gce model questions vol1 2022 computer_studies | Essay

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Question 1 View Details
Computing devices have undergone significant transformation from the early mechanical calculators to modern digital systems.
Question Parts
(a)
Outline the main characteristics of the first generation of computers (vacuum‑tube era).
(b)
Compare and contrast the second and third generations of computers in terms of hardware technology and typical applications.
(c)
Discuss two ways in which the development of the microprocessor (fourth generation) has influenced everyday life in Nigeria.
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Question 2 View Details
A small business plans to set up a desktop workstation for graphic design and occasional video editing. The workstation must run Windows 10 smoothly, handle 4K video playback, and support a dual‑monitor setup.
Question Parts
(a)
Identify the three most critical hardware components that will determine the system’s performance for the stated tasks, and justify their importance.
(b)
Given the options below for each component, select the most suitable specification and explain why it meets the performance requirement while staying within a budget of ₦250,000. CPU options: i) Intel Core i5‑12400 (6 cores, 2.5 GHz base) ii) AMD Ryzen 5 5600X (6 cores, 3.7 GHz) iii) Intel Core i3‑12100 (4 cores, 3.3 GHz) RAM options: i) 8 GB DDR4 2400 MHz ii) 16 GB DDR4 3200 MHz iii) 32 GB DDR4 2666 MHz GPU options: i) Integrated Intel UHD Graphics ii) Nvidia GTX 1650 4 GB VRAM iii) Nvidia RTX 3060 12 GB VRAM
(c)
Estimate the total power consumption of the selected configuration using the typical TDP values below and determine the minimum wattage rating for a reliable PSU, adding a 20 % safety margin. Typical TDP values: • CPU (Ryzen 5600X) – 65 W • GPU (GTX 1650) – 75 W • RAM – 3 W per 8 GB • SSD – 5 W • Motherboard – 30 W
(d)
Briefly explain two methods the business could use to ensure adequate cooling for the chosen components.
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Question 3 View Details
A secondary school is reviewing its computer software needs. The school currently uses a mixture of word‑processing, spreadsheet and presentation applications and is considering two new integrated software packages, Package A and Package B, to replace the existing suite.
Question Parts
(a)
Identify and briefly explain three main functions of an operating system, giving one practical example of each function in a school environment.
(b)
The school has set the following evaluation criteria for the two packages: - Cost (30 %) - Ease of use (25 %) - Features (30 %) - Technical support (15 %) Each criterion is scored out of 10. The scores obtained are: | Criterion | Package A | Package B | |-----------|-----------|-----------| | Cost | 8 | 6 | | Ease of use| 7 | 9 | | Features | 9 | 8 | | Support | 6 | 8 | Calculate the weighted score for each package and advise which package the school should adopt.
(c)
Discuss two potential risks of adopting proprietary software in the school and suggest one mitigation measure for each risk.
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Question 4 View Details
The school maintains a digital database of its students' academic records.
Question Parts
(a)
Define the terms ‘data’ and ‘information’ and illustrate the difference with an example relevant to school record‑keeping.
(b)
Each student record stores the following fields: - Student ID (numeric, 8 digits) - Name (maximum 30 characters) - Date of birth (stored in 3 bytes) - Grades for six subjects (each grade stored as an integer 0–100, using 2 bytes) Assuming 1 character = 1 byte and the numeric ID occupies 4 bytes, calculate: (i) the minimum storage required for a single student record; (ii) the total storage needed for 1 500 student records. Express the final answer in kilobytes (1 KB = 1024 bytes).
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Question 5 View Details
A secondary school plans to computerise its student record system. Each student record will contain the following fields: - Full name (maximum 30 characters) - Date of birth (stored as DD/MM/YYYY) - Current grade (single digit) - A recent passport‑size photograph (average file size 150 KB). The school expects to enrol 500 students. The system will be accessed daily by teachers for viewing and occasional updating of records. Answer the following:
Question Parts
(a)
Calculate the total amount of storage required for all student records, showing all steps of your calculation.
(b)
Recommend a suitable primary storage medium for the system and justify your choice based on the calculated storage requirement and the need for daily access.
(c)
Propose an appropriate backup schedule for the student records and explain the reasoning behind the frequency you choose.
