A workshop has a lot of heavy machinery operating throughout the day and requires a cable to connect a workstation to a switch. Which of the following, unshielded twisted pair (UTP) or shielded twisted pair (STP) cable, would be the more suitable? Justify your response.
Shielded twisted pair cable:
A twisted pair cable is made up of four pairs of twisted copper wires, a shielded twisted pair cable applies a shield to each one of the pairs on a cable or to all of the pairs together. This shield can reduce EMI (electromagnetic interference), which would be emitted from heavy machinery. This increased data transmission quality in the workshop. STP can also reduce crosstalk.
Differentiate between logical and physical network topology
Physical topology - the physical arrangement of nodes of a computer network
Examples
Logical topology- the way data flows in a network
Examples
What is a computer keyboard?
A computer keyboard is an input device used to enter text, characters, and various commands into a computer or other digital devices.
Lucy wrote: “I should validate the input into my database by typing in the same data twice”.Why was her statement incorrect?
State the contents of a feasibility study report
A school has 3000 students sitting final examinations.
Each student sits eight examinations.
Write an algorithm, using pseudocode or a flowchart, which:
• inputs the marks for all 8 examinations for each student
• outputs for each student the average mark for their 8 examinations
• outputs the highest mark overall
highest = -1
for student = 1 to 3000
total = 0
for exam = 1 to 8
input mark
total = total + mark
if mark > highest then highest = mark
next
average = total/8
output average
next
output highest
Python code:
highest = -1
for student in range(1, 3001):
total = 0
for exam in range(1, 9):
mark = int(input("Enter mark: "))
total += mark
if mark > highest:
highest = mark
average = total / 8
print("Average:", average)
print("Highest mark:", highest)
VBA Code
Option Explicit
Sub CalculateAverageAndHighest()
Dim highest As Integer
Dim total As Integer
Dim mark As Integer
Dim average As Double
highest = -1
For student = 1 To 3000
total = 0
For exam = 1 To 8
mark = InputBox("Enter mark:")
total = total + mark
If mark > highest Then
highest = mark
End If
Next exam
average = total / 8
MsgBox "Average: " & average
Next student
MsgBox "Highest mark: " & highest
End Sub
State advantages and disadvantages of Solid State Drives and Hard Disk Drives
Advantages of of Hard Disk Drive
Disadvantages of Hard Disk Drives
Advantages of Solid State Drives
Disadvantages of SDD
Describe how a FRID works.
RFID stands for radio frequency identification. There is an RFID reader and tag.RFID is used in contactless credit and debit cards as well as in some hotel room cards. Inside an RFID tag is a chip that contains a small amount of memory. The chip is attached to a coil of wire which acts as an antenna. When an RFID tag is scanned, the reader emits radio waves which are picked up by the tag’s antenna. The power induced in the tag’s antenna from these waves is enough to power the chip which then uses its antenna to emit its own radio wave, which contains the information held on the chip. This wave is picked up by the reader which decodes the information and returns the information to a computer.
What is an Operating System?
Distinguish between real-time and distributed operating systems (KCSE 2018)
Name three of the stages in the system life cycle
– fact finding
– feasibility study
– analysis
– design
– testing
– documentation
– implementation/changeover/installation
– evaluation
– maintenance
SECTION A (40 MKS)
Answer all the questions in this section in the spaces provided.
1.Describe the computer booting process. (2 mks)
2. State the functions of the following keys on the computer keyboard (2 mks)
a) Backspace
b)Insert (ins)
3. Jane has noticed the following problems with her computer keyboard (2mks)
State three possible causes of these problems and how they can be solved (3mks)
4 a)Define authenticity as used in software selection (1mk)
b) List four ways of acquiring software in an organization (2mks)
5 some of the storage disk available are: zip disks, 3 ½ inch floppy disks, DVDs and 5 ¼ inch floppy disks. Arrange these devices in ascending order of storage capacity. (2mks)
6.You have been asked to change your computer password. State a precaution you need to take in order to avoid each of the following:
a) Forgetting the password (1mk)
b) Hacking (1mk)
7.State four benefits of using a computer in a school library (2 mks)
8. Using six bits, find the two’s complement of -2310. (4 mks)
9. Explain data series, axis and legends as used in spreadsheet charts. (3mks)
10. a) Describe the term data integrity. (2 mks)
b) State four situations in which data may lose integrity. (2mks)
11.State the function of each of the following:
a)Network interface card (1 mk)
b)Network protocol (1 mk)
c)Hub (1mk)
12. List four types of publications that can be designed by using desktop publishing software. (2mks)
13. Differentiate between the following pair of terms as used in database design:
a) Input mask and design. (2 mks)
b) Table and query ( 2mks)
14. List four factors to be considered when purchasing an operating system. (2mks)
15 Write an algorithm to compute the area of a triangle. (2mks)
SECTION B (60 MARKS)
Answer question 16 and any other three questions from this section in the spaces provided
16. Study the flowchart below and answer the questions that follow
i) Name the control structures used in the flowchart (2mks)
ii) Determine the values of M, N, P and Q. ( 4 mks)
M………………………….. N………………………..
