GCSE COMPUTER SCIENCE (9–1): PAST
PAPER 2: APPLICATION OF
COMPUTATIONAL THINKING. ALL
ASSESSMENT & MARK SCHEME
COMPREHENSIVE STUDY GUIDE 2026 FULL
QUESTIONS AND SOLUTIONS GRADED A+
◍ Show the effect of a binary shift right of two places on the binary number
00110100.
Answer: 00001101Divides by 4
◍ Describe the difference between iterative testing and final testing..
Answer: Iterative is when you repeatedly test after making changes.Final is
when the development is almost complete. This is done after iterative
testing.
◍ Identify two features of an IDE that might be used when writing the
program..
Answer: Translator and editor for example auto-correct
◍ What do these symbols symbolise:¬V^.
Answer: NOTORAND
◍ Proprietary Software.
Answer: only the compiled code is released and the source code is kept a
secretADV: warranties, well-tested, reliable, cheaperDIS: expensive,
software may not fit user needs
◍ Backup Software.
, Answer: Full Backup - a copy is taken from from every file on the system
Incremental Backup - only files created or edited since last backup are
copied
◍ OCR town are holding an election with three candidates (A, B and C). An
electronic voting booth will be used to allow people to vote. Write an
algorithm that allows voters to enter either A, B or C and Keeps track of
how many times each candidate has been voted for..
Answer: acount = 0bcount= 0 ccount= 0 vote = "" while vote != "END" vote
= input("enter A, B or C") if vote == "A" then acount = acount + 1 elseif
vote == "B" then bcount = bcount + 1 elseif vote == "C" then ccount =
ccount + 1 end if endwhile print acount print bcount print ccount print
acount+bcount+ccount
◍ State what is meant by a syntax error.
Answer: Contains an error but will not run. e.g. pritn("odd")
◍ Worm.
Answer: program that replicates itself in order to spread to other computers.
Often, it uses a computer network to spread itself, relying on security
failures on the target computer to access it.
◍ Spyware.
Answer: aims to gather information about a person or organization without
their knowledge
◍ Describe the data that is recorded when sound is sampled..
Answer: The height as a numerical value of the wave
◍ Random Access Memory (RAM).
Answer: Read/write - function is to load open programs and operating
system data currently in use - volatile
◍ Write an algorithm for the updated program design shown in question
4(b)(i)..
Answer: input firstname, surname, gender if gender = "Male" then username
= RIGHT(surname,3) +LEFT(firstname,2) else username = LEFT
, (firstname,3) + LEFT(surname,2) end if print (username)
◍ Decode.
Answer: The instruction is broken down and decided so computer can
understand
◍ Convert the binary number 10110101 to its hexadecimal equivalent..
Answer: B5
◍ Open Source Software.
Answer: source code is made freely available and users can modify itADV:
free, ,made for greater good, can be adapted DIS: small, buggy, security
holes, no warranties, no customer support
◍ Is Azmi correct when she says "hexadecimal is used because it takes up less
storage space in the computer's memory than binary.".
Answer: Incorresct because data cannot be stored in hexadecimal, all data is
stored in binary.
◍ Ethernet.
Answer: a set of standards for connecting computers
◍ Utility Software.
Answer: maintains a computer
◍ Give one reason why you have identified this item as a constant..
Answer: The number does not need to be changed while the program is
running
◍ What can extended ASCII do?.
Answer: Uses different character codes for upper case and lower case
letters.Can also represent European chraracters such as c,,
◍ Add these integers:0011011010010110.
Answer: 1100 1100
◍ What can Unicode do?.
Answer: Uses different character codes for upper case and lower case
letters.Can also represent European chraracters such as c,,Can also represent
PAPER 2: APPLICATION OF
COMPUTATIONAL THINKING. ALL
ASSESSMENT & MARK SCHEME
COMPREHENSIVE STUDY GUIDE 2026 FULL
QUESTIONS AND SOLUTIONS GRADED A+
◍ Show the effect of a binary shift right of two places on the binary number
00110100.
Answer: 00001101Divides by 4
◍ Describe the difference between iterative testing and final testing..
Answer: Iterative is when you repeatedly test after making changes.Final is
when the development is almost complete. This is done after iterative
testing.
◍ Identify two features of an IDE that might be used when writing the
program..
Answer: Translator and editor for example auto-correct
◍ What do these symbols symbolise:¬V^.
Answer: NOTORAND
◍ Proprietary Software.
Answer: only the compiled code is released and the source code is kept a
secretADV: warranties, well-tested, reliable, cheaperDIS: expensive,
software may not fit user needs
◍ Backup Software.
, Answer: Full Backup - a copy is taken from from every file on the system
Incremental Backup - only files created or edited since last backup are
copied
◍ OCR town are holding an election with three candidates (A, B and C). An
electronic voting booth will be used to allow people to vote. Write an
algorithm that allows voters to enter either A, B or C and Keeps track of
how many times each candidate has been voted for..
Answer: acount = 0bcount= 0 ccount= 0 vote = "" while vote != "END" vote
= input("enter A, B or C") if vote == "A" then acount = acount + 1 elseif
vote == "B" then bcount = bcount + 1 elseif vote == "C" then ccount =
ccount + 1 end if endwhile print acount print bcount print ccount print
acount+bcount+ccount
◍ State what is meant by a syntax error.
Answer: Contains an error but will not run. e.g. pritn("odd")
◍ Worm.
Answer: program that replicates itself in order to spread to other computers.
Often, it uses a computer network to spread itself, relying on security
failures on the target computer to access it.
◍ Spyware.
Answer: aims to gather information about a person or organization without
their knowledge
◍ Describe the data that is recorded when sound is sampled..
Answer: The height as a numerical value of the wave
◍ Random Access Memory (RAM).
Answer: Read/write - function is to load open programs and operating
system data currently in use - volatile
◍ Write an algorithm for the updated program design shown in question
4(b)(i)..
Answer: input firstname, surname, gender if gender = "Male" then username
= RIGHT(surname,3) +LEFT(firstname,2) else username = LEFT
, (firstname,3) + LEFT(surname,2) end if print (username)
◍ Decode.
Answer: The instruction is broken down and decided so computer can
understand
◍ Convert the binary number 10110101 to its hexadecimal equivalent..
Answer: B5
◍ Open Source Software.
Answer: source code is made freely available and users can modify itADV:
free, ,made for greater good, can be adapted DIS: small, buggy, security
holes, no warranties, no customer support
◍ Is Azmi correct when she says "hexadecimal is used because it takes up less
storage space in the computer's memory than binary.".
Answer: Incorresct because data cannot be stored in hexadecimal, all data is
stored in binary.
◍ Ethernet.
Answer: a set of standards for connecting computers
◍ Utility Software.
Answer: maintains a computer
◍ Give one reason why you have identified this item as a constant..
Answer: The number does not need to be changed while the program is
running
◍ What can extended ASCII do?.
Answer: Uses different character codes for upper case and lower case
letters.Can also represent European chraracters such as c,,
◍ Add these integers:0011011010010110.
Answer: 1100 1100
◍ What can Unicode do?.
Answer: Uses different character codes for upper case and lower case
letters.Can also represent European chraracters such as c,,Can also represent
