Cambridge IGCSE™

INFORMATION & COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY 0417/11

Paper 1 Theory October/November 2024
MARK SCHEME
Maximum Mark: 80

Published

This mark scheme is published as an aid to teachers and candidates, to indicate the requirements of the
examination. It shows the basis on which Examiners were instructed to award marks. It does not indicate the
details of the discussions that took place at an Examiners’ meeting before marking began, which would have
considered the acceptability of alternative answers.

Mark schemes should be read in conjunction with the question paper and the Principal Examiner Report for
Teachers.

Cambridge International will not enter into discussions about these mark schemes.

Cambridge International is publishing the mark schemes for the October/November 2024 series for most
Cambridge IGCSE, Cambridge International A and AS Level components, and some Cambridge O Level
components.

This document consists of 13 printed pages.

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Generic Marking Principles

These general marking principles must be applied by all examiners when marking candidate answers. They should be applied alongside the
specific content of the mark scheme or generic level descriptions for a question. Each question paper and mark scheme will also comply with these
marking principles.

GENERIC MARKING PRINCIPLE 1:

Marks must be awarded in line with:

• the specific content of the mark scheme or the generic level descriptors for the question
• the specific skills defined in the mark scheme or in the generic level descriptors for the question
• the standard of response required by a candidate as exemplified by the standardisation scripts.

GENERIC MARKING PRINCIPLE 2:

Marks awarded are always whole marks (not half marks, or other fractions).

GENERIC MARKING PRINCIPLE 3:

Marks must be awarded positively:

• marks are awarded for correct/valid answers, as defined in the mark scheme. However, credit is given for valid answers which go beyond
the scope of the syllabus and mark scheme, referring to your Team Leader as appropriate
• marks are awarded when candidates clearly demonstrate what they know and can do
• marks are not deducted for errors
• marks are not deducted for omissions
• answers should only be judged on the quality of spelling, punctuation and grammar when these features are specifically assessed by the
question as indicated by the mark scheme. The meaning, however, should be unambiguous.

GENERIC MARKING PRINCIPLE 4:

Rules must be applied consistently, e.g. in situations where candidates have not followed instructions or in the application of generic level
descriptors.

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GENERIC MARKING PRINCIPLE 5:

Marks should be awarded using the full range of marks defined in the mark scheme for the question (however; the use of the full mark range may
be limited according to the quality of the candidate responses seen).

GENERIC MARKING PRINCIPLE 6:

Marks awarded are based solely on the requirements as defined in the mark scheme. Marks should not be awarded with grade thresholds or
grade descriptors in mind.

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Abbreviation Meaning

/ separates alternative words/phrases within a marking point

// followed by a separates alternative answers within a marking point

capital letter

underline actual word given must be used by candidate (grammatical variants accepted)

() the word / phrase in brackets is not required, but sets the context

These points must be followed:

No marks are awarded for using brand names of software packages or hardware. These must be careted before the word and after it.

Read the whole sentence before marking it

Annotations MUST be placed in white space at or close to where the mark is awarded.

Before submitting a script please check all ticks match the marks

At the end of prose answers/long answer place an R at the end of the answer to show that the whole answer has been marked, unless a marking
annotation has been placed near the end of the answer.

On any blank pages, place one SEEN annotation

If an answer is left blank then use SEEN and award NR, but if anything has been written for example ‘Don’t know’, ‘?’ etc then use NAQ and
award 0.

If an answer has been attempted and crossed out and no other answer has been written then attempt to mark it.

Remember an answer is correct or incorrect only

Make sure you have read the AE / PE guide BEFORE marking

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Question Answer Marks

1(a) So it can be processed by a computer 1

1(b) One from: 1

So it can be used in control systems

So that the data can be understood by a human

Question Answer Marks

2(a) Applications 1

2(b) System 1

2(c) Hardware 1

2(d) One from: 1

Central Processing Unit

Micro processor

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Question Answer Marks

3(a) Backing Storage 4

Max three from:
Backing Storage is non-volatile only
This is permanent storage
Storage devices have slower access rates than internal memory
Larger storage capacity than internal memory
Secondary storage

Internal Memory
Max three from:
Data can be either volatile or non-volatile
Can be permanent or temporary storage
Directly accessed by the CPU
Primary storage

3(b)(i) One from: 1

Read Only Memory / ROM

Random Access Memory / RAM

3(b)(ii) One from: 1

Magnetic storage
Optical storage
Solid state storage

Allow a correct example as an alternative to each

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Question Answer Marks

3(c) Positives 6
Max five from:
Data stored on the cloud can be shared by many people easier than other backing storage
Easier to maintain files as there are no physical devices to manage Storage space is dynamic
Easily expandable
Users only pay for what is used
Automatic backup of data to ensure data is not lost
Easier to find items of data as they are all in one place
Data can be synced across multiple devices / servers when changes are made
Data can be accessed from multiple devices
Data can be accessed from anywhere

Negatives
Max five from:
Data control is lost
Data security can be an issue as many copies are stored
Requires a stable internet connection
Subscription needs to be maintained otherwise the cloud account could be lost
If the cloud provider closes down you may lose data

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Question Answer Marks

4(a) Benefits 6
Max five from:
Easy to use especially for a beginner
Commands tend to be intuitive
Commands do not need to be typed in therefore less typing errors
No need to learn complex syntax
A GUI lets users exchange data between different software applications

Drawbacks
Max five from:
GUIs take up a large amount of hard disk space
They need a significant amount of RAM to run
They use a lot of processing power
They can be slow for experienced programmers to use
Restricted to pre-determined options

4(b) Inputs 4
Max three from:
Data from experts is entered into the expert system
Corrections are entered
The user answers the question by typing yes or no

Outputs
Max three from:
The data entered is displayed on the screen
The question is displayed
A list of diagnoses / probabilities / results is displayed
An explanation is displayed

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Question Answer Marks

5 Six from: 6

Laptop computers are mobile computers

Laptop computers have a smaller footprint
Laptop computers tend to be lighter in weight
Laptop computer the main components are integrated
Laptop computers can be run by battery power
The components of a desktop tend to be standardised therefore if one breaks its easy to replace
Laptop computers are more difficult to repair
Laptop computers are more expensive to repair
Laptop computers tend to have smaller screens
Desktop computers tend to have a more stable internet connection

Question Answer Marks

6 Two from: 2

Magnetic stripe reader

Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) reader
Optical Mark Reader
Optical Character Reader
Bar code reader
QR scanner
Biometric scanner

Question Answer Marks

7(a) Two from: 2

Connecting networks and devices to the internet

Storing computer addresses
Forward packets based upon a routing table

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Question Answer Marks

7(b) Four from: 4

The data packet contains an IP address of the computer / network

The router reads the data packet
The data packet contains the IP address of the destination
The router searches the IP address with its routing table
The data packet is forwarded to the next router / network
The data packet continues being sent to subsequent routers until it reaches the target device
The router will use the IP address to work out the best route
If the destination address is unknown it uses its default route
Stores the IP address for future use

Question Answer Marks

8(a) Two from: 2

A physical token is a small hardware device

Authorises access to a system
It generates / uses a single-use code to use when accessing a platform
Provides an extra security layer

8(b) Six from: 6

Download an anti-malware software ensure the anti-malware software is up to date

Set the email account to scan any email / attachments automatically
Scan the email / attachment for viruses / malware
If no virus found (1st)
download the attachment (1)
If a virus is found (1st)
delete the email / attachment without opening / downloading it (1)

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Question Answer Marks

9(a) Three from: 3

Eye strain
Repetitive Strain Injury
Back ache / Neck ache
Headache

9(b) Three from: 3

Tripping over trailing leads

Fire
Electrocution
Injuries caused by equipment falling

Question Answer Marks

10(a) Two from: 2

Voice over Internet Protocol

Internet telephony
Communication method over the internet

10(b) Four from: 4

Members of the team log into the cloud

Access to the document is given to members of the team
Members of the team edit the document
Members of the team download / upload the document
Each change causes the document to be automatically saved
All copies of the document are synced
A history of the changes can be easily created from the saved versions

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Question Answer Marks

11(a) Benefits 6
Max five from:
Cheaper than building the real object
Can be safely tested under extreme conditions
Can use it to find unexpected problems
Able to easily test different scenarios
Able to explore ‘what if’ questions
Can speed things up / slow them down to see changes over long / short periods of time

Drawbacks
Max five from:
Mistakes may be made in the programming
The cost of setting up a computer model can be high
Time may be needed to make sense of the results
Reactions to the model might not be realistic / reliable
Cannot take into account all variables
The model is only as good as the data entered

11(b) Four from: 4

Data is entered into the model

The computer model is run
Vary the timings of the traffic lights
Increase the number of vehicles at the junction
Increase the number of vehicles that stop to turn right / left
Consider emergency vehicles
Consider different times of day
Consider an increase in the number of pedestrians at the crossing
To see how it affects the traffic flow
Results are produced which are analysed to create the real junction
Change the values to test for dangerous situations / scenarios

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Question Answer Marks

12(a) Three from: 3

Monitors
Multimedia projector
Laser printer / inkjet printer / dot matrix printer
Plotter
Speaker

12(b) Three from: 3

Programmed to produce the tablet

Data is entered
The material used in the tablet is mixed (with a binding compound)
3D printer is filled with the mixture / powder
Uses a nozzle that ejects a fine spray of the medicine
The printer then repeats the process over hundreds of layers
Layers build up the tablet

Question Answer Marks

13 Two from: 2

Observation
Interview
Questionnaire
Document analysis

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