NATIONAL QUALIFICATIONS CURRICULUM SUPPORT
Computing Studies
Computers and the Internet
Additional Exercises
with Answers
[INTERMEDIATE 1]

CONTENTS
Exercise 1: Computer systems
Exercise 2: Components of a computer
Exercise 3: The CPU
Exercise 4: Networks
Exercise 5: Hardware devices
Exercise 6: Input devices
Exercise 7: Scanners and digital cameras
Exercise 8: Output
Exercise 9: Output – printers
Exercise 10: Backing storage devices
Exercise 11: Other devices
Exercise 12: Types of computer software
Exercise 13: Operating system software
Exercise 14: Applications software
Exercise 15: Applications software
Exercise 16: Software development process
Exercise 17: Using the Internet
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7
8
10
11
12
14
16
18
20
22
24
25
27
28
31
33
Appendix
36
Answer section
Exercise 1
Exercise 2
Exercise 3
Exercise 4
Exercise 5
Exercise 6
Exercise 7
Exercise 8
Exercise 9
Exercise 10
Exercise 11
Exercise 12
Exercise 13
Exercise 14
Exercise 15
Exercise 16
Exercise 17
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46
47
48
50
51
53
54
56
57
59
60
61
62
64
Computers and
the Internet
ADDITIONAL
EXERCISES
Name
Class
HARDWARE EXERCISES
EXERCISE 1
COMPUTER SYSTEMS
1
Label the diagram to show the main parts of a typical computer system.
Choose from the list below.
Monitor
Keyboard
System Unit
Mouse
Floppy Drive
CD Drive
2
3
1
4
5
6
2
More desktop computers are sold each year than notebook style portable
computers. Can you suggest 3 reasons why?
1
__________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
2
__________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
3
__________________________________________________
Page 5
HARDWARE EXERCISES
3
Read through the problems listed below. What type of computer system,
desktop or portable, would you recommend, and why?
Note, either answer may be correct if justified correctly.
PROBLEM 1 Circle your choice of computer, then explain why it is best.
Bannockbrae High wants to buy new computers for its new computer room.
They want them to be as powerful as possible for a fixed price.
Desktop / Laptop
because ______________________________________________
____________________________________________________
____________________________________________________
PROBLEM 2
Denise’s parents want to buy her a computer to help with her schoolwork.
Desktop / Laptop
because ______________________________________________
____________________________________________________
____________________________________________________
PROBLEM 3
Mrs MacLean is a teacher at the school. She uses computers to prepare work
for her classes, and sometimes chooses to work from home.
Desktop / Laptop
because ______________________________________________
____________________________________________________
____________________________________________________
Page 6
HARDWARE EXERCISES
4
Palmtop (PDA) computers have become increasingly popular. What are the
advantages and disadvantages of these small computers?
Advantages are ________________________________________
____________________________________________________
Disadvantages are ______________________________________
____________________________________________________
 PRACTICAL 
By visiting a commercial website, or using a magazine or other sources of
information, investigate the prices of the different types of computer.
Possible websites are suggested below, but your teacher or lecturer may want you
to use another.
Possible sites
www.pcworld.co.uk (PC)
a-connect.co.uk (Mac)
www.watford.co.uk (PC)
Find the cheapest and highest price for each type of computer on the site. Fill
these in to the table below.
Minimum and Maximum Price of Computer Systems
Site
Desktop
Laptop
Palmtop
Can you explain why there are differences in the price of each type of computer?
____________________________________________________
____________________________________________________
Page 7
HARDWARE EXERCISES
EXERCISE 2
COMPONENTS OF A COMPUTER
1
(a) What is a computer?
_________________________________________________
(b) Complete the simple diagram showing how computers work
INPUT _ _ _ _
2
PROCESS
(a) What does CPU stand for?
.
(b) What is the thinking part of the CPU called?
.
(c) What is also part of the CPU?
3
OUTPUT _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
.
What is the purpose of backing storage on a computer?
____________________________________________________
4
Complete the diagram below showing a simple representation of how a
computer works
Central
Processing Unit
Data Flow
Page 8
HARDWARE EXERCISES
EXERCISE 3
THE CPU
1
Put these measures of size into order, smallest  largest?
Giga
Kilo
Mega
Tera
2
What measurement is normally used for the speed of the processor?
3
What are the two types of memory called?
4
What measurement is normally used for the size of memory?
5
Complete the diagram of the CPU below.
and
.
.
.
Central
Processing Unit
PROCESSOR
6
What are the main features of each type of memory?
Memory Type Feature
1 _____________________________________________________
A
2 _____________________________________________________
1 _____________________________________________________
B
2 _____________________________________________________
Page 9
HARDWARE EXERCISES
7
Fill in the answers in the table below:
The smallest unit of data in the computer can have a 1 or a
0 value. What is it called?
When eight of these 1s and 0s are combined (e.g.
10110001) what is this called?
8
Complete the missing information in this table:
Unit
Value
Kilobyte
Also equals . . .
Bytes
Megabyte
Kilobytes
1,048,576 bytes
Gigabyte
Megabytes
1,073,741,824 bytes
Extension Questions
9
Using the table from question 8 above, see if you can spot a pattern to the
answers that will let you fill in this table.
Unit
10
Value
Terabyte
Gigabytes
Terabyte
Megabytes
Terabyte
Kilobytes
Can you explain how to calculate how many bytes there are in a terabyte?
How many do you think there will be?
____________________________________________________
____________________________________________________
 EXTENSION PRACTICAL 
There are many WWW sites that explain how things work. Use a search engine
(e.g. Google) to search for one of these sites, or use
www.howstuffworks.com, and search this site for any of:
a)
Microprocessors, how do they work?
b)
RAM, to find out about this type of memory
c)
Flash memory, to investigate how this memory works
d)
Magnetic RAM (MRAM), a new memory development
Page 10
HARDWARE EXERCISES
EXERCISE 4
NETWORKS
1
What is a computer network?
____________________________________________________
2
What does a server do?
____________________________________________________
3
What is a terminal?
____________________________________________________
4
Explain three advantages of networking computers?
