Information Technology 9626/12 May/June 2023: question paper and mark scheme
Cambridge AS & A Level Information Technology (9626), Paper 1 Theory, May/June 2023. Read both free below, or download them. Done the paper? Get it marked by AI against this mark scheme.
A student has been asked by her sociology teacher to produce a study of the average number of family members in the local area.
(a) Give reasons why using an Electoral Register as an indirect data source would not produce the data required by the study.
…… [5]
(b) Apart from the Electoral Register, give an example of another indirect data source.
…… [1]
Mark scheme
1(a) Five from: 5
It would now be used for a different purpose to that for which it was
originally collected (1)
Electoral register only shows adults (accept does not show children) (1)
Only shows people who are registered to vote (1)
The data on the electoral register might be out of date//not have been
updated (1) ...
… people on the electoral register might no longer live in the area (1)
… people new to the area might not be included (1)
… new homes may have been built (1)
… people may have died (1)
Not all people who live at the same address are from the same family (1)
1(b) Award ONE mark for ANY indirect data source: 1
e.g.
Businesses collecting personal information when used by third parties (1)
Census (data) (1)
A newspaper (1)
An encyclopedia (1)
Medical records (1)
Museum archive (1)
Explain what is meant by symmetric encryption.
…… [5]
Mark scheme
2 Five from: 5
One mark for a description of encryption (1)
Often called secret key encryption (1)
Uses a single/the same key (to decrypt/encrypt the data) (1)
Any awareness that it is a private key (1)
This (private/secret) key must be shared between the sender and the
receiver (1)
The encryption key is sent to the recipient (1)
Many credit card purchases use online processing, whereas customer bills tend to be produced using batch processing.
Describe the differences between online processing and batch processing systems.
…… [5]
Mark scheme
3 Five from: 5
MAX three if only batch processing OR online processing discussed.
Data is grouped into batches (in batch processing) (1)
With online processing, data is processed as quickly as possible (1)
With batch processing there is a delay between the collection of data and
the actual processing (1)
With batch processing, the data is entered and processed altogether in
one batch by the computer (1)
With online processing the user tends to be in direct communication with
a central computer (1)
Online systems require more hardware/input devices/workstations than
batch processing systems (1)
Batch processing uses very little processing time compared to online
processing (1)
In online processing errors are revealed immediately (1)
(whereas) Errors in batch processing errors are revealed much later/only
when processing takes place/overnight/when batch process is
complete (1)
Batch processing can be done when the system is not busy//scheduled to
a specific time (1)
(whereas) online processing has to be active for the whole day (1)
For batch processing, data is only accurate at the time of processing (1)
(whereas) online processing, the data is accurate all the time.
Some individuals post personal data on social media or in emails.
Discuss why personal data needs to be kept confidential.
…… [8]
Mark scheme
4 Eight from: 8
(because) It is sensitive information about yourself (1)
an example of personal data that could be given (1) plus how this would
be detrimental//how used to (e.g.) gain (your) trust (1)
Fraudsters could use the data to:
e.g.
commit identity theft (1) to (e.g.) buy products (may exemplify) (1)
get past bank security (1st) withdraw large sums of money from bank
accounts (1) (for this second mark accept any situation where identity
could be proven by details shared online – credit card/inheritance etc)
By sharing (e.g.) phone number may lead to phishing (1)
Burglars could use the data to
e.g.
target homes of people who announce they are going on away from their
home (holiday etc) (1)
Employers could
e.g.
use comments about politics/religion/their current job//embarrassing
photos to decide on future job opportunities (accept any example of an
area of opinion, but must be at least one stated) (1)
Insurers/employers could
e.g.
make decisions based on evidence of risky/dangerous activities (may
exemplify about decisions) (1)
Max. six marks if bullet list of points
A printer driver is a type of device driver.
Explain, using a printer driver as an example, what is meant by a device driver and why it is needed.
