Revision Questions and answers

1. Why does data have to be converted to binary to be processed by a computer?

Data has to be converted to binary to be processed by a computer because
computers are built using switches that can either be on or off, which fits the binary
number system (1/0).
2. Define binary data.

Binary data is data represented using the binary number system, consisting of only
two digits: 1 and 0.

3. Why do computers use binary?

Computers are built using circuits and transistors. The circuits only need to
check for two states:

• On / off
• True / False
• North / south
• 1/0

4. What is an example of binary representation in secondary storage devices?

An example of binary representation in secondary storage devices is magnetic hard
drives, where North and South polarity represent 1 and 0.

5. Define transistor.

A transistor is a semiconductor device used to amplify or switch electronic

signals and electrical power.

6. What is the advantage of processing data in binary format for computers?

Processing data in binary format allows computers to perform complex

calculations, store vast amounts of data efficiently, and operate at incredible
speeds.

7. What is the largest decimal number that can be represented by 8 bits in

binary?

The largest decimal number that can be represented by 8 bits in binary

is 255 (11111111 in binary).

8. What is the largest decimal number that can be represented by 8 bits in binary?

9. Define character set.

A character set is a defined list of characters that can be understood by a

computer, where each character is given a unique binary code.

10. What is ASCII?

 ASCII (American Standard Code for Information Interchange) is a character
set that uses 7 bits, allowing it to represent a maximum of 128 characters.

• True or False?

ASCII can represent characters from all major languages around the
world.

False.

ASCII can only represent basic characters needed for English, limiting its
use for other languages.

11. What is the definition of extended ASCII?

Extended ASCII is a character set that uses 8 bits, allowing it to represent a

maximum of 256 characters.

12. Define UNICODE.

UNICODE is a character set that uses a minimum of 16 bits, allowing it to

represent a minimum of 65,536 characters from all major languages around
the world.

13. State the meaning of bit.

A bit is a single binary digit, representing either a 0 or 1.

• True or False?

UNICODE uses more storage space than ASCII.

True.

UNICODE uses more storage space than ASCII because it uses more bits to
represent characters.

14. What does character encoding mean?

Character encoding refers to the process of assigning a unique binary

code to each character in a character set.

• True or False.

A drawback of ASCII is that it cannot represent special characters such as

emoji's?

True.
 A drawback of ASCII is that it cannot represent special characters such as
emoji's (not enough bits)

15. What is the equation in terms of X for the maximum number of characters
in a character set using X bits?

Maximum number of characters = (to the power of the number of bits)

16. Define sampling.

Sampling is the process of measuring and capturing values of an analogue

signal at regular intervals.

17. What is an analogue signal?

An analogue signal is a continuous signal that can take on any value within
a range, such as a sound wave.

• True or False?

Sound must be converted from analogue to digital form for a computer to

process it.

True.

Sound must be converted from analogue to digital form for a computer to

process it.

18. What does Analogue to Digital conversion (A2D) mean?

Analogue to Digital conversion (A2D) is the process of converting an

analogue signal, such as sound, into a digital form that a computer can
understand.

19. Define sample rate.

Sample rate is the amount of samples taken per second of an analogue

signal, measured in Hertz (Hz).

20. State the meaning of sample resolution.

Sample resolution is the number of bits stored per sample of the sound.

• True or False?

Higher sample rate and bit depth result in better sound quality but larger file
sizes.

True.
 Higher sample rate and bit depth result in better sound quality but larger file
sizes.

21. What does amplitude mean in the context of sound waves?

Amplitude refers to the height of a sound wave.

• True or False?

The sample rate of a typical audio CD is 44.1 kHz (44,100 samples per
second).

True.

The sample rate of a typical audio CD is 44.1 kHz (44,100 samples per
second).

22. What is the definition of digital?

Digital refers to data represented as a series of discrete values, typically 0s

and 1s in binary.

23. Define duration.

Duration is the length of time that something lasts, in the context of sound,
it refers to the length of the recorded audio.

24. Define bitmap.

A bitmap is an image made up of squares called pixels, where each pixel is

stored as a binary code.

25. What is a pixel?

A pixel is the smallest element of a bitmap image.

• True or False?

