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S1 ICT: Computer System Components, Hardware and Software (Paper 2: intermediate)
S1 ICT: Computer System Components, Hardware and Software (Paper 2: intermediate)
This paper drills the three easily mixed pairs together: RAM against disk, system against application software, and ROM against RAM. Ask whether the data survives a power cut and the answer usually appears.
Direct answers For numerical questions, write the conversion step before the answer so the reasoning is visible when marked.
01 Paper details (check answers afterwards)
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Questions | 10 |
| Suggested time | 20 |
| Difficulty mix | Foundation 3 · Intermediate 3 · Challenge 3 · Error redo 1 |
| Chapter | Chapter: S1 ICT: Computer System Components, Hardware and Software |
| Level | S1 ICT |
02 Questions (10 items)
- FoundationHow many GB are there in a 1.5 TB hard disk?
- FoundationA 512 MB folder holds files of 4 MB each; how many files fit?
- FoundationWhat are the two features of ROM?
- IntermediateWhat does a 64 bit operating system mean?
- IntermediateIs a driver hardware or software, and what does it do?
- IntermediateA 16 GB memory card holds photos of 8 MB each; what is the maximum number?
- ChallengeCompared with RAM, how fast and how large is cache memory?
- ChallengeHow should the speed of a quad core 2.5 GHz computer be understood?
- ChallengeAfter fitting an SSD, start-up falls from 30 seconds to 10 seconds; what percentage faster is that?
- Error redoA student lists Windows as application software. What is wrong?
03 Answers and one-line notes
| # | Answer | One-line note |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 536 GB. | 1.5 times 1 024 equals 1 536, and the factor from TB to GB is also 1 024. |
| 2 | 128 files. | 512 divided by 4 equals 128, and no conversion is needed when the units already match. |
| 3 | It can only be read and it keeps its data when the power goes off. | That is why the start-up instructions live in ROM and are available at every boot. |
| 4 | It can handle 64 bits of data at a time and can address more than 4 GB of RAM. | A 32 bit system is limited to roughly 4 GB, which is the usual limit people hit when upgrading. |
| 5 | It is software that lets the operating system control one particular device. | A new printer needs its own driver or the system cannot recognise it. |
| 6 | 2 048 photos. | 16 times 1 024 divided by 8 equals 2 048, and the count grows in proportion to capacity. |
| 7 | Faster than RAM but smaller in capacity. | Cache holds the most frequently used instructions so the CPU does not fetch from RAM every time. |
| 8 | Each core runs at 2.5 GHz, and the four cores cannot be written as 10 GHz in total. | Multiplying 4 by 2.5 gives 10 as a sum of core clocks, but real speed depends on whether the program uses several cores. |
| 9 | About 66.7 percent. | 30 minus 10 divided by 30 equals 0.667, and the saving is measured against the original time. |
| 10 | It confuses system software with application software. | Windows manages hardware and provides a platform, so it is system software, while Word is application software. |
04 What to do after marking
- After marking, redo only the wrong items and write down which step went wrong (formula, unit, or misread number).
- Repeat the same item two days later; move to the next paper only when both attempts are correct.
- Parents only need the answer and note columns; there is no need to explain every item.
Keep three pairs apart: RAM versus hard disk (temporary versus long term), system software versus application software (platform versus task), and ROM versus RAM (kept or lost when power goes off). For classification, ask whether the data survives a power cut.Tutor Registration →
Questions and answers are written originally by the TutorZone team and are not taken from any school, publisher or examination authority paper. Every value is checked by computer.