Cambridge International AS & A Level

COMPUTER SCIENCE 9608/31

Paper 3 Advanced Theory May/June 2021
MARK SCHEME
Maximum Mark: 75

Published

This mark scheme is published as an aid to teachers and candidates, to indicate the requirements of the
examination. It shows the basis on which Examiners were instructed to award marks. It does not indicate the
details of the discussions that took place at an Examiners’ meeting before marking began, which would have
considered the acceptability of alternative answers.

Mark schemes should be read in conjunction with the question paper and the Principal Examiner Report for
Teachers.

Cambridge International will not enter into discussions about these mark schemes.

Cambridge International is publishing the mark schemes for the May/June 2021 series for most Cambridge
IGCSE™, Cambridge International A and AS Level components and some Cambridge O Level components.

This document consists of 9 printed pages.

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Generic Marking Principles

These general marking principles must be applied by all examiners when marking candidate answers.
They should be applied alongside the specific content of the mark scheme or generic level descriptors
for a question. Each question paper and mark scheme will also comply with these marking principles.

GENERIC MARKING PRINCIPLE 1:

Marks must be awarded in line with:

• the specific content of the mark scheme or the generic level descriptors for the question
• the specific skills defined in the mark scheme or in the generic level descriptors for the question
• the standard of response required by a candidate as exemplified by the standardisation scripts.

GENERIC MARKING PRINCIPLE 2:

Marks awarded are always whole marks (not half marks, or other fractions).

GENERIC MARKING PRINCIPLE 3:

Marks must be awarded positively:

• marks are awarded for correct/valid answers, as defined in the mark scheme. However, credit
is given for valid answers which go beyond the scope of the syllabus and mark scheme,
referring to your Team Leader as appropriate
• marks are awarded when candidates clearly demonstrate what they know and can do
• marks are not deducted for errors
• marks are not deducted for omissions
• answers should only be judged on the quality of spelling, punctuation and grammar when these
features are specifically assessed by the question as indicated by the mark scheme. The
meaning, however, should be unambiguous.

GENERIC MARKING PRINCIPLE 4:

Rules must be applied consistently, e.g. in situations where candidates have not followed
instructions or in the application of generic level descriptors.

GENERIC MARKING PRINCIPLE 5:

Marks should be awarded using the full range of marks defined in the mark scheme for the question
(however; the use of the full mark range may be limited according to the quality of the candidate
responses seen).

GENERIC MARKING PRINCIPLE 6:

Marks awarded are based solely on the requirements as defined in the mark scheme. Marks should
not be awarded with grade thresholds or grade descriptors in mind.

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Question Answer Marks

1(a)(i) A – negative, mantissa starts with a one 2

B – positive mantissa starts with a zero

1(a)(ii) 1 4
A mantissa: −0.5 // –
2
A exponent: 2

B mantissa: 0.875 // 7/8

B exponent: −1

1(a)(iii) A: −2 2
B: 0.4375 // 7/16

1(b) Number: B 3
Justification: Using the mantissa
The first two bits are different // first bit 0 second bit 1

Question Answer Marks

2(a) One mark for each correct row 4

Layer Description
Handles access to services //
Application manages data exchange //
defines protocols used

Transport Handles the forwarding of packets

Handles transmission of data /routing

Internet / Network
/ IP addressing

Network Access /
Interface // Handles how data is physically sent
(Data) Link // Physical

2(b)(i) One mark for each point max two 2

• All data is (sent and received) using the same rules
• All data is (sent and received) using the same formats
• Allows communications between devices operating on different
platforms
• The communication is independent of the software used
• The communication is independent of the hardware used

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Question Answer Marks

2(b)(ii) One mark for protocol, one mark for description, one mark for use 3
For example:
Protocol: FTP// File Transfer Protocol
Purpose: To directly transfer data between two computers over a network
Use: upload and download files over the Internet

Protocol: SMTP // Simple Mail Transfer Protocol

Purpose: protocol for sending email
Use: used by mail servers to forward email messages

Protocol: POP3 //Post Office Protocol 3 // IMAP // Internet Message

Access Protocol
Purpose: mail is held for you by a remote server until you download it
Use: to receive e-mail

Protocol: BitTorrent
Purpose: protocol for peer-to-peer file sharing
Use: decentralised distribution of data

Protocol: Ethernet
Purpose: To send/receive data along a cable
Use: for local area networks

Protocol: HTTP(S)//Hypertext Transfer Protocol (Secure)

Purpose: transfer of web pages/hypertext
Use: browsing websites

Protocol: WiMAX // Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access

(AXess)
Purpose: to provide wireless broadband
Use: where there is no wired infrastructure

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Question Answer Marks

3 One mark for each point to Max 6. Max 4 for Bus, max 4 for Star 6

Bus
Max 2:
• Diagram showing bus topology
• Diagram with correct labels (e.g. Terminator, Workstation, Backbone)

