Information Technology 9626/13 October/November 2025: question paper and mark scheme

Mark scheme

1(a) One from: 1 • Data is raw facts (1) • Data has no meaning (1) • Data is unprocessed/unorganised (1) • No context (1) 1(b) One from: 1 • Information is data with meaning (1) • Information is data in context (1)

Mark scheme

2(a) Three from: 3 • She will be able to provide a better quality of service (1) • She will have better quality information about her patients (1) • She can get exactly the data she wants//can ask follow-up questions//concept of relevancy (1) • Data is more reliable/trustworthy//she knows where it came from (1) • Data is more up to date (1) • Data only relates to the sample/patient that she want/collects from (1) 2(b) Three from: 3 • No organisation of data (1) • No pre-analysis of data (1) • Requires access to the source//patient is needed (1) • Prone to human error (1) • May suffer from bias (1) • May require specialised equipment (1) • No peer review (1)

Mark scheme

3(a) Two from: 2 • The unauthorised person phones the victim pretending it is a call from the bank (1st) - The unauthorised person claims that there is an issue/peril/fault with the victim’s account (1) - The unauthorised person persuades the victim to give them their details (1) - The unauthorised person convinces/tricks the victim into believing they are talking to a real bank (candidate may exemplify) (1) 3(b) Two from: 2 • Do not answer the phone to unknown numbers (1) • Do not give login/personal details (over the phone) (1) • Contact the bank with a different device (1) • Contact the bank on a known number (1) • Block the number (via phone settings/provider) (1) • Report the call (to phone provider/bank) (1) • Do not use any phone number provided by the caller (1)

Mark scheme

4(a) One from: 1 • A database/store of facts and a rules base (1) 4(b) Four from: 4 • Knowledge base holds facts (1) gathered from an expert (1) • Knowledge base holds rules (1) that are used to interrogate the facts (1) • It is interrogated by the inference engine (1st) - Using relevant rules//rules that apply (1) • The rules base includes IF…THEN rules (1)

Mark scheme

5(a) Two from: 2 • Sensor accuracy changes with time/use because of wear and tear from environmental circumstances/constant use (1) • Sensors might not be adapted to the required environment because the conditions can change (1) • Calibration maintains the accuracy of the sensors to ensure they produce reliable/accurate/correct readings (1) • New sensors need to be setup/calibrated to ensure they meet the appropriate requirements because they will be set to factory settings//have preset parameters (1) • Other components that are part of the system/impact on the reading may affect the reading so making it inaccurate (1) 5(b) Five from: 5 e.g. • Only one measurement point/reading with one-point calibration//with multipoint calibration at least three readings are taken (1) • One-point calibration is used with sensors that measure a single value// multipoint calibration is used with sensors that measure a range of values that have a non-linear relationship (1) • One-point calibration requires a simple calculation to take account of the error//multipoint calibration requires a complex calculation (1) • They both mitigate/reduce impact of structural errors in readings//inaccurate readings (1) • They both need to be done regularly (1) • They both compare values with known/correct/accurate measurements (1)

Mark scheme

6 Max one for: 3 • It is a type of system software/Software used by the operating system (1) Max two from: • Used by the operating system to maintain a computer/file system/add functionality (1) • It improve/optimises the computer’s performance (1) • Without utility software some devices/peripheral devices would not be available/accessible to the operating system (1) • Describing a clear specific need that is solved by a named/example of utility software (1)

Mark scheme

7(a) Two from: 2 • A query that prompts the user for an input (1) • Allows the parameter/criteria to be changed each time (1) • Allows to search based on specific parameters/criteria the user needs at any given time (1) 7(b) Three from: 3 • Efficient way to search a database (1) • Reduces the number of queries saved//number of queries through which to search (1) • Reduced file size (1) • Requires little technical knowledge by end user (1) • Allows the end user flexibility/control (1) • Saving time in not creating a new query every time (1) • It provides a user-friendly way to interact with the database (1)

Mark scheme

8(a) Max one for: 2 • It means adding tracks/audio clips (1) Max one mark for any valid reason: e.g. • Add complexity to the music/audio (1) • Adds voiceover (1) • Add extra instruments (1) • Add sound effects to match what is happening on the screen (1) 8(b) Max one for: 2 • It means boosting/reducing/changing the levels of different frequency bands (1) Max one for any valid reason: e.g. • To pick out speech from background sounds (1) • To reduce the hiss (1) • To reduce/increase identified/intrusive noise frequencies (1) • To emphasise/highlight a guitar solo in a music track (1) 8(c) Max one for: 2 • Is an effect that adds echo to a sound (may describe sound being bounced off (e.g.) walls) (1) Max one for any valid reason: e.g. • To simulate being in a different environment (e.g. cavern/concert hall) (1) • To give depth/richness to a sound (1) • To create a dramatic effect in a radio/audio play/podcast (1)

