PMT

GCSE

Computer Science

J277/02: Computational thinking, algorithms and

programming

General Certificate of Secondary Education

Mark Scheme for June 2022

Oxford Cambridge and RSA Examinations

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OCR (Oxford Cambridge and RSA) is a leading UK awarding body, providing a wide range of
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include AS/A Levels, Diplomas, GCSEs, Cambridge Nationals, Cambridge Technicals,
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It is also responsible for developing new specifications to meet national requirements and the
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invested back into the establishment to help towards the development of qualifications and
support, which keep pace with the changing needs of today’s society.

This mark scheme is published as an aid to teachers and students, to indicate the requirements
of the examination. It shows the basis on which marks were awarded by examiners. It does not
indicate the details of the discussions which took place at an examiners’ meeting before marking
commenced.

All examiners are instructed that alternative correct answers and unexpected approaches in
candidates’ scripts must be given marks that fairly reflect the relevant knowledge and skills
demonstrated.

Mark schemes should be read in conjunction with the published question papers and the report
on the examination.

© OCR 2022

Oxford Cambridge and RSA Examinations

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J277/02 Mark Scheme June 2022

MARKING INSTRUCTIONS
PREPARATION FOR MARKING
RM ASSESSOR

1. Make sure that you have accessed and completed the relevant training packages for on-screen marking: RM Assessor assessor Online Training;
OCR Essential Guide to Marking.

2. Make sure that you have read and understood the mark scheme and the question paper for this unit. These are posted on the RM Cambridge
Assessment Support Portal http://www.rm.com/support/ca

3. Log-in to RM Assessor and mark the required number of practice responses (“scripts”) and the number of required standardisation responses.

YOU MUST MARK 5 PRACTICE AND 10 STANDARDISATION RESPONSES BEFORE YOU CAN BE APPROVED TO MARK LIVE SCRIPTS.

MARKING

1. Mark strictly to the mark scheme.

2. Marks awarded must relate directly to the marking criteria.

3. The schedule of dates is very important. It is essential that you meet the RM Assessor 50% and 100% (traditional 40% Batch 1 and 100% Batch 2)
deadlines. If you experience problems, you must contact your Team Leader (Supervisor) without delay.

4. If you are in any doubt about applying the mark scheme, consult your Team Leader by telephone or the RM Assessor messaging system, or by email.

5. Crossed Out Responses

Where a candidate has crossed out a response and provided a clear alternative then the crossed out response is not marked. Where no alternative
response has been provided, examiners may give candidates the benefit of the doubt and mark the crossed out response where legible.
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J277/02 Mark Scheme June 2022

Multiple Choice Question Responses
When a multiple choice question has only a single, correct response and a candidate provides two responses (even if one of these responses is correct),
then no mark should be awarded (as it is not possible to determine which was the first response selected by the candidate).
When a question requires candidates to select more than one option/multiple options, then local marking arrangements need to ensure consistency of
approach.

Contradictory Responses
When a candidate provides contradictory responses, then no mark should be awarded, even if one of the answers is correct.

Short Answer Questions (requiring only a list by way of a response, usually worth only one mark per response)
Where candidates are required to provide a set number of short answer responses then only the set number of responses should be marked. The
response space should be marked from left to right on each line and then line by line until the required number of responses have been considered. The
remaining responses should not then be marked. Examiners will have to apply judgement as to whether a ‘second response’ on a line is a development
of the ‘first response’, rather than a separate, discrete response. (The underlying assumption is that the candidate is attempting to hedge their bets and
therefore getting undue benefit rather than engaging with the question and giving the most relevant/correct responses.)

Short Answer Questions (requiring a more developed response, worth two or more marks)
If the candidates are required to provide a description of, say, three items or factors and four items or factors are provided, then mark on a similar basis
– that is downwards (as it is unlikely in this situation that a candidate will provide more than one response in each section of the response space.)

Longer Answer Questions (requiring a developed response)

Where candidates have provided two (or more) responses to a medium or high tariff question which only required a single (developed) response and not
crossed out the first response, then only the first response should be marked. Examiners will need to apply professional judgement as to whether the
second (or a subsequent) response is a ‘new start’ or simply a poorly expressed continuation of the first response.

