MINISTRY OF EDUCATION

FIJI SCHOOL LEAVING CERTIFICATE EXAMINATION 2009

COMPUTER STUDIES

Time allowed : Three Hours

(An extra ten minutes is allowed for reading this paper.)

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Write all your answers in the Answer Book provided.

2. Write your Index Number on the front page and inside the back flap of the Answer Book.

3. If you require more paper, ask the supervisor for extra sheets. Tie these inside the Answer
Book at the appropriate places.

4. A calculator may be used, provided it is silent, battery-operated and non-programmable.

5. There are three sections in this paper. Sections A and B are compulsory.
Note the choices in Section C.

SUMMARY OF QUESTIONS

Section Guidelines Total Suggested

Mark Time

A There are thirty multiple-choice questions. 30 54 minutes

All the questions are compulsory.

B There are five short-answer questions. 40 72 minutes

All the questions are compulsory.

C There are six essay questions. 30 54 minutes

Answer any three questions, one from each part.

COPYRIGHT : MINISTRY OF EDUCATION, REPUBLIC OF THE FIJI ISLANDS, 2009.

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SECTION A [30 marks]

The multiple-choice questions in this section are all compulsory.

Each question is worth 1 mark.

INSTRUCTIONS FOR MULTIPLE – CHOICE QUESTIONS

1. In your Answer Book, circle the letter which represents the best answer. If you
change your mind, put a line through your first choice and circle the letter of your
next choice.

For example: 8 A B C D

2. If you change your mind again and like your first answer better, put a line through
your second circle and tick () your first answer.

For example: 8 A B C D


3. No mark will be given if you circle more than one letter for a question.

1. The main storage device used by servers, desktops and laptops is the

A. tape drive.
B. hard drive.
C. optical drive.
D. floppy disk drive.

2. Which one of the following adapters enables a computer system to exchange information
with other systems on a local network ?

A. video card
B. sound card
C. modem card
D. network interface card

3. Administrators at a multicampus college need access to their time schedules wherever they
go. Which computing device would be most appropriate for the administrators to use ?

A. Laptop
B. Server
C. Desktop
D. System Unit

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4. A user plans to run multiple tasks simultaneously on a computer. Which computer

component is essential to accomplish this ?
A. NIC
B. RAM
C. video card
D. sound card

5. The Pentium IV is a
A. printer.
B. scanner.
C. word processor.
D. microprocessor.

6. Which of the following devices is recommended for an organisation that has a computerised
accounting system and does not want to lose or corrupt its data through power surge ?
A. magnetic tape
B. surge protector
C. large capacity hard disk
D. interruptible power supply

7. In which generation of computers were microprocessors developed ?

A. first
B. second
C. third
D. fourth

8. In MS Word, which of the following buttons would align text evenly on both the left and right
margins ?
A. center button
B. justify button
C. align left button
D. align right button

9. Which of the following computer buttons should be clicked if the user intends to undo a
process in MS Word ?

A. C.

B. D.

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10. A feature that enables a computer user to quickly find an alternative word with a similar
meaning is

A. thesaurus.
B. spell checkers.
C. grammar checkers.
D. search and replace.

11. In database, duplication of data in many files can be described as data

A. security.
B. integrity.
C. redundancy.
D. dependence.

12. A collection of data records that needs to be maintained outside of a computer’s primary
memory is known as

A. files.
B. field.
C. record.
D. database.

13. A database which holds contact information of customers in a mail-order company is referred
to as

A. a library.
B. an inventory.
C. a mailing list.
D. a contact book.

14. The process of reading a QBasic program and reviewing its logic is known as

A. debugging.
B. logic testing.
C. desk checking.
D. logical error testing.

15. The purpose of the compiler is to execute a set of

A. instructions as a whole.
B. instructions one line at a time.
C. QBasic reserved words as a whole.
D. QBasic reserved words one at a time.

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16. Which numbering system is preferred by programmers for use in computers ?

