Computer Studies

Form 3 End Year Examination- Nov – 2024

Time: 2Hours
Instructions: Answer All The Questions On the Space Provided
1. State the meaning of the term computer software. [2]
 Set of programs/intangible part of a computer.
 Software is a set of instructions, data or programs used to operate computers and execute specific
tasks
2. State three features of fifth generation computers. [3]
 Use of expert systems/mimic human being
 Support natural language
 Support distributed processing
 Support artificial intelligence and voice recognition
 Support parallel processing
 Uses less power
 Small in size
 Generate less heat
 Superior hardware/memory/speed
3. differentiate between home page and web page as used in the internet. [2]
 Home page is the first page that opens when a site is opened while web page is any page in a website.
4. State three characteristics of mainframe computers. [3]
 They have bigger memory capacity
 Have high processing power/less powerful than supercomputers/complex operating systems
 Supports multi-processing
 Support large number of users at the same time
 Runs several applications at the same time
 Big in size/smaller than supercomputers /larger than micro and minicomputers
 Less expensive than supercomputers
 Supports many peripheral devices
5. The management of an organisation intends to buy a printer. State three factors that they should consider
during the purchase. [3]
 Initial cost
 Volume of work to be printed
 Portability
 Running cost
 Speed of printing
 Type of work to be printed e.g. paper type/paper size etc.
 Type of printer e.g. color, back to back capability
6. Describe each of following computer cable:
Parallel cable [2]
 It is a communication cable with high speed of transmission
 Transmits several bits at the same time
 Suitable for short distance transmission/suffer high attenuation
 Accept illustration
Serial cable [2]
 Communication cable which has low speed of transmission
 Transmits one bit at a time
 Used in long distance transmission

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 7. A computer technician has observed a lot of dust on computers in the laboratory. State three precautions
that need to be put in place to avoid this. [3]
 Fit air conditioning system to allow free circulation of air.
 Fit curtains/window filters to reduce entry of dust
 Use dust covers
 Use blower to reduce dust on computers
 Avoid earthen floors/use carpets
 Avoid entering the lab with shoes
8. Explain the term proofreading as used in word processing. [2]
 Process of checking the spelling and grammatical errors in a document.
9. State the function of each of the following computer keyboard when using a word processor.
I. End [1]
 Used for moving the cursor to the end of the line being typed or already typed.
II. Insert [1]
 Used when changing/toggling between insert mode or typeover mode and vice versa.
III. Backspace [1]
 Used to delete characters
10. Explain two problems associated with the computer hard disk. [4]
 Accept any problems that can be blamed on the hard disk including hardware and software e.g. bad
sectors, lack of portability, corrupted system registry, missing system files, corrupted system files, limited
space, crashing etc.
 Excessive shock from dropping
 Contact with strong magnetic fields
11. List three electronic data processing modes used in computers. [3]
 Real time processing
 On-line processing
 Time sharing
 Interactive
 Distributed
 Batch processing
12. State four ways in which a programmer can make program code easy to follow. [2]
 Using modules or short blocks of programs /functions or procedures
 Making internal documentation /comments
 Using meaningful variable names and user words in the program
 Using indent to represent nested statement
 Using blank lines to separate blocks of code statement
 Text formatting of reserved words e.g. bolding
13. List four examples of utility software. [2]
 Text editors
 Language translator
 Sort and merge
 Diagnostic tools
 Calendar
 Time utility
 Antivirus
 Copy
 Graphics
 Application utility

14. List four types of publications that can be designed by using desktop publishing software. [2]

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 Posters
 Banners
 Newsletters
 Cards
 Magazines
15. State two benefits of having the advert uploaded on the Internet. [2]
 Wide coverage
 Feedback from viewers/visitors can be received instantly
 Service is throughout
 Cost is low
16. a) State two advantages of using low level programming languages. [2]
 Program execution is immediate
 They require no compilation, no interpretation / translation hence they are faster
 Hardware optimization is extensive
 Program development takes less memory space
 Suitable for micro devices
 Easy to design electronic devices
b) Other than flowcharts, state three tools that can be used to present an algorithm. [3]
 Decision tables
 Pseudo code
 Natural language
 Top down charts
 DFD/context diagram
 ERD
 Decision trees

