Cambridge International AS & A Level

* 0 5 3 8 0 7 3 0 1 0 *

INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY 9626/12

Paper 1 Theory May/June 2020

1 hour 45 minutes

You must answer on the question paper.

No additional materials are needed.

INSTRUCTIONS
● Answer all questions.
● Use a black or dark blue pen.
● Write your name, centre number and candidate number in the boxes at the top of the page.
● Write your answer to each question in the space provided.
● Do not use an erasable pen or correction fluid.
● Do not write on any bar codes.
● You may use an HB pencil for any diagrams, graphs or rough working.
● Calculators must not be used in this paper.

INFORMATION
● The total mark for this paper is 90.
● The number of marks for each question or part question is shown in brackets [ ].

This document has 16 pages. Blank pages are indicated.

DC (LEG/TP) 180963/3
© UCLES 2020 [Turn over
 2

1 For each of the two tables below, tick the most accurate statement referring to symmetric
encryption.

(a)
✓
Symmetric encryption is a newer method of encryption compared to
asymmetric encryption
With symmetric encryption the public key is used to encrypt the data
With symmetric encryption you have to use the same key to encrypt every
message
Symmetric encryption only uses a single private key
[1]

(b)
✓
With symmetric encryption the private key must be kept private by both the
sender and the receiver
Symmetric encryption is often referred to as public key encryption

It is possible to deduce the private key from the public key

With symmetric encryption anyone with a copy of the public key can encrypt
information
[1]

2 (a) Tick the most accurate statement regarding the use of word processing software for producing
documents.

It is easier to format paragraphs compared to database software

It is easier to manipulate statistics compared to using spreadsheet software

Word processing packages can be used to produce all multimedia features
of a website
Databases are more difficult to filter than word processed documents
[1]

© UCLES 2020 9626/12/M/J/20

 3

(b) Tick the most accurate statement regarding the use of other software to manipulate data.

✓
It is easier to create a query using database software rather than using
spreadsheet software
It is easier to create a report using spreadsheet software rather than using
database software
It is harder to enter data and produce charts showing sales growth with a
spreadsheet than using video editing software
The easiest way to trim a sound sample is by using photo editing software
[1]

(c) Evaluate, by weighing up the advantages and disadvantages, the use of a web authoring
package rather than a text editor to create a web page.

...................................................................................................................................................

...................................................................................................................................................

...................................................................................................................................................

...................................................................................................................................................

...................................................................................................................................................

...................................................................................................................................................

...................................................................................................................................................

...................................................................................................................................................

...................................................................................................................................................

...................................................................................................................................................

...................................................................................................................................................

...................................................................................................................................................

...................................................................................................................................................

............................................................................................................................................. [6]

© UCLES 2020 9626/12/M/J/20 [Turn over

 4

3 Using numerical examples, describe what is meant by the following terms.

Data ..................................................................................................................................................

..........................................................................................................................................................

..........................................................................................................................................................

..........................................................................................................................................................

..........................................................................................................................................................

Information .......................................................................................................................................

..........................................................................................................................................................

..........................................................................................................................................................

..........................................................................................................................................................

..........................................................................................................................................................

Knowledge .......................................................................................................................................

..........................................................................................................................................................

..........................................................................................................................................................

..........................................................................................................................................................

..........................................................................................................................................................
[6]

© UCLES 2020 9626/12/M/J/20

 5

4 Several radio programmes have recently highlighted e-safety as an issue that schools need to
address.

Describe the advantages of a school having an e-safety policy.

..........................................................................................................................................................

..........................................................................................................................................................

..........................................................................................................................................................

..........................................................................................................................................................

..........................................................................................................................................................

..........................................................................................................................................................

..........................................................................................................................................................

..........................................................................................................................................................

..........................................................................................................................................................

..........................................................................................................................................................

..........................................................................................................................................................

..........................................................................................................................................................

..........................................................................................................................................................

.................................................................................................................................................... [6]

© UCLES 2020 9626/12/M/J/20 [Turn over

 6

5 Many schools in the more remote areas of Kenya want to install video-conferencing equipment.
This is so their students can be in touch with students from other Kenyan schools.

(a) Discuss the impact of video-conferencing on the more remote schools and their students,
compared with having to visit the other schools to stay in touch.

...................................................................................................................................................

...................................................................................................................................................

...................................................................................................................................................