A. octal
B. binary
C. decimal
D. hexadecimal

Study the program given below and answer Question 17.

LET a=11
LET b=5
INPUT “Type a number between 1 to 30”; val
IF val*b =100 THEN
PRINT (a+b)*val
ELSE
PRINT val^2
ENDIF
END
17. The output of the program above if val is equal to 10 would be

A. 10
B. 50
C. 100
D. 2500

18. One of the negative social impacts of the widespread use of computers is

A. the creation of new jobs.

B. an improvement in the quality of living.
C. an improvement of product quality.
D. an increase in pressures of change on an individual.

19. The Operating System that is widely used in Fiji is

A. Windows XP
B. Windows 7
C. Windows 2000
D. Windows 98

20. Part of a computer system or network that is designed to block unauthorised access while
permitting authorised communications is known as

A. firewall.
B. firewire.
C. hackers.
D. intruders.

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21. A computer software that obtains information from a user’s computer without the user’s
knowledge or consent is known as

A. virus.
B. firewall.
C. spyware.
D. interware.

22. The practice of modifying computer hardware and software to accomplish a goal outside of the
creator’s original purpose is known as

A. hacking.
B. data stealing.
C. time stealing.
D. remote login.

23. In order to design and cable a LAN, a person must have

A. A + certification.
B. Cisco CCNA certification.
C. Microsoft MCSE certification.
D. International Computer Drivers License.

24. Which of the following people write sets of instructions for computers ?

A. programmers
B. system analysts
C. computer operators
D. computer professionals

25. A school wishes to link computers in the main office to computers in other departments within
the school. The right person who can carry out the task is a

A. cable technician.
B. systems technician.
C. network technician.
D. computer technician.

26. Which of the following statements about fiber optic cables is incorrect ?

A. Fiber optic cables use glass fibres for light to pass through.
B. Fiber optic cables are the fastest cables in networking technology.
C. Fiber optic cables use light to transfer information across the network.
D. Fiber optic cables use analog waves to transfer information across the network.

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27. The domain name in the website www.bebo.com is

A. www
B. bebo
C. bebo.com
D. www.bebo.com

Refer to the graphics shown below to answer Question 28.

28. The command that is issued in order to access the command prompt is

A. cmd.
B. restore.
C. prompt.
D. chkdsk.

29. Which of the following statements about Graphical User Interface (GUI) is correct ?

A. GUI uses command line to execute commands.

B. GUI is slower compared to Command Line Interface.
C. GUI enables users to easily script a sequence of commands to perform a task.
D. GUI enables users to easily view, control and manipulate multiple things at once.

30. Desktop publishing enables one to

A. design desktops.
B. design skills in electronics.
C. develop skills in data manipulation and word art.
D. develop skills in electronic publishing design, layout, composition and paste-up.

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SECTION B [40 marks]

The five questions in this section are all compulsory.

Each question is worth 8 marks.

QUESTION 1 (8 marks)

(a) What was the main innovation in the IBM System/360 series of computers ? (1 mark)

(b) What is meant by the term “end-user computing” ? (1 mark)

(c) Many people have made contributions towards the invention of the modern day
computer. Briefly explain John von Neuman’s contribution. (1 mark)

(d) Study the QBasic program given below and answer the questions that follow.

10 REM Testrun
20 CLS
30 INPUT “Enter 1st number :”;A
40 INPUT “Enter 2nd number :”;B
50 INPUT “Enter 3rd number :”;C
60 INPUT “Enter 4th number :”;D
70 LET E = (A+B+C+D)/4
80 PRINT E
90 END

(i) List four variables used in the program. (1 mark)

(ii) Which QBasic statement is used to store values within memory cells ? (½ mark)

(iii) State the purpose of the program. (1 mark)

(iv) What is the purpose of the following lines ?

