Data Representation: past paper questions

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• Question 1May/June 2026, paper 31Structured5 marks

  A record data type is a type of composite user‑defined data type. Identify two other types of composite user‑defined data types.

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• Question 1Oct/Nov 2025, paper 31Structured6 marks

  The composite record data type, ClubMember, is defined in pseudocode as: TYPE ClubMember DECLARE Code : INTEGER DECLARE LastName : STRING DECLARE FirstName…

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• Question 1Oct/Nov 2024, paper 31Structured6 marks

  Numbers are stored in a computer using binary floating-point representation with: • 10 bits for the mantissa • 6 bits for the exponent • two’s complement form for both the mantissa and the exponent.

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• Question 1Oct/Nov 2023, paper 31Structured5 marks

  Real numbers are stored in a computer using floating-point representation with: • 12 bits for the mantissa • 4 bits for the exponent • two’s complement form for both the mantissa and exponent. Write the normalised floating-point representation of +65.25 in this system.

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• Question 2May/June 2026, paper 31Structured6 marks

  Random file organisation can be used with a database management system. State one other example of where random file organisation could be used.

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• Question 2Oct/Nov 2025, paper 31Structured6 marks

  Numbers are stored in a computer system using binary floating‑point representation with: • 12 bits for the mantissa • 4 bits for the exponent • two’s complement form for both the mantissa and the exponent.

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• Question 5Oct/Nov 2024, paper 31Structured5 marks

  Explain what is meant by a hashing algorithm in the context of file access.

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• Question 3Oct/Nov 2023, paper 31Structured4 marks

  Describe what is meant by enumerated and pointer data types.

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• Question 3May/June 2026, paper 31Structured6 marks

  Numbers are stored in a computer system using binary floating‑point representation with: • 10 bits for the mantissa • 6 bits for the exponent • two’s complement form for both the mantissa and the exponent.

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• Question 1Oct/Nov 2025, paper 32Structured6 marks

  The composite data type, Car, is defined in pseudocode as: TYPE Car DECLARE RegNumber : STRING DECLARE Make : STRING DECLARE Model : STRING DECLARE BodyStyle…

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• Question 6Oct/Nov 2024, paper 31Structured7 marks

  Describe the user-defined data type set.

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• Question 4Oct/Nov 2023, paper 31Structured6 marks

  Describe sequential and random methods of file organisation.

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• Question 1May/June 2026, paper 32Structured5 marks

  A user-defined data type is required to store the types of animals in a children’s zoo. Write the pseudocode statement to declare a non-composite data type, Animals, that holds the following data: Alpaca, Chicken, Donkey, Duck, Goat, Pony, Sheep

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• Question 2Oct/Nov 2025, paper 32Structured6 marks

  Numbers are stored in a computer system using binary floating-point representation with: • 10 bits for the mantissa • 6 bits for the exponent • two’s complement form for both the mantissa and the exponent.

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• Question 2Oct/Nov 2024, paper 32Structured3 marks

  Describe serial file organisation as a method of storing data records in a file.

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• Question 8Oct/Nov 2023, paper 31Structured8 marks

  A pseudocode algorithm finds a customer account record in a random file and outputs it. The records are stored using the user-defined data type TAccount.

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• Question 3May/June 2026, paper 32Structured5 marksHas a diagram

  Numbers are stored in a computer system using binary floating-point representation with: • 12 bits for the mantissa • 4 bits for the exponent • two’s complement form for both the mantissa and the exponent.

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• Question 1Oct/Nov 2025, paper 33Structured8 marks

  An enumerated data type, Spectrum, is required to hold the names of colours. Write the pseudocode statement for the type declaration of Spectrum to hold the names of the colours available: Red, Orange, Yellow, Green, Blue, Indigo, Violet.

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• Question 3Oct/Nov 2024, paper 32Structured7 marks

  Describe the user‑defined data type record.

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• Question 1Oct/Nov 2023, paper 32Structured6 marks

  Real numbers are stored in a computer using floating point representation with: • 10 bits for the mantissa • 6 bits for the exponent • two’s complement form for both the mantissa and the exponent. Write the normalised floating-point representation of –96.75 in this system.

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• Question 4May/June 2026, paper 32Structured6 marks

  State one example of where sequential file organisation could be used.

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• Question 4Oct/Nov 2024, paper 32Structured6 marksHas a diagram

  Numbers are stored in a computer using binary floating‑point representation with: • 12 bits for the mantissa • 4 bits for the exponent • two’s complement form for both the mantissa and the exponent. Calculate the denary value of the given normalised binary floating‑point number.

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• Question 2Oct/Nov 2023, paper 32Structured4 marks

  Describe what is meant by composite and non-composite data types.

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• Question 10May/June 2026, paper 32Structured9 marks

  Two examples of searching algorithms are a linear search and a binary search. Describe how increasing the number of data items in the file to be searched affects the time efficiency of these search algorithms.

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• Question 1May/June 2025, paper 31Structured6 marks

  A programmer is writing a program to manage bookings for a small taxi company. The programmer requires some user-defined data types.

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• Question 3Oct/Nov 2023, paper 32Structured5 marks

  The location of a record in a random file is determined using a hashing algorithm. A collision may occur during the process of adding a record. Outline what is meant by the term collision in this context.

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• Question 1May/June 2026, paper 33Structured5 marks

  User-defined data types may be created by programmers when writing software. Explain the reasons why user-defined data types are needed.

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• Question 12Oct/Nov 2023, paper 32Structured9 marks

  Describe, with an example, what is meant by an exception.

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• Question 3May/June 2026, paper 33Structured6 marks

  State one example of where serial file organisation could be used.

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• Question 12May/June 2025, paper 31Structured5 marks

  The pseudocode algorithm checks whether a location in a stock file StockList.dat is empty or not. The location is given by the user. If the location is empty, a suitable message is displayed, otherwise the item stored at that location is displayed.

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