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17. Describe three arithmetic errors that may occur during data processing. [6]
 Overflow errors
An overflow occurs if the result from a calculation is too large to be stored in the allocated memory
space. For example, if a byte is represented using 8 bits, an overflow will occur if the result of a
calculation gives a 9-bit number.
 Truncation errors
Truncation errors result from having real numbers that have a long fractional part that cannot fit in the
allocated memory space. The computer would truncate or cut off the extra characters from the fractional
part. For example, a number like 0.784969 can be truncated to four digits to become 0.784. The resulting
number is not rounded off.
 Rounding errors
Rounding errors results from raising or lowering a digit in a real number to the required rounded
number. For example, to round off 30 666 to one decimal place, we raise the first digit after the decimal
point if its successor is more than 5. In this case, the successor is 6 therefore 30.666 rounded up to one
decimal place is 30.7. If the successor is below 5, e.g. 30.635, we round down the number to 30.6
 Underflow error
Type of error occurs when the output is low small to be represented in the chosen format

b) Describe three types of validation checks as used in data processing. [6]

 Range check – check that data lies within a range of values
 Presence check – checks that data is there and has not been missed out
 Length check – checks that fields are of the right number of characters
 Type check – checks that the data is of the right type
 Format check – checks whether data is in the correct format.
 Reasonableness
 Field size
c) State three ways in which barcode readers may be used in school. [3]

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18. a) Using two examples, explain the term field properties as used in database design. [2]

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19. a) Briefly describe the three main coding schemes. [6]
 Binary Coded Decimal- This a 4-bit coding scheme that represent numeric characters only. It can
represent up to a maximum of 16 characters
 Extended Binary Coded Decimal Interchange Code- It is 8-bit coding scheme used to represent both
numeric and non-numeric characters. Can represent up to a maximum of 256 characters
 American Standard Code for Information Interchange – It is a 7-bit coding scheme representing both
numeric and non-numeric characters. It can represent up to a maximum of 128 characters

b) Convert the following numbers to binary number.

i) B2.AA16 [3]
A = 1010
B = 1011 ...................................................... I mark
2 = 0010
Whole Number Part 10110010. .......................... ½ mark
Fraction part.
0. 1010102 ................................................................................................................... ½ mark
10110010.1010102 ..................................................................... 1mark
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ii ¿ base 10 [3]
64
13
Is the same as 0.203125 .............................................. 1mark
64

0.203125 0.40625
x2 =
0.40625 0.8125 1mark
x2 =
0.8125 x2 1.625
=
0.625 x2= 1.25
0.25 x 2= 0.5
0.5 x 2 1.0
0.0011012 ................................1mk
c) Using 8 bit notation, find the 2’s complement of the following operation [3]
4+(-7)
One’s complement of the negative number
Step 1: Convert the numbers into 8-bit binary. Step 2:
-710 =11111002
Add one to one’s complement to get two’s
2 4 REM 2 7 REM complement
2 2 0 2 3 1 111110002
2 1 0 2 1 1 + 1
11111001
0 1 0 1
11111001
00000100
410 =000001002 710 =000001112 111111012
=111111012

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20. a) i) Define a system. [2]
Is a set of organized components which intersect in a given environment and within a specific bandy to
achieve collective goals.
ii) Explain system entropy. [2]
It means decay where a system slowly becomes useless to the user due to improvement in user requirements.
b) State three circumstances that can lead to development of information systems. [3]
i) New opportunity.
ii) Problems.
iii) Directives.
c) Distinguish parallel changes over from straight change over as used in system implementation. [2]
Parallel changeover both old and new systems are run parallel to end other for sometimes until users have
confidence in the new system is stopped and discarded and the new system immediately.

d) Discuss three fact finding methods. [6]

i) Interviews-it is carried out with relevant stakeholders in order to get views about the current system.
ii) Questionnaires-special purposes document that allows a person to collect information and opinions from
people who receive and respond to it.
iii) Observation –Requires the observer to participate or watch closely as a person performs actives in order
to learn about the system.
iv) Automated Method-Used when one wants to get actual data which may be difficult to get through
interview, observation or questionnaires.