6. Always check the pages (and additional objects if present) at the end of the response in case any answers have been continued there. If the candidate
has continued an answer there then add a SEEN annotation to confirm that the work has been seen.

7. Award No Response (NR) if:

• there is nothing written in the answer space

Award Zero ‘0’ if:

• anything is written in the answer space and is not worthy of credit (this includes text and symbols).

Team Leaders must confirm the correct use of the NR button with their markers before live marking commences and should check this when
reviewing scripts.
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J277/02 Mark Scheme June 2022

8. The RM Assessor comments box is used by your team leader to explain the marking of the practice responses. Please refer to these comments
when checking your practice responses. Do not use the comments box for any other reason.

If you have any questions or comments for your team leader, use the phone, the RM Assessor messaging system, or e-mail.

9. Assistant Examiners will send a brief report on the performance of candidates to their Team Leader (Supervisor) via email by the end of the marking
period. The report should contain notes on particular strengths displayed as well as common errors or weaknesses. Constructive criticism of the
question paper/mark scheme is also appreciated.

10. For answers marked by levels of response: Not applicable in J277/02

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J277/02 Mark Scheme June 2022

11. Annotations

Annotation Meaning

Omission mark

Benefit of doubt

Cross

Follow through

Not answered question

Benefit of doubt not given

Repeat

Tick

Too vague

Noted but credit not given, blank pages, pages with no annotation
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J277/02 Mark Scheme June 2022

SECTION A

Question Answer Mark Guidance

1 (a) 1 mark per correct row 4 No mark given if both boxes in a row ticked.
(AO2 1b)
OCR Reference Language Selection Iteration Accept any response (ticks, crosses, etc) that clearly
code indicates candidate’s choice.
for i = 1 to 10
print(i) ✓
next i

whilescore != 0
playgame() ✓
endwhile

if playerHit() then
score = score – 1 ✓
endif

switch bonus:
case 0: ✓
score = 9
case 1:
score = 7
case 2:
score = 5
endswitch

1 (b) • score = score + 1 // score +=1 // score++ 1 Allow other logically correct answers that result in score
(AO3 2b) increasing by one and being overwritten. Do not accept
score + 1 / score = +1

Accept valid structured English answers that refer to score

increasing and overwriting the existing value by one. e.g.
“score becomes/equals score plus one”

Ignore any superfluous code that does not affect the outcome

1 (c) • Decomposition 2 Correct answer only. Ignore spelling errors.

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J277/02 Mark Scheme June 2022

• Abstraction (AO1 1a)

Question Answer Mark Guidance

2 (a) (i) • A OR B 3 1 mark per gate. Correct symbols must be used.
• NOT C (AO2 1b)
• AND gate NOT gate must have circle for inversion, OR and AND must not
have a circle.

Mark the shape of each gate, not the name written if given.
Ignore any writing / notes.

Lines do not have to be drawn or joined up, but if they are, gates
must have the correct number of inputs/outputs. Penalise
once then FT.

2 (a) (ii) • To show all possible inputs (to the logic circuit)… 2 For 2nd BP, must be clear that the output is linked to the input
• …and the associated/dependent output (for each (AO1 1b) values given.
input)
“All possible combinations of inputs and outputs” gains the first
mark (all possible inputs) but not the second.

“The output for each possible input” gains both marks

2 (a) (iii) • 8 // eight 1 Accept other answers that equate to 8 (e.g. 23)
(AO2 1a)
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J277/02 Mark Scheme June 2022

2 (b) • Start and end/stop with all boxes connected, no boxes 5
that do not lead to another box (no arrows needed) (AO3 2a)
• Input three variables using parallelogram shape
• Checks all three criteria (day, student, discount card)
using diamond shape(s) with two lines from each

• …Outputs "full price" with correct conditions using

parallelogram shape
• …Outputs "half price" with correct conditions using
parallelogram shape

Guidance for correct outputs

Conditions Outcome
Not Saturday and (either a Half price
student or has a discount
card).

Saturday or (not a student Full price

and doesn’t have a
Question asks for a flowchart. Answers as pseudocode, high
discount card).
level language or other forms are not acceptable 9 (NAQ).