1 ___________________________________________________
2 ___________________________________________________
3 ___________________________________________________
Page 11
HARDWARE EXERCISES
EXERCISE 5
HARDWARE DEVICES
1
Explain what is meant by each of the following:
Input device:
_________________________________________
____________________________________________________
Output device: ________________________________________
____________________________________________________
Backing storage device:
_________________________________
____________________________________________________
2
Complete the table below, ticking what type of device each is.
CD/DVD Drive
Digital Camera
Digital Projector
Flash Drive
Floppy Disk Drive
Hard Disk Drive
Keyboard
Microphone
Monitor
Mouse
Printer
Scanner
Speakers
Tracker ball
Input
Output
Backing
Storage
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Page 12
HARDWARE EXERCISES
EXERCISE 6
INPUT DEVICES
1
Other than a keyboard, name another input device that could be used to
enter text into the computer, and explain how it would be done.
____________________________________________________
____________________________________________________
2
A mouse can be used to create graphics, but is sometimes not precise enough
as it can be difficult to control. What input device is more suited to creating
them when accuracy is very important?
3
Name two input devices that are designed for playing games.
1 __________________________________
2
4
What type of computer system could have trackball, touch pad or track point
input devices instead of a mouse?
5
If you want to input a picture into the computer what 4 input devices are
mentioned that can achieve this?
6
1 _____________________
2 ________________________
3
4
Name a device that can be used to input sound.
Page 13
HARDWARE EXERCISES
 PRACTICAL 
COMPARING INPUT DEVICES
As the study notes show, there is an enormous range of different computer
peripherals and accessories available. Not only that, but there is a huge variety of
each device. What is the difference between a £100 printer and a £1000 one?
Is it possible to look at adverts or websites and find why one costs more?
The example below shows the results of my investigation when comparing a
cheap mouse with a very expensive one on the PC World website.
Mouse 
Price
1
Logitech Cordless Mouse
Optical
£59.99
2
Logitech Pilot Mouse
£9.99
Explanation?
The more expensive mouse is cordless and
optical. This technology avoids cable clutter
on your desktop and prevents dirt on surfaces
stopping the mouse working, but costs more
to use.
There are many different sites (or magazines) that can be used for this practical.
Sites like PC World’s are good because they have a helpful “compare products”
feature, but your teacher/lecturer may want you to use a different one.
Log on, and visit the website. Complete the exercise for keyboards, joysticks and
webcams.
Keyboard 
Price
Explanation?
Price
Explanation?
Price
Explanation?
1
2
Joystick 
1
2
Webcam
1
2
Page 14
HARDWARE EXERCISES
EXERCISE 7
SCANNERS AND DIGITAL CAMERAS
1
Why should the text and images on a page be scanned separately into text
and picture files?
____________________________________________________
____________________________________________________
2
What advantage is there to scanning the page as one large picture?
____________________________________________________
____________________________________________________
.
3
What is the measure of the quality of pictures called?
4
What type of backing storage did the camera you were using have, and what
other types are also found?
 EXTENSION PRACTICAL 
Repeat the practical from earlier to compare scanners and digital cameras
Scanner
Price
Explanation?
Price
Explanation?
1
2
Digital Camera
1
2
Page 15
HARDWARE EXERCISES
 PRACTICAL 
USING A SCANNER
Scanners are used to take printed information and transfer it to a computer.
Your teacher/lecturer will tell you what you are to scan. For example, the
appendix to these exercises contains a page about eclipses, which may be
scanned. You can use your scanner software in two ways to capture the
information on this page.
 Capture the whole page as one large picture object
 Capture both images as separate pictures, then scan
all the typing and use optical character recognition
(OCR) software to convert it into text.
Your teacher/lecturer will tell you which of these options you should attempt.
You may have to attempt this practical in pairs/small groups due to the time it
can take to complete the task.
Extension Practical
Using suitable software (DTP, word processing or integrated) try and recreate the
page you have just scanned by inserting the images into the text then
reformatting it.
OCR Exercise
The appendix to these exercises contains a passage of text written in different
sizes and styles of font. Scan this to see how well your OCR software copes with
each passage.
USING A DIGITAL CAMERA
Take a picture using a digital camera – your teacher/lecturer will
tell you what to photograph. If possible, download the picture
yourself onto your computer (this may not work on some networks).
Insert the picture into a new document, and write a user guide beside
the picture that describes how to operate the camera and successfully save
the image on the computer. Your documentation should be aimed at an
inexperienced user and so should describe all the steps they need to take.
Using a Digital Camera
Steps
1 Turn on the camera and select
“camera” option
2 ...
Page 16
HARDWARE EXERCISES
EXERCISE 8
OUTPUT
1
Computers are used to present multimedia information. What output devices
would you need to do this, and what information would they output?
Output Device
2
Information Output
(a) Why are digital projectors becoming increasingly popular with teachers
when teaching lessons?
_________________________________________________
(b) What advantages do students get if teachers use digital projectors?
_________________________________________________
(c) In what way do they have a potential home/leisure use?
_________________________________________________
3
(a) Plotters produce very accurate line drawings as hardcopy (paper)
output, and on a variety of different sizes of paper.
In what school department would you be most likely to find one?
(b) In what careers are you likely to use a plotter to output your work?
Page 17
HARDWARE EXERCISES
4
(a) Explain the difference between set-up costs and running costs?
_________________________________________________
(b) Classify these examples as either set-up or running costs.
Buying paper for a printer
Electricity computer uses
Initial training to use a computer
Monthly Internet connection charges
Purchasing a computer system
Repairing or upgrading a computer
Using the telephone help line
Set-up
Running
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 EXTENSION PRACTICAL 
Repeat the practical investigation to find why the input devices mentioned below
may have different costs.
Monitor (CRT / LCD) 
Price
Explanation?
Price
Explanation?
1
2
Digital Projector
1
2
Page 18
HARDWARE EXERCISES

EXERCISE 9
OUTPUT: PRINTERS
1
What is a hard copy?
2
What is the difference between the set-up costs and running costs of laser
and inkjet printers?