…… [5]
Mark scheme
5 Five from: 5
Four max from:
A device driver is a piece of (system) software (1)
It operates/controls a device attached to the computer (1)
Allows communication between printer and computer (1)
A device driver tells the operating system/application software how to
communicate with a hardware device (1)
A printer driver acts as an interface between the operating system/
application software and the printer (1)
When a document is to be printed the application tells the printer driver
and the printer driver tells the printer (1)
The user appears to have control of the device (1)
Upon installation it detects and identifies the peripheral device (1)
Handles the translation of requests between a device and the
computer (1)
Defines where outgoing data must be stored before it can be sent (1)
Two max from:
Without the required (printer) driver the printer fails to work (1)
The software used by a computer tends to be created by different
companies to those that manufacture printers (1)
Computers (may) use software which uses a different type of
language/instruction set to the printer (1)
The printer driver is needed to convert the language/instruction set so
that the software is able to communicate with the hardware (1)
Sensors are used in monitoring and control to measure physical variables.
(a) Describe these sensors. For each sensor, explain how it could be used in a control system.
Each system must be different.
Infrared ……
Ultrasonic ……
[4]
(b) Control technologies are replacing human-controlled car park barriers and timer-controlled traffic lights.
Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of the use of control technologies in these scenarios.
…… [8]
Mark scheme
6(a) Infrared 4
Detects heat (1)
Turns infrared electromagnetic waves into an electrical signal (1)
e.g.
Used in a burglar alarm – accept any reasonable use (1)
Ultrasonic
Detects sound (1)
Turns sound waves into an electrical signal (1)
e.g.
It is used in automated car parking//reversing system (1)
Measure distance (1)
6(b) Advantages MAX five from 8
Increased employment for technicians needed to maintain the
systems//maintenance (1) and programmers to program the systems (1)
(May also be used as a disadvantage - Award ONCE only)
Data is processed more quickly (1)
Reaction times of control technologies is much faster (1)
Computer-controlled traffic lights tend to create fewer traffic jams (1)
Computer-controlled car park barriers lead to fewer/shorter queues (at
car park entrances) (1)
Any indication of reduced day to day costs (may be exemplified – e.g. ‘no
need to pay anyone to do the job’) (1)
System can operate 24 hours a day//the whole/all day//continuously
… (1)
… without needing to pay overtime (1)
The readings/inputs taken by computers are more reliable/accurate than
human readings ... (1)
... the number of car park spaces are more accurately calculated (1)
Disadvantages MAX five from
Has increased unemployment for car park attendants (1) (Converse
answer may also be given as an advantage – Award ONCE only)
The number of new jobs created tends to be far fewer than the number of
old jobs lost (1)
(Control systems) can be expensive to install/purchase (1)
A computer-controlled system will not be able to function if there is a
problem with the computer/power outage ... (1)
... leading to possible chaos at traffic lights/traffic jams (1)
... causing longer queues at car park entrances (1)
Computer maintenance costs can be expensive (1)
Sensors can deteriorate after a period of time //suffer wear and tear (1)
… whereas this would not be a problem with car park attendants (1)
Max. six marks if uses a bulleted list.
Explain why there can be a digital divide between different socioeconomic groups.
…… [5]
Mark scheme
7 Five from: 5
Different socioeconomic levels imply differing levels of (disposable)
income (1)
Different incomes/socioeconomic groups impact on what people can buy/
access/afford (1)
such as ‘things’ … (must be an extension linked to technology) (1)
such as acquisition of skills/paying for training (1)
This impacts on what people can commit to renting (1)
New equipment is costly (1)
Old equipment is not as advanced (1)
People from lower socioeconomic groups tend to have lower digital skills
(1)
No/reduced incentive for companies to develop cheaper systems ... (1)
... because the profits would be lower (1)
No/reduced incentive to provide infrastructure to poor areas …. (1)
… because reduced demand in the area (1)
Peter wants to create a database containing the details of all the books he owns and the shops he bought them from. Mary suggests that he should create a relational database. Peter will need to use normalisation.
