AQA_2024: AS Computer Science - Paper 1
(Merged Question Paper and Marking Scheme)
AS
COMPUTER SCIENCE
Paper 1
Tuesday 14 May 2024 Afternoon Time allowed: 1 hour 45 minutes
Materials
For this paper you must have:
a computer
a printer
appropriate software
the Electronic Answer Document
an electronic version and a hard copy of the Skeleton Program
an electronic version and a hard copy of the Preliminary Material
an electronic version of the Data File SimulationData.txt
You must not use a calculator.
Instructions
Type the information required on the front of your Electronic Answer Document.
Before the start of the examination make sure your Centre Number, Candidate Name and
Candidate Number are shown clearly in the footer of every page (not the front cover) of your
Electronic Answer Document.
Enter your answers into the Electronic Answer Document.
Answer all questions.
Save your work at regular intervals.
Information
The marks for questions are shown in brackets.
The maximum mark for this paper is 75.
No extra time is allowed for printing and collating.
The question paper is divided into three sections.
Advice
You are advised to allocate time to each section as follows:
Section A – 20 minutes; Section B – 25 minutes; Section C – 60 minutes.
At the end of the examination
Tie together all your printed Electronic Answer Document pages and hand them to the Invigilator.
Warning
It may not be possible to issue a result for this paper if your details are not on every page of your
Electronic Answer Document.
, For AS Computer Science Paper 1, focus on the following key areas:
1. Problem Solving and Programming:
Programming Concepts: Be familiar with basic programming concepts like variables, data types, constants,
operators, and control structures (if-else, loops, case statements).
Algorithms: Understand common algorithms such as searching algorithms (linear search, binary search),
sorting algorithms (bubble sort, quicksort), and their time complexities (Big O notation).
2. Data Representation:
Binary and Hexadecimal: Know how to convert between binary, hexadecimal, and decimal. Understand how
to perform binary arithmetic (addition, subtraction).
Data Storage: Understand how data is represented and stored in a computer, including ASCII, Unicode, and
image representation using pixels and colour depth.
3. Computational Logic:
Boolean Algebra: Understand Boolean operations such as AND, OR, NOT, and how to simplify Boolean
expressions using laws and Karnaugh maps.
Logic Gates: Be familiar with basic logic gates (AND, OR, NOT, NAND, NOR, XOR) and their truth tables.
Truth Tables: Know how to construct and interpret truth tables for simple Boolean expressions and logic
circuits.
4. Computer Systems:
Hardware Components: Understand the basic components of a computer system (CPU, RAM, input/output
devices, storage devices). Know the role of the Control Unit, ALU, and Registers in the CPU.
Von Neumann Architecture: Be familiar with the Von Neumann architecture, including the fetch-decode-
execute cycle and how it relates to machine instructions.
5. Networking and Communication:
Network Topologies: Understand different network topologies, such as star, ring, bus, and their advantages and
disadvantages.
Protocols: Be familiar with key networking protocols like TCP/IP, HTTP, FTP, and DNS. Understand their
roles in communication over networks.
OSI Model: Know the OSI model and the seven layers, understanding the function of each layer in network
communication.
IP Addressing: Understand the concept of IP addresses, including IPv4 and IPv6, and how subnetting works.
6. Software Development:
Development Methodologies: Understand different software development methodologies, such as Waterfall,
Agile, and Iterative development.
Testing and Debugging: Be familiar with the concepts of unit testing, integration testing, and debugging
techniques used to identify and resolve issues in code.
Version Control: Know how version control systems like Git work, and understand the importance of
branches, commits, and merging in collaborative coding projec
IB/M/Jun24/G4001/E7 7516/1
, 2
Section A
You are advised to spend no more than 20 minutes on this section.
Enter your answers to Section A in your Electronic Answer Document. You must save this
document at regular intervals.
Question 04 in this section asks you to write program code starting from a new
program/project/file.
You are advised to save your program at regular intervals.
0 1 Figure 1
S1 "011101"
S2 "001100"
C "0"
R ""
FOR J = 0 TO 5
X 5 - J
D1 S1[X]
D2 S2[X]
IF C = "0" THEN
IF D1 = D2 THEN
S "0"
C D1
ELSE
S "1"
ENDIF
ELSE
IF D1 = D2 THEN
S "1"
C D1
ELSE
S "0"
ENDIF
ENDIF
R CONCATENATE(S, R)
ENDFOR
OUTPUT R
The function CONCATENATE(X, Y) returns the string formed by concatenating the
string Y to the end of string X. For example, CONCATENATE("cat", "dog")
returns "catdog".
The strings are zero index based.
IB/M/Jun24/7516/1
, 3
Complete Table 1 by hand-tracing the algorithm in Figure 1.
You may not need to use all the rows in Table 1.
You do not need to indicate that C, D1, D2 and S are strings.
The first row of Table 1 has already been completed for you.
Table 1
S1 S2 C R J X D1 D2 S
"011101" "001100" "0" ""
OUTPUT:
Copy the contents of all the unshaded cells in Table 1 into your Electronic
Answer Document.
