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Computer Organisation · CAPE Computer Science Unit 1

66 past-paper questions on Computer Organisation, part of Computer Architecture and Organisation, from every CAPE Computer Science Unit 1 paper on Quelpr.

Practise Computer Organisation
  1. 1(d)4 marks· CAPE Computer Science Unit 1 · 2005 · Paper 2Explain TWO reasons why compression utilities are useful.
  2. 2(b)3 marks· CAPE Computer Science Unit 1 · 2005 · Paper 2Explain the role of the 'user interface' in an operating system.
  3. 2(a)2 marks· CAPE Computer Science Unit 1 · 2006 · Paper 1Explain what is meant by a computer's 'instruction set'.
  4. 2(b)(i)1 mark· CAPE Computer Science Unit 1 · 2006 · Paper 1Give an example of client software.
  5. 2(b)(ii)2 marks· CAPE Computer Science Unit 1 · 2006 · Paper 1Explain the primary function or purpose of the client software identified in 2(b)(i).
  6. 2(b)(iii)3 marks· CAPE Computer Science Unit 1 · 2006 · Paper 1Explain how the corresponding server software operates in tandem with the specified client software.
  7. 2(c)2 marks· CAPE Computer Science Unit 1 · 2006 · Paper 1Define and explain what constitutes a peer-to-peer network.
  8. 3(a)4 marks· CAPE Computer Science Unit 1 · 2006 · Paper 1Describe two typical functions or features provided by disk management software included with operating systems.
  9. 3(b)2 marks· CAPE Computer Science Unit 1 · 2006 · Paper 1Explain what the term 'memory management' signifies in the context of operating systems.
  10. 3(c)(i)2 marks· CAPE Computer Science Unit 1 · 2006 · Paper 1Explain the term 'multitasking' and provide an illustrative example.
  11. 4(a)6 marks· CAPE Computer Science Unit 1 · 2006 · Paper 1Explain three standard features typically offered by a network operating system (NOS).
  12. 4(b)4 marks· CAPE Computer Science Unit 1 · 2006 · Paper 1Describe two system utilities present in system software, aside from disk management software.
  13. 5(a)(i)2 marks· CAPE Computer Science Unit 1 · 2006 · Paper 1Explain one way in which an extranet is similar to the Internet.
  14. 5(a)(ii)2 marks· CAPE Computer Science Unit 1 · 2006 · Paper 1Explain one way in which an extranet differs from the Internet.
  15. 1(d)(i)3 marks· CAPE Computer Science Unit 1 · 2008 · Paper 2Describe and give ONE example of systems software.
  16. 1(d)(ii)3 marks· CAPE Computer Science Unit 1 · 2008 · Paper 2Describe and give ONE example of application software.
  17. 1(e)(i)4 marks· CAPE Computer Science Unit 1 · 2008 · Paper 2Explain what deadlocks are, and describe an example of where a deadlock can occur in an operating system.
  18. 1(e)(iii)4 marks· CAPE Computer Science Unit 1 · 2008 · Paper 2Describe TWO functions that a typical disk management utility should be able to perform.
  19. 2(a)(i)1 mark· CAPE Computer Science Unit 1 · 2008 (second paper) · Paper 2State the type of network configuration/topology being utilized by this department.
  20. 2(a)(ii)1 mark· CAPE Computer Science Unit 1 · 2008 (second paper) · Paper 2State the term used to designate the twelfth central computer.
  21. 2(a)(iii)4 marks· CAPE Computer Science Unit 1 · 2008 (second paper) · Paper 2Sketch and label the network identified in (a)(i), clearly showing connections among the workstations or nodes.
  22. 2(a)(iv)3 marks· CAPE Computer Science Unit 1 · 2008 (second paper) · Paper 2Explain TWO scenarios that would cause this network to fail.
  23. 2(a)(v)8 marks· CAPE Computer Science Unit 1 · 2008 (second paper) · Paper 2Sketch TWO other network topologies, and discuss ONE advantage and ONE disadvantage of EACH.
  24. 2(b)(i)2 marks· CAPE Computer Science Unit 1 · 2008 (second paper) · Paper 2Define the term 'networking protocol'.
  25. 2(b)(ii)1 mark· CAPE Computer Science Unit 1 · 2008 (second paper) · Paper 2Identify the networking protocol that can be used to retrieve the file.
  26. 2(b)(iii)8 marks· CAPE Computer Science Unit 1 · 2008 (second paper) · Paper 2Explain how the protocol identified in (b)(ii) functions to download/retrieve the file.
  27. 2(c)2 marks· CAPE Computer Science Unit 1 · 2008 (second paper) · Paper 2Explain the role of a router.
  28. 2(a)(i)2 marks· CAPE Computer Science Unit 1 · 2009 · Paper 2Explain what is meant by the term: Word size.
  29. 2(a)(ii)2 marks· CAPE Computer Science Unit 1 · 2009 · Paper 2Explain what is meant by the term: Cache memory.
  30. 2(a)(iii)2 marks· CAPE Computer Science Unit 1 · 2009 · Paper 2Explain what is meant by the term: Clock speed.
  31. 2(c)(i)2 marks· CAPE Computer Science Unit 1 · 2009 · Paper 2Define the terms 'instruction set' and 'instruction format'.
  32. 2(c)(ii)3 marks· CAPE Computer Science Unit 1 · 2009 · Paper 2State THREE types of instructions typically included in an instruction set.
  33. 2(c)(iii)3 marks· CAPE Computer Science Unit 1 · 2009 · Paper 2Suppose 16 bits are used to represent instructions in a computer. Using a diagram, explain how a 2-address instruction can be formatted using the 16 available bits.