...................................................................................................................................................

...................................................................................................................................................

...................................................................................................................................................

...................................................................................................................................................

...................................................................................................................................................

...................................................................................................................................................

...................................................................................................................................................

...................................................................................................................................................

...................................................................................................................................................

...................................................................................................................................................

............................................................................................................................................. [6]

Several technologies can be used to deliver video-conferencing.

Explain what is meant by the following terms.

(b) ADSL

...................................................................................................................................................

...................................................................................................................................................

...................................................................................................................................................

...................................................................................................................................................

...................................................................................................................................................

...................................................................................................................................................

...................................................................................................................................................

............................................................................................................................................. [3]

© UCLES 2020 9626/12/M/J/20

 7

(c) IEEE 802.11

...................................................................................................................................................

...................................................................................................................................................

...................................................................................................................................................

...................................................................................................................................................

...................................................................................................................................................

...................................................................................................................................................

...................................................................................................................................................

............................................................................................................................................. [3]

6 Personal data and other sensitive types of data often need to be kept confidential or restricted to
authorised staff.

Explain why personal data should be kept confidential.

..........................................................................................................................................................

..........................................................................................................................................................

..........................................................................................................................................................

..........................................................................................................................................................

..........................................................................................................................................................

..........................................................................................................................................................

..........................................................................................................................................................

..........................................................................................................................................................

..........................................................................................................................................................

..........................................................................................................................................................

..........................................................................................................................................................

..........................................................................................................................................................

..........................................................................................................................................................

.................................................................................................................................................... [6]

© UCLES 2020 9626/12/M/J/20 [Turn over

 8

7 Here is part of a database showing the earnings of a group of workers in a company.

WorkerID Job_type Hours_worked Hourly_rate Weekly_pay

56321 Tyre changer 42 €17.00 €714.00
58191 Foreman 40 €22.00 €880.00
58694 Mechanic 38 €20.00 €760.00
59676 Painter 37 €18.00 €666.00
61230 Sander 39 €15.00 €585.00
63214 Sander 36 €15.00 €540.00
63295 Polisher 38 €14.00 €532.00
64387 Polisher 40 €14.00 €560.00
67152 Mechanic 37 €20.00 €740.00
67328 Painter 36 €18.00 €648.00
68947 Painter 38 €18.00 €684.00

(a) Describe, using an example from the database, the features of a calculated field.

...................................................................................................................................................

...................................................................................................................................................

...................................................................................................................................................

...................................................................................................................................................

...................................................................................................................................................

...................................................................................................................................................

...................................................................................................................................................

............................................................................................................................................. [3]

(b) A number of fields in the database are not shown. Examples of these are first name and
family name. In this database the WorkerID is a primary key.

Explain why it is good practice to have a primary key in this database.

...................................................................................................................................................

...................................................................................................................................................

...................................................................................................................................................

...................................................................................................................................................

...................................................................................................................................................

...................................................................................................................................................

...................................................................................................................................................

............................................................................................................................................. [3]

© UCLES 2020 9626/12/M/J/20

 9

(c) Describe what a consistency validation check is and explain how it could be used in this
database as a check when inputting data.

...................................................................................................................................................

...................................................................................................................................................

...................................................................................................................................................

...................................................................................................................................................

...................................................................................................................................................

...................................................................................................................................................

...................................................................................................................................................

...................................................................................................................................................

...................................................................................................................................................

...................................................................................................................................................

...................................................................................................................................................

............................................................................................................................................. [5]

8 Describe how two different safety issues can arise from the use of IT. For each issue give one
method of helping to prevent it. Each method must be different.

..........................................................................................................................................................

..........................................................................................................................................................

..........................................................................................................................................................

..........................................................................................................................................................

..........................................................................................................................................................

..........................................................................................................................................................

..........................................................................................................................................................

..........................................................................................................................................................

..........................................................................................................................................................

.................................................................................................................................................... [4]

© UCLES 2020 9626/12/M/J/20 [Turn over

 10

9 Check-out terminals in supermarkets have a number of different input devices for entering data
about products and for payment purposes.

Analyse the use of these input devices in the supermarket.

..........................................................................................................................................................

..........................................................................................................................................................

..........................................................................................................................................................

..........................................................................................................................................................

..........................................................................................................................................................

..........................................................................................................................................................

..........................................................................................................................................................

..........................................................................................................................................................