____________________________________________________
____________________________________________________
3
The print resolution and speed of printers are often used to compare them.
What do the abbreviations below stand for?
dpi
_________________________________________________
ppm
4
Dot matrix printers are “impact” printers. Explain why this can be an
advantage over laser and inkjet printers.
____________________________________________________
____________________________________________________
5
Complete the table below to compare different printers.
Printer
Quality
Speed
Laser
Ink-jet
Dot-matrix
Page 19
Noise
Set-up
costs
Running
costs
HARDWARE EXERCISES
 PRACTICAL 
1
Do the practical investigation to find out the reasons why laser printers can
cost differing amounts.
Laser Printer 
Price
Explanation?
1
2
2
You are given £100 to buy a new printer to use with your home computer.
Find a suitable printer that costs less than £100, and justify why you would
recommend purchasing it.
Choice
Explanation ___________________________________________
____________________________________________________
3
A school department has £500 to spend on printers. It needs to buy the
printers for 2 class rooms and the staff base. What would you recommend
and why?
Choice 1
__________________________________
Choice 2
__________________________________
Choice 3
Explanation ___________________________________________
____________________________________________________
____________________________________________________
Page 20
HARDWARE EXERCISES
EXERCISE 10
BACKING STORAGE DEVICES
1
Give two examples of magnet storage media (the media is what gets put into
the drive).
1
2
Give two examples of optical storage media.
1
3
2
2
Why are floppy disk drives becoming almost obsolete on computers?
____________________________________________________
4
What is a back-up copy?
____________________________________________________
____________________________________________________
5
What type of drive would be used in large organisations to make back-ups?
6
Explain the difference between random access and serial access?
____________________________________________________
____________________________________________________
Page 21
HARDWARE EXERCISES
7
What is the difference between a back-up copy and a backing storage
device?
____________________________________________________
____________________________________________________
8
What is the difference between the purpose of backing storage and memory
(or RAM)?
____________________________________________________
____________________________________________________
 PRACTICAL 
1
a)
This table showed the cost of different drives in 2004. Complete it for
prices you can find on the WWW now.
Drive
Floppy Disk
Min Spec
SIZE:
Drive Cost
(2004)
1.4 MB
£5
Hard Disk
SIZE:
100 GB
£50
CD-RW
SPEED:
48-24-48
£25
DVD-RW
SPEED:
8-4-12
Flash
SIZE:
£70
256 MB
£45
Cost Now
b)
Can you spot and explain any differences?
_________________________________________________
 EXTENSION PRACTICAL 
Use a site like www.howstuffworks.com to investigate flash memory and
magnetic RAM.
Page 22
HARDWARE EXERCISES
EXERCISE 11
OTHER DEVICES
1
What device is used to connect a computer onto the Internet?
2
What is the purpose of a graphics card?
____________________________________________________
____________________________________________________
3
What is the purpose of a sound card?
____________________________________________________
4
What type of card allows computers to be linked together so they can
communicate and share resources ?
____________________________________________________
 PRACTICAL 
Investigate broadband. Fill in the table below showing the download speed and
cost of each option for two different companies (e.g. AOL, BT Internet, Wanadoo,
. . .)
Company name
Download speed
Cost company 1
Page 23
Cost company 2
HARDWARE EXERCISES
 PRACTICAL 
COMPARING COMPUTER SPECS
This exercise involves looking at commercial sources to find the “best” desktop
and laptop computer you can get for a restricted amount of money.
Another restriction is that the computer you choose will have to beat a minimum
specification – your teacher/lecturer will tell you what this is – fill those details in
the “Minimum” column. If it doesn’t you can’t recommend it.
Source
Minimum
Desktop
Laptop
Desktop
Laptop
CPU
Processor Speed
Size of RAM
Backing Storage
Hard Disk Size
CD-RW
DVD Drive
Floppy Disk
Input Devices
Keyboard
Mouse
Output Devices
Monitor Size
Speakers
Other Devices
Modem
Possible sources to use include:
www.dell.co.uk (PC)
uk.insight.com (Apple & PC)
www.microwarehouse.co.uk (Apple & PC)
www.simply.co.uk (Apple & PC)
The list is just for guidance; there are many other sites that can be used, and
magazines can equally well be used. Your teacher/lecturer will advise you how
they want you to carry out this practical.
Page 24
SOFTWARE EXERCISES
EXERCISE 12
TYPES OF COMPUTER SOFTWARE
1
What are the two types of software used by the computer?
1
2
2
Explain what the different purposes of system software and application
software are.
System ______________________________________________
____________________________________________________
____________________________________________________
Applications ___________________________________________
____________________________________________________
3
What might you expect to find in a boxed application package?
1 ___________________________________
2 ___________________________________
3 ___________________________________
4 ___________________________________
5
4
What are two examples of utility software?
1
5
2
Why do you think a systems software program always loads on to the
computer first?
____________________________________________________
Page 25
SOFTWARE EXERCISES
EXERCISE 13
OPERATING SYSTEM SOFTWARE
1
What is the operating system?
____________________________________________________
____________________________________________________
2
Explain what 2 functions of the operating system are.
Function 1 ____________________________________________
____________________________________________________
____________________________________________________
Function 2 ____________________________________________
____________________________________________________
3
What operating system do the computers in your computing class use?
4
Extension Question
A good operating system should have a “user-friendly interface”. What do
you think this means?
____________________________________________________
____________________________________________________
Page 26
SOFTWARE EXERCISES
 PRACTICAL 
FILING USING THE OPERATING SYSTEM
One of the important functions of the operating system is managing backing
storage. The exercise involves using common management functions to create
folders, and rename, move and delete files in your network area.
Your teacher or lecturer will probably demonstrate one way of completing the
tasks, but if you are familiar with another way of achieving the same result then
you can still use that method.
Before you begin . . .