  34. 2(c)(iv)5 marks· CAPE Computer Science Unit 1 · 2009 · Paper 2Describe what happens during a typical instruction cycle, assuming direct addressing is used.
  35. 2(b)(i)2 marks· CAPE Computer Science Unit 1 · 2010 · Paper 2Explain how cache memory works.
  36. 2(b)(ii)2 marks· CAPE Computer Science Unit 1 · 2010 · Paper 2Explain ONE benefit of cache memory.
  37. 2(c)(i)2 marks· CAPE Computer Science Unit 1 · 2010 · Paper 2Explain what is meant by the 'instruction set' of a central processing unit.
  38. 2(c)(ii)3 marks· CAPE Computer Science Unit 1 · 2010 · Paper 2State THREE types of instructions that are typically included in an instruction set.
  39. 2(c)(iii)6 marks· CAPE Computer Science Unit 1 · 2010 · Paper 2Using a diagram in EACH case, describe THREE typical instruction formats that differ in the number of addresses contained.
  40. 2(c)(iv)4 marks· CAPE Computer Science Unit 1 · 2010 · Paper 2Describe the MAIN activities that take place in an instruction cycle.
  41. 2(a)6 marks· CAPE Computer Science Unit 1 · 2011 · Paper 2Name and state the function of THREE registers found in the Central Processing Unit (CPU).
  42. 2(c)4 marks· CAPE Computer Science Unit 1 · 2011 · Paper 2Besides registers, name TWO other components in the CPU and state the function of EACH.
  43. 2(d)4 marks· CAPE Computer Science Unit 1 · 2011 · Paper 2Define the term 'cache memory' and explain how it increases the efficiency of data retrieval.
  44. 2(e)(i)1 mark· CAPE Computer Science Unit 1 · 2011 · Paper 2State what is an 'instruction format'.
  45. 2(e)(ii)4 marks· CAPE Computer Science Unit 1 · 2011 · Paper 2Name and describe TWO addressing modes.
  46. 2(a)(i)2 marks· CAPE Computer Science Unit 1 · 2012 · Paper 2Explain what is meant by the 'instruction set' of a central processing unit (CPU).
  47. 2(a)(ii)6 marks· CAPE Computer Science Unit 1 · 2012 · Paper 2Briefly describe THREE types of instructions that are typically included in an instruction set.
  48. 2(a)(iii)3 marks· CAPE Computer Science Unit 1 · 2012 · Paper 2Explain how cache memory can increase the efficiency of data retrieval.
  49. 2(b)(i)2 marks· CAPE Computer Science Unit 1 · 2012 · Paper 2Distinguish between the opcode and the operands of an instruction.
  50. 2(b)(ii)6 marks· CAPE Computer Science Unit 1 · 2012 · Paper 2Two typical instruction formats are one-address and two-address. Describe how the operands are obtained in EACH case and specify where the results are stored.
  51. 2(d)(i)2 marks· CAPE Computer Science Unit 1 · 2013 · Paper 2Explain what is meant by the 'instruction set' of a computer.
  52. 2(d)(ii)6 marks· CAPE Computer Science Unit 1 · 2013 · Paper 2State THREE types of instructions typically present in an instruction set and give ONE example of EACH type.
  53. 2(d)(iii)2 marks· CAPE Computer Science Unit 1 · 2013 · Paper 2Briefly explain the term 'direct addressing'.
  54. 2(e)6 marks· CAPE Computer Science Unit 1 · 2013 · Paper 2Explain how the 'fetch', 'decode', 'execute' cycle works in a computer.
  55. 2(a)5 marks· CAPE Computer Science Unit 1 · 2014 · Paper 2Describe the THREE main activities that take place in an instruction cycle, stating the correct order.
  56. 2(b)(ii)4 marks· CAPE Computer Science Unit 1 · 2014 · Paper 2Give TWO reasons why registers are included in the CPU of a computer.
  57. 2(a)6 marks· CAPE Computer Science Unit 1 · 2015 · Paper 2Describe TWO primary functions of the CPU, including a definition of the CPU in your description.
  58. 2(b)(i)1 mark· CAPE Computer Science Unit 1 · 2015 · Paper 2State the purpose of the 'fetch' operation.
  59. 2(b)(ii)2 marks· CAPE Computer Science Unit 1 · 2015 · Paper 2State the purpose of the 'decode' and 'execute' operations.
  60. 2(b)(iii)1 mark· CAPE Computer Science Unit 1 · 2015 · Paper 2Define the term 'instruction set'.
  61. 2(c)(ii)4 marks· CAPE Computer Science Unit 1 · 2015 · Paper 2Explain ONE advantage and ONE disadvantage for each of the two purchasing options: Option 1 (large cache, small RAM) and Option 2 (large RAM, small cache).
  62. 2(d)(i)1 mark· CAPE Computer Science Unit 1 · 2015 · Paper 2State the collective purpose of CPU registers.
  63. 2(d)(ii)6 marks· CAPE Computer Science Unit 1 · 2015 · Paper 2Name THREE CPU registers and describe the function of each.
  64. 1(c)2 marks· CAPE Computer Science Unit 1 · 2016 · Paper 2Define the term 'program counter'.
  65. 2(c)3 marks· CAPE Computer Science Unit 1 · 2016 · Paper 2Define the term 'clock speed' in relation to a processor, and give TWO examples of CPU clock speeds using different units of measure.
  66. 2(f)3 marks· CAPE Computer Science Unit 1 · 2016 · Paper 2Write a sequence of processor instructions to perform a mathematical calculation, including THREE different instructions.

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