii) Explain what happens in lines 04 to 11.

[3]

(iv) Explain the purpose of the loop in lines 14 to 15.

[1]

© UCLES 2012 9608/03/SP/15 [Turn over

(d) The zoo decides that the computer system needs to be updated. The computer system will
now make use of actuators. These actuators will operate devices which adjust the
microclimate.

Actuators can be in two states, on or off. Whether an actuator is on or off is determined by a

single bit value (0 means off, 1 means on) in a specific 8-bit memory location.

The actuators to control the climate in Tank 4 use memory location 0804. Bit 5 of this
memory location controls the heater.

7 6 5 4 3 2 1 0 bit number

0 0 1 1 0 1 0 1 value

Use some of the assembly language instructions to write the instructions that will ensure bit 5
of location 0804 is set to 1.

Instruction
Explanation
Op Code Operand

LDM #n Immediate addressing. Load the number n to ACC

LDD <address> Direct addressing. Load the contents of the given

address to ACC

STO <address> Store the contents of ACC at the given address

OUT Output to the screen the character whose ASCII value

is stored in ACC

AND #n Bitwise AND operation of the contents of ACC with the

operand

AND <address> Bitwise AND operation of the contents of ACC with the
contents of <address>

XOR #n Bitwise XOR operation of the contents of ACC with the

operand

OR #n Bitwise OR operation of the contents of ACC with the

operand

© UCLES 2012 9608/03/SP/15

[6]

© UCLES 2012 9608/03/SP/15 [Turn over

4 (a) Explain what is meant by an interrupt.

[2]

(b) An operating system uses interrupts which have priorities.

Describe the sequence of steps which would be carried out by the interrupt handler software
when an interrupt is received and serviced.

[6]

© UCLES 2012 9608/03/SP/15

(c) Modern personal computer operating systems support multi-tasking.

One of the modules of such an operating system will be for memory management.

Describe two different strategies which could be used to manage the available main
memory.

[6]

© UCLES 2012 9608/03/SP/15 [Turn over

5 (a) Write the Boolean expression that corresponds to the logic circuit.

[3]

(b) Use Boolean algebra to simplify the expression.

[3]

© UCLES 2012 9608/03/SP/15

(d) Complete the truth table for the logic circuit:

A B Work space X Y

0 0

0 1

1 0

1 1
[4]

(e) What is the name given to a logic circuit that has this truth table?

[1]

© UCLES 2012 9608/03/SP/15 [Turn over

6 Raz and Tan wish to exchange some sensitive information via a message in an email. Initially,
Raz wants to send the message to Tan in such a way that Tan can be assured that the message
did come from Raz.

(a) The steps are as follows.

1. Raz creates a <answer 1> using a <answer 2> function on the message.

2. Raz encrypts the <answer 1> using his <answer 3> key. This is the digital <answer 4>
for the message.

3. Raz sends both the message and the digital <answer 4> to Tan.

4. Tan decrypts the digital <answer 4> using Raz’s <answer 5> key.

5. Tan repeats what Raz did in Step 1 to the message.

Select from the list of terms to complete the five statements.

signature hash message-digest encryption private public email

<answer 5> [5]

(b) Tan finds that her results in Step 5 do not match her results in Step 4.

Give two possible reasons for this.

[2]

© UCLES 2012 9608/03/SP/15

(c) Even though Tan’s results in Step 5 match the results in Step 4, she is still concerned that
anybody receiving the message can actually read the contents.

Explain what Raz and Tan need to do so that only Tan can read the message.

[3]

© UCLES 2012 9608/03/SP/15

BLANK PAGE

Cambridge International Examinations is part of the Cambridge Assessment Group. Cambridge Assessment is the brand name of University of Cambridge Local
Examinations Syndicate (UCLES), which is itself a department of the University of Cambridge.

© UCLES 2012 9608/03/SP/15

Cambridge International AS & A Level
* 7 9 0 2 6 0 6 6 5 0 *

COMPUTER SCIENCE 9608/33

Paper 3 Advanced Theory May/June 2021

1 hour 30 minutes

You must answer on the question paper.

No additional materials are needed.

This document has 16 pages. Any blank pages are indicated.

DC (LK/CGW) 205098/3
© UCLES 2021 [Turn over
2

1 In a particular computer system, two real numbers, A and B, are stored using floating-point
representation with:

• 12 bits for the mantissa

• 4 bits for the exponent
• two’s complement form for both mantissa and exponent.

