GCSE (9–1)

Computer Science

J276/02: Computational thinking, algorithms and

programming

General Certificate of Secondary Education

Mark Scheme for Autumn 2021

Oxford Cambridge and RSA Examinations

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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.

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Oxford Cambridge and RSA Examinations

J276/02 Mark Scheme November 2021
1. Annotations

Annotation Meaning

Tick

Cross

Blank Page – this annotation must be used on all blank pages within an answer booklet (structured or unstructured) and on
each page of an additional object where there is no candidate response.

Omission mark

Benef it of doubt given

Benef it of doubt not given

Follow through

Not answered question

Repeat

Slash

Seen

Not enough

Too vague
J276/02 Mark Scheme November 2021

Question Answer Mark Guidance

1 (a) Extended 3 1 mark per row
ASCII Unicode
ASCII
Can represent thousands of
characters, including Russian
and Chinese symbols. 
Can represent European
characters such as ç or â.  
Uses different character codes
for upper case and lower-case
letters.   

(b) • 1000101 (E) 2 Ignore leading zeros

• 1001000 (H)

(c) (i) • The height / amplitude… 2 DO NOT accept frequency

• …as a numerical value
• …of the wave(form) Do not accept "in binary" (given in
• question)
(ii) • 48,000 samples taken… 2 BOD How often samples are taken //
• …per second frequency of samples
J276/02 Mark Scheme November 2021
(iii) e.g. 4 Any 4 points for 1 mark each
• Reduce the sample rate (from 48KHz to a lower rate)
• …so fewer samples are taken per second Allow "compression" by itself for 1 mark if
• Reduce the bit depth (from 24 bits to a lower bit depth) no other compression mark awarded.
• …so less data is used for each sample Allow suitable expansion of this for 1
• Use lossy compression… mark.
• … to remove data (that won't be noticed)
• Use lossless compression… Do not accept "data is not lost" as
expansion for lossless or "data is lost" as
• …to identify patterns in the data
expansion for lossy.
• …store this more efficiently
• Reduce the length of the sound file …
• … by example (from 30 seconds to a lower length) // less data to store

Question Answer Mark Guidance

2 (a) 1 1 mark per row
Statement True ( ) False ( )

The list of words is initially split into a 

sorted set and an unsorted set

The insertion sort uses a divide stage

and then a conquer stage.


The list of words must be in order


before the insertion sort can start

Each word is inserted into the correct


place in the array, one by one

The insertion sort will not work because 

the word “wall” appears twice.
J276/02 Mark Scheme November 2021
(b) • Pick middle value / pumpkin // find midpoint 4 Do not award generic responses except
• Compare this to house, no match for BP1 Must clearly show the steps taken
• pumpkin>house… for this list to achieve more than 1 mark.
• …so discard top half of list // focus on bottom half
• Pick middle value again, either house or flour… Do not award "splits the list in half" for
• …finds value // repeat to find value BP1 or 4 – incorrect

Allow diagrams to demonstrate the

process

Allow reasonable attempt at BP3 to allow

access to BP4
J276/02 Mark Scheme November 2021

Question Answer Mark Guidance

3 (a) • Initialises (total) as 0 (outside loop if present) 6 Example answer
• Inputs a number and stores the value total = 0
• Adds the input to the total (initialised in BP1 if while total <=100
present) x = input("Enter a number")
• Prints the total total = total + x
• Iterates over BP2-4 (if present)… print(total)
endwhile
• …until total is over 100

(b) (i) • Number with a decimal / fractional part 2 One mark for definition, one mark for example
• Suitable example (e.g. 17.24) Do not accept float as definition
Allow fractions as example

(ii) • Whole number // number with no decimal / 2 One mark for definition, one mark for example
fractional part
• Suitable example (e.g. 17)
J276/02 Mark Scheme November 2021
(c) (i) • Count = 0 5
• Output Count

• All non-decision boxes and YES from decision

boxes linked in a sequential fashion from Start
to End.
• NO from first decision box linked to skip over
increment of count
• NO from second decision box linked back to
INPUT

Ignore superfluous instructions as long as they do not

affect the outcome of the algorithm.

