Cambridge International AS & A Level

COMPUTER SCIENCE 9618/13

Paper 1 Theory Fundamentals May/June 2023
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 2023 series for most
Cambridge IGCSE, Cambridge International A and AS Level and Cambridge Pre-U components, and some
Cambridge O Level components.

This document consists of 11 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) NOT B 1

1(b) 1 mark for first 4 rows correct; 1 mark for second 4 rows correct 2

A B C X

0 0 0 1

0 0 1 0

0 1 0 1

0 1 1 0

1 0 0 1

1 0 1 0

1 1 0 0

1 1 1 1

Question Answer Marks

2(a) 1 mark each to max 2 2

 WAN covers a large geographical area and LAN covers a small

geographical area
 LAN connections between devices are usually physical, whereas the
WAN connections are often virtual
 A LAN has a high data transfer rate, whereas a WAN has a low data
transfer rate
 The ownership of a LAN is private; the ownership of a WAN can be
private or public
 LAN is usually more secure than a WAN because protection is easier
to implement

2(b)(i) 1 mark each to max 2 2

 All computers are connected to at least one other device

 There are multiple routes between devices
 The computers can act as relays, passing packets on towards the final
destination

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Question Answer Marks

2(b)(ii) 1 mark each to max 2 2

 If one line goes down there are more routes available

 Improved security as not using one main line
 No/fewer collisions
 New nodes can be added without interruption or interfering with other
nodes
 More secure because data is sent over a dedicated connection

2(c) 1 mark each to max 2 2

 Server performs all processes required by the task and/or data storage
 Clients only sends requests to the server and displays the returned
results

2(d) 1 mark each to max 4 4

Examples:
 Some students might only have one sort of connection on their device
 Wired provides better performance for the student's device
 ... for example, enabling faster access to university databases
 There will be less interference if students connect via a cable
 Students can transmit private/confidential data/work securely
 ... for example, their final dissertation
 Wireless connection means that the students can use their devices in
different rooms/sites/outside/anywhere more freely // student devices
can be portable
 Wireless connection enables the students to bring multiple devices //
bring their own devices // change devices

2(e) 1 mark for identification 3

 IP address is made up of a network ID and a host ID

1 mark each to max 2 for description

 Each device in a subnetwork has the same network ID // Each

subnetwork has a different network ID
 Every device in each subnetwork has a different host ID but the same
network ID // the host ID uniquely identifies the device within the
subnetwork

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Question Answer Marks

3(a) 1 mark for each term 5

 Resistive
 Circuit
 Capacitive
 Change
 Coordinates

A resistive touchscreen has two layers. When the user touches the screen,
the layers touch and a circuit is completed.
A capacitive touchscreen has several layers. When the top layer is
touched there is a change/increase/decrease in the electric current.
A microprocessor identifies the coordinates of the touch.

3(b) 1 mark each to max 3 3

Examples:
 Scans the scene in real time
 Identifies if there are faces in the image
 Uses facial recognition
 ... uses image recognition
 ... takes each frame individually
 ... analyses the pixels
 ... stores pattern for a face
 ... looks for patterns that match/come close to the pattern for a face
 Camera focuses on the pattern identified

3(c)(i) 1 mark each 3

 The amplitude is recorded a set number of times a second

 Each (instance of an) amplitude is given a corresponding binary
number
 The binary number (of each amplitude) is saved in sequence

3(c)(ii) 1 mark each; max 2 for rate and max 2 for resolution 4

Sampling rate
 There are smaller 'gaps' in the sound wave // sound is recorded more
often
 Digital waveform is closer to the analogue waveform
 The quantisation errors are smaller

Sampling resolution
 There are more bits per sample // a wider range of amplitudes can be
stored
 Each binary amplitude/note (in the digital recording) is closer to the
analogue amplitude/note
 Digital waveform is closer to the analogue waveform
 The quantisation errors are smaller

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Question Answer Marks

4(a) 1 mark for each bullet point. Mark in pairs. Max 2 for each description. 4

 Reduces data redundancy

 ... because linked tables mean that each data item is stored only once
 Reduces program-data dependency
 ... because the data is separate from the software so changes to the
data do not require programs to be re-written
 Reduces data inconsistency // improves data integrity
 ... because by only storing data once it only needs to be updated once //
changes in one table will automatically update in another // linked data
cannot be entered differently in two tables
 Complex queries are easier to run
 Can provide different views
 ….so users can only see specific aspects of the database

4(b) 1 mark each 4

Term Description

Entity An object that data is stored about.

Tuple A row of data in a table about one

instance of an object.

Secondary key An additional/alternative key used as well

as the primary key to locate specific data
// a candidate key that has not been
chosen as a primary key.