P ………………………….. Q ………………………
iii) Write the pseudo code for the flowchart (7mks)
b) List four functions of an assembler (2 mks)
17. Define the following web related terms:
i) Web browser (1mk)
ii) Hyperlink (1mk)
iii) Hypertext document (1mk)
b) List six activities performed on the web (3mks)
c) An institution has ten stand alone computers
i) Suggest with reasons the most appropriate topology required to inter-connect the computers. (3mks)
ii) State the necessary steps required to connect the computers to the internet. (4mks)
d) Below is an email address:
Name the parts labeled:
i)
ii)
iii)
18.A computer C directory has folders for form 1, form 2, Form 3 and form 4. Each class has student’s folders labeled according to their number. The students create their own folder for the subject the are studying based on the table shown below
|
Form 1 |
Form 2 |
Form 3 |
Form 4 |
|
OS |
SP |
Pr. |
ADB |
|
WP |
DTP DB |
Internet |
|
a)Assuming there is one student per class, draw the corresponding directory tree structure. (6 mks)
b) i) a form four student wants to create a folder to store her project. State the path for that project folder.(2 mks)
ii)Suggest how the student can ensure that:
1. Work is not lost in case the hard disk fails. (1mk)
2. The project is not copied by other students. (1mk)
c) i). Other than I/O devices, list other three devices under the control of the operating system. (3mks)
ii)Explain any one of the devices named in C (i) above (1mk)
d)Define the term trouble shooting (1mk)
19. A manager wishes to replace the current manual system with a computerized one
a)Describe three main areas that must be evaluated to justify the replacement (6mks)
b) List the three areas that would be considered in the requirements specifications. (3mks)
c)State and explain three ways that can be followed to replace the current system (6mks)
20. a) A head teacher keeps the following student details in a database: Name, Address, Town, Date of Birth, Marks scored, Fees paid.
i)Name the most appropriate primary key. Give a reason (2mks)
ii)For each item in the student’s details above, indicate its most appropriate data type as used in the database. (3mks)
iii)Explain why input screens are better data entry designs than entering data directly to a table. (2mks)
b)List two career opportunities associated with databases. (2mks)
c)Distinguish between:
i) A table in a word-processing application and a table in a database application (2mks)
ii)Mouse pointer and insertion point. (2mks)
d)Outline the steps to be followed in order to merge cells in a word processing table. (2mks)
State three features of the fifth generation computers (3mks) [2017 paper 1]
A school intends to install a computer network. Explain three challenges that the school may experience after the installation (KCSE 2021 Computer Studies Q19(b))
Network Failure - when the network becomes faulty or the network is down, users may not access network resources hence operations of an organization may be brought to a standstill
Security Issues: A computer network can be accessed thus there is an increased chance of hacking
The rapid spread of viruses: Viruses can easily spread to terminals of a computer network which may be very expensive to clear
Cultural and moral effects: adult content may be shared in a networked environment which may be of negative impact on teenagers
List Three file organisation methods in a computer
Name three types of cables used in data communication
Twisted pair cables
Coaxial cables
Fibre optic cables
Explain a reason necessitating governments to enact data protection laws
Describe the purpose of the
(i) control unit
(ii) memory unit
(iii) arithmetic logic unit
in a computer.
i) To manage the execution of instructions
By running a clock
To decode instructions
(ii) To store OS
To store those parts of applications programs currently running
To store data currently in use
(iii) Part of the processor where data is processed/manipulated
All I/O must pass through here
Distinguish between Incremental and Full backup
Incremental:
Full: