Information Communication Technology (Theory)

Information Communication Technology (Theory) — 2020

KNEC Diploma in Supply Chain Management, Module I. Original examination questions with explained model answers for revision.

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July 2020

Paper codes: 2903/103A (shared paper)
Time: Not shown in supplied scan
Instructions: Not shown in supplied scan

Question 1(a) — 4 marks

Outline four computer mouse skills a student is likely to use while working on a word processing document.

Model answer

1. Clicking.
2. Double-clicking.
3. Right-clicking.
4. Dragging and dropping.

Question 1(b) — 4 marks

(i) Describe a magnetic card as used in computer systems. (ii) State two areas where magnetic cards could be used.

Model answer

1. A magnetic card is a card with a magnetic stripe on which machine-readable data is encoded and read using a magnetic card reader.
2. Banking/payment systems, for example a magnetic-stripe bank card.
3. Access control, for example a staff entry card or hotel room key.

Question 1(c) — 4 marks

Alice intends to use microcomputers to assist her in teaching practical lessons. Outline four types of such computers.

Model answer

1. Desktop computer.
2. Laptop/notebook.
3. Tablet computer.
4. Palmtop/handheld computer.

Question 1(d) — 3 marks

Sam was advised to install a web browser to enable him to surf the Internet. List six examples of such software he could install.

Model answer

1. Google Chrome.
2. Mozilla Firefox.
3. Microsoft Edge.
4. Apple Safari.
5. Opera.
6. Brave.

Question 2(a) — 3 marks

Outline three circumstances that would necessitate the use of a computer voice input device.

Model answer

1. Dictating text when hands are occupied.
2. Providing input for a user who has difficulty using a keyboard.
3. Giving spoken commands to a voice-controlled system.

Question 2(b) — 4 marks

Describe each of the following computer network devices:

(i) switch;

(ii) bridge.

Model answer

1. Switch: connects devices within a LAN and forwards Ethernet frames to the appropriate port using learned MAC addresses.
2. Bridge: connects LAN segments and filters/forwards frames according to MAC addresses, reducing unnecessary traffic between the segments.

Question 2(c) — 4 marks

Joyce intends to acquire a Visual Display Unit (VDU) for her computer. Outline four factors she should consider before the acquisition.

Model answer

1. Screen size.
2. Resolution and image clarity.
3. Compatible ports/connectivity.
4. Cost and power consumption.

Question 2(d) — 4 marks

Distinguish between a printer and a plotter as used in computers.

Model answer

1. A printer produces text and graphics on paper, commonly as pages using ink or toner.
2. A plotter is intended for precise, often large-format drawings such as engineering plans; traditional pen plotters trace vector lines, while modern large-format devices may use inkjet technology.

Question 3(a) — 3 marks

Outline three slide format options that could be applied during the printing of a presentation document.

Model answer

1. Full-page slides.
2. Handouts containing several slides per page.
3. Notes pages containing a slide and its speaker notes.

Question 3(b) — 4 marks

Describe each of the following Operating System features:

(i) Graphical User Interface;

(ii) Menu Driven Interface.

Model answer

1. Graphical User Interface uses visual controls such as windows, icons, menus and pointers/touch controls to interact with the system.
2. Menu Driven Interface presents lists of available choices from which the user selects an action rather than typing a full command.

Question 3(c) — 4 marks

Linda intends to acquire a word processing software. List eight factors she could consider during the selection of the software.

Model answer

1. Required document features.
2. Hardware requirements.
3. Operating-system compatibility.
4. Compatibility with document file formats.
5. Ease of use.
6. Licence/purchase cost.
7. Availability of support and updates.
8. Staff training needs.

Question 3(d) — 4 marks

A certain institution connected their computers to a Wide Area Network and experienced some passive network threats. Outline four such threats.

Model answer

Passive threats observe or disclose communication without modifying traffic; denial of service and message alteration are active threats.

