Computer architecture: past paper questions

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• Question 2May/June 2026, paper 11Structured11 marks

  A smartphone has a quad-core 2.4 GHz processor. The processor performs the fetch-decode-execute (FDE) cycle. The first register used in the FDE cycle stores the location in random access memory (RAM) of the next instruction.

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• Question 1Oct/Nov 2025, paper 11Structured11 marks

  A student has an electronic calculator. The calculator has a screen that displays the result of calculations. The calculator has 8-bit registers.

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• Question 5Oct/Nov 2024, paper 11Structured11 marks

  A central processing unit (CPU) performs the fetch–decode–execute (FDE) cycle. Give the name of two registers that are used in the fetch stage of the cycle.

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• Question 2May/June 2026, paper 12Structured8 marks

  A computer has a central processing unit (CPU). State the role of the CPU.

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• Question 6Oct/Nov 2025, paper 11Structured9 marks

  A computer with a Von Neumann architecture has a central processing unit (CPU). Complete the statements about the operation of the CPU.

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• Question 6Oct/Nov 2024, paper 11Structured10 marks

  A computer programmer uses assembly language to create a computer program for an embedded system in a washing machine. State what is meant by an embedded system.

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• Question 3Oct/Nov 2023, paper 12Structured6 marks

  A user’s computer has a central processing unit (CPU) that has a clock speed of 2GHz. She wants to change it to a CPU that has a clock speed of 3GHz. State what is meant by clock speed.

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• Question 3May/June 2026, paper 13Structured14 marks

  A student is playing her piano. She uses her tablet computer to record the sound produced by the piano. The tablet computer has built-in input and output devices.

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• Question 4Oct/Nov 2025, paper 12Structured11 marks

  A computer with a Von Neumann architecture has a central processing unit (CPU) that performs the fetch–decode–execute (FDE) cycle. Complete and annotate the diagram to show how instructions are decoded and executed.

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• Question 4Oct/Nov 2024, paper 12Structured13 marks

  A student has a smartwatch. The smartwatch has built-in input and output devices. Identify two input devices that can be built into the smartwatch.

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• Question 4Oct/Nov 2023, paper 12Structured5 marks

  A washing machine is an example of an embedded system. Give two characteristics of an embedded system.

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• Question 4May/June 2026, paper 13Structured3 marks

  A computer has a central processing unit (CPU). Identify three components that are built into a CPU from the given list.

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• Question 2Oct/Nov 2025, paper 13Structured14 marks

  A computer with a Von Neumann architecture has a central processing unit (CPU) that carries out the fetch-decode-execute (FDE) cycle. Give the name of the first register that is used in the fetch part of the cycle.

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• Question 6Oct/Nov 2024, paper 12Structured6 marks

  The table contains names and descriptions of components in a central processing unit (CPU). Complete the table by giving the missing component names and descriptions.

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• Question 3Oct/Nov 2023, paper 13Structured7 marks

  A computer has a central processing unit (CPU). Circle three components that are built into the CPU. accumulator (ACC) control unit (CU) graphics card hard disk drive (HDD) motherboard program counter (PC) random access memory (RAM) read only memory (ROM)

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• Question 8May/June 2026, paper 13Structured10 marks

  A building has a security keypad that requires the input of a 3-digit denary number. The denary number input is then converted to an 8-bit binary number. The denary numbers 071 and 200 are input.

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• Question 5May/June 2025, paper 11Structured9 marks

  Data is processed by the central processing unit (CPU) in a computer that has a Von Neumann architecture. Complete the table with the missing terms and definitions about processing data.

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• Question 3Oct/Nov 2024, paper 13Structured6 marks

  An instruction is fetched from random access memory (RAM) into the memory data register (MDR) to be decoded. Identify two other registers that are used in the fetch stage of the cycle.

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• Question 2May/June 2023, paper 13Structured16 marks

  A library has a self-checkout system that allows customers to register books that they want to borrow. The self-checkout system has a central processing unit (CPU). The CPU has two cores.

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• Question 7May/June 2025, paper 11Structured11 marks

  A student’s computer has primary storage. One example of primary storage is random access memory (RAM). Identify one other example of primary storage.

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• Question 5May/June 2024, paper 11Structured11 marks

  A computer uses both random access memory (RAM) and secondary storage. State the purpose of secondary storage.

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• Question 4May/June 2025, paper 12Structured8 marks

  An employee uses a computer that has a Von Neumann architecture to complete many different tasks in their working day.

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• Question 5May/June 2024, paper 12Structured8 marks

  Instructions are processed by a central processing unit (CPU) in a computer. Complete the paragraph about fetching an instruction into the CPU to be processed.

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• Question 3May/June 2025, paper 13Structured10 marks

  A computer with a Von Neumann architecture has several hardware components. Complete the table with the missing terms and descriptions about computer hardware.

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• Question 8May/June 2024, paper 13Structured13 marks

  A student has a computer that has a central processing unit (CPU). Describe the role of the CPU in the computer.

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