Foreign key A field in one table that is linked to a primary

key in another table.

4(c) 1 mark each 4

 Only 3 tables with appropriate identifiers (i.e. one table for customer,
one for booking and one for car)
 Appropriate Primary key in each table underlined
 Booking table includes Primary key from car and Primary key from
customer as Foreign keys
 All original fields are in correct tables

Example answer:
BOOKING(BookingID, CarRegistration, CustomerID,
StartDate, EndDate)
CAR(CarRegistration, CarModel, CarColour)
CUSTOMER(CustomerID, CustomerFirstName,
CustomerLastName, EmailAddress, TelephoneNumber)

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Question Answer Marks

4(d)(i) 1 mark each to max 2 2

 Length check: the registration number must be 6 characters long

 Format check: the registration number must be in the format letter-
digit-digit-digit-letter-letter
 Type check: the registration number must be alphanumeric

4(d)(ii) 1 mark each 2

 Visual check: Manually compare the registration number entered with

the source document
 Double entry: Enter the registration number twice and the computer
compares to check they are the same

4(d)(iii) The registration number on the original document might be in the correct 1
format but may be the incorrect registration number for that car.

Question Answer Marks

5(a)(i) 1 mark each to max 2 2

 Programmer can test sections of the code without every part working /
being written
 Programmer can debug in real time
 … so that errors can be fixed and the program continued from that point
 The effect of any changes made by the programmer can be seen
immediately
 To avoid dependent errors

5(a)(ii) 1 mark each to max 3 3

 The compiler produces an executable file

 ... so the user cannot access / edit / sell the code
 ... and users do not need the translator to run the game
 The game can be compiled for different hardware specifications
 ... and then used to generate more income for the programmer
 The program can be tested multiple times without having to retranslate
each time

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Question Answer Marks

5(b) 1 mark for appropriate licence; 1 mark for each point to max 3 4

 Commercial software licence

 User has to pay for the product so the programmer can gain an income
 Enables the program to be copyrighted
 ... so the user cannot legally edit the program // the programmer retains
control over product
 … and can take legal action against people who attempt to illegally
copy it /sell it on

 Shareware licence
 Enables the program to be copyrighted
 The user cannot legally edit the program so the developer retains
control over product
 User can try the program for free and then pay for the full game which
allows the programmer to gain an income
 so more people can experience it and therefore be more likely to buy it

Question Answer Marks

6(a) 1 mark each to max 5 5

 The sender hashes the document

 ... to produce a digest
 The sender encrypts the digest to create the digital signature
 The message and the signature are sent to the receiver
 The receiver decrypts the signature to reproduce the digest
 The receiver uses the same hashing algorithm on the document
received to produce a second digest
 The receiver compares this digest with the one from the digital
signature
 If both of the receiver’s digests are the same the document is authentic

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Question Answer Marks

6(b) 1 mark each for identification and appropriate description of 2 pieces of 2

software, max 2

Type of Description
software

Antivirus  scans the computer for viruses and checks against

a stored database of viruses, that needs to be
updated regularly and then deletes / quarantines
them
 compares downloaded files to a database of known
viruses and prevents the download continuing

Antispyware  scans the computer for spyware and checks

against a stored database of viruses, that needs to
be updated regularly and then deletes / quarantines
them
 compares downloaded files to a database of known
spyware and prevents the download continuing.

Firewall  monitors incoming and outgoing traffic and

compares it to criteria that are set by the user such
as through a whitelist/blacklist/identifying allowed /
blocked IP addresses
 compares incoming and outgoing traffic to criteria
blocks those that do not match criteria

Antimalware  scans the computer for viruses and checks against

a stored database of viruses, that needs to be
updated regularly and then deletes / quarantines
them
 compares downloaded files to a database of known
viruses and prevents the download continuing

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Question Answer Marks

7(a) 1 mark for each correct line 3

Description Denary value

The smallest integer that can 127

be represented in 8-bit two's
complement.

127

255

128

The largest integer that can be

represented in 8-bit two's
complement. 256

256

128

The largest unsigned integer

that can be represented in 8
bits. 255

7(b) 1 mark each to max 4 4

 The system clock gives out timing signals

 … which are sent on the control bus
 …to synchronise the other system components
 The Control Unit initiates data transfer
 …by generating signals that are sent on the control bus to other
components

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Question Answer Marks

7(c) 1 mark for each Register transfer notation 2

Stage description Register transfer

notation

The Program Counter (PC) is PC  [PC] + 1

incremented

The data in the address stored in the MDR  [[MAR]]

Memory Address Register (MAR) is
copied to the Memory Data Register
(MDR)

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