Make sure you have this
folder in your network area
1
2
It contains these files
Rename the files as shown in the table:
Old Name text1.txt
New Name Art report.txt
text2.txt
bitmap1.bmp
gif1.gif
English essay v1.txt Art picture.bmp
Web Art.gif
Old Name Text3.txt
New Name PSE report.txt
text4.txt
jpg2.jpeg
jpg1.jpeg
English essay v2.txt Web picture.jpeg
My cat.jpeg
Create folders inside OS Filing Exercise to hold the files:

Art

English

Geography

Personal

Web
3
Organise the files into the appropriate folder.
4
Delete the file English essay v1 and the folder Personal
5
If you complete this you should look to organise your own network space by:
 Ensuring all your files have sensible names
 Creating folders to hold your files
 Moving your files into the folders
 Deleting unnecessary files
Page 27
SOFTWARE EXERCISES
EXERCISE 14
APPLICATIONS SOFTWARE
1
What application would be the most appropriate for the tasks listed below?
Note: there may be more than 1 correct answer
Task
Application
Sending an e-mail
Writing an essay
Keeping track of the money in your bank account
Making a poster
Editing a digital photo
Creating records about the CDs, DVDs and games
you own
Accessing the Internet
Working out your average mark over a number of
tests
2
What 5 factors affect whether an application can be loaded on to a
computer?
1 _____________________________________________
2 _____________________________________________
3 _____________________________________________
4 _____________________________________________
5
3
What is 1000 MHz normally called?
Page 28
SOFTWARE EXERCISES
EXERCISE 15
APPLICATIONS SOFTWARE
Would any of the programs shown below run on the example computer?
Micro Max Inspire
1.2 GHz processor
256 Mb RAM
10 Gb Hard Drive, 1340 Mb free
CD Rom Drive, Floppy Disk Drive
Keyboard and Optical Scroll Mouse
Windows 2000 Operating System
(A) CoralDraw
(B) NoxiaMedia CD Creator
A Graphics Application
A CD/DVD Burning Application
System Requirements
System Requirements
200 MHz Processor
Windows 2000/XP
128 Mb RAM
250 MB Hard Disk Space
500 MHz Processor (for burning CDs)
1.2 GHz Processor (for burning DVDs)
Windows 2000/XP
1 Gb Hard Disk Space
256 Mb RAM
(C) Far Shout
(D) CyberSoft Director
A Game
Video Editing
System Requirements
System Requirements
1 GHz Processor
Windows95/98/2000/XP
256 Mb RAM
4 Gb Hard Disk Space
64 Mb Graphics Card
450 MHz Processor
2 GHz Processor (for MPEG editing)
Windows 95/98/ME/2000/XP
128 Mb RAM
1 Gb Hard Disk Space
(15 Gb recommended)
CD/DVD Writer
Program Run (Y/N)
Explanation
A
B
C
D
Page 29
SOFTWARE EXERCISES
 EXTENSION PRACTICAL 
CUSTOMISING AN APPLICATION
On many networks users are not able to customise aspects of the operating
system, mostly for security reasons. It will normally be possible to make changes
to an application, however. This exercise suggests changes that could be made to
a word-processing application, but similar customisations can be made to other
programs too.
Hints are given on how to carry out the customisation (designed round Microsoft
Word), but the exact steps required will depend on what application program you
are using, and so have been missed out.
Changing defaults: text styles
When the word-processing page is loaded the main font and font size are preset.
If you look in the format menu there will be a styles option. Changing the Normal
style will mean the text is usually displayed as your preferred font and size.
Task
Change the Normal style to: Font
Size
Tahoma
16pt
Changing defaults: templates
If you have changed the Normal style, save your document as a template. Make
sure it saves in your network Work folder.
When you double click on its icon to open the file it should only open a copy of
itself, and the font should be Tahoma 16 pt.
Customising the spellchecker
In the Tools menu there is an Options choice. Select the Spelling and grammar
tab and make changes to the default setting.
Using AutoCorrect
AutoCorrect is a feature that can change common mistakes we make, and also let
us set up shorthand ways of entering text.
AutoCorrect is normally found in the Tools menu. Select it, and make the
alterations shown.
Replace
With
Replace
With
color
colour
plastick
plastic
karton
carton
silvre
silver
Now enter: The color of the plastick karton is silvre
Page 30
THE SOFTWARE DEVELOPMENT PROCESS
 PRACTICAL 
DEVELOPING A WEBSITE
The website you produce to complete
this exercise can be used as part to the
assessment of this Unit.
The Problem
You are to develop a website (consisting of a home page, and at least 2 other
linked pages) on a hobby or interest you have. Examples of sites you could
develop include one on a TV programme, an actress or actor, a football team, a
sport, a band or singer . . .
CHECK with your teacher/lecturer that you have made a suitable choice before
continuing.
The home page will have a heading at the top of the page, and will contain at
least one appropriate picture. There should be links down the left-hand side of
the home page to any other pages you are planning on creating.
Under the picture you should put down an explanation of what your site is about.
It should be clear from the links on the home page what information is contained
on the other pages.
The other pages on the site will contain at least one picture, and a link back to
the home page.
Your Solution
Work through each of the 6 stages of the Software Development Process to create
and analyse a working website. Use the Study Notes to manage what you should
do for each stage.
When you complete a stage show your solution to the teacher/lecturer before
moving on to the next stages and they will initial the table below.
Completed Stages
Stage
Initials
Stage
1
4
2
5
3
6
Initials
KEEP any printouts you make safely in the poly-pocket you have been given.
Page 31
THE SOFTWARE DEVELOPMENT PROCESS
EXERCISE 16
SOFTWARE DEVELOPMENT PROCESS
1
Complete the table by listing the six stages of the software development
process in the correct order and then putting its definition next to it.
Stage
Definition
2
What is meant by the “target audience”?
3
At the implementation stage of the software development cycle you can
use different types of software to produce the website.
Give 3 examples of types of software that would let you create the site.
1 __________________________________
2 __________________________________
3
Page 32
THE SOFTWARE DEVELOPMENT PROCESS
4
What kind of testing can you carry out on a newly developed website?
____________________________________________________
____________________________________________________
5
What 2 kinds of documentation should you produce, and what is the purpose
of each one?
1 ___________________________________________________
2 ___________________________________________________
6
The last stage of the process is an evaluation. Why should you do an
evaluation at the end?