Number A Mantissa Exponent

1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0

Number B Mantissa Exponent

0 1 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 1 1

(a) (i) Identify whether each number is positive or negative. Justify your answer.

Number A .........................................................................................................................

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

Number B .........................................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................................
[2]

(ii) Convert the binary values of the mantissa and the exponent for each number to their
separate denary values.

A mantissa ........................................................................................................................

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

A exponent ........................................................................................................................

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

B mantissa ........................................................................................................................

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

B exponent ........................................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................................
[4]

© UCLES 2021 9608/33/M/J/21

(iii) Calculate the denary value of each floating-point number using your values from
part (a)(ii).

Number A .........................................................................................................................

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

Number B .........................................................................................................................

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

...........................................................................................................................................
[2]

(b) State which number, A or B, is stored in normalised floating-point form. Justify your answer.

Number .....................................................................................................................................

Justification ...............................................................................................................................

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

...................................................................................................................................................
[3]

© UCLES 2021 9608/33/M/J/21 [Turn over

2 The TCP/IP protocol suite can be viewed as a stack with four layers.

(a) Write the correct descriptions for the two layers and the correct layers for the two descriptions
given in the following table.

Layer Description

Application

Handles forwarding of packets

Internet /
Network

Handles how data is physically sent

[4]

(b) (i) Explain why communication protocols are necessary.

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

..................................................................................................................................... [2]

(ii) Identify and describe one other communication protocol. State its purpose.

Protocol .............................................................................................................................

Description ........................................................................................................................

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

Purpose .............................................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................................
[3]

© UCLES 2021 9608/33/M/J/21

3 Describe, with the aid of a diagram for each one, the bus and star network topologies.

Bus

Description .......................................................................................................................................

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

Star

Description .......................................................................................................................................

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

..........................................................................................................................................................
[6]

© UCLES 2021 9608/33/M/J/21 [Turn over

4 (a) The truth table for a logic circuit with four inputs is shown.

INPUT OUTPUT
P Q R S X
0 0 0 0 1

0 0 0 1 0

0 0 1 0 1

0 0 1 1 0

0 1 0 0 0

0 1 0 1 0

0 1 1 0 0

0 1 1 1 0

1 0 0 0 0

1 0 0 1 0

1 0 1 0 0

1 0 1 1 0

1 1 0 0 0

1 1 0 1 1

1 1 1 0 0

1 1 1 1 1

(i) Write the Boolean expression for the truth table as a sum-of-products.

X = .............................................................................................................................. [2]

(ii) Complete the Karnaugh Map (K-map) for the truth table.

PQ
00 01 11 10
00
01
RS
11
10
[2]

© UCLES 2021 9608/33/M/J/21

(iii) The K-map can be used to simplify the expression in part (a)(i).

Draw loops around appropriate groups of 1s in the table in part (a)(ii) to produce an
optimal sum-of-products. [2]

(iv) Write the simplified sum-of-products expression for your answer to part (a)(iii).

X = ............................................................................................................................... [2]

(b) Simplify your expression for X in part (a)(i) using Boolean algebra. Show your working.

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

............................................................................................................................................. [2]

© UCLES 2021 9608/33/M/J/21 [Turn over

5 The following syntax diagrams for a programming language show the syntax of:

• an assignment statement
• a variable
• an unsigned integer
• a digit
• a letter
• an operator

assignment statement

variable = variable operator variable

unsigned
integer

variable

letter letter

unsigned integer

digit digit

letter operator digit

X + 1

Y – 2

Z * 3

(a) Give reasons why each of these statements is invalid.

X = XY + 21

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

YZ := YZ * 3

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

...................................................................................................................................................
[3]

© UCLES 2021 9608/33/M/J/21

(b) Complete the Backus-Naur Form (BNF) for the syntax diagrams shown.

<letter> has been completed for you.

<letter> ::= X|Y|Z

<assignment_statement> ::=

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

<variable> ::=

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

<digit> ::=

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

<unsigned_integer> ::=

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

<operator> ::=

...................................................................................................................................................
[5]

(i) Draw an updated syntax diagram for the variable.

[3]

(ii) Give the BNF for the revised variable.

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

..................................................................................................................................... [3]

© UCLES 2021 9608/33/M/J/21 [Turn over

6 Encryption is used to provide security when messages are transferred over a communication link.

(a) (i) Explain the way in which asymmetric key cryptography is used to encrypt a message
being sent from one computer user to another over the Internet.