Max 2:
• All nodes connected to a single cable …
• … with a terminator at each end
• Uses half duplex

Star
Max 2:
• Diagram showing star topology
• Diagram with correct labels (e.g. Server / Central Device, Workstation,
Individual Connection)

Max 2:
• All nodes connected to a central device …
• … each node has its own connection
• All data is transferred via the central device
• .. using a bi-directional connection

Question Answer Marks

4(a)(i) One mark for 2 correct, two marks for 4 correct and no other terms 2
X = P.Q.R.S + P.Q.R.S + P.Q.R.S + P.Q.R.S

4(a)(ii) Two marks for fully correct K-map 2

One mark for a K-map with one error
Zero marks for a K-map with two or more errors

PQ

00 01 11 10

00 1 0 0 0

01 0 0 1 0
RS
11 0 0 1 0

10 1 0 0 0

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Question Answer Marks

4(a)(iii) One mark for each correct loop max two 2

PQ

00 01 11 10

00 1 0 0 0

01 0 0 1 0
RS
11 0 0 1 0

10 1 0 0 0

4(a)(iv) One mark per point 2

• P.Q.S
• +P.Q.S
X = P.Q.S + P.Q.S

4(b) One mark for correct use of distributive law 2

One mark for correct use of complementary law
One mark for correct use of redundancy law
One mark for correct use of idempotent law
Max two

X = P.Q.R.S + P.Q.R.S + P.Q.R.S + P.Q.R.S

( ) (
X = P.Q.S R + R + P.Q.S R + R )
X = P.Q.S + P.Q.S // P.Q.S (1) + P.Q.S (1)

Question Answer Marks

5(a) • X is not a variable 3

• := should be = for an assignment statement
• 5 is not a valid digit

5(b) <assignment_statement> ::= 5

<variable> = <variable><operator><variable> 1
|<variable> = <variable><operator><unsigned_integer> 1
<variable> ::= <letter><letter> 1
<unsigned_integer> ::= <digit>|<digit><digit> 1
<digit>::= 1 | 2 | 3
<operator> ::= + | - | * 1

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Question Answer Marks

5(c)(i) 3

or

unsigned integer

• two letters and two digits / one unsigned integer and arrows in and out
seen
• allows for one or two letters at start
• zero, one or two digits // zero or one unsigned integer at end

5(c)(ii) Three marks for completely correct 3

Two marks for four alternatives correct
One mark for three alternatives correct
<variable> ::= <letter>
| <letter><digit>
| <letter><digit><digit>
| <letter><letter>
| <letter><letter><digit>
| <letter><letter><digit><digit>

Or

Three marks for completely correct

Two marks for three alternatives correct
One mark for two alternatives correct
<variable> ::= <letter>
| <letter><unsigned integer>
| <letter><letter>
| <letter><letter><unsigned integer>

Question Answer Marks

6(a)(i) Any four from: 4

• Asymmetric encryption / cryptography uses a matching pair of keys
• A public key (available to everyone)
• … receiver’s public key used for encrypting the message before it is
sent
• A private key (only known to the owner of the keys)
• … receiver’s private key for decrypting the message after it has been
received

6(a)(ii) Any two from: 2

• Increased message security as one key is private
• Allows message authentication
• Allows non-repudiation
• Detects tampering

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Question Answer Marks

6(b)(i) Any four from: 4

• A protocol with two layers
• …Handshake and Record
• A TLS/digital/public key certificate is used for authentication
• Handshake uses asymmetric cryptography
• … to generate agreed parameters
• … establish a shared session key
• The shared session key provides symmetric cryptography for
• … sending and receiving data (record layer)
• At end of session all parameters, keys, etc. erased

6(b)(ii) Any two from: 2

• Browsers accessing secure websites e.g. bank transactions
• VPNs
• Email
• VOIP

Question Answer Marks

7(a)(i) Control 1

7(a)(ii) Any two from: 2

• Automatically controls devices / heaters / air conditioning units
• … using actuators
• With the use of feedback // output affects the values that are input
• To maintain the required temperature range

7(b) (Container) 1: 9 degrees 2

(Container) 4: –2 degrees

7(c) 300 1 1
1 0 0 0 0 0 0

7(d)(i) One mark per point 4

• Load the accumulator with status of heaters and air conditioning units
// Load the accumulator with the contents of address 300 /
• Mask out the bits for container 1
// Mask out 4th and 8th bit
• See whether both heater is on and the air conditioning is on
// Compare the contents of the accumulator/previous result with
B10001000 / (&88)
• IF the heater is on and the air conditioning is on / jump to ERROR
routine
// jump to ERROR routine if bit patterns are equal

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Question Answer Marks

7(d)(ii) One mark keeping instructions 1 and 4 the same 3

One mark AND &11
One mark CMP &11

LDD 300
AND &11 // AND B00010001
CMP &11 // CMP B00010001
JPE ERROR

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