A vector image is created from mathematical equations and points.

True.

A vector image is created from mathematical equations and points.

26. Define resolution.

Resolution is the total amount of pixels that make up a bitmap image,

calculated by multiplying the height and width of the image (in pixels).

27. What does colour depth mean?

 Colour depth is the number of bits stored per pixel in a bitmap image.

28. State the equation in terms of X for the maximum number of colours in an
image with colour depth X.

Maximum number of colours = (2 to the power colour depth)

Example: Colour depth = 8, 28 = 256 colours

• True or False?

Higher resolution and colour depth result in larger file sizes.

True.

Higher resolution and colour depth result in larger file sizes.

29. What is the definition of metadata?

Metadata is data about data, or additional information stored with an image

but not required to display the image.

30. What is the meaning of True Colour?

True Colour refers to a colour depth of 24 bits, allowing for 16,777,216

colours.

31. Define pixel depth.

Pixel depth is another term for colour depth, referring to the number of bits
used to represent the colour of each pixel.

32. What are packets?

Packets are small 'chunks' of data that make up a larger piece of data that has been
broken down by the TCP protocol so that it can be transmitted over the internet.
33. What are packets?
Packets are small 'chunks' of data that make up a larger piece of data that has been
broken down by the TCP protocol so that it can be transmitted over the internet.
34. What are the three main components of a packet?

The three main components of a packet are header, payload, and trailer.

35. Payload

The actual data being transported in a packet.

36. What information is typically included in a packet's header?

 A packet's header typically includes the source IP address, destination IP
address, and packet number.

37. What is the purpose of error checking in packets?

The purpose of error checking in packets is to ensure that when a packet is

received there is minimal or no corruption of the data.

38. Parity bit

A bit added to a packet to check that no bits have been flipped from 0 to
1 or vice versa.

39. Checksum

A calculation performed on packet data to detect corruption by

comparing the result to a stored checksum value.

40. What is corruption in the context of data packets?

Corruption is where packet data is changed or lost in some way, or data is

gained that originally was not in the packet.

41. What is packet switching?

Packet switching is a method of sending and receiving

data (packets) across a network, the packs of data are sent via different
routes.

42. What is the role of routers in packet switching?

Routers control the routes taken for each packet and decide which
nearby router is closer to the destination device.

43. What happens if a packet does not reach its destination?

If a packet does not reach its destination, the receiver can send a resend
request to the sender to resend the packet.

44. What is one advantage of packet switching in terms of data security?

 One advantage of packet switching in terms of data security is that it's harder
to hack an individual's data as each packet contains minimal
data and travels through the network separately.

45. Why is packet switching generally faster than sending a large packet?

Packet switching is generally faster because each packet finds the quickest
way around the network.

46. What is the purpose of the CPU?

The purpose of the CPU is to fetch, decode and execute instructions.

47. Define the term microprocessor.

A microprocessor is a type of integrated circuit on a single chip.

48. What are the three main steps in computer data processing?

The three main steps in computer data processing are input, process,
and output.

49. What is the Von Neumann Architecture?

The Von Neumann Architecture is a design of the CPU proposed by John

Von Neumann in the 1940s, which most general-purpose computers are
built upon.

• Program Counter (PC)

Holds the memory address of the next instructions to be executed.

• Memory Address Register (MAR)

Holds the memory address of where data or instructions are to be

fetched from in memory.

• Memory Data Register (MDR)

Stores the data or instruction which has been fetched from memory.

• Current Instruction Register (CIR)

Stores the instruction the CPU is currently decoding or executing.

• Accumulator (ACC)

Stores the results of any calculations that have taken place in the
Arithmetic Logic Unit (ALU).
50. What is a bus in computer architecture?

A bus is a set of parallel wires through which data/signals are

transmitted from one component to another.

51. Name the three types of buses in computer architecture.

The three types of buses are address bus, data bus, and control bus.

52. What is the function of the address bus?

The address bus carries location data (addresses), data is written to/read
from.

53. What is the Fetch-Decode-Execute Cycle?

The Fetch-Decode-Execute Cycle is the cycle that the central processing

unit (CPU) runs through billions of times per second to make a computer
work.

54. What are the three main stages of the FDE Cycle?

The three main stages are Fetch, Decode, and Execute.

