1. Low level languages do not resemble natural languages they are made up entirely of bit patterns
2. Low level languages produce code that is executed faster as it is already in a format the CPU can execute / does not need to be translated.
3. High level languages are easier to understand / learn as commands are more like English / identifiers can be meaningful .
4. High level languages are easier to use leading to fewer errors.

DVD - optical media which use one spiral track; red lasers are used to read and write data on the media surface; makes use of dual-layering technology to increase the storage capacity

ROM - non-volatile memory chip; contents of the chip cannot be altered; it is often used to store the start-up routines in a computer (e.g. the BIOS)

SSD/ Solid State Drive/memory (SSD)

non-volatile memory device that uses NAND flash memories (which consist of millions of transistors wired in series on single circuit boards)

Blue Ray -  optical media that uses blue laser technology to read and write data on the media surface; it uses a single 1.1 mm polycarbonate disc

Uses transistors( resistors and capacitors) . It can be implemented by the use of NAND or NOR gates. Data is stored on the chip as a charge

• virtual memory

• The different factors that can influence the performance of a network include: bandwidth, network design, data collisions, and excess broadcast traffic.
• The bandwidth can influence through the method of transmission and medium used

• A compiler translates the whole program in one go whereas An interpreter translates each line of code (often an intermediate code) at run time
• A compiler produces an executable file that will run on the target hardware machine without the compiler being installed  A run time interpreter will be required at run time
• Compilers tend to be large complex programs Interpreters are smaller simpler programs
• Interpreted programs can be amended and run without translating whole program Compiled programs have to be re-compiled after a change
• Compilers compile programs that will usually only run on the target platform (hardware/operating system)  Interpreters will interpret same program (or intermediate code) on different (some virtual) platforms

SECTION A (40 MKS)

Answer all the questions in this section.

1. a) What is disk formatting?                                                        (1mk)

b) Indicate whether the following devices are used for input or output  (2mks)

i) Plotter

ii)Light pen

iii)Mouse

iv)Visual display unit

2.a)Explain why the following and give one reason why they are not allowed in a computer laboratory. (2mks)

b) For each of the following give one reason why they are not allowed in a computer laboratory.  (2mks)

i) Smoking

ii)Eating foods

3.Distinguish between Real, integer and Character data types as used in programming (3 mks)

4.The cells k3 to K10 of a worksheet contain remarks on student’s performance such as very good, good, fair and fail depending on the average mark.  Write a formula that can be used to count all students who have the remark “very good”      (3mks)

5.a) State the purpose of registers in a computer system               (1mk)

b)Name two multiprogramming operating systems                   (2 mks)

6.a) A series file comprises of records placed in positions 1 to 10.  State the position of the end of file marker.      (1mk)

  b)State the purpose of each of the following: (2mks)

 i)File server software

ii)Communication software

7.a) Name the control structure depicted by the flowchart below.                   (1 mk)

b)Explain the following terms as used in program implementation.      (2mks)

 i)Parallel running

 ii)Direct change over

8. Consider the linear arrays:

 i) AAA (5:50)

 ii)BBB (-5:10)

 iii)CC (18)

Find the number of elements in each array (3mks)

9.Define the term artificial intelligence  (2 mks)

10.Name two types of relationships that can be applied in database design  (2mks)

11.Explain binary Coded Decimal code of data representation (1 mk)

 a)Indenting

 b)Alignment

 c)Word wrap

12.Outline two ways in which a computer can be used in hotels               (2 Marks)

13.a)Explain Binary Coded Decimal code of data representation (1marks)

 b)Write the number 4110 in BCD notation (1 mk)

14.Arrange the following data units in ascending order of size.

   BYTE, FILE, BIT, NIBBlE     (2mks)

15.State two health issues that may result from prolonged use of computers     (2 mks)

SECTION B (60 MARKS)

16. a) State the stage of program development in which  (4 mk)

i) A flowchart would be drawn

 ii)The programmer would check whether the program does as required

 iii)The user guide would be written

iv)The requirements specifications would be written.

b)State the output of the following flow chart segment                  (1mk)

c) i)Draw a flowchart to compute the combined resistance ® of two resistors R1 and R2 in parallel using the formula;

                      (5mks)

ii)Write a program using Pascal or C languages for the flowchart in C (i) above. (5 ½ mks)