..........................................................................................................................................................

..........................................................................................................................................................

..........................................................................................................................................................

..........................................................................................................................................................

..........................................................................................................................................................

..........................................................................................................................................................

..........................................................................................................................................................

..........................................................................................................................................................

..........................................................................................................................................................

..........................................................................................................................................................

..........................................................................................................................................................

.................................................................................................................................................... [8]

© UCLES 2020 9626/12/M/J/20

 11

10 Ayesha is searching a school database for all the students studying biology. She has used a static
parameter query but has been advised to set the query up as a dynamic parameter query.

Describe what is meant by a dynamic parameter query and give the advantages of using one
instead of a static parameter query.

..........................................................................................................................................................

..........................................................................................................................................................

..........................................................................................................................................................

..........................................................................................................................................................

..........................................................................................................................................................

..........................................................................................................................................................

..........................................................................................................................................................

..........................................................................................................................................................

..........................................................................................................................................................

..........................................................................................................................................................

..........................................................................................................................................................

.................................................................................................................................................... [5]

© UCLES 2020 9626/12/M/J/20 [Turn over

 12

11 A construction company is preparing to build a road bridge. Before building the bridge, it will create
a computer model of the bridge to test the designs that have been produced.

Explain why the company considers it necessary to produce a computer model.

..........................................................................................................................................................

..........................................................................................................................................................

..........................................................................................................................................................

..........................................................................................................................................................

..........................................................................................................................................................

..........................................................................................................................................................

..........................................................................................................................................................

..........................................................................................................................................................

..........................................................................................................................................................

..........................................................................................................................................................

..........................................................................................................................................................

.................................................................................................................................................... [5]

© UCLES 2020 9626/12/M/J/20

 13

12 A headteacher wishes to buy software which will help him manage the finances of the school.
When considering which software to buy he has to choose between custom written software and
off-the-shelf software.

Describe the differences between these two types of software.

..........................................................................................................................................................

..........................................................................................................................................................

..........................................................................................................................................................

..........................................................................................................................................................

..........................................................................................................................................................

..........................................................................................................................................................

..........................................................................................................................................................

..........................................................................................................................................................

..........................................................................................................................................................

..........................................................................................................................................................

..........................................................................................................................................................

..........................................................................................................................................................

..........................................................................................................................................................

.................................................................................................................................................... [6]

© UCLES 2020 9626/12/M/J/20 [Turn over

 14

13 A company has decided to develop its computer network into an extranet.

Describe the purpose of a company extranet.

..........................................................................................................................................................

..........................................................................................................................................................

..........................................................................................................................................................

..........................................................................................................................................................

..........................................................................................................................................................

..........................................................................................................................................................

..........................................................................................................................................................

..........................................................................................................................................................

..........................................................................................................................................................

..........................................................................................................................................................

..........................................................................................................................................................

.................................................................................................................................................... [5]

© UCLES 2020 9626/12/M/J/20

 15

14 The inference engine within an expert system uses a form of reasoning.

Explain what this form of reasoning consists of.

..........................................................................................................................................................

..........................................................................................................................................................

..........................................................................................................................................................

..........................................................................................................................................................

..........................................................................................................................................................

..........................................................................................................................................................

..........................................................................................................................................................

..........................................................................................................................................................

..........................................................................................................................................................

..........................................................................................................................................................

..........................................................................................................................................................

..........................................................................................................................................................

..........................................................................................................................................................

.................................................................................................................................................... [6]

© UCLES 2020 9626/12/M/J/20

 16

BLANK PAGE

Permission to reproduce items where third-party owned material protected by copyright is included has been sought and cleared where possible. Every
reasonable effort has been made by the publisher (UCLES) to trace copyright holders, but if any items requiring clearance have unwittingly been included, the
publisher will be pleased to make amends at the earliest possible opportunity.

To avoid the issue of disclosure of answer-related information to candidates, all copyright acknowledgements are reproduced online in the Cambridge
Assessment International Education Copyright Acknowledgements Booklet. This is produced for each series of examinations and is freely available to download
at www.cambridgeinternational.org after the live examination series.

Cambridge Assessment International Education is part of the Cambridge Assessment Group. Cambridge Assessment is the brand name of the University of
Cambridge Local Examinations Syndicate (UCLES), which itself is a department of the University of Cambridge.

© UCLES 2020 9626/12/M/J/20