55. In the fetch stage, what register holds the address of the next instruction?

In the fetch stage, the Program Counter (PC) holds the address of the next
instruction to be fetched from memory.

56. What happens to the Program Counter after an instruction is fetched?

The Program Counter increments by 1 so it is pointing to the next

instruction to be executed.

• Opcode

The part of an instruction that specifies what operation to perform.

• Operand

The part of an instruction that specifies what to perform the operation

on.

57. What happens during the decode stage?

During the decode stage, the CPU works out what is required from the
instruction by splitting it into opcode and operand.

• True or False?
 The execute stage always involves performing a calculation.

False.

The execute stage can involve performing a calculation, storing a result,

or fetching data from memory, depending on the instruction.

58. What is the purpose of the Control Unit (CU) in the fetch stage?

The Control Unit sends a signal along the control bus to initiate the read
operation from main memory.

59. How many times per second does a modern CPU typically perform the
Fetch-Decode-Execute cycle?

A modern CPU typically performs the Fetch-Decode-Execute cycle billions of

times per second.

60. What are the three common characteristics of the CPU that impact its
performance?

The three common characteristics are:

• Clock Speed
• Cache Size
• Number of Cores

61. Define clock speed.

Clock speed is measured in Hertz (Hz) and measures the number of fetch-
decode-execute cycles that can take place in 1 second.

• True or False?

Modern computers have a clock speed measured in Gigahertz (GHz),

meaning billions of cycles per second.

True.

Modern computers have a clock speed in Gigahertz (GHz), meaning billions

of cycles per second.

62. What is the impact of a faster clock speed?

The faster the Clock Speed, the more instructions can be fetched and
executed per second.

63. What does a Clock Speed of 3.5GHz mean?

 A Clock Speed of 3.5GHz means it can perform up to 3.5 billion
instructions per second.

64. What is cache used for?

Cache is used as temporary storage to provide quick access to frequently

used instructions and data.

65. What is the benefit of a larger cache size?

The larger the Cache Size, the more frequently used instructions or data
can be stored, resulting in fewer fetch cycles from RAM and improved
performance.

66. Define number of cores.

Each core works like its own CPU, so multiple cores allow multiple
processing units to fetch, decode and execute instructions
simultaneously.

• True or False?

A dual-core CPU with a Clock Speed of 3.6GHz can fetch, decode & execute
more instructions in 1 second that a quad-core CPU with a Clock
Speed of 2.5GHz?

False.

A dual-core CPU (2 cores) running at 3.6GHz can perform 2 x 3.6 billion

instructions = 7.2 billion instructions per second.

A quad-core CPU (4 cores) running at 2.5GHz can perform 4 x 2.5 billion

instructions = 10 billion instructions per second.

• For a dual-core 2.5GHz processor, what does "dual-core" mean?

 For a dual-core processor, "dual-core" means there are two
cores (processing units) that can fetch, decode and execute instructions.

67. What is an instruction set?

An instruction set is a list of all the commands that can be processed by a

CPU.

68. What is an instruction set?

An instruction set is a list of all the commands that can be processed by a

CPU.

• Machine code

The binary code representation of a CPU instruction.

69. What are the two parts of a machine code instruction?

The two parts of a machine code instruction are the operation

code (opcode) and the operand.

70. What is a mnemonic in the context of CPU instructions?

A mnemonic is a short, human-readable code that represents a machine

code instruction.

• True or False?

CPU instruction sets are universal across all processors.

False.

Instruction sets are machine-specific and can vary between different

processor manufacturers.

71. What does the ADD instruction typically do?

The ADD instruction typically adds a value to the value currently stored in
the accumulator (ACC).

72. What does the LDA instruction typically do?

The LDA instruction typically loads the value stored in a memory location
into the accumulator.

73. What does the HLT instruction typically do?

The HLT instruction (halt) typically stops the program.

74. Define embedded system.

An embedded system is a computer system with a single function, inside a

larger mechanical unit.

75. What are three examples of embedded systems?

Examples of embedded systems include:

• Heating thermostats
• Hospital equipment
• Washing machines

76. What are the three key properties of an embedded system?

The three key properties of an embedded system are:

• small size
• use less power than general-purpose computers
• lower cost
• True or False?

