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Comp 100: Introduction To Computer Applications December 2009 Question Paper

Comp 100: Introduction To Computer Applications December 2009 

Course:Bachelor Of Education Science

Institution: Kabarak University question papers

Exam Year:2009



COURSE CODE: COMP 100
COURSE TITLE: INTRODUCTION TO COMPUTER APPLICATIONS

STREAM: Y1S1
INSTRUCTIONS:
Section A is compulsory and has 30 (marks). Attempt any TWO questions from Section
B. Each question has 20 (marks).

SECTION A

QUESTION 1

a) Copy and complete the following sentences by placing the word Micro, Mainframe,
or Peripheral in the correct space.
i) Martha purchased a _______ computer to help her keep accounts
for her small shop. (1 mark)
ii) A _______ computer is more powerful than a _______ computer and thus may
have more _______ devices connected to it. (3 marks)
iii) _______computers often have multi access systems but most _______ computers
are for single users. (2 marks)
iv) A laptop computer is a portable _______ computer. (1 mark)

b) Both magnetic floppy disks and optical CD RW disks may need to be formatted
before use.
i) Explain what the term ‘formatted’ means. (1 marks)
ii) Give a reason why optical disks have replaced 1.44MB magnetic floppy disks.
(1 marks)
iii) Give the name of another modern portable storage device and state ONE
advantage of this device. (2 marks)
c) All staff that use an organizations network have their own login names and passwords.
A new member of staff was given the following advice. “Write your login name and
password on a post-it note and stick it on the rim of your monitor so that you don’t
forget it”.
i) State why this is not good ‘advice’. (1 marks)
ii) Give THREE brief, but more appropriate pieces of advice about choosing a
password and login name, and keeping them confidential. (3 marks)

d) i) What is a computer virus? (1 marks)
ii) State TWO ways that computer viruses are spread. (2 marks)
iii) What should a computer user do to protect his/her software from virus infection?
(3 marks) Page 3 of 5

e) A secretary entered student enrolment records to the database. The person who
designed the entry screen did not use drop-down boxes and all data was entered using
a keyboard. The main validation checks are; presence or not blank, field length,
character, format or picture, reasonableness, check-digit. State which of the above
checks is the most appropriate to identify the error in each of the following
circumstances.

i) Course code entered as 8CSFD instead of ICSFD ` (1 mark)

ii) A student’s name omitted from a customer database record. (1 mark)
iii) Gender entered as female instead of F (1 mark)
iv) Date of birth entered as 11/28/1985 instead of 28/11/1985 (1 mark)
v) Date of birth entered as 23/01/2009 instead of 23/01/1979 (1 mark)

f) Copy and complete the table below.

Task Appropriate module of the integrated package
Writing a letter
Drawing a graph
Keeping records
Do a presentation
(4 marks)


SECTION B – Attempt any TWO questions

QUESTION 2

When a stand-alone computer is purchased essential software is supplied. The
software items supplied include an operating system, several utilities, a user interface and
a screen saver.
a) State FOUR tasks of the operating system. (4 marks)
b) One of the utilities formats blank disks (prepares disks for use with a particular
operating system). State TWO other utility that might be provided. (2 marks)
c) What is a Graphics User Interface (GUI)? (2 marks)
d) Why is a GUI easier to learn than a command driven interface? (2 marks) Page 4 of 5

e) Differentiate between
i) Multiprogramming and multiprocessing. (2 marks)
ii) System software and application software. (2 marks)
iii) Bespoke and off-the-shelf. (2 marks)
f) Give four features of a user friendly system. (4 marks)


QUESTION 3
a) Compute the following:
i) 9876510 to X2
ii) DFB4.456F to X8
iii) 734.2348 + D7FB.0AF16 + 1110111.11012
iv) 8756.842510 to X16
v) 8.62510 to X16 (10 marks)

b) i) Multiply 342.3258 by 24.3418
ii) Divide 1110001101112 by 1012
iii) Subtract BD0.F216 from FCB.7816 (6 marks)

c) What negative numbers do the following bits represent?
i) 111000101100.101 (2C)
ii) 111000101100.101 (1C) (4 marks)


QUESTION 4
Network topology describes the way computers are connected together to form a
network.

a) For EACH of the following network topologies, draw and label a diagram that clearly
shows the topology.
i) Ring Network. (3 marks)
ii) Star Network. (3 marks)
iii) Bus Network. (3 marks)


Page 5 of 5

b) For EACH topology, state ONE advantage and ONE disadvantage.
i) Ring Network. (2 marks)
ii) Star Network. (2 marks)
iii) Bus Network. (2 marks)
c) Communication channels may be simplex, duplex or half duplex. Explain how these
differ. (5 marks)

QUESTION 5

a) Some examining boards use online marking. Candidates’ scripts are scanned and
digital images of the responses are stored on a database at the board headquarters.
Examiners connect their home PCs to the Board’s database via the Internet. A digital
image of a candidate’s answer is displayed on the examiner’s screen and the examiner
enters the mark the candidate has scored.
i) What is the Internet? (2 marks)
ii) What is a web browser? Give an example. (2 marks)
iii) What is a search? Give an example. (2 marks)
ii) What device is needed to connect a PC to the Internet using a telephone line?
(1 mark)
iii) Explain how the boards can ensure that only examiners have online access
to candidates’ answers. (2 marks)
iv) The examiners must use a broadband channel as they receive many digital
images from the board’s computer.
A) What is a broadband channel? (2 marks)
B) Explain why a broadband channel is necessary. (2 marks)
v) Examiners need to install a special software pack on their PC. The required
setup programs occupy about 100Mb of storage. Suggest a suitable storage
medium these could be sent to examiners by post. Give a reason for your
answer. (3 marks)

b) This method of examination marking is a type of Client-Server computing. Multiple
servers and a distributed database are used
i) Explain what is meant by a distributed database. (2 marks)
ii) State ONE disadvantage and ONE advantage of distributed databases.
(2 marks)






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