[5 marks]
Turn over ►
IB/M/Jun24/7516/1
(Merged Question Paper and Marking Scheme)
AS
COMPUTER SCIENCE
Paper 1
Tuesday 14 May 2024 Afternoon Time allowed: 1 hour 45 minutes
Materials
For this paper you must have:
a computer
a printer
appropriate software
the Electronic Answer Document
an electronic version and a hard copy of the Skeleton Program
an electronic version and a hard copy of the Preliminary Material
an electronic version of the Data File SimulationData.txt
You must not use a calculator.
Instructions
Type the information required on the front of your Electronic Answer Document.
Before the start of the examination make sure your Centre Number, Candidate Name and
Candidate Number are shown clearly in the footer of every page (not the front cover) of your
Electronic Answer Document.
Enter your answers into the Electronic Answer Document.
Answer all questions.
Save your work at regular intervals.
Information
The marks for questions are shown in brackets.
The maximum mark for this paper is 75.
No extra time is allowed for printing and collating.
The question paper is divided into three sections.
Advice
You are advised to allocate time to each section as follows:
Section A – 20 minutes; Section B – 25 minutes; Section C – 60 minutes.
At the end of the examination
Tie together all your printed Electronic Answer Document pages and hand them to the Invigilator.
Warning
It may not be possible to issue a result for this paper if your details are not on every page of your
Electronic Answer Document.
, For AS Computer Science Paper 1, focus on the following key areas:
1. Problem Solving and Programming:
Programming Concepts: Be familiar with basic programming concepts like variables, data types, constants,
operators, and control structures (if-else, loops, case statements).
Algorithms: Understand common algorithms such as searching algorithms (linear search, binary search),
sorting algorithms (bubble sort, quicksort), and their time complexities (Big O notation).
2. Data Representation:
Binary and Hexadecimal: Know how to convert between binary, hexadecimal, and decimal. Understand how
to perform binary arithmetic (addition, subtraction).
Data Storage: Understand how data is represented and stored in a computer, including ASCII, Unicode, and
image representation using pixels and colour depth.
3. Computational Logic:
Boolean Algebra: Understand Boolean operations such as AND, OR, NOT, and how to simplify Boolean
expressions using laws and Karnaugh maps.
Logic Gates: Be familiar with basic logic gates (AND, OR, NOT, NAND, NOR, XOR) and their truth tables.
Truth Tables: Know how to construct and interpret truth tables for simple Boolean expressions and logic
circuits.
4. Computer Systems:
Hardware Components: Understand the basic components of a computer system (CPU, RAM, input/output
devices, storage devices). Know the role of the Control Unit, ALU, and Registers in the CPU.
Von Neumann Architecture: Be familiar with the Von Neumann architecture, including the fetch-decode-
execute cycle and how it relates to machine instructions.
5. Networking and Communication:
Network Topologies: Understand different network topologies, such as star, ring, bus, and their advantages and
disadvantages.
Protocols: Be familiar with key networking protocols like TCP/IP, HTTP, FTP, and DNS. Understand their
roles in communication over networks.
OSI Model: Know the OSI model and the seven layers, understanding the function of each layer in network
communication.
IP Addressing: Understand the concept of IP addresses, including IPv4 and IPv6, and how subnetting works.
6. Software Development:
Development Methodologies: Understand different software development methodologies, such as Waterfall,
Agile, and Iterative development.
Testing and Debugging: Be familiar with the concepts of unit testing, integration testing, and debugging
techniques used to identify and resolve issues in code.
Version Control: Know how version control systems like Git work, and understand the importance of
branches, commits, and merging in collaborative coding projec
IB/M/Jun24/G4001/E7 7516/1
, 2
Section A
You are advised to spend no more than 20 minutes on this section.
Enter your answers to Section A in your Electronic Answer Document. You must save this
document at regular intervals.
Question 04 in this section asks you to write program code starting from a new
program/project/file.
You are advised to save your program at regular intervals.
0 1 Figure 1
S1 "011101"
S2 "001100"
C "0"
R ""
FOR J = 0 TO 5
X 5 - J
D1 S1[X]
D2 S2[X]
IF C = "0" THEN
IF D1 = D2 THEN
S "0"
C D1
ELSE
S "1"
ENDIF
ELSE
IF D1 = D2 THEN
S "1"
C D1
ELSE
S "0"
ENDIF
ENDIF
R CONCATENATE(S, R)
ENDFOR
OUTPUT R
The function CONCATENATE(X, Y) returns the string formed by concatenating the
string Y to the end of string X. For example, CONCATENATE("cat", "dog")
returns "catdog".
The strings are zero index based.
IB/M/Jun24/7516/1
, 3
Complete Table 1 by hand-tracing the algorithm in Figure 1.
You may not need to use all the rows in Table 1.
You do not need to indicate that C, D1, D2 and S are strings.
The first row of Table 1 has already been completed for you.
Table 1
S1 S2 C R J X D1 D2 S
"011101" "001100" "0" ""
OUTPUT:
Copy the contents of all the unshaded cells in Table 1 into your Electronic
Answer Document.
[5 marks]
Turn over ►
IB/M/Jun24/7516/1
