The Indian Public School, Erode

Pre-Revision 3

CANDIDATE

NAME

CENTRE CANDIDATE
I N 8 3 8
NUMBER NUMBER

Subject: Computer Science Grade: 12

Total Marks: 75 Duration: 1hr 30 Minutes

Additional Material Required:

READ THESE INSTRUCTIONS FIRST.

Write your candidate number and name on all the work you hand in.

Write in dark blue 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.

You should show all your working in the booklet.

The number of marks is given in brackets [ ] at the end of each question or part question.

Finish your question paper in time and recheck your answer script before you submit to the
invigilator.

You may use the calculator as per the instructions given by the subject facilitator.

The total number of marks for this paper is 75

This document consists of printed 13 pages.

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

(a) The current contents of main memory are:

Complete the table by writing the value stored in the accumulator after the execution of
each instruction.

[2]
(b) The instructions in part (a) are examples of the data movement group.
Describe two other instruction groups.
1 ................................................................................................................................................
...................................................................................................................................................
...................................................................................................................................................
...................................................................................................................................................
2 ................................................................................................................................................
...................................................................................................................................................
...................................................................................................................................................
................................................................................................................................................... [2]
(c) The table shows part of the instruction set for a processor. The processor has one general
purpose register, the Accumulator (ACC).

The binary value 00111101 is stored in the memory address 200.

Each instruction in the diagram is performed on the data in memory address 200.
Draw one line from each instruction to its correct result.
2. The following table shows part of the instruction set for a processor. The processor has one
general purpose register, the Accumulator (ACC), and an Index Register (IX).
The current contents of the main memory and selected values from the ASCII character set
are shown.
a) Complete the trace table for the program currently in main memory.

(b) (i) The Accumulator currently contains the binary number:

Write the contents of the Accumulator after the processor has executed the following
instruction:
LSL #2

[1]
(ii) The Accumulator currently contains the binary number:

Identify the mathematical operation that the following instruction will perform on the
contents of the accumulator.

LSR #3
 1 mark for correct answer
The number is divided by 8 (and only whole number retained) [1]

3. Melinda and her friends set up a peer-to-peer network between their computers to share data.

(a) Describe the key features of a peer-to-peer network.

[2]

(b) Describe two drawbacks to Melinda and her friends of using a peer-to-peer network.

[2]

4. Some bit manipulation instructions are shown in the table:

The contents of the memory address 300 are shown:

(i) The contents of memory address 300 represent an unsigned binary integer.
 Write the denary value of the unsigned binary integer in memory address 300.
102 [1]

(ii) An assembly language program needs to test if bit number 2 in memory addresses 300
is a 1. Complete the assembly language instruction to perform this test.
AND #4 [1]

(iii) An assembly language program needs to set bit numbers 4, 5, 6 and 7 to 0, but keep
bits 0 to 3 with their existing values.
Write the assembly language instruction to perform this action.
AND #5 [1]

5. A company allows customers to stream music from its servers over the Internet. The company’s
internet connection is currently provided through copper cables

(a) Identify two pieces of hardware, other than the cables, that enable the servers to connect to the
Internet. Describe the purpose of each device.

1 mark for device, 1 mark for matching purpose. Max 2 devices. • Router • To connect (devices) /
the servers to the Internet // to transmit data between the servers and the Internet // to forward
data towards its destination • Gateway • To connect a server that uses a different protocol to the
Internet // to join two different types of network • Modem • To connect (the servers) to the
Internet over a telephone line • Network interface card // NIC • To enable the servers to connect
to the (company) network [2]

(b) The company wants to upgrade their internet connection to fibre-optic cables. Give one benefit
and one drawback to the company of upgrading to fibre-optic cables.

Benefit: • (Consistently) faster data transmission • More stable connection Drawback: • High
initial cost as new hardware will be needed • Expertise required to complete connections [2]

6. Seth uses a computer for work.

(a) The control unit/bus transmits the signals to coordinate events based on the pulses of the
(system) clock. The data bus carries data to components, while the address bus carries the
address where data is being written to or read from. The arithmetic logic unit/ALU performs
mathematical operations and logical comparisons.
[5]

(b) Describe the ways in which the following factors can affect the performance of his laptop
computer.

Number of cores: • Each core processes one instruction per clock pulse • More/multiple cores
mean that sequences of instructions can be split between them • … and so more than one
instruction is executed per clock pulse // more sequences of instructions can be run at the same
time • More cores decreases the time taken to complete task

Clock speed: • Each instruction is executed on a clock pulse // one F-E cycle is run on each clock
pulse • ... so the clock speed dictates the number of instructions that can be run per second • The
faster the clock speed the more instructions can be run per second [2]

7. (a) (i) State what is meant by absolute addressing and symbolic addressing.

1 mark per bullet point Absolute addressing: • The operand is a numeric address // The numeric address is given //
referring directly to a memory location

Symbolic addressing: • The operand is a word/symbol // A word/symbol represents the memory location/address
Absolute addressing: For example, ADD 230 Symbolic addressing: For example, ADD num1 [2]

(ii) State what is meant by relative addressing and indexed addressing.

Relative addressing: • A number (the offset) is added to the base address to give the actual address Indexed
addressing: • The contents of the index register are added to operand to give the actual address

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

Opcode ..................................................... Operand ..................................................... [2]

(b) The ACC currently contains the following positive binary integer:

Opcode ..................................................... Operand ..................................................... [2]

9. Describe three differences between fibre-optic cables and copper cables.

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

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

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

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

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

10. Ethernet uses Carrier Sense Multiple Access/Collision Detection (CSMA/CD).

Describe CSMA/CD.

