A Level Computer Science 9618, topic 14.2
Circuit switching, packet switching: past paper questions
12 Cambridge A Level Computer Science 9618 questions on Circuit switching, packet switching (14.2) from 12 papers, 2023 to 2025. Open the paper or try a question free.
Practising builds a set from this topic, free with an account. One question opens straight away, with no account.
- Questions
- 12
- Papers
- 12
- Years
- 2023 to 2025
- Total marks
- 75
- Average per question
- 6.2 marks
- Largest question
- 10 marks
By type: Structured 12
How hard the questions are
- Recall2
- Apply9
- Analyse1
- Not banded0
Derived from the command word Cambridge prints in each question, banded by a fixed table beside the syllabus's own definitions. A question printing no command word is unbanded: unknown, not middling.
Command words
- describeApply7 questions
state the points of a topic / give characteristics and main features
- stateRecall4 questions
express in clear terms
- giveRecall3 questions
produce an answer from a given source or recall/memory
- useApply3 questions
- explainAnalyse1 question
set out purposes or reasons / make the relationships between things clear / say why and/or how and support with relevant evidence
- identifyRecall1 question
name/select/recognise
Where the questions come from
By year
- 20256
- 20243
- 20233
By session
- May/June6
- Oct/Nov6
By paper
- Paper 312
Questions on this topic
Showing 10 of 12, spread across the years. Open one to write your answer and have it marked.
- Try this questionQuestion 3Oct/Nov 2025, paper 31Structured10 marks
Explain why protocols are essential for communication between computer systems.
- Try this questionQuestion 3Oct/Nov 2024, paper 31Structured5 marks
Describe circuit switching as a method of data transmission.
- Try this questionQuestion 5May/June 2023, paper 31Structured6 marks
State, with a reason, where it would be appropriate to use circuit switching.
- Try this questionQuestion 4Oct/Nov 2025, paper 32Structured4 marks
Identify one benefit of circuit switching and one benefit of packet switching.
- Try this questionQuestion 1Oct/Nov 2024, paper 32Structured7 marks
Describe how packet switching is used to transmit messages across a network.
- Try this questionQuestion 7May/June 2023, paper 32Structured6 marks
State two examples of where it would be appropriate to use packet switching.
- Try this questionQuestion 3Oct/Nov 2025, paper 33Structured4 marks
Describe how packet switching is used to pass messages across a network.
- Try this questionQuestion 3May/June 2025, paper 31Structured9 marks
The Application Layer and Transport Layer are two layers of the TCP/IP protocol suite. Describe the purpose of the Application Layer and the purpose of the Transport Layer.
- Try this questionQuestion 4May/June 2025, paper 32Structured4 marks
Circuit switching may be used as a method of data transmission. State two benefits and two drawbacks of circuit switching.
- Try this questionQuestion 4May/June 2025, paper 33Structured9 marks
The Internet layer and Link layer are two layers of the TCP/IP protocol suite. Describe the purpose of the Internet layer and the purpose of the Link layer.