9608_w17_qp_32
A paper of Computer Science, 9608
Questions:
6
Year:
2017
Paper:
3
Variant:
2
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1
A Local Area Network (LAN) consists of three computers, one server and a router connected to the Internet. The LAN uses a bus topology. Complete the following diagram to show how the computers, the server and the router could be connected. Router Internet Computer A Computer B Computer C Server There are four statements in the following table. For each statement, place a tick (3) in the appropriate column to indicate whether it is true or false. Statement True False The server can send packets to Computer B and the router at the same time. Computer C uses the IP address of a web server to send a request for a web page on the web server. Computer B can read a packet sent from Computer A to Computer C. The server can read all incoming packets from the Internet. The user on Computer A and the user on Computer B are both using the Internet at the same time. On a few occasions, Computer A and Computer B start transmitting packets to the router at exactly the same time. This causes a problem called a collision. Explain what is meant by a collision in this context. As a result of the collision, both Computer A and Computer B stop transmitting. Computer A must carry out a number of steps to ensure the successful transmission of its packet. Give two of the steps. Step 1 Step 2 The LAN topology is redesigned. Describe the changes that could be made to the LAN topology to overcome the problem identified in part . Explain how the redesign has overcome the problem.
3. Advanced Theory  →  3.2. Communication and Internet technologies
1. Theory Fundamentals  →  1.2. Communication and Internet technologies
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2
The following diagram shows four descriptions and two types of processor. Draw lines to connect each description to the appropriate type of processor. Description Type of processor It has a simplified set of instructions. Emphasis is on the hardware rather than the software. CISC It makes extensive use of general purpose registers. RISC Many instruction formats are available. In a RISC processor, instructions are processed using pipelining. Explain what is meant by pipelining. The following table shows the five stages that occur when instructions are fetched and executed. The table also shows a number of time intervals. Two instructions, D followed by E, are fetched and executed. The ‘E’ in the incomplete table shows that instruction E has been fetched in time interval 2. Complete each row of the table. Time interval Stage Fetch instruction E Read registers and decode instruction Execute instruction Access operand in memory Write result to register The instruction set for a RISC processor that allows pipelining includes the following instruction. Instruction Explanation Op code Operands ADD , , Add the integers in registers op1 and op2. Place the result in register dest. A program contains the following three instructions. ADD r3, r2, r1 ADD r5, r4, r3 ADD r10, r9, r8 Explain why pipelining fails for the first two instructions. The instructions were produced by a compiler after translation of a high-level language program. The compiler is not capable of code optimisation. State how the code from the compiler could have been optimised to overcome the problem in part .
1. Theory Fundamentals  →  1.4. Processor fundamentals
3. Advanced Theory  →  3.3. Hardware
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3
This diagram shows how applications P, Q and a software development environment can be run on a virtual machine system. Application P Application Q Software development environment A operating system 1 Virtual machine software / virtual machine monitor B operating system Hardware A operating system 2 State the operating systems labelled A and B in the diagram. A B Application P is executing and requests data from a file. Describe what happens after A operating system 1 has received the data request from the application. A software development company uses virtual machines to produce software. State one benefit to the company. Explain two limitations of this approach. Limitation 1 Limitation 2
3. Advanced Theory  →  3.4. System software
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4
The following syntax diagrams for a particular programming language show the syntax of: • an unsigned number • an unsigned integer • a digit. Unsigned integer Unsigned number . Unsigned integer Digit Unsigned integer Digit Explain why 32 is a valid unsigned integer. Explain why 32.5 is a valid unsigned number. Complete the Backus-Naur Form (BNF) for the syntax diagrams shown. ::= ::= ::= The format of an unsigned number is amended to include numbers with possible exponents. If an unsigned number has an exponent, then the exponent part: • will start with an ‘E’ • be followed by an optional ‘+’ or ‘−’ sign • and be completed by an unsigned integer. Examples of unsigned numbers with exponents include: 3E2, 3E+3, 3E−32, 3.45E−2 Redraw the syntax diagram for unsigned number to include numbers that might have exponents. Use your syntax diagram from part to write the BNF for an unsigned number to include numbers with exponents. ::=
2. Fundamental Problem-solving and Programming Skills  →  2.3. Programming
1. Theory Fundamentals  →  1.1. Information representation
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5
Complete the truth table for this NOR gate: A B X A B X A SR flip-flop is constructed using two NOR gates. R Q S Q Complete the truth table for the SR flip-flop: S R Q Q Initially S changed to 0 R changed to 1 R changed to 0 S and R changed to 1 Another type of flip-flop is the JK flip-flop. The JK flip-flop is an improvement on the SR flip-flop. The JK flip-flop has three inputs. Two of the inputs are the Set (J) and the Reset (K). State the third input. There are two problems with the SR flip-flop that the JK flip-flop overcomes. State each problem and state why it does not occur for the JK flip-flop. Problem 1 Problem 2
3. Advanced Theory  →  3.3. Hardware
1. Theory Fundamentals  →  1.3. Hardware
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6
The environment in a very large greenhouse is managed by a computer system. The system uses a number of different sensors that include temperature sensors. In addition, the system controls a number of heaters, windows and sprinklers. State one other type of sensor that could be used with this system. Justify your choice. Sensor Justification Describe why feedback is important in this system. The system makes use of a number of parameters. These parameters are used in the code that runs the system. State one of the parameters used in controlling the temperature in the greenhouse. Explain how the parameter identified in part is used in the feedback process. There are eight temperature sensors numbered 1 to 8. Readings from these sensors are stored in four 16-bit memory locations. The memory locations have addresses from 4000 to 4003. Each memory location stores two sensor readings as two unsigned binary integers. Sensor 1 reading is stored in bits 8 to 15 of address 4000; Sensor 2 reading is stored in bits 0 to 7 of address 4000 and so on. The diagram shows that the current sensor 1 reading has a value of 97. Give the denary value of the current reading for Sensor 5. The following table shows part of the instruction set for a processor. The processor has one general purpose register, the Accumulator (ACC). Instruction Explanation Op code Operand LDD Direct addressing. Load the contents of the location at the given address to ACC. AND #n Bitwise AND operation of the contents of ACC with the operand. AND Bitwise AND operation of the contents of ACC with the contents of . XOR #n Bitwise XOR operation of the contents of ACC with the operand. XOR Bitwise XOR operation of the contents of ACC with the contents of . OR #n Bitwise OR operation of the contents of ACC with the operand. OR Bitwise OR operation of the contents of ACC with the contents of . can be an absolute address or a symbolic address. LSL #n Bits in ACC are shifted n places to the left. Zeros are introduced on the right hand end. LSR #n Bits in ACC are shifted n places to the right. Zeros are introduced on the left hand end. The reading for Sensor 5 is used in a calculation. The calculation is carried out by two assembly language instructions. The first instruction loads the contents of the 16-bit location that contains the value for Sensor 5. The second instruction moves the bits in Sensor 5 so that the 16-bit value is the value of Sensor 5. Complete the two instructions in the following code. Use the instruction set provided. LDD // load the contents of the 16-bit location containing the value for Sensor 5 into the Accumulator // move the bits in the Accumulator so that the Accumulator stores the value of Sensor 5 as an unsigned 16-bit binary integer
1. Theory Fundamentals  →  1.4. Processor fundamentals
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