____________________________________________________
____________________________________________________
Page 33
THE INTERNET
EXERCISE 17
USING THE INTERNET
1
2
What 4 factors are involved in connecting to the Internet?
1 _____________________
2 _____________________
3 _____________________
4 _____________________
Companies like AOL are called “ISPs”. What does ISP stand for?
I
3
S
P
Why is an “Anytime” type of Internet connection better than “Pay as you go”
connections if a user makes frequent use of the Internet?
____________________________________________________
____________________________________________________
4
a)
What is the name of the type of software that is used to send and
receive information on the Internet.
b)
Examples of this type of software are browsers and e-mail clients. What
is the purpose of each of these programs.
PROGRAM
Purpose
BROWSER
E.g. Netscape Navigator
E-mail Client
E.g. Eudora
Page 34
THE INTERNET
5
Why is connecting using broadband better than connecting using a dial-up
modem?
____________________________________________________
6
There are dangers to using the Internet - our information stored on the
computer is at risk. Explain what is meant by the 2 main dangers: viruses
and hacking.
Viruses _______________________________________________
Hacking ______________________________________________
7
Describe 3 ways of protecting a computer and the information it holds.
Protection
Description
1
2
3
Page 35
THE INTERNET
 PRACTICAL INVESTIGATION 
HACKING AND COMPUTER VIRUSES
The boxes each contain investigations into either viruses
or hacking. These investigations are designed to extend
your knowledge of the problems, but will not be part of
any exam.
ACTIVITY 1
Log on to a computer and connect to the Internet. Navigate to the
BBC home page, then type computer viruses in the search box.
Click on the Science and Nature – Computer Viruses link
OR
Type in the address
www.bbc.co.uk/science/hottopics/computerviruses
ACTIVITY 4
ACTIVITY 3
ACTIVITY 2
Read the Do’s and Dont’s for avoiding catching computer viruses,
then attempt the QUIZ that is on this page.
Visit this web page:
www.bbc.co.uk/keyskills/it_m2_p02.shtml
Click on the activity to find out the difference between worms,
trojan horses, and other types of viruses.
Continue through the pages, and try the activity at the end.
Visit this site:
tlc.discovery.com/convergence/hackers/hackers.html
If you visit the hall of fame section it will tell you about some
famous hackers from the past, and what later happened to them.
Go to the site:
www.hackerwatch.org
Explore the site and watch the animations showing
worm attacks. Notice where most of the attacks
are concentrated.
Page 36
APPENDIX
Possible scan pages to use with the exercise on page 15.
Eclipses
The Moon goes around the Earth once every four weeks. However, it revolves at an angle
to Earth's path around the Sun. So the Earth, Moon and Sun do not end up in a straight
line every month.
Like the Moon, the planets Mercury and Venus also pass
between the Earth and the Sun from time to time. However,
they are much further away from the Earth than the Moon.
They look much smaller in the sky, and never block the light of
the Sun completely.
In fact, it is an unlikely coincidence that we see total solar eclipses at all. The Moon is
about 400 times smaller than the Sun, but also happens to be about 400 times closer.
Therefore, the two bodies look about the same size in the sky.
The Moon is moving slowly away from the Earth (at a rate of a couple of centimetres a
year). In a billion years time, the Moon will appear too small for there to be any total solar
eclipses at all.
In every calendar year, somewhere on Earth there will be at least two eclipses and there
may be as many as five. But from any one point on Earth, most people are fortunate to see
one in a lifetime.
Partial eclipses are more common, when the Moon partly obscures the view of the Sun.
The reason each total eclipse is only visible over a small part of the globe is because the
Moon's shadow is relatively small when it falls on the Earth.
Safety
The Sun can be viewed safely with the naked eye only during the few brief seconds or
minutes of a total solar eclipse. Partial eclipses, annular eclipses, and the partial phases
of total eclipses are never safe to watch without taking special precautions.
Even when 99% of the Sun's surface is obscured
during the partial phases of a total eclipse, the
remaining photospheric crescent is intensely bright
and cannot be viewed safely without eye
protection.
Do not attempt to observe the partial or annular
phases of any eclipse with the naked eye.
Failure to use appropriate filtration may result
in permanent eye damage or blindness!
Page 37
OPTICAL CHARACTER RECOGNITION
DEFINITION (Arial 13pt): Optical character recognition (OCR) is the translation
of optically scanned bitmaps of printed or written text characters into character
codes, such as ASCII. This is an efficient way to turn hard-copy materials into data
files that can be edited and otherwise manipulated on a computer.
DEFINITION (Arial 10pt): Optical character recognition (OCR) is the translation of optically scanned
bitmaps of printed or written text characters into character codes, such as ASCII. This is an efficient way to
turn hard-copy materials into data files that can be edited and otherwise manipulated on a computer.
DEFINITION (Arial 6pt): Optical character recognition (OCR) is the translation of optically scanned bitmaps of printed or written text characters into character codes, such as
ASCII. This is an efficient way to turn hard-copy materials into data files that can be edited and otherwise manipulated on a computer.
DEFINITION (Times New Roman 13pt): Optical character recognition (OCR) is the
translation of optically scanned bitmaps of printed or written text characters into character
codes, such as ASCII. This is an efficient way to turn hard-copy materials into data files that
can be edited and otherwise manipulated on a computer.
DEFINITION (Times New Roman 10pt): Optical character recognition (OCR) is the translation of optically
scanned bitmaps of printed or written text characters into character codes, such as ASCII. This is an efficient way to
turn hard-copy materials into data files that can be edited and otherwise manipulated on a computer.
DEFINITION (Times New Roman 6pt): Optical character recognition (OCR) is the translation of optically scanned bitmaps of printed or written text characters into character codes, such as
ASCII. This is an efficient way to turn hard-copy materials into data files that can be edited and otherwise manipulated on a computer.
DEFINITION (Stylistic 16pt): Optical character recognition
(OCR) is the translation of optically scanned bitmaps of printed or
written text characters into character codes, such as ASCII. This is
an efficient way to turn hard-copy materials into data files that can
be edited and otherwise manipulated on a computer.
