Cambridge University Press 2011

Data 2
Answers to Revision questions: 2 Data 1 Cambridge IGCSE Computer Studies
Below each answer there is a page reference for the coursebook. Tis is there to help you focus
your revision. If you fnd that you get an answer wrong, you can use this guide to return to the
coursebook to revise the areas that need some extra attention. Please note these are example
answers only and do not represent the only possible answers.
1 Te data type in cell:
a A2 is text.
b D3 is number (or integer).
c E5 is Boolean (Yes/No).
See Data types on page 39.
2 A fle is a collection of related data such as a set of data records. A record is a data structure
that contains items of data about a thing in the real world. Each item of data within a record is
known as a feld.

records
felds
Products fle
ProdlD
A00345 widget, round 0.24 black
A00348 widget, large hex 0.32 black
A00346 widget, round 0.22 metallic
Description Price Colour
See File organisation and manipulation on page 37.
3 a Coded data is used for Type because the full description would be longer. It would take up
more storage space and may lead to errors in data entry.
See Data collection on page 31.
b Te data type for Price is real or decimal (numerical data type).
See Data types on page 39.
c A key feld is an item of data that uniquely identifes a record. In this case, the key feld is
Property.
See File organisation and manipulation on page 37.
Cambridge University Press 2011 Answers to Revision questions: 2 Data 2 Cambridge IGCSE Computer Studies
4 a Analogue data is data that changes continuously rather than in discrete jumps, for example,
temperature or volume. It can be captured by a sensor.
b Analogue data need to be changed into digital data for it to be manipulated by a computer.
c An analogue-to-digital converter performs the conversion.
d A greenhouse control application would collect analogue temperature data and a computer
would decide when to switch on and of a heater.
See Analogue-to-digital converters and digital-to-analogue converters on page 31.
5 a Digital data is data that changes in discrete, or stepwise, jumps. For example, the number of
bikes sold or a persons age.
b A utility billing application would use digital data from meter readings.
See Analogue-to-digital converters and digital-to-analogue converters on page 31.
6 a A database is a set of tables that hold information about related things. (See page 8 orglossary.)
b A fle is a set of data or program items held in a named area of storage (or a physical
datastructure).
c A direct access fle is a fle stored on disk. Its records can be accessed directly by using an
algorithm to generate a records disk address from the records key value.
d A record is a set of data items about one type of thing.
e A sequential fle is a fle in which records are stored in order of their record key values.
See File organisation and manipulation on page 37.
7 a Tere are six felds (columns) shown. (See page 9 or glossary for defnition of a feld.)
See File organisation and manipulation on page 37.
b Tere are seven records (rows) shown.
See File organisation and manipulation on page 37.
c Te shop would need to delete a record when a bicycle is sold.
See File maintenance on page 39.
d Te shop would need to add a record when a new bicycle is delivered from the supplier.
See File maintenance on page 39.
e Te shop can print a list of mountain bikes by selecting all records where the Type = Mountain.
f Te price of stock number 1972 is incorrect. It could have been avoided by setting a limit
or range.
See Data validation on page 33.
g Te key feld is StockNo.
See File organisation and manipulation on page 37.
8 A video club hires flms to members.
a Four suitable items of information for the FilmsHired fle are:
Data item Field type Example
FilmID Text or string, as no
arithmetic will be performed
2759
Title Text or string Toy Story 3
Rating Text or string U
Price Currency 2.50
Cambridge University Press 2011 Answers to Revision questions: 2 Data 3 Cambridge IGCSE Computer Studies
b Four suitable items of information for the Members fle are:
Data item Field type Example
MemberID Text or string, as no
arithmetic will be performed
0648
Name Text or string John Smith
DateOfBirth Date/Time 20/04/1996
PhoneNumber Text or string 01536 739026
See Data types on page 39.
9 a Te term 'validation' means examining input data to ensure that it falls within pre-set
criteria. For example, a date of birth must be before a certain date to be valid for a pupil to
be enrolled.
b Te term 'verifcation' means double-checking that copied data is correct.
c One method of verifcation when changing a password is to ask the user to type it a
second time, i.e. double entry.
See Data capture and checking on page 32.