Mark scheme

9 Four from: 4 • Programmer can write in high level language (1) • Programmer does not need to code in machine code (1) • The program code will run on different computers/operating systems (1) • Only need to maintain one version of the program (1) • It is easier to debug the program//It is easier for the programmer to spot mistakes in the code (1) • An interpreter will highlight mistakes as they are found (1)

Mark scheme

10 Six from: 6 • It uses sensors and output/actuator (1 st ) - A valid example of input e.g. proximity sensors (1) - A valid example of output e.g. thrusters (1) • Real time processing occurs in a (micro-)processor (1) • It uses a process called feedback (1) • Output from the system affects the input/sensors/environment (1 st ) - Input from the sensors is used to alter the output (1) - Valid example of action e.g. Trajectory correction (1) • Description of the output/input system (as a whole) in action e.g. sensor detect object in path of rocket and fires thrusters to avoid (1) • Real time processing produces an extremely/fast response(s) (to avoid critical incidents) (1) • Real time processing runs continuously (1) • Real time processing can run autonomously (1)

Mark scheme

11 Four from: 4 • They have a short lifespan (1) • They perform consistently and reliably (concept of reliability) (1) • They have very little downtime (concept of availability) (1) • They are no more complex to maintain than other computer systems (Concept of serviceability) (1) • They can sacrifice security for faster processing//They might be more liable to attacks because of the data they contain (concept of decreased security) (1) • They have high fault tolerance (1) • They achieve very high temperatures//They require heat maintenance (1) • They have a very large number of processors/multi-core processors running in parallel (1) • Their processors are close together (in a ‘computer cluster’) (1) • They can run multiple operating systems at the same time (1) • They carry out multiple processes at the same time (1)

Mark scheme

12 Two from: 2 • Stands for millions of instructions per second. (1) • Are a unit of measurement of processing power (1) • Are used to measure mainframe performance (1)

Mark scheme

13 Max one for: 8 • Definition of computer simulation (1) Max six from: Benefits • Identified cost saving (1) • Drivers are not put in physical danger/can be safer/less risk of being hurt/no risk to life (1) • Different/extreme conditions can be simulated so no need to wait for natural occurrence (1) • Conditions/scenarios can be repeated//each simulation can be reset to same starting point/values/circumstances (1) • Simulation can be recorded for later playback/analysis (1) • Feedback can be visual overlays of previous test (1) • Real time data/telemetry produced (1) • Computer can more accurately measure performance metrics (1) • Greater number of testers could be used (1) • Testing can occur at multiple points in the development process (1) • Can try different (possible) features of the car without having to actually build it (1) Max six from: Drawbacks • Can be difficult to simulate all conditions found on roads (1) • Can be expensive to create a realistic simulation (1) • Lack of a realistic experience of the car (1) • Drivers may be more reckless in simulations because of lack of real danger (1) • Could produce phantom/ghost/erroneous problems (1) • Significant analysis/expertise may be required to make sense of data (1) Simulated scenarios may be inaccurate/wrong (1)

Mark scheme

14 Four marks for two matched group-remedy pairs: 4 e.g. Groups (1st) • Old people (1) • People in rural areas (1) • Low/different levels of education (1) • Lower socioeconomic group//people who cannot afford to purchase (1) • People with learning difficulties (1) • People with physical impairments (1) • People with sensory impairments (1) • People in less industrially developed nations (1) Remedies (1) • Education/training (1) • Drop-in centres support (1) • One to one support (1) • Invest in infrastructure (1) • Provide specialist interfaces (1) • Provide (cheap) loans/subsidies/price ceiling/free (1) • Recycling/refurbish/repurpose equipment (1)

Mark scheme

15 Four from: 4 • It is used in database design (1) • Describes the relationship between two tables (1) • It ensures that all data in a database remains consistent (1) • It ensures that it is all up to date (1) • It ensures that all foreign keys are dependent on the matching primary key (1) • Gives user a warning if they try to delete parent data (1) • Helps to reduce redundant data (1)