IGCSE COMPUTER SCIENCE –
SOFTWARE EXAM QUESTIONS WITH
CORRECT ANSWERS
Relationship between hardware, system software, and application software? - answer-
hardware is needed for system software, and system software is needed to run
application software
System software - answer-def. Set of programs to control and manage the operation of
computer software
Provides a platform on which other software can run
Required, to allow hardware and software to run without problems
Provides hci : human computer interface * controls the allocation & usage of hardware
resources
Application software - answer-def. Set of programs used to perform various applications
on a computer
Allows user to perform specific tasks, using computer's resources
Can be single / suite of programs
User can execute the software as and when they require
Types of application software - answer-
Word processor - answer-used for manipulating text document
Spreadsheet - answer-used to organise and manipulate numerical data
Database - answer-used to organise and manipulate & analyse data, with a table having
records and fields
App(lications) - answer-software which runs on mobile phones or tablets
Graphics manipulation software< - answer-used to manipulate bitmap and vector
images
Video editing software - answer-used to manipulate and produce videos
Photo editing software - answer-used to manipulate digital photographs
Control and measuring software - answer-used to allow a computer or microprocessor,
to interface with sensors, to measure physical quantities with sensor and control
applications by comparing sensor data with stored data & sending signals
, Linker - answer-used to take one or more object file (produced by the compiler) and
combine them into a single program
Utility software - answer-def. Softwares that are designed to carry out specific tasks on
a computer, to manage / maintain and control computer resources (usually don't require
user input to start)
Examples of utility software - answer-
Virus checkers - answer-constantly checks for virus at the background —> checks the
files before they run and compare with database of known viruses / heuristic checking
—> puts the file in quarantine / automatically delete it or ask user to make decision
about deleting
Heuristic checking - answer-even if the virus is not in the database, it can be detected
by checking for types of behaviour that indicates a possible virus
False positive - answer-in virus checking, when the user surely knows that the file is not
infected
Defragmentation software - answer-as the data in hdd is constantly deleted and added,
the file blocks will be scattered all over the disk surface —> slower access time —>
makes each file in hdd be stored in contiguous sectors.
Back-up software - answer-allows schedule for backing up to be made / or carry out the
backup procedure only when there is change in files
Security software - answer-manages access control and user accounts
Link into other utility software (virus checker, screensaver...)
Protects network interfaces * uses encryption & decryption oversees the updating of
software
Screensaver - answer-programs that supply moving and still images on the monitor
screen, after a period of inactivity by the computer
Device driver - answer-software that communicate with the operating system & translate
data into a format understood by a hardware peripheral device
Os (operating system) - answer-provide environment in which applications can be run &
useable interface between humans and computer
Hci
Multitasking
Security (manages accounts...)
Interrupt handling routines
Memory management
Hardware peripheral management
SOFTWARE EXAM QUESTIONS WITH
CORRECT ANSWERS
Relationship between hardware, system software, and application software? - answer-
hardware is needed for system software, and system software is needed to run
application software
System software - answer-def. Set of programs to control and manage the operation of
computer software
Provides a platform on which other software can run
Required, to allow hardware and software to run without problems
Provides hci : human computer interface * controls the allocation & usage of hardware
resources
Application software - answer-def. Set of programs used to perform various applications
on a computer
Allows user to perform specific tasks, using computer's resources
Can be single / suite of programs
User can execute the software as and when they require
Types of application software - answer-
Word processor - answer-used for manipulating text document
Spreadsheet - answer-used to organise and manipulate numerical data
Database - answer-used to organise and manipulate & analyse data, with a table having
records and fields
App(lications) - answer-software which runs on mobile phones or tablets
Graphics manipulation software< - answer-used to manipulate bitmap and vector
images
Video editing software - answer-used to manipulate and produce videos
Photo editing software - answer-used to manipulate digital photographs
Control and measuring software - answer-used to allow a computer or microprocessor,
to interface with sensors, to measure physical quantities with sensor and control
applications by comparing sensor data with stored data & sending signals
, Linker - answer-used to take one or more object file (produced by the compiler) and
combine them into a single program
Utility software - answer-def. Softwares that are designed to carry out specific tasks on
a computer, to manage / maintain and control computer resources (usually don't require
user input to start)
Examples of utility software - answer-
Virus checkers - answer-constantly checks for virus at the background —> checks the
files before they run and compare with database of known viruses / heuristic checking
—> puts the file in quarantine / automatically delete it or ask user to make decision
about deleting
Heuristic checking - answer-even if the virus is not in the database, it can be detected
by checking for types of behaviour that indicates a possible virus
False positive - answer-in virus checking, when the user surely knows that the file is not
infected
Defragmentation software - answer-as the data in hdd is constantly deleted and added,
the file blocks will be scattered all over the disk surface —> slower access time —>
makes each file in hdd be stored in contiguous sectors.
Back-up software - answer-allows schedule for backing up to be made / or carry out the
backup procedure only when there is change in files
Security software - answer-manages access control and user accounts
Link into other utility software (virus checker, screensaver...)
Protects network interfaces * uses encryption & decryption oversees the updating of
software
Screensaver - answer-programs that supply moving and still images on the monitor
screen, after a period of inactivity by the computer
Device driver - answer-software that communicate with the operating system & translate
data into a format understood by a hardware peripheral device
Os (operating system) - answer-provide environment in which applications can be run &
useable interface between humans and computer
Hci
Multitasking
Security (manages accounts...)
Interrupt handling routines
Memory management
Hardware peripheral management