BOD misspelling of Count as long as it is recognisable

Ignore capitalisation.
J276/02 Mark Scheme November 2021
(ii) 1 mark per bullet point, max 5 5 Example answer
• Initialises a count variable to 0
• asks user for an input count = 0
• Check if input is over 50… for x = 1 to 10
• … increment count variable if True value = input("enter a value")
• Repeats BP 2 and 3 (if present) until 10 numbers if value > 50 then
have been entered count = count + 1
endif
• Outputs count once 10 numbers have been
next x
entered print(count)

Response must be in pseudocode as per question, flowcharts or

structured English are NAQ.

(d) e.g. 4 Mark in pairs. 1 mark for name, 1 mark for description.
• Abstraction Description must match technique (if given).
• … focussing on the important elements // ignoring
elements that do not contribute to the solution //
simplifying the problem

• Decomposition
• …breaking a problem down (into its constituent
parts)

• Algorithmic thinking
• …set out the steps needed to solve the problem //
represented in a flow chart / as pseudocode
J276/02 Mark Scheme November 2021

Question Answer Mark Guidance

4 (a) • Contents of variable can be changed; contents of 1 Both sides needed for mark.
constants cannot be changed (while the
programming is running)

(b) (i) • 16 1

(ii) • 2 1

(iii) • 9 1

(c) (i) • second.substring(3,5) 1 Ignore print / lack of print. Allow other suitable methods of string
manipulation as long as variables used.

Allow any valid method that extracts rightmost 5 or 6 characters

of second variable.

(ii) • first.substring(0,8) 1 Ignore print / lack of print. Allow other suitable methods of string
manipulation as long as variables used.

Allow any valid method that extracts leftmost 8 or 9 characters of

first variable.

(iii) • first.substring(9,7) + “ “ + second 1 Ignore print / lack of print. Allow other suitable methods of string
• "Science " + second manipulation as long as variables(s) used.
• first.substring(9,7) + “ is great"
Allow alternative concatenation symbols (e.g. & or .). Allow
concatenation functions

Must have correct spacing in outcome.

J276/02 Mark Scheme November 2021

Question Answer Mark Guidance

5 (a) 1011 0010 2 1 mark per nibble.
Mark right to left. Must be 8 bits (as per question)

(b) • Transistor has two states 2 Allow values for BP1

• 1 represents on, 0 represents off
• Each transistor stores one bit
• Multiple transistors used to store a binary value

(c) C7 2 1 mark per hex digit, mark from right to left.

Max 1 mark if more than 2 characters given.

(d) • Incorrect ticked 2 1 mark for identifying issue, 1 mark for reason why.
• Data cannot be stored in hexadecimal // all data is Allow FT for BP2 if candidate agrees but provides further
stored in binary // hexadecimal is a shortcut for clarification that shows they understand.
computer scientists

(e) 3 3 marks for all connections correctly made

2 marks for 2 or 3 connections correctly made
1 mark for any connection correctly made

(f) 1100 1100 2 1 mark per nibble. Each pair of nibbles in question can be added
individually so no requirement for FT marks.
J276/02 Mark Scheme November 2021

Question Answer Mark Guidance

6 (a) 3 Do not accept “blank” or any other returned value for third call.
Returned
Function call
value Ignore case and spelling as long as recognisable.
checkblock(2,1) B

checkblock(3,0) A

checkblock(2,3) FREE

(b) • Returns a value // passes back a value 1

(c) (i) • Parameter values outside index range / larger than 1 Answer must refer to either array or gameboard / grid / block
4 / smaller than 0 // -1, 16 is not a valid block

(ii) • Use selection / IF / Switch-Case / range check 3 Allow equivalent checks (e.g. <5, between 0 and 4) for BP2
• …check that parameters are >=0 and <= 4… Allow reference to r and c as parameters.
• …Return error code if invalid // set outcome to error BOD handle error for BP3 (e.g. repeat until valid)
Answer must be a description, code by itself is NAQ

(d) • Input two position values separately 6 If flowchart / structured English, do not allow simple repeat of
• calls checkblock() function… question.
• …with input parameters Example answer
• … returned value used in selection loop = True
• If free, stores “A” to correct index of gamegrid while loop
array (FT for incorrect selection) row = input("enter row")
• Loops until free position chosen col = input("enter column")
if checkblock(row,col) == "FREE" then
gamegrid[row,col] = "A"
loop = False
endif
endwhile
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