BP 4 and 5 only to be awarded if all decisions ensure correct

Saturday Student Discount Card Outcome
output and clear what the decisions are. FT for incorrect shapes
N N N Full price
used or no inputs as long as decisions are logically correct. Must
N N Y Half price
attempt all three decisions.
N Y N Half price
N Y Y Half price Allow calculation of half price / full price instead of message but
Y N N Full price this must still be output.
Y N Y Full price
Y Y N Full price Inputs / decisions may be presented as individual or combined
Y Y Y Full price boxes but must still store as three variables.

Penalise lack of parallelogram for input/output once only then FT

BOD parallelogram shapes if not sure whether input or output as

long as context is clear (e.g inputs at start, outputs at end)
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J277/02 Mark Scheme June 2022

2 (c) • Number of people (at the table) // whether there are 2 Ignore additional inputs that would be sensible, such as cost of
more than 5 people or not (AO3 the meal.
• Choice between percentage and value // actual 2a)
value of both percentage, value Accept inputs in form of pseudocode / high-level language.

Max 1 if other irrelevant inputs given.

“Whether to leave a tip or not” or “Amount of tip” NE for BP2.

Must address both the percentage and value of tip if asked for.
BOD “type of tip” for BP2

2 (d) (i) • Convert/change one data type to another 2 Do not accept “change to string” – this is the use in this example
• Line 03 // 3 // three (AO1 1b, but not a definition.
AO2 2b)

2 (d) (ii) • Kofi2021 as staffID on line 03 4 Max 2 if incorrect order. Ignore misspelling of Kofi
• Kofi2021x as staffID on line 05 (AO3 2c)

• Kofi2021xx as staffID on line 05 Penalise lack of / errors with line numbers once then FT. Ignore
capitalisation. Ignore additional lines unless outcome impacted.
• ID Kofi2021xx output on line 07 as first and only output
staffID does not have space in. Output does have a space in.
Penalise spaces once then FT. Do not penalise unless obvious.

Quotes around answer is OK, but do not allow quotes around

partial answers, e.g. “ID” Kofi2021xx is incorrect.
Line surname year staffID Output
number

01 Kofi

02 2021

03 Kofi2021

05 Kofi2021x

05 Kofi2021xx

07 ID Kofi2021xx
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J277/02 Mark Scheme June 2022

Question Answer Mark Guidance

3 (a) • Merge into correct sorted lists of size 2 (12 45 / -99 100 / -13 0 / 3 Do not credit BP3 simply for a sorted list.
-27 17) (AO2 1b)
• Merge into correct sorted lists of size 4 (-99 12 45 100 / -27 -13 Groups of numbers must clearly be the correct size.
0 17) …
• …Merge into correct sorted list of size 8 (-99 -27 -13 0 12 17 45 Do not all allow answers that show lists being merged
100) and then sorting in place, this is incorrect.

3 (b) Any four bullet points for 1 mark each 4 Do not allow “split the list in half” on its own as first step,
• Select / choose / pick middle number (or left/right of middle as (AO1 1b) this is incorrect.
even number) and …
• …check if selected number is equal to / matches target Can get BP1 and 2 in one step (e.g. “check if the middle
number (not just compare) number is the one we’re looking for”)
• …if searched number is larger, discard left half // if searched
number is smaller, discard right half For BP3, accept focussing on correct half
• Repeat until number found
• … or remaining list is of size 1 / 0 (number not found) Repeat (BP4) must be in the context of an attempt at a
binary search. Allow correct reference to recursion.

“until number is not in the list” is NE for final BP. Need to

explain how this is known.
3 (c) 1 mark each 2 2nd bullet point must cover both ideas of checking all of
• Starting with the first value (AO1 1b) the values AND being done in order.
• Checking all values in order
“Checks each value” / “one by one” / “step by step” by
itself is NE, does not say in order.

Do not accept “repeat until value found” for BP2

(question says number is not in the list)

“Checks each value from beginning to end” implies order

so gets both BP1 and BP2.
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J277/02 Mark Scheme June 2022

Question Answer Mark Guidance

4 (a) Any two bullet points for one mark each: 2 Do not accept indentation (no code to sensibly indent in
• Add comments (AO2 1b) this example)
• Name variables sensibly
• Put into subroutine / procedure / function “Use a subroutine” is not enough. Must be clear that
• Use loop / iteration existing code will be put into a new subroutine.

