O Level Computer Science 2210, topic 3.1
Computer architecture: past paper questions
11 Cambridge O Level Computer Science 2210 questions on Computer architecture (3.1) from 9 papers, 2023 to 2026. 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
- 11
- Papers
- 9
- Years
- 2023 to 2026
- Total marks
- 96
- Average per question
- 8.7 marks
- Largest question
- 13 marks
By type: Structured 11
How hard the questions are
- Recall1
- Apply2
- Analyse8
- 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
- explainAnalyse8 questions
set out purposes or reasons / make the relationships between things clear / say why and/or how and support with relevant evidence
- completeApply5 questions
- describeApply5 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
- identifyRecall3 questions
name/select/recognise
- drawApply1 question
- listRecall1 question
Where the questions come from
By year
- 20262
- 20253
- 20244
- 20232
By session
- May/June6
- Oct/Nov5
By paper
- Paper 111
Questions on this topic
Showing 11 of 11, spread across the years. Open one to write your answer and have it marked.
- Try this questionQuestion 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.
- Try this questionQuestion 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.
- Try this questionQuestion 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.
- Try this questionQuestion 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.
- Try this questionQuestion 2May/June 2026, paper 12Structured8 marks
A computer has a central processing unit (CPU). State the role of the CPU.
- Try this questionQuestion 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.
- Try this questionQuestion 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.
- Try this