(a) Describe what is meant by normalisation.
…… [4]
(b) Describe the benefits of creating a relational database rather than a flat file database.
…… [6]
Mark scheme
8(a) Four from: 4
One mark for identification of any three forms (1)
A method of organising data tables (1)
Attempts to avoid data loss (1)
Attempts to avoid data redundancy//data duplication (1)
Attempts to improve/improves data base efficiency (1)
Breaks data from non-atomic structure to atomic//description of
atomisation (takes an example of non-atomic data and states how it
becomes atomic) (1)
Breaks data into smaller/other units/tables of data (1)
The units/tables are related to each other (may exemplify) (1)
Only related data is stored in a table (1)
It is an iterative process// It is a multi-step/stage process (1)
… (where) each step/stage improves the efficiency of the database (may
be given as a standalone mark) (1)
8(b) Six from: 6
Searching a large database is quicker to locate records (1)
A relational database does not have duplicated/redundant data (1)
Uses reduced storage space (DNA ‘memory’) (1)
When data in one field of a table is modified the data in the corresponding
field//related field is updated (1)
Integrity constraints ensure that table relationships are/remain valid (1)
It is easier to maintain security of data (1)
Use of related tables reduces need for (as much) data entry (1)
Reduced chance of data entry errors (1)
Easier for users to produce reports (1)
A doctor uses an expert system to help the doctor diagnose the illnesses of her patients.
Explain how an expert system is used to help the doctor produce the diagnosis of an illness. You may assume only forward chaining is involved.
…… [8]
Mark scheme
9 Eight from: 8
Identification of three of:
knowledge base,
explanation system,
knowledge base editor,
inference engine,
user interface,
rules base (1)
Inference engine is able to find possible diagnoses by using a form of
reasoning (1)
The inference engine uses the data or facts in the knowledge base to
reason through the symptoms (1)
(User interface/expert) system asks questions/for symptoms about the
illness (1)
Answers//symptoms/required data are typed in (1)
Inference engine compares symptoms to those in the knowledge base (1)
Any awareness of use of IF…THEN… rules/comparisons//rules base
consists of IF…THEN rules… (If and THEN both used in the answer) (1)
Searches the inference rules to find one where the IF statement is known
to be true (1)
If answer not found, further questions are asked (1)
When such a rule is found, the inference engine uses the 'THEN' part
… (1)
… to find the illness (1)
Possible/suggested/a range of diagnoses are output (to user
interface) (1)
Explanation system produces reasons for suggestions/diagnoses (1)
Reasons for suggestions output using the user interface (1)
Doctor can choose to use or reject answer (1)
Gustav has started to write an algorithm using pseudocode. It will input 6 numbers, all less than
1000, and output the smallest value.
Complete the algorithm using pseudocode.
count 0 smallest 1000
WHILE count < 6
…… [6]
Mark scheme
10 Six marks available 6
count ←0
smallest←1000
WHILE count < 6
INPUT number
IF number < smallest
THEN
smallest ← number
ENDIF
count← count+1
ENDWHILE
PRINT smallest
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Where can I find the 9626/12 May/June 2023 mark scheme?+
On this page, free: the mark scheme for AS & A Level Information Technology 9626/12, May/June 2023 (9626_s23_ms_12), and the question paper (9626_s23_qp_12), to read or download, with each question's marking points written out underneath.
How many marks is 9626/12 out of?+
Information Technology 9626/12 for May/June 2023 is out of 70 marks, with 1 hour 45 minutes to answer it.
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Yes. Upload your answers to 9626/12/M/J/23 as a PDF or photos, and CIE Buddy marks every question against this paper's official mark scheme, using Cambridge's marking rules. You get your score, each lost mark explained on your own script, and the topics to revise. It's a guide, not an official Cambridge grade.