• Workstations ‘listen’ to the communication channel • If no data is being transmitted, the

computer can send its data • Collision caused when 2 devices transmit at the same time • If a
collision occurs, each workstation waits a random time • … before retransmitting • Each time a
collision occurs, random time is increased[ 3]

11. Explain how the client-server model enables the employees to access the same files from
different computers.

The employees’ computers are the clients • The server hosts the (shared) files • An employee can request a file
(from the server) from any of the client computers • Several employees can access the same file (on the server) at
the same time [2]

12. Each computer in the network has a private IP address.

Give two reasons why the computers do not have public IP addresses.

Improved security because the IP address is not visible outside the network • An internet presence is not required
for each employee computer • Only the router needs a public IP address, as only the router needs to be externally
visible • Reduces number of (public) IP addresses needed [2]

13. A program is written in assembly language.

(a) The op codes LDM and LDD are used to load a register. The op code LDM uses immediate
addressing, and the op code LDD uses direct addressing.

Describe what happens when the following instructions are run.

 LDM #300

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

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

LDD 300

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

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

14. The fetch-execute cycle is shown in register transfer notation.

01 MAR  [PC]

02 PC [PC] - 1

03 MDR [MAR]

04 CIR [MAR]

(a) There are three errors in the fetch-execute cycle shown.

Identify the line number of each error and give the correction.

Line 02 should be +1 not −1 // PC ← [PC] + 1 • Line 03 should be double brackets around MAR // MDR ← [[MAR]] •
Line 04 should be MDR not MAR // CIR ← [MDR] [3]

15. A simple program written in assembly language is translated using a two-pass assembler.

(a) The table contains some of the tasks performed by a two-pass assembler.

Tick (✓) one box in each row to indicate whether the task is performed at the first or second

pass. The first row has been completed for you.

16. A school has a Local Area Network (LAN).

(a) The LAN connects to the internet using a router.

Describe the function of a router in a network.

Receives packets from internet / external network • Implements a firewall • Analyses the destination IP address of
each packet • Forwards the packet towards its destination // send packets onto local network or external network
• ...using the routing table • Maintains / updates the routing • Allocates private IP addresses • Finds the most
efficient route to the destination • Changes the packet format for transmission over the next network // • Network
Address Translation (NAT):NAT is a technique used by routers to allow multiple devices in a private local area
network (LAN) to share a single public IP address. [2]

(b) Complete the following table by writing the purpose of each of these other hardware devices
used to support the LAN. [3]

Switch: 1 mark for each bullet point (max 1)

• To allow two or more devices to communicate with one another

• To connect individual devices to each other

• To receive transmissions and forward them to their destination

Wireless Access Point (WAP): 1 mark for each bullet point (max 1)

• To allow connection of devices (to the central device) using radio

signals / Wi-Fi

• To allow the central device to send / receive radio signals / Wi-Fi signals

• To allow wireless enabled devices to connect to a wired network

Bridge:1 mark for each bullet point (max 1)

• To connect two LANs / segments with the same protocol

• To transmit data between two networks with the same protocol

(c) The students can save their school files on a public cloud.

Identify two drawbacks of the students storing their files on the public cloud.

1 mark for each bullet point (max 2) • The students cannot access their files without a reliable internet connection •
The amount of space for no payment may be limited so students will have to purchase more space if needed • The
students do not have control over the backup (or security) of their work // the students are dependent on a third
party for the (security and) backing up of their work [2]
(d) A new classroom is being set up with 20 computers and a switch.

Explain one advantage of implementing a star topology instead of a bus topology in the new
classroom.

1 mark for each advantage and 1 mark for valid corresponding expansion • Star topology is more resilient to faults •
…because there is no single cable and leads to less disruption to teaching • Higher performance as fewer collisions
• ...because each device in the classroom is only connected to the switch • Easier to add new nodes • …because each
device in the classroom connects directly to the switch • Easier to fault find compared to bus topology [2]

(e) Describe what is meant by the Immediate Access Store (IAS) in a computer system.

Immediate Access Store holds all the data / instructions / programs currently in use • Immediate Access Store is
volatile memory • Immediate Access Store has fast access times [2]

17. The following table shows part of the instruction set for a processor. The processor has two
registers, the Accumulator (ACC) and the Index Register (IX).

(a) The instruction LDR #2 uses immediate addressing.

Give one similarity and one difference between direct addressing and indexed addressing.

Similarity: • both load the contents of an address into the Accumulator Difference: • direct accesses the address
given by the operand whereas indexed adds the contents of IX to the operand and accesses the data at that
calculated address [2]

(b) The following table shows another part of the instruction set for the same processor.

(i) The current contents of the ACC are:

 Show the contents of the ACC after the execution of the following instruction.
AND B10100101
0000 0101

[1]
(ii) The current contents of the ACC are:

Show the contents of the ACC after the execution of the following instruction.
LSR #3
0000 0010

[1]
(iii) The current contents of the ACC are:

Show the contents of the ACC after the execution of the following instruction.
XOR B00100101
1101 0010

[1]

(iv) Identify the purpose of the first pass of a two-pass assembler.

To create a symbol table [1]