DEFINITION (Curlz 14pt): Optical character recognition (OCR) is the translation of
optically scanned bitmaps of printed or written text characters into character codes, such
as ASCII. This is an efficient way to turn hard-copy materials into data files that can be
edited and otherwise manipulated on a computer.
DEFINITION (Times New Roman 13pt condensed): Optical character recognition (OCR) is the
translation of optically scanned bitmaps of printed or written text characters into character codes, such as
ASCII. This is an efficient way to turn hard-copy materials into data files that can be edited and otherwise
manipulated on a computer.
Page 38
Computers and
the Internet
ANSWERS
HARDWARE EXERCISES
EXERCISE 1
COMPUTER SYSTEMS
1
Monitor
1
4
5
Keyboard
2
2
CD Drive
3
System Unit
Floppy Drive
Mouse
6
More desktop computers are sold each year than notebook style portable
computers. Can you suggest 3 reasons why?
1 Better value in terms of computing power
2 Cheaper and easier to upgrade
3 Better input devices supplied as standard
4 Usually more robust (more reliable/last longer)
3
PROBLEM 1
Desktop because you get more powerful computers for the same money
PROBLEM 2
Laptop because she can transport work to school and work in different
locations or desktop because she will probably work in her room/ at a
desk and will need a powerful computer.
Page 40
HARDWARE EXERCISES
PROBLEM 3
Laptop because she will be able to use work she has completed at home
in school OR . . .
4
Palmtop (PDA) computers have become increasingly popular. What are the
advantages and disadvantages of these small computers?
Advantages are convenient small size for carrying about, yet have lots
of features/programs
Disadvantages are they are slower to input data into, and have limited
storage. Programs also have limited functions
Page 41
HARDWARE EXERCISES
EXERCISE 2
COMPONENTS OF A COMPUTER
1
(a) What is a computer?
A data processing machine that (hopefully) outputs useful
information
(b) Complete the simple diagram showing how computers work
INPUT DATA
2
PROCESS
OUTPUT INFORMATION
Central processing unit
(a) What does CPU stand for?
(b) What is the thinking part of the CPU called?
(c) What is also part of the CPU?
3
Processor.
Memory.
What is the purpose of backing storage on a computer?
Allows you to save a permanent copy of data to load later
Page 42
HARDWARE EXERCISES
4
Complete the diagram below showing a simple representation of how a
computer works
Central
Processing
Unit
MEMORY
INPUT DEVICE
OUTPUT DEVICE
PROCESSOR
Data Flow
BACKING STORAGE
DEVICE
Page 43
HARDWARE EXERCISES
EXERCISE 3
THE CPU
1
Put these measures of size into order, smallest  largest?
Kilo
2
Mega
Giga
Tera
What measurement is normally used for the speed of the processor?
GHz (Gigahertz).
3
What are the two types of memory called?
Random Access
Memory and Read Only Memory.
4
What measurement is normally used for the size of memory?
Mb (megabytes).
5
Complete the diagram of the CPU below.
Central
Processing Unit
RAM
ROM
PROCESSOR
Page 44
HARDWARE EXERCISES
6
What are the main features of each type of memory?
Memory Type Feature
1 Can read from and write to this type of memory
A
RAM
2 The contents are lost when the computer is turned off
1 Can only read from (Can’t save) as “read-only”
B
ROM
2 Contents permanent so not lost when power is turned off
7
Fill in the answers in the table below:
The smallest unit of data in the computer can have a 1 or a
A bit
0 value. What is it called?
When eight of these 1s and 0s are combined (e.g.
10110001) what is this called?
8
A byte
Complete the missing information in this table:
Unit
Value
Also equals . . .
Kilobyte
1024 Bytes
Megabyte
1024 Kilobytes
1,048,576 bytes
Gigabyte
1024 Megabytes
1,073,741,824 bytes
Page 45
HARDWARE EXERCISES
Extension Questions
9
Using the table from question 8 above, see if you can spot a pattern to the
answers that will let you fill in this table.
Unit
10
Value
Terabyte
1024 Gigabytes
Terabyte
1048576
Megabytes
Terabyte
1073741824
Kilobytes
Can you explain how to calculate how many bytes there are in a terabyte?
How many do you think there will be?
1073741824 x 1024 (= 1099511627776 bytes)
Page 46
HARDWARE EXERCISES
EXERCISE 4
NETWORKS
1
What is a computer network?
Two or more computers linked together
2
What does a server do?
Manages the functions of the network
3
What is a terminal?
A workstation on a network
4
Explain three advantages of networking computers?
1 Share files and programs
2 Share peripherals (e.g. network printer)
3 Communication between workstations
Page 47
HARDWARE EXERCISES
EXERCISE 5
HARDWARE DEVICES
1
Explain what is meant by each of the following:
Input device: Puts data into the computer
Output device: Hardware that lets the computer communicate with you
Backing storage device: Hardware for saving permanent copies of data
2
Complete the table below, ticking what type of device each is.
CD/DVD Drive
Digital Camera
Digital Projector
Flash Drive
Floppy Disk Drive
Hard Disk Drive
Keyboard
Microphone
Monitor
Mouse
Printer
Scanner
Speakers
Tracker ball
Answers
Backing Storage
Input
Output
Backing Storage
Backing Storage
Backing Storage
Input
Input
Output
Input
Output
Input
Output
Input
Page 48
HARDWARE EXERCISES
EXERCISE 6
INPUT DEVICES
1
Other than a keyboard, name another input device that could be used to
enter text into the computer, and explain how it would be done.
Touch screen with stylus (pen) that lets you write on the screen –
software recognises letters and transfers them to a program
2
A mouse can be used to create graphics, but is sometimes not precise enough
as it can be difficult to control. What input device is more suited to creating
them when accuracy is very important?
Graphics tablet
3
Name two input devices that are designed for playing games.
1 Joystick
2 Joypad/steering wheel
4
What type of computer system could have trackball, touch pad or track point
input devices instead of a mouse?