A laptop is an example of an embedded system.

False.

A laptop is not an example of an embedded system. A laptop is an example

of a general-purpose computer.

77. Why do embedded systems use less power?

They have a single dedicated function rather than being general-purpose

computers.

• True or False?

A fridge is an embedded system.

False.
 While a fridge has a single main function, it does not contain a CPU, so it is
not considered an embedded system.

78. Are mobile phones considered embedded systems?

No.

Mobile phones are general-purpose computing devices, not single-function

embedded systems.

79. What is an input device?

An input device is a hardware component that allows users to interact

with a computer system by inputting data or commands.

• Keyboard

A keyboard is an input device that allows users to input text and

commands by pressing keys.

80. What is the primary function of a mouse?

The primary function of a mouse is to navigate the computer

screen and click on items.

• Touchscreen

A touchscreen is an input device that allows users to interact with the

device by touching the screen, commonly found on smartphones and
tablets.

81. What is the main purpose of a scanner?

The main purpose of a scanner is to digitise physical documents or

images, converting them into a format that the computer can process.

• Biometric device

A biometric device is an input device used for security purposes to verify a

user's identity, such as fingerprint scanners or facial recognition
systems.

82. What is a graphics tablet used for?

A graphics tablet is used to allow artists and designers to draw or sketch

directly onto a computer, particularly useful for graphic design and 3D
modelling.

• True or False?
 A joystick is primarily used for word processing.

False.

A joystick is primarily used for computer games, especially flight simulators,

allowing users to control movement more fluidly than with a keyboard or
mouse.

• Barcode scanner

A barcode scanner is an input device that scans barcodes, typically used

in retail and inventory management.

83. What is the main function of a microphone as an input device?

The main function of a microphone as an input device is to capture audio

input, which can be used for voice commands, recording audio, or video
conferencing.

84. What is an output device?

An output device is a hardware component that receives information from

a computer system and presents it to the user in a comprehensible form.

• Monitor

A monitor is an output device that displays visual output from the

computer, including text, images, and videos.

85. What is the primary function of a printer?

The primary function of a printer is to produce a hard copy of digital

documents or images.

• Speakers

Speakers are output devices that output audio from the computer, such
as music, sound effects, or voice.

86. What is a Braille display used for?

A Braille display is used to output information in Braille, allowing visually

impaired users to read text from the computer.

• Plotter

A plotter is an output device used for printing large, high-quality diagrams

and designs, often used in engineering or architecture.

87. What is the main purpose of a projector?

 The main purpose of a projector is to project the computer's display onto a
large screen or wall, useful for presentations or movie viewing.

• True or False?

Headphones are considered input devices.

False.

Headphones are considered output devices that output audio directly to the
user, providing a more personal and potentially immersive experience.

• Virtual Reality (VR) Headset

A Virtual Reality (VR) Headset is an output device that provides an

immersive visual and audio output, primarily used for gaming and
virtual simulations.

88. What is an example of a computer-controlled machinery output device?

An example of a computer-controlled machinery output device is an actuator.

89. What is a sensor?

A sensor is an input device that measures a physical property of its

environment such as light levels, temperature, or movement.

• Monitoring system

A monitoring system is a system that tracks the state of a system, gathers

data, and may issue warning messages.

90. What is a control system?

A control system is a system that controls based upon the input from
sensors, such as starting a heater when water temperature falls below an
acceptable level.

• Feedback loop

A feedback loop is a process where outputs are recycled and used as

inputs, creating a continuous cycle.

91. What does an acoustic sensor measure?

An acoustic sensor measures sound levels.

• Accelerometer
 An accelerometer is a sensor that measures acceleration rate, tilt,
and vibration.

92. What is the typical use of a humidity sensor?

A humidity sensor is typically used to monitor humidity in greenhouses.

• True or False?

An infra-red sensor is used to detect motion or a heat source.

True.

An infra-red sensor is used to detect motion or a heat source.

• pH sensor

A pH sensor is a device that measures the acidity or alkalinity of a

substance.

93. What type of sensor would be used to help drivers when reversing?

A proximity sensor would be used to help drivers when reversing.