(d)
Outline the main stages of the Systems Development Life Cycle (SDLC) that should be followed to develop this student record system, giving a brief description of each stage.
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Question 6 View Details
A medium‑size company in Lagos recently suffered a phishing attack that resulted in the compromise of several employee email accounts. The attackers used the stolen credentials to send fraudulent purchase orders to suppliers, causing financial loss. Answer the following:
Question Parts
(a)
Identify three typical characteristics of a phishing email that could help users recognise the attack.
(b)
Recommend two technical controls and two administrative controls that the company should implement to reduce the risk of future phishing attacks.
(c)
Discuss the ethical considerations involved in monitoring employee e‑mail and internet usage as a security measure, balancing privacy rights with organisational protection.
(d)
Outline the legal obligations under Nigerian law (e.g., the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) Act 2015 and the NDPR) that the company must comply with when a data breach occurs.
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Question 7 View Details
A small business is planning to set up its internal computer network to support file sharing, printing and internet access. The network will consist of 12 desktop computers, a network printer and a router that provides the internet connection. The manager wants a solution that is cost‑effective, easy to expand and minimises the risk of network failure.
Question Parts
(a)
Identify three common LAN topologies (excluding hybrid forms) and for each give one advantage and one disadvantage in the context of the business requirements described above.
(b)
Considering the business’s need for easy expansion and high reliability, recommend the most suitable topology from part (a). Justify your choice by referring to at least two specific requirements of the business.
(c)
If the star topology is adopted and the router is placed at the centre of the star, calculate: i. The total length of Ethernet cable required, assuming each cable run from the router to a device is 8 m. ii. The number of separate cable segments that must be installed. iii. The maximum number of simultaneous data collisions that can occur in the network, assuming the Ethernet protocol uses CSMA/CD and a collision can only involve two devices at a time.
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Question 8 View Details
A secondary school wishes to develop a simple student grading system using Python. The system should read a text file called **scores.txt** that contains one line per student in the format: <StudentID>,<Name>,<Score> where <Score> is an integer between 0 and 100. The program must: 1. Store each record in an appropriate data structure. 2. Compute the grade based on the following scale: - 70‑100 : A - 60‑69 : B - 50‑59 : C - 45‑49 : D - 0‑44 : F 3. Produce a summary report that lists each student’s ID, name, score, grade and the class average score. 4. Handle possible errors such as missing fields, non‑numeric scores or scores outside the 0‑100 range by skipping the faulty line and recording the line number in a separate log file **errors.log**. Write the required Python code and answer the following questions.
Question Parts
(a)
Write a complete Python program that fulfils the specifications above. Include comments that explain each major step.
(b)
Explain how the program you wrote in part (a) ensures that the processing continues even when the input file contains erroneous lines. Identify the specific Python constructs that achieve this robustness.
(c)
Modify the program so that the grade‑determination step uses a list comprehension to create a list of grades directly from the list of scores. Discuss how this change affects the program’s time‑complexity and readability.
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Question 9 View Details
A small retail business is developing a database to store information about its products, suppliers and sales.
Question Parts
(a)
Define the concepts of First Normal Form (1NF), Second Normal Form (2NF) and Third Normal Form (3NF). With a brief example, show how a table that is in 1NF but not in 2NF can be transformed to 2NF, and then to 3NF.
(b)
The following two tables have been created: Product(ProductID, ProductName, SupplierID, UnitPrice) Supplier(SupplierID, SupplierName, City) Write an SQL statement that lists each supplier’s name, the number of different products they supply, and the average unit price of those products. Include only suppliers that supply at least three products, and order the result by the average unit price descending.
(c)
Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of implementing data‑validation rules as stored procedures in the DBMS compared with performing the same validation in the application layer.
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Question 10 View Details
A company uses Microsoft Excel to maintain its monthly sales data and Microsoft Word to produce a formatted sales report that is sent to management.
Question Parts
(a)
The sales data for three products (A, B, C) for the months January to June are entered in a worksheet as shown below. Describe the formulas required to calculate (i) the total sales for each product over the six months, (ii) the moving average of the total sales for the last three months, and (iii) how to apply conditional formatting to highlight any month where total sales fall below 5 000 units.
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