Laptop
Page 49
HARDWARE EXERCISES
5
6
If you want to input a picture into the computer what 4 input devices are
mentioned that can achieve this?
1 Mouse
2 Graphics tablet
3 Scanner
4 Digital camera
Name a device that can be used to input sound.
Microphone
Page 50
HARDWARE EXERCISES
EXERCISE 7
SCANNERS AND DIGITAL CAMERAS
1
Why should the text and images on a page be scanned separately into text
and picture files?
Separate files take less storage space. Text can be “read” in OCR,
making it possible to amend it. Page can be altered from original layout if
desired by using DTP/WP software
2
What advantage is there to scanning the page as one large picture?
Faster to scan in one go than picking each object separately and making
sure it is saved as a specific file type.
3
What is the measure of the quality of pictures called?
RResolutionn
4
What type of backing storage did the camera you were using have, and what
other types are also found?
SmartMedia, XD Card, Floppy Drive, CD-R, . . .

Page 51
HARDWARE EXERCISES
EXERCISE 8
OUTPUT
1
Computers are used to present multimedia information. What output devices
would you need to do this, and what information would they output?
Output Device
2
Information Output
Speakers/Microphone
Sound
Monitor
Pictures/Graphics
Monitor
Video/Animation
Monitor
Text
(a) Why are digital projectors becoming increasingly popular with teachers
when teaching lessons?
They allow demonstrations of steps (for computing teachers)
rather than speaking through with worksheets. Multimedia
resources can be used interactively with classes to improve the
presentation of topics. Lessons can be more consistent if all
teachers have access to the same resources.
(b) What advantages do students get if teachers use digital projectors?
Interactive/multimedia presentation can improve the lesson and
make it easier to understand. Presentation is clearer than writing
on a board.
(c) In what way do they have a potential home/leisure use?
Projectors can be used with TV/Video/DVDs to show programmes
and films.
Page 52
HARDWARE EXERCISES
3
(a) Plotters produce very accurate line drawings as hardcopy (paper)
output, and on a variety of different sizes of paper.
In what school department would you be most likely to find one?
Technology
(b) In what careers are you likely to use a plotter to output your work?
Engineering/Architecture/Building/. . .
4
(a) Explain the difference between set-up costs and running costs?
Set-up: One off costs when you buy a computer system
Running: on-going costs to keep the system working
(b) Classify these examples as either set-up or running costs.
Buying paper for a printer
Electricity computer uses
Initial training to use a computer
Monthly Internet connection charges
Purchasing a computer system
Repairing or upgrading a computer
Using the telephone help line

Page 53
Answers
Running
Running
Set-up
Running
Set-up
Running
Running
HARDWARE EXERCISES
EXERCISE 9
OUTPUT: PRINTERS
1
What is a hard copy?
A paper print-out
2
What is the difference between the set-up costs and running costs of laser
and inkjet printers?
Buying a laser (set-up cost) is normally higher (though the gap is
closing), however the running costs of ink for inkjets is much higher per
page printer than toner for a laser printer
3
The print resolution and speed of printers are often used to compare them.
What do the abbreviations below stand for?
dpi Dots per inch
ppm Pages per minute
4
Dot matrix printers are “impact” printers. Explain why this can be an
advantage over laser and inkjet printers.
This lets the printer print more than one page at once if special paper is
used and can be used for example to provide customer copies of
receipts in some types of businesses
5
Complete the table below to compare different printers.
Quality
Speed
Noise
Set-up
costs
Running
costs
Laser
High
Fast
Quiet
High
Low
Ink-jet
High
Quite fast
Quiet
Low
High
Dot-matrix
Low
Slow
Noisy
Low
Low
Printer
Page 54
HARDWARE EXERCISES
EXERCISE 10
BACKING STORAGE DEVICES
1
Give two examples of magnetic storage media (the media is what gets put
into the drive).
Floppy disk, hard disk or magnetic tape
2
Give two examples of optical storage media.
CD-R, CD-RW, DVD-R
3
Why are floppy disk drives becoming almost obsolete on computers?
They do not hold big enough files (only up to 1.4Mb), are slow to access
and easily damaged
4
What is a back-up copy?
A second copy of files that is kept in case the first is lost, damaged or
stolen. It is normally stored in a safe place away from the computer for
extra protection.
5
What type of drive would be used in large organisations to make back-ups?
Magnetic tape drive
6
Explain the difference between random access and serial access?
Random (like a CD) lets you jump straight to the start of a file.
Serial (like a tape) needs to be wound forward and back to find the
starting position.
Page 55
HARDWARE EXERCISES
7
What is the difference between a back-up copy and a backing storage
device?
The device is a piece of hardware that we save files to for later
retrieval, whereas a back-up copy is an extra copy of a file.
8
What is the difference between the purpose of backing storage and memory
(or RAM)?
RAM is where programs and data get loaded to from backing storage
devices. We work on files in RAM because the computer can transfer
the data in and out of RAM quickly. When we save the finished file it is
kept as a permanent copy in backing storage because the copy in RAM is
lost when the computer is turned off.
Page 56
HARDWARE EXERCISES
EXERCISE 11
OTHER DEVICES
1
What device is used to connect a computer onto the Internet?
A modem
2
What is the purpose of a graphics card?
Mostly controlling the displaying of information on the monitor, but it
can also output to TV, digital projectors, etc.
3
What is the purpose of a sound card?
Allowing sound to be input from microphones and controlling the quality
of sound output through speakers.
4
What type of card allows computers to be linked together so they can
communicate and share resources ?
Network card
Page 57
SOFTWARE EXERCISES
EXERCISE 12
TYPES OF COMPUTER SOFTWARE
1
What are the two types of software used by the computer?
1
2
Program files
2
Data files
Explain what the different purposes of system software and application
software are.
System Programs that control and manage the operations of the
computer
Applications Programs we choose to run that help us to complete tasks
on the computer
3
What might you expect to find in a boxed application package?
1 The media (CD-ROM, DVD-ROM)
2 Software licence
3 User guide
4 Possibly a tutorial guide
5 Possibly an installation guide
4
What are two examples of utility software?