I. Line 10 (½ mark)

II. Line 20 (½ mark)

(v) Which line number can be removed without affecting the correct
execution of the program ? (½ mark)

(e) Explain the term computerisation of society. (1 mark)

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QUESTION 2 (8 marks)

(a) Refer to the System Properties of a computer given in the picture below
to answer the questions that follow.

(i) What is the RAM size of the computer ? (½ mark)

(ii) What is the name of its Operating System ? (½ mark)
(iii) Give the name of its Central Processing Unit. (½ mark)

(b) Refer to the Local Disk Properties of a computer given in the picture below to
answer the questions that follow.

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SECTION B (continued)

(i) What is the total capacity of the computer’s hard disk ? (½ mark)

(ii) How much disk space have been used ? (½ mark)

(iii) Which type of file system does this computer use ? (½ mark)

(c) Refer to the Display Properties of a computer given in the picture below to answer
the questions that follow.

(i) Identify :

I. the horizontal resolution. (½ mark)

II. the vertical resolution. (½ mark)

(ii) What is the colour quality of the screen ? (½ mark)

(iii) Calculate the total number of pixels. (½ mark)

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(d) Complete the table given below in your Answer Book by filling in the missing
items in (i) to (iv).

Component Function Example

Output Produces softcopy/hardcopy. (i)

Storage Save data to and access data from storage (ii)

sequentially.

Input (iii) Mouse

Communication (iv) Modem

(2 marks)

(e) Give two reasons why the use of USB is becoming more popular than
CD-ROMs. (1 mark)

QUESTION 3 (8 marks)

(a) Data processing produces information.

(i) State one role of information in decision making. (½ mark)

(ii) What form of display does a computer produce with the data or
information to help in decision making ? (½ mark)

(b) Differentiate between data and information. (1 mark)

(c) Data can be of three types.

Identify any two types of data. (1 mark)

(d) (i) Name any two important fields that can be used to create a database for
a School’s Computer Lab. (1 mark)

(ii) Briefly explain the purpose of a primary key in database construction. (½ mark)

(iii) If you had to sort in descending order the last name of students in a
secondary school, write the two steps that need to be taken to execute
the task. (1 mark)

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© MINISTRY OF EDUCATION, FSLCE 2009 : COMPUTER STUDIES.
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SECTION B (continued)

(iv) Use the database given below to answer the questions that follow.

Academy Connection ID Name Country Location Code

56781 Joel Dagiliz US678
56782 Mike Lemaks UK765
56783 Tanya Ladytwo FJ456
56784 Fido Ads NZ098

I. What would be the best data type to use for Country Location
Code ? (½ mark)

II. What would be the maximum size of the field containing

Academy Connection ID ? (½ mark)

(e) Write the exact output of the following QBasic program after it is executed.

10 REM a run test

20 LET a = 3

30 LET b = 2

40 PRINT a^b

50 PRINT “a*b”

60 PRINT a+b;

70 END

(1½ marks)

QUESTION 4 (8 marks)

(a) State two factors which should be considered when designing an automated
office. (1 mark)

(b) List two critical information that may be kept in the database of the Land and
Transport Authority of Fiji about individuals. (1 mark)

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(c) Use the graphics given below to answer the questions that follow.

TOTAL

(i) Write a formula that could have been used to calculate the TOTAL mark
for Subash Makulu. (1 mark)

(ii) What would be the value of the TOTAL displayed in cell H10 ? (1 mark)

(iii) Write a function that could have been used to find the highest TOTAL
mark in cell H11. (1 mark)

(iv) Write a function that could have been used to find the AVERAGE mark
for Pora Welei. (1 mark)

(v) List the steps of formatting the AVERAGE column to zero decimal
places. (2 marks)

QUESTION 5 (8 marks)

(a) State a job description of a :

(i) Network engineer. (½ mark)

(ii) Systems administrator. (½ mark)

(b) List two roles of a Computer Operator. (1 mark)

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© MINISTRY OF EDUCATION, FSLCE 2009 : COMPUTER STUDIES.
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SECTION B (continued)

(c) The diagram given below shows the interconnection of devices in a Local Area Network.
Refer to the diagram to answer the questions that follow.

fibre optic cable

copper straight
through cable

Identify the following :

(i) two peripheral devices. (1 mark)

(ii) two host devices. (1 mark)

(iii) two network devices. (1 mark)

(iv) two network media. (1 mark)

(d) What is a Management Information System (MIS) ? (1 mark)

(e) Discuss two advantages of a centralised MIS. (1 mark)

© MINISTRY OF EDUCATION, FSLCE 2009 : COMPUTER STUDIES.