4 (b) (i) • Multiplication 2 Accept other correct answers that mean the same
• Division (AO1 1a) Accept floor / integer division // division with no
remainder (Python v2.x)

4 (b) (ii) • high-level 5 Ignore spelling errors.

• stops // crashes (AO1 1b,
AO2 1b)
• no
• executable
• without
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J277/02 Mark Scheme June 2022

4 (c) • input and stores/uses value with message 6 e.g.
• attempt at repeating… (AO3 2b, num = input("Enter how many numbers")
AO3 2c)
• …correctly repeats number of times given as input for x = 1 to num
• …correctly take number as input within loop and calculates temp = input("Enter a number")
total of these numbers total = total + temp
next x
• …correctly calculate an average (total/num)
print(total)
• Output both total and average
print(total / num)

If flow chart used, correct shapes needed.

Allow tolerance of 1 with number of loops for BP3 with

for loops

BP1 requires input with a message (can be two

statements, e.g. print and then input or combined. Input
must be stored or used.

BP3, 4, 5 must be logically correct to be credited

Ignore non-initialisation of total

BP 5 can be given as FT as long as an attempt has been

made at working out a total within the loop.

BP6 can be given as FT long as attempt made at total

and average (not necessarily in a loop)
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J277/02 Mark Scheme June 2022

SECTION B

Note – algorithm questions in Section B (5bi, 5ci, 5cii, 5e) require candidates to answer using OCR Reference Language or a high-level
programming language. Candidates cannot answer using structured English or flowcharts and responses of this nature should be marked
as NAQ.

Candidates do not need to state which language they are using. Because of this, you must not assume use of a particular language. Mark for
logical correctness and not for the syntax of any particular language. Ignore case sensitivity. Variable names must be correct/consistent.

Question Answer Mark Guidance

5 (a) (i) • Integer 2 Accept other valid data types from high-level languages (e.g. byte,
• String (AO3 2a) short for integers)

Do not accept descriptions (e.g. “whole number”, “text”). Do not

accept “character(s)” for string.

5 (a) (ii) • stayComplete 1 Ignore spaces or misspelling as long as recognisable.

(AO3 2a)

5 (a) (iii) • SELECT FirstName, Surname, Nights, 4 Order of fields for BP1 not important but must show all fields and
Room, StayComplete // SELECT * (AO3 1, AO3 be separated by commas.
2c)
• FROM TblBookings
• WHERE Ignore capitalisation and spacing. Spelling must be correct. Ignore
quotes around numeric values or field/table names.
• Nights > 1 // Nights >= 2 // Nights
BETWEEN 2 AND 5
Allow other logically valid SQL statements. Check with TL if
required.

Ignore reference to stayComplete or other valid SQL code that

would not affect output.

Max 3 if in wrong order or if includes any extra invalid code

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J277/02 Mark Scheme June 2022

5 (b) (i) • Checks that both firstname and surname are not 5 Must have some attempt at all three checks to give output mark(s).
empty… (AO3 2a) Check for nights must check both upper and lower limits.
• Checks that room is either “basic” or “premium”…
• Checks that nights is between 1 and 5 Iteration can be used as validation if input repeatedly asked for until
(inclusive)… valid answer given.

• …Outputs “NOT ALLOWED” (or equivalent) if any Do not accept logically incorrect Boolean conditions such as
of the 3 checks are invalid (must check all three) if firstname or surname == ""
• …Outputs “ALLOWED” (or equivalent) only if all
three checks are valid (must check all three) Do not accept > or < for >=, <=. Ignore capitalisation

e.g.
valid = True
Note : output marks are given for if entire system
if firstname == "" or surname == "" then
produces the correct output. For example, If a user
valid = False
enters a valid name and room but an invalid number of
end if
nights, the system should say “NOT ALLOWED” (or
if room != "basic" and room != "premium" then
equivalent). If this works and produces the correct
valid = False
response no matter which input is invalid, BP4 should
endif
be given. if nights < 1 or nights > 5 then
valid = False
The same process holds for the valid output – if (and endif
only if) three valid inputs results in an output saying
“ALLOWED” (or equivalent), BP5 should be given. Do if valid then
not give this if ALLOWED is printed when (for example) print("ALLOWED")
two inputs are valid and one is invalid. else
print("NOT ALLOWED")
For any output marks to be given, a sensible attempt endif
must have been made at all three checks. These may
not be completely correct (and may have been BP1 to 3 can check for valid or invalid inputs. . Pay particular
penalised in BPs 1 to 3) but should be enough to allow attention to use of AND / OR. Only give marks for output if these
the FT marks for output. work together correctly.