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

.................................................................................................................................... [4]

(ii) State two benefits of using asymmetric key cryptography.

1 ........................................................................................................................................

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

2 ........................................................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................................
[2]

(b) (i) Explain the way in which Transport Layer Security (TLS) provides communication
security over a computer network.

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

..................................................................................................................................... [4]

© UCLES 2021 9608/33/M/J/21

(ii) State two situations where the use of TLS would be appropriate.

1 ........................................................................................................................................

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

2 ........................................................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................................
[2]

© UCLES 2021 9608/33/M/J/21 [Turn over

7 Four shipping containers are used to store goods on the dockside at a port. The temperature
inside each container should be kept between 5 and 8 degrees Celsius inclusive.
Each container has a temperature sensor.

A computer system is programmed to control each container’s temperature by:

• turning on the heater and turning off the air conditioning unit when the temperature falls below
5 degrees
• turning off the heater and turning on the air conditioning unit when the temperature rises
above 8 degrees.

(a) (i) State the name given to the type of system described.

..................................................................................................................................... [1]

(ii) Justify your answer to part (i).

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

..................................................................................................................................... [2]

(b) The computer system stores the temperature readings for the four sensors in two’s
complement form and in four eight-bit memory locations with addresses 301 to 304.

301 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 Container 1

302 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 1 Container 2

303 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 Container 3

304 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 0 Container 4

State the container number(s) where the temperature is out of range and give the value(s) of
these temperature(s) in denary.

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

............................................................................................................................................. [2]

© UCLES 2021 9608/33/M/J/21

A value of 1 means that the device is on and a value of 0 (zero) means that the device is off.

The status of the heaters is shown in the most significant four bits; the status of the air
conditioning units is shown in the least significant four bits.

The pattern of bits at location 300 shows that the heater for container 4 is on and the air
conditioning unit for container 1 is on.

Container number

1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4
300 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 0
Heater Air conditioning

Show the pattern of bits when the heater is on for containers 1 and 2 and no air conditioning
units are on.

300

[1]

© UCLES 2021 9608/33/M/J/21 [Turn over

(d) The following table shows assembly language instructions for the container computer system
that has one general purpose register, the Accumulator (ACC).

Instruction
Explanation
Label Op code Operand
LDM &n Load the hexadecimal number n to ACC
Load the contents of the location at the given
LDD <address>
address to ACC
Store the contents of ACC at the given
STO <address>
address
Bitwise AND operation of the contents of ACC
AND &n
with the hexadecimal number n
Bits in ACC are shifted denary number n
LSL #n places to the left. Zeros are introduced at the
right hand end
Compare the contents of ACC with the
CMP &n
hexadecimal number n
Following a compare instruction, jump to
JPE <address>
<address> or <label> if the compare was True
<label>: <op code> <operand> Labels an instruction

If the bit for a container’s heater and the bit for the same container’s air conditioning unit are
both set to 1, a routine at label ERROR is executed. This routine has not been provided.

(i) These assembly language instructions check for an error in the container 1 system.

LDD 300
AND &88
CMP &88
JPE ERROR

Explain the purpose of each instruction.

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

..................................................................................................................................... [4]

© UCLES 2021 9608/33/M/J/21

(ii) Write the assembly language instructions to check for an error in the container 4 system.

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

..................................................................................................................................... [3]

© UCLES 2021 9608/33/M/J/21

BLANK PAGE

© UCLES 2021 9608/33/M/J/21

Cambridge International AS & A Level
* 1 0 5 9 1 9 5 7 0 3 *

COMPUTER SCIENCE 9608/32

Paper 3 Advanced Theory May/June 2021

1 hour 30 minutes

You must answer on the question paper.

No additional materials are needed.

This document has 16 pages. Any blank pages are indicated.

DC (PQ/CGW) 205105/3
© UCLES 2021 [Turn over
2

1 In a computer system, two real numbers, A and B, are stored using floating-point representation
with:

• 12 bits for the mantissa

• 4 bits for the exponent
• two’s complement form for both mantissa and exponent.

Number A Mantissa Exponent

0 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 1 1

Number B Mantissa Exponent

1 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0

(a) (i) Convert the binary values of the mantissa and the exponent for each number to their
separate denary values.

A mantissa .......................................................................................................................

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

A exponent .......................................................................................................................

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

B mantissa .......................................................................................................................

