STRATEGIC ALLIANCE

451 - COMPUTER STUDIES – form 2

(THEORY)
March/April 2024 - 2 ½ hours
NAME ……………………………………..…………….. CLASS …………………………………

ADM NO. …………….……….……..…..… DATE …………..…..……….. SIGN…………...

Instructions to candidates
a) Write your name and admission number in the spaces provided above.
b) Sign and write the date of examination in the spaces provided above.
c) This paper consists of two sections: A and B.
d) Answer all questions in section A and B.
e) All answers should be written in the spaces provided on the question paper.
f) This paper consists of 9 printed pages.
g) Do not remove any pages from this booklet.
h) Candidate should check the question paper to ascertain that all the pages are printed as
indicated and that no questions are missing.
i) Candidate should answer the questions in English.
j) Scientific but no-progammer calculator is allowed for this examination.

For Examiners Use Only

Section Question Maximum Score Candidate’s Score
A 1-15 40
16 15
17 15
B 18 15
19 15
TOTAL SCORE

Page 1 of 10
 Section A (40 marks) Answer ALL the Questions in this Section.
1. State the meaning of the term computer software.
(2marks)
______________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
2. State three features of fifth generation computers (3marks)
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
3. Differentiate between home page and web page as used in the internet
(2marks)
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
4. State three characteristics of mainframe computers
(3marks)
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
5. The management of an organization intends to purchase a printer. State
three factors that they should consider during purchase.
(3marks)
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________

Page 2 of 10
6. Describe each of the following computer cables:
i.) Parallel cables; (2
marks)
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
ii.) Serial cables; (2
marks)
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
7. A computer technician has observed a lot of dust on the computers in
computer laboratory. State three precautions that need to be put in place to
avoid this.
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________(3marks)
8. Explain the term proofreading as used in word processing. (2marks)
______________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
9. State the function of each of the following computer keyboard keys when
using a word processor:
i.) End (1mark)
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
ii.) Insert (1mark)
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
iii.) Backspace (1mark)
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________

Page 3 of 10
10. Explain two problems associated with the computer hard disk. (4marks)
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
11. State the spreadsheet function that can be used to obtain each of the
following values in a worksheet:
i.) Number of cells with values in a column. (1mark)
___________________________________________________________________________
ii.) Mean of values in a range of cells. (1mark)
__________________________________________________________________________
12. A school intends to install internet communication service in school. State
any three advantages of this service to the students. (3marks)
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
13. State two ways in which one can create a password which cannot be easily
accessed by hackers.
( 2marks)
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
14. State two ways through which a computer user can minimize Repetitive
Strain Injuries (RSI) associated with the use of a computer. (2marks)
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________

Page 4 of 10
15. Identify four tasks that can be achieved using a Desktop Publishing
program from the following list of tasks.
(2 marks)
i.) Managing students records in school
ii.) Creation a calendar
iii.) Designing a building structure
iv.) Creating a banner
v.) Creating a book cover
vi.) Processing of examination results
vii.) Creating business cards.

SECTION B. ( 60 marks)
Answer ALL the Questions in this Section
16.a) Give any three differences between label and value. (3mks)

______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
b) Use the table below to answer questions that follows use relative cell
reference where applicable
A B C D E F G H
BASIC NET RANK
1 NAME GENDER PAY ALLOWANCE GROSSPAY TAX PAY
2 KEN M 56000
3 ANN F 54000
4 JOY F 52000
5 FRED M 50000
6 SAM M 48000
7
8 0.15
9
Given that:
The male get 20% of the basic salary allowance while the female get 25%
of basic salary allowance
Gross pay = Basic salary + Allowance
Page 5 of 10
 Every employee is taxed 15% of the Gross pay
Net pay = Gross pay – tax
Write the formula to calculate:
i) Ken’s
Allowance___________________________________________________(2mks)
ii) Ann’s Gross pay___________________________________________________ (1mk)
iii) Joy’s
Tax__________________________________________________________(2mks)
iv) Fred net pay_______________________________________________________(1mk)
v) Sam’s Rank to see if the highest
pay_____________________________________
_________________________________________________________ __________(2mks)
c) Explain the following database components. (3mks)
i)
Worksheet_______________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
ii) Database_______________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
iii) Graph__________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
d) What is a cell_________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________(1mk)
17. a) What is back up? (1mk)
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
b) Give any two examples of solid- state devices. (2mks)
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
c) Differentiate between. (6mks)
i.) Optical and magnetic storage media

Page 6 of 10
 ___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
ii.) Fixed and removable storage media
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________

iii.) Command line and graphical user interface.

___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
d) What is disk partitioning? (1mk)
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
e) Explain the function of CMOS battery. (1mk)
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
f) State any three examples of optical scanners.
(3mks)
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
18. Describe any two functions of operating system. (2
marks)
_________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________

Page 7 of 10
b) Give any three types of operating system classified according to user
interface:
(3 marks)
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________

c) State three advantages of tailor made software. (3marks)

_________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________

Page 8 of 10
d) Give two examples of utility software. (2 marks)
_________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________
e) State two limitations of command line operating system. (2marks)
_________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________
f) Explain three types of monitors (2marks)
_________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________
19. a What is word processor software? (1mk)
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
b) Give any three paragraph formatting feature used in MS. Word. (3mks)
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
c) State the meaning of the following short cut commands as used in word
processor. (4mks)
a. Ctrl + C____________________________________________________________
b. Ctrl +
V______________________________________________________________
c. Ctrl +
F______________________________________________________________
d. Ctrl +
S______________________________________________________________
d) State any two examples of drop caps that can be used in text formatting.
(2mks)

Page 9 of 10
 ___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________

e) Study the text below and answer questions that follow

WHAT IS A METHODOLOGY?
The term methodology is not well defined either in Literature or by practitioners. There
is very little agreement as to what it means other than at a general level. The term is
usually used very loosely and yet it is used very extensively.
This loose use does not mean that there are no definitions, simply that there are
no universally agreed definitions. At The General Level, It Is Regarded as a
recommended series of steps and procedures to be followed in the course and
developing an information system. In a brief a d h o c survey, this proves to
be about the maximum that people will agree to and of course such a definition raises
many more questions than it answers.
Identify any four formatting features used in the above paragraph.
(4mks)
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________
f) What is a word wrap?
(1mk)
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________

Page 10 of 10