Virus checker, icon editing software, “zip” compression software, . . .
Page 58
SOFTWARE EXERCISES
5
Why do you think a systems software program always loads on to the
computer first?
It controls the computer and provides functions that other programs
need and use
Page 59
SOFTWARE EXERCISES
EXERCISE 13
OPERATING SYSTEM SOFTWARE
1
What is the operating system?
The set of programs that control and manage the functions of the
computer that other programs rely on to work successfully.
2
Explain what 2 functions of the operating system are.
Functions Providing the user’s interface with the computer, managing
backing storage, managing memory (RAM), managing input and output
from peripherals (keyboard, scanner, . . .)
3
What operating system do the computers in your computing class use?
School/college dependant
4
Extension Question
A good operating system should have a “user-friendly interface”. What do
you think this means?
It should be intuitive to use – that means the user should instinctively
find it easy to use and find it easy to remember how to complete tasks
on it
Page 60
SOFTWARE EXERCISES
EXERCISE 14
APPLICATIONS SOFTWARE
1
What application would be the most appropriate for the tasks listed below?
Note: there may be more than 1 correct answer
Task
Application
Sending an e-mail
Communications
Writing an essay
Word Processing
Keeping track of the money in your bank
account
Making a poster
Financial
/Spreadsheet
DTP / Graphics
Editing a digital photo
Graphics
Creating records about the CDs, DVDs and
games you own
Accessing the Internet
Database
Working out your average mark over a number
of tests
2
Communications
Spreadsheet
What 5 factors affect whether an application can be loaded on to a
computer?
1 Type of backing storage drive
2 Free backing storage space
3 Speed of the processor
4 Amount of RAM
5 Type of operating system (Windows XP v Windows 95 v Linux . . .)
3
What is 1000 MHz normally called?
1 GHz (a gigahertz)
Page 61
SOFTWARE EXERCISES
EXERCISE 15
APPLICATIONS SOFTWARE
Program
A
B
C
D
Run
Explanation
The spec of the computer is comfortably higher than the
application’s requirements
The computer seems to just about have enough in every
N category, but some RAM would be needed for the Operating
System.
It does not have enough hard disk space, doesn’t have enough
N
RAM, and there is no information about the graphics card
It can run the basic application, but does not have a fast enough
Y/N
processor or enough hard disk space for MPEG editing capability
Y
Page 62
THE SOFTWARE DEVELOPMENT PROCESS
EXERCISE 16
SOFTWARE DEVELOPMENT PROCESS
1
Complete the table by listing the six stages of the software development
process in the correct order and then putting its definition next to it
Stage
Definition
Analysis
Design
Clarifying what is required
Identifying the layout and elements
Implementation
Testing
Creating the pages
Checking that the pages and links look and behave correctly
User and technical guide
Documentation
Evaluation
2
Does it fulfil the specification? Can it be improved?
What is meant by the “target audience”?
The people for whom we are creating the website
3
At the implementation stage of the software development cycle you can
use different types of software to produce the website.
Give 3 examples of types of software that would let you create the site.
1 Specialised web publishing software
2 DTP software (and other general applications)
3 Writing HTML code
4
What kind of testing can you carry out on a newly developed website?
1 Check the pages look like how you designed them when viewed in the
browser
2 Test that all the hyperlinks work
Page 63
THE SOFTWARE DEVELOPMENT PROCESS
5
What 2 kinds of documentation should you produce, and what is the purpose
of each one?
1 User guide describes the purpose of the site and explains the
features, including how to navigate round the site.
2 Technical guide describing what software created the site, shows the
links that exist, and identifies the images and copyright issues.
6
The last stage of the process is an evaluation. Why should you do an
evaluation at the end?
It provides a final check to review whether or not you successfully
solved the original problem.
Page 64
THE SOFTWARE DEVELOPMENT PROCESS
EXERCISE 17
USING THE INTERNET
1
What 4 factors are involved in connecting to the Internet?
1 Subscribing to an ISP
browser)
2 Using communications software (eg a
3 Hardware spec can run the software ________________________ 4
Telecoms connection (Phone or cable)
2
Companies like AOL are called “ISPs”. What does ISP stand for?
Internet Service Provider
3
Why is an “Anytime” type of Internet connection better than “Pay as you go”
connections if a user makes frequent use of the Internet?
Anytime has one monthly charge – it doesn’t matter how long you are
connected.
Pay as you go will charge for your time online (usually 1p a minute)
4
a)
What is the name of the type of software that is used to send and
receive information on the Internet.
Communications software
Page 65
THE SOFTWARE DEVELOPMENT PROCESS
b)
5
Examples of this type of software are browsers and e-mail clients. What
is the purpose of each of these programs.
Program
Purpose
Browser
E.g. Netscape Navigator
Allows the user to view world wide web
pages
E-mail client
E.g. Eudora
Allows the sending and receiving of emails, and often allows the user to access
Usenet newsgroups.
Why is connecting using broadband better than connecting using a dial-up
modem?
Connection speed is faster, so users can send and receive data more
quickly than is possible on a dial-up connection
6
There are dangers to using the Internet - our information stored on the
computer is at risk. Explain what is meant by the 2 main dangers: viruses
and hacking.
Viruses Programs that were written to spread automatically from one
computer to another, normally with the intention of corrupting the data
on the infected computer.
Hacking Illegally accessing data stored on a computer that the “hacker”
has not got permission to access.
Page 66
THE SOFTWARE DEVELOPMENT PROCESS
7
Describe 3 ways of protecting a computer and the information it holds.
Protection
User IDs and
Passwords
Description
Only users whose IDs are recognised can use the
computer system. Secret passwords prevent
hackers from pretending to be the person and
entering their username.
Anti-virus software scans files for virus patterns
and blocks these files or removes the virus.
Virus Checkers (anti- Filters can either ban access to websites or stop evirus software) and
mails from blocked addresses being sent.
filters (or blockers)
Other software is available to block pop-ups and
also detect and delete tracking and advertising
software
Firewalls
Stops unknown users gaining access to a computer
or network, or prevents certain file types being
passed across the network.
Page 67