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

B exponent .......................................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................................
[4]

(ii) Calculate the denary value of each floating-point number using your values from
part (a)(i).

Number A .........................................................................................................................

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

Number B .........................................................................................................................

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

...........................................................................................................................................
[2]

© UCLES 2021 9608/32/M/J/21

(b) State which number, A or B, is stored in normalised floating-point form. Justify your answer.

Number .....................................................................................................................................

Justification ...............................................................................................................................

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

...................................................................................................................................................
[3]

2 The TCP/IP protocol suite can be viewed as a stack with four layers.

(a) Write the correct descriptions for the two layers and the correct layers for the two descriptions
given in the following table.

Layer Description

Application

Transport

Handles transmission of data

Handles how data is physically sent

[4]

(b) Identify and state the purpose of two communication protocols other than TCP/IP.

Protocol 1 .................................................................................................................................

Purpose ....................................................................................................................................

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

Protocol 2 .................................................................................................................................

Purpose ....................................................................................................................................

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

...................................................................................................................................................
[4]

© UCLES 2021 9608/32/M/J/21 [Turn over

3 (a) Describe, with the aid of a diagram, a bus topology network.

Description ................................................................................................................................

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

...................................................................................................................................................
[3]

(b) Describe the way in which a bus network uses Ethernet technology for communication.

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

............................................................................................................................................. [4]
© UCLES 2021 9608/32/M/J/21
5

BLANK PAGE

© UCLES 2021 9608/32/M/J/21 [Turn over

4 (a) The truth table for a logic circuit with four inputs is shown.

INPUT OUTPUT

P Q R S X

0 0 0 0 1

0 0 0 1 0

0 0 1 0 0

0 0 1 1 0

0 1 0 0 1

0 1 0 1 0

0 1 1 0 0

0 1 1 1 0

1 0 0 0 0

1 0 0 1 0

1 0 1 0 0

1 0 1 1 1

1 1 0 0 0

1 1 0 1 0

1 1 1 0 0

1 1 1 1 1

(i) Write the Boolean expression for the truth table as a sum-of-products.

X = ............................................................................................................................... [2]

(ii) Complete the Karnaugh Map (K-map) for the truth table.

00 01 11 10

01
RS
11

10
[2]

© UCLES 2021 9608/32/M/J/21

(iii) The K-map can be used to simplify the expression in part (a)(i).

Draw loops around appropriate groups of 1s in the table in part (a)(ii) to produce an
optimal sum-of-products. [2]

(iv) Write the simplified sum-of-products expression for your answer to part (a)(iii).

X = ............................................................................................................................... [2]

(b) Simplify your expression for X in part (a)(i) using Boolean algebra. Show your working.

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

............................................................................................................................................. [2]

5 Flip-flops are used in computer construction.

(a) Describe the role of flip-flops in a computer.

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

............................................................................................................................................. [3]

(b) Describe the difference between an SR flip-flop and a JK flip-flop.

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

............................................................................................................................................. [2]

© UCLES 2021 9608/32/M/J/21 [Turn over

6 The syntax diagrams for a programming language show the syntax of:

• an assignment statement
• a variable
• an unsigned integer
• a letter
• an operator
• a digit

assignment statement

variable variable operator unsigned

= integer

variable

letter digit

unsigned integer

digit digit

letter operator digit

X + 1

Y – 2

Z * 3

(a) Give reasons why each of these statements is invalid.

X1 = Y - 21

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

Y3 := Y3 + 1

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

X1 = X2 * 7

...................................................................................................................................................
[3]

© UCLES 2021 9608/32/M/J/21

(b) Complete the Backus-Naur Form (BNF) for the syntax diagrams shown.
<letter> has been completed for you.

<letter> ::= X|Y|Z

<assignment_statement> ::=

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

<variable> ::=

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

<unsigned_integer> ::=

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

<operator> ::=

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

<digit> ::=

...................................................................................................................................................
[5]

(c) The syntax of an assignment statement is changed to allow for a variable or an unsigned
integer before and after the operator.

(i) Draw an updated syntax diagram for the assignment statement.

[2]

(ii) Give the BNF for the revised assignment statement syntax.

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

..................................................................................................................................... [2]

© UCLES 2021 9608/32/M/J/21 [Turn over

7 (a) A digital certificate and a digital signature are used to ensure that a message is not changed
during transmission.

Write an appropriate term in each space to complete the descriptions.

A digital certificate contains the ...................................... key of the owner. A digital certificate

is obtained from the ...................................... .