1. Wiretapping of a communication link to listen to transmitted information.
2. Passive wireless interception/sniffing of traffic.
3. Traffic analysis to infer communicating parties, timing or activity volumes even when message content is encrypted.
4. Unauthorised disclosure of captured message contents, for example reading an intercepted email without altering it.

Question 4(a) — 4 marks

Outline four file organization methods that are used in computer systems.

Model answer

1. Serial.
2. Sequential.
3. Indexed-sequential.
4. Direct/random.

Question 4(b) — 4 marks

Explain the function of each of the following word processing features:

(i) status bar;

(ii) menu bar.

Model answer

1. Status bar displays information about the current document or working position, such as page number, word count and zoom.
2. Menu bar groups available commands into menus/categories through which the user selects operations.

Question 4(c) — 4 marks

Distinguish between line spacing and character spacing as used in a word processing document.

Model answer

1. Line spacing controls the vertical distance between lines of text.
2. Character spacing controls the horizontal distance between individual characters, for example expanded or condensed text.

Question 4(d) — 3 marks

Table 1 was created using a word processing program. Use it to answer the question that follows. State three word processing features used to achieve the results after formatting the text.

Before Formatting text	After Formatting text
T2	T2
A2	A2
An object is said to be recursive if it partially consists of itself. Recursion is encountered not only in mathematics, but also in daily life.	An object is said to be recursive if it partially consists of itself. Recursion is encountered not only in mathematics, but also in daily life.

Table 1

Model answer

1. Superscript: raises the 2 in T².
2. Subscript: lowers the 2 in A₂.
3. Drop cap: enlarges the opening A of the paragraph.

Question 5(a) — 4 marks

Explain two transition sound options that could be applied on a slide during slide show in a presentation.

Model answer

1. No Sound: changes to the slide without playing a transition sound.
2. A selected sound, such as Applause/Chime or an imported sound: plays the chosen audio when that transition occurs.

Question 5(b) — 3 marks

Miriam was advised to use a mail merge feature while communicating to the institutes’ customers. Outline three advantages of using this feature.

Model answer

1. Generates many personalised letters quickly.
2. Keeps the common message and formatting consistent.
3. Reuses one recipient data source and reduces repeated typing.

Question 5(c) — 4 marks

Jayden created a database for the organization he works for. Outline four database objects he could have included in this database.

Model answer

1. Tables.
2. Queries.
3. Forms.
4. Reports.

Question 5(d) — 4 marks

Explain two reasons that would compel an organization to connect their computers to an uninterruptible power supply device.

Model answer

1. To bridge a short power interruption and allow work to be saved and a safe shutdown completed.
2. To reduce damage/disruption from certain surges and voltage variations, using the UPS unit’s supported protection/conditioning features.

Question 6(a) — 4 marks

Outline four types of charts that could be created using spreadsheet programs.

Model answer

1. Column/bar chart.
2. Line chart.
3. Pie chart.
4. Scatter chart.

Question 6(b) — 4 marks

Differentiate between a computer virus and a computer worm as used in computers.

Model answer

1. A virus attaches to a host file/program and replicates when the infected host runs.
2. A worm is a standalone self-replicating program that can spread between computers, often through networks, without attaching to a host file.

Question 6(c) — 4 marks

A certain bank integrated the use of computer networks for its operations. Explain two benefits the bank would realise from this move.

Model answer

1. Shared up-to-date records: branches can access central customer/account information, improving coordination and reducing duplicate records.
2. Faster service and communication: authorised transactions and information can move between branches without physical transfer of documents.

Question 6(d) — 3 marks

Figure 1 shows a section of a workbook. Use it to answer the question that follows. Outline the function of each of the parts labelled (i), (ii) and (iii).

Model answer

1. (i) Name box: displays the address/name of the active cell and can be used to select a cell or named range.
2. (ii) Active cell: the currently selected cell, B2 here, into which input or editing is directed.
3. (iii) Formula bar: displays and allows editing of the active cell’s contents or formula.