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SECTION C [30 marks]

This section has three parts : Parts A, B and C. Answer only one question from each part.
Each question is worth 10 marks.

Write an essay of approximately 200 words to answer Questions 1, 2, 3 and 4. Draw a flowchart
and write a QBasic program to answer Questions 5 and 6.
and
PART A
Answer either Question 1 or Question 2.

Either

QUESTION 1 HISTORY OF COMPUTERS

Electronic mail (e-mail) is becoming a common medium of communication within an

organisation and with the outside world.

With reference to the above statement, discuss at least five reasons why it is unethical to use a business
e-mail facility for personal use.

Or

QUESTION 2 COMPUTERS IN SOCIETY

Languages are described as occurring in generations from machine languages to natural

languages.

With reference to the above statement, describe the five generations of programming languages and
give details of the language translators used at each generation and their functions.

PART B

Answer either Question 3 or Question 4.

Either

QUESTION 3 STRUCTURE AND FUNCTIONS OF A COMPUTER

Briefly discuss the four categories of computers using the following sub-headings :

Characteristics
Sizes
Prices
Examples
Where they are used

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SECTION C (continued)

Or
QUESTION 4 COMPUTER VIRUS
Computers need to be protected from computer viruses.
With reference to the above statement, discuss :

What computer viruses are and give at least two examples.

Two ways in which computers can get infected with viruses.
One way in which one can tell that a computer is infected with a virus.
Two reasons why computers need to be protected from viruses.
Two ways of protecting computers from viruses.

PART C

Answer either Question 5 or Question 6.

Either

QUESTION 5 PROGRAMMING
You have been hired by the Manager of your Community Cooperative Store to design a program to be
used for rewarding the customers in your area, for one day, depending on the amount they spend. For
customers exceeding $15 in shopping, the reward is one free tin fish. For customers exceeding $20 in
shopping, the reward is one free packet of powdered milk and for customers exceeding $50 in
shopping, the reward is a free 2 kg rice, 2 kg sugar and 2 kg flour.
(i) Draw a Flowchart and write a BASIC program that asks for the name of the customer and the
total amount spent for the day.
(ii) Use IF…THEN…ELSE structure to decide the customer’s reward.
(iii) Display the customer’s name and the appropriate reward.

Or

QUESTION 6 PROGRAMMING
Cisco High School wants to develop a program that would assist their School Librarian to calculate
fines on books that are returned by their students after the due dates.
(a) Draw a flowchart and write a QBasic program that will enable the Librarian to carry out the
following tasks :
(i) Enter the student’s name.
(ii) Enter the student’s class.
(iii) Enter the student’s book name.
(iv) Enter the number of days the book has been overdue.

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(b) Calculate the appropriate fine from the following conditions using the IF…THEN…ELSE
structure.

(i) For books returned 15 days late, the fine is 20 cents per day.

(ii) If the late returns exceed the 15 days, then the fine is 35 cents per day.

(iii) For books returned after 60 days, the fine increases to 45 cents per day.

(c) Display the following outputs :

(i) All the inputs requested at the start of the program.

(ii) The fine charged per day.

(iii) The total fine charged to the student.

Note : The program should be well documented. Use appropriate comments for the output
screen.

THE END

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COPYRIGHT : MINISTRY OF EDUCATION, REPUBLIC OF THE FIJI ISLAND, 2009.