17. a)List three paragraph formatting activities in word processing  (3mks)

 b)Differentiate between bolding and highlighting text (2mks)

c) The following information shows the income and expenditure for “bebayote “ matatu for five days.  The income from Monday to Friday was Kshs. 4,000, 9,000, 10, 000, 15,000 and 12,000 respectively while the expenditure for the same period was Kshs.  2,000, 3,000, 7,000, 5,000 and 6,000 respectively

i)Draw a spreadsheet that would contain the information.  Indicate the rows as 1, 2, 3 …. And the columns as a, B, C    (4mks)

ii)State the expression that would be used to obtain:

 I Monday’s profit  (2mks)

 II Total income (2mks)

III)Highest expenditure (2mks)

18.a) Subtract 0112  from 10012 (1mk)

 b)Using two’s compliment, subtract 7 from 4 and give the answer in decimal notation (4mks)

c) Convert

i) 91B16  to octal    (3mks)

ii) 3768   to hexadecimal   (3mks)

iii) 9.62510 to binary  (4 mks)

19.a) Explain what the following DOS commands will do when executed.

    i)  A: \copy *.* B:    (2 mks)

   ii)   C: \> ERASE*. DOC   (2mks)

  iii)   b: \> Md EXAMS  (2mks)

 b)  i)  With the aid of a diagram, explain hierarchical (tree) network topology   (3mks)

  ii)List two advantages and two disadvantage of hierarchical network topology.  (4 mks)

   Advantages:-

   Disadvantages:

20. a)Name and explain the function of the keyboard keys represented by the following symbols.

  b) Simulation is one of the application areas of computers        

  i) What is meant by the term simulation      (1mk)

  ii)Name two application areas of simulation   (2 mks)

 iii) State three advantages of computer based simulation (3 mks)

 c) Explain three ways in which computers have impacted education (3mks)

A computer virus is a program designed to damage other programs or causes irregular behaviour in a computer system.

• Real time  E.g. turning the wheel must turn the car immediately
• On line - Otherwise system cannot be real time

• It requires that a foreign key must have a matching primary key or it must be null

Branch of computer science based on enabling computers to
behave like humans/mimic aspects of human intelligence
• AI is implemented in software.
• Combines psychology, biology, linguistics, mathematics, neuroscience,
and philosophy (ethics)
• AI is not the same as the general intelligence of human beings

Uses – Any of the following:
• Game playing (chess, quiz, video games)
• Analytics (analyse buying patterns, predicting behaviours, predictive
text, financial markets)
• Image processing (recognising objects/patterns)
• Logistics (scheduling, order fulfilment)
• Control systems (cars, manufacturing, weapons, navigation)
• Expert systems (medical, mechanical, electrical diagnosis)
• Neural networks (simulating neuron behaviours as in brains)
• Natural languages processing (chatterbots, chatbots, speech
recognition)
• Robotics (dangerous situations, help aged or disabled)

Ethical issues – Any of the following:
• Take the work of humans, thereby affecting employment rates
• Is a computer to be trusted to make decisions (life-death)?

• If a computer discovers something that humans can’t prove, should it be
accepted as truth?
• Do AI machines have rights?
• Will people be comfortable interacting with machines that are
considered intelligent?

• A compiled program will only execute on a processor of specific type/family/with same instruction set
• A program run using an interpreter can execute on a computer with any type of processor;

• It is a program written in a high level langauage

• A compiled program will only execute on a processor of specific type/family/with same instruction set
• A program run using an interpreter can execute on a computer with any type of processor

A file is a collection of related data given a unique name while a folder is named storage location on a storage media that contains related files

• an attribute/combination of attributes chosen to ensure that the records in a table are unique

The organisation of files is in a hierarchy/tree structure
A node is either a folder/directory/sub-folder/sub-directory or the file itself
The top node/folder/directory/drive is the root

– lightweight
– long battery life
– cool running processor
– touch pad
– internal webcam

• Sequential processing occurs in the order that the tasks are received while distributed processing where more than one computer or CPU is used to run specific programs.

1. Speeds up coding since converting a pseudocode into a programming language is usually faster and easier
2. Acts as documentation
3. Simplifies debugging since logical errors can be identified and corrected early in design stage
4. Language independent since it is not tied to any specific language so can be translated into different languages
5. It uses simple english-like statements