Before a private message is sent to the owner of the digital certificate, this key is used

to ...................................... the message.

A digital signature is also sent. The message is hashed to produce a ...................................... ,

which is then encrypted with the sender’s ...................................... key to obtain the digital

signature. [5]

(b) State two encryption protocols used in data transmission.

1 ................................................................................................................................................

2 ................................................................................................................................................
[2]

(c) Malware can harm computer systems.

Describe two methods that can be used to restrict the effect of malware.

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

............................................................................................................................................. [4]

© UCLES 2021 9608/32/M/J/21

8 Four greenhouses are used to grow tomatoes. The temperature inside each greenhouse should
be kept between 10 and 20 degrees Celsius inclusive.
Each greenhouse has a temperature sensor.

A computer system is programmed to control each greenhouse’s temperature by:

• turning on the heater and closing the ventilation when the temperature falls below 10 degrees
• turning off the heater and opening the ventilation when the temperature rises above
20 degrees.

(a) (i) State the name given to the type of system described.

..................................................................................................................................... [1]

(ii) Justify your answer to part (i).

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

..................................................................................................................................... [2]

(b) The computer system stores the temperature readings for the four sensors in two’s
complement form and in four eight-bit memory locations with addresses 701 to 704.

701 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 0 Greenhouse 1

702 0 0 0 1 0 1 1 1 Greenhouse 2

703 0 0 0 0 1 1 1 0 Greenhouse 3

704 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 Greenhouse 4

State the greenhouse number(s) where the temperature is out of range and give the value(s)
of these temperature(s) in denary.

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

............................................................................................................................................. [2]

© UCLES 2021 9608/32/M/J/21 [Turn over

• A value of 1 means that the heater is on.

• A value of 0 (zero) means that the heater is off.

• A value of 1 means that the ventilation is open.

• A value of 0 (zero) means that the ventilation is closed.

The status of the heaters is shown in the most significant four bits; the status of the ventilation
is shown in the least significant four bits.

The pattern of bits at location 700 shows that the heater for greenhouse 3 is on and the
ventilation for greenhouse 1 is open.

Greenhouse number

1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4

700 0 0 1 0 1 0 0 0

Heater Ventilation

Show the pattern of bits when the heater is on for greenhouses 1 and 2 only and no ventilation
is open.

700
[1]

(d) The table shows assembly language instructions for the greenhouse computer system that
has one general purpose register, the accumulator (ACC).

Instruction
Explanation
Label Op code Operand
LDM &n Load the hexadecimal number n to ACC

Load the contents of the location at the given address

LDD <address>
to ACC
STO <address> Store the contents of ACC at the given address

Bitwise AND operation of the contents of ACC with the

AND &n
hexadecimal number n
Bits in ACC are shifted denary number n places to the
LSL #n
left. Zeros are introduced at the right hand end
Compare the contents of ACC with the hexadecimal
CMP &n
number n
Following a compare instruction, jump to <address>
JPE <address>
or <label> if the compare was True
<label>: <op code> <operand> Labels an instruction

© UCLES 2021 9608/32/M/J/21

If the bit for a greenhouse’s heater and the bit for the same greenhouse’s ventilation are both
set to 1, a routine at label ERROR is executed. This routine has not been provided.

(i) These assembly language instructions check for an error in the greenhouse 1 system.

LDD 700
AND &88
CMP &88
JPE ERROR

Explain the purpose of each instruction.

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

..................................................................................................................................... [4]

(ii) Write the assembly language instructions to check for an error in the greenhouse 2
system.

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

..................................................................................................................................... [3]

© UCLES 2021 9608/32/M/J/21

BLANK PAGE

© UCLES 2021 9608/32/M/J/21

BLANK PAGE

© UCLES 2021 9608/32/M/J/21

BLANK PAGE

© UCLES 2021 9608/32/M/J/21

Cambridge International AS & A Level
* 1 0 4 9 1 1 6 6 5 7 *

COMPUTER SCIENCE 9608/33

Paper 3 Advanced Theory October/November 2020

1 hour 30 minutes

You must answer on the question paper.

No additional materials are needed.

This document has 12 pages. Blank pages are indicated.

DC (KN) 206397
© UCLES 2020 [Turn over
2

1 In a particular computer system, real numbers are stored using floating-point representation with:

• 12 bits for the mantissa

• 4 bits for the exponent
• two’s complement form for both mantissa and exponent.

(a) The following floating-point number stored is not normalised.

Calculate the denary value for the floating-point number. Show your working.

Mantissa Exponent

0 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 1

Working .....................................................................................................................................

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

Denary value ............................................................................................................................

[3]

(b) (i) Normalise the floating-point number given in part (a).

Write your answer in the following boxes.

Mantissa Exponent

[2]

(ii) Describe one problem that can occur when floating-point numbers are not normalised.

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

..................................................................................................................................... [2]

© UCLES 2020 9608/33/O/N/20

2 Data types can be classified as composite or non-composite.

A record is declared of type box using the following pseudocode.

TYPE size = (small, medium, large)

TYPE box

DECLARE volume : size

DECLARE price : REAL

DECLARE colour : STRING

ENDTYPE

DECLARE myBox : ARRAY [1:6] OF box

(a) (i) Identify one composite and three non-composite data types used in the pseudocode.

Composite data type .........................................................................................................

Non-composite data type 1 ...............................................................................................

Non-composite data type 2 ...............................................................................................

Non-composite data type 3 ...............................................................................................

[4]

(ii) Identify the data type in the pseudocode that is enumerated.

..................................................................................................................................... [1]

(b) A box is red, with medium volume and a price of $10.99.

Write pseudocode to store the details of this box in the first element of the array.

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

............................................................................................................................................. [3]

© UCLES 2020 9608/33/O/N/20 [Turn over

3 The use of the TCP/IP protocol suite is essential for successful communication over the Internet.

(a) (i) Describe the TCP/IP protocol suite.

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

..................................................................................................................................... [5]

(ii) A group of over 100 students has produced a movie. The size of the movie file is very
large.

The students would like to use peer-to-peer file sharing to share this file with friends and
family.

Identify the most appropriate TCP/IP protocol for sharing this file over the Internet and
describe the way this protocol works.

Protocol .............................................................................................................................

Description ........................................................................................................................

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

...........................................................................................................................................
[5]

© UCLES 2020 9608/33/O/N/20

(b) (i) Files shared over the Internet are sent using packet switching or circuit switching
methods.

Identify and describe the most suitable method for the large movie file from part (a)(ii).

Method ..............................................................................................................................

Description ........................................................................................................................

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

...........................................................................................................................................
[4]

(ii) State one benefit and one drawback of the method you identified in part (b)(i).

Benefit ...............................................................................................................................

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

Drawback ..........................................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................................
[2]

© UCLES 2020 9608/33/O/N/20 [Turn over

4 The following truth table represents a logic circuit with three inputs and two outputs.

INPUT OUTPUT
A B C X Y
0 0 0 0 0
0 0 1 1 0
0 1 0 1 0
0 1 1 0 1
1 0 0 1 0
1 0 1 0 1
1 1 0 0 1
1 1 1 1 1

(a) Write the Boolean expressions for the truth table as sum-of-products.

X = ............................................................................................................................................

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

Y = ............................................................................................................................................

...................................................................................................................................................
[4]

(b) Complete the Karnaugh Maps (K-maps) for the truth table.

OUTPUT X OUTPUT Y
AB AB
00 01 11 10 00 01 11 10

0 0
C C
1 1
[2]

(i) Draw loop(s) around appropriate group(s) of 1s to produce an optimal sum-of-products

for the single output table that can be simplified in part (b). [3]

(ii) Write the simplified sum-of-products expressions for this output from part (c)(i).

..................................................................................................................................... [3]

© UCLES 2020 9608/33/O/N/20

(d) Identify the common logic circuit given by the truth table in part (a). Give the use of each
output.

Logic circuit ...............................................................................................................................

Use of X ....................................................................................................................................

Use of Y ....................................................................................................................................
[3]

5 Complete these statements about a virtual machine.

A virtual machine is ................................................ that emulates a

................................................ computer system.

A virtual machine allows multiple ................................................ operating systems to run

on one computer using a ................................................ operating system.

[4]

6 Anita is studying computer science and she is confused about some of the computer security
terminology as some of the words are similar.

Anita wants to know the similarities (features that are the same) and differences (features that are
different) between some of the terms.

(a) Give the similarities and differences between a public key and a private key.

Similarities ................................................................................................................................

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

Differences ................................................................................................................................

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

...................................................................................................................................................
[4]

© UCLES 2020 9608/33/O/N/20 [Turn over

(b) Give the similarities and differences between a digital certificate and a digital signature.