Example above shows checking for invalid data. Checks for valid
data equally acceptable Examples shown below :

• if firstname != "" and surname != ""

• if room == "basic" or room == "premium"
• if nights >= 1 and nights <= 5
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J277/02 Mark Scheme June 2022

5 (b) (ii) • Normal 3 Allow other descriptions that mean normal (e.g. valid / typical /
• 1 or 5 (not 0 or 6 as says allowed) (AO3 2c) acceptable)
• Any numeric value except 1 to 5 // any non-numeric
input (e.g. “bananas”) Test data
Expected
(number of Type of test
output
nights)
2 Normal ALLOWED

1 // 5 Boundary ALLOWED

e.g. 7 Erroneous/Invalid NOT ALLOWED

5 (c) (i) • Function header for newPrice… 4 BP1 must be clear that a new function is being defined. E.g.
• …taking (at least) two parameters (AO3 2b) function / def keyword. Allow FT for subsequent marks if not
• …correctly calculates price based on parameters (if present.
present) within function …
• …returns this calculated price Ignore any code outside attempt at function definition.

Ignore additional parameters. Ignore inputs or additional code as

long as these do not overwrite parameters or affect operation of
function.

If inputs used instead of parameters, FT for BP3. Allow use of else

for second room type in BP3.

Attempt at calculation needed to award BP4. Must return (not

output) value. Return can be done e.g. in VB by assigning to
function name (e.g. newPrice = price)

e.g.
function newPrice(nights, room)
if room == "basic" then
price = 60 * nights
elseif room == "premium" then
price = 80 * nights
endif
return price
endfunction
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J277/02 Mark Scheme June 2022

5 (c) (ii) • Call function newPrice… 3 Order of parameters not important
• …with (“premium”, 5) as parameters (AO3 2b)
• …Output returned value “premium” must use string delimiters (e.g. “quotes”)

e.g.
print(newPrice("premium", 5))

x = newPrice(5, "premium")
print(x)

Do not allow function definitions for BP1

Ignore capitalisation of newPrice

Candidate could store returned value in a variable and then print

this, or store parameters in variables before passing in – these are
all acceptable

Ignore any superfluous code given

Do not credit answers where newPrice is overwritten prior to use.

Ignore spaces. Allow function call if brackets missing (e.g.

newprice instead of newprice() )

5 (d) • For loop changed to include 0 2 Allow loop changed to 0 to 8 or 0 to 9 (Python)

• total = 0 moved to before loop starts / removed (AO3 2c)
Do not accept moving total outside loop, NE (could be moved to
after loop which would still be a logic error). Do not accept move to
top of loop.

Accept corrected code shown.

Accept reference to count variable limits for BP1.

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J277/02 Mark Scheme June 2022

5 (e) • Inputs hours AND electric (two separate inputs), 6 Initialisation of price and hours not necessary, but if present hours
storing or using these. must be non-zero for BP6 to be given.
(AO3 2c)
• Checks if car is electric (IF/Select statement)…
• …correctly calculates and outputs price (hours * 2 BP5 must include all points attempted. Can still be credited if any of
BP1 to 4 not attempted / incorrect.
// price / 2) for electric
• …correctly calculates and outputs price (hours * 4 BP6 can be given as FT even if BP5 (loop) is in the wrong place /
// electric price * 2) for non-electric does not include all required code
• Attempt at repetition of BP1 to 4…
• …until 0 hours entered BP6 could be achieved as repeated function calls / recursion

Initial input outside of loop that is then also included within loop is
fine. For example, input of hours outside of loop but input is then
repeated again at end of loop.

Do not accept while hours > 0 (could be -1)

Do not penalise answers where 0 is output when loop exits

e.g.
while hours != 0
hours = input("Enter hours")
electric = input("enter Y for electric or N")
if electric == "Y" then
price = hours * 2
elseif electric == "N" then
price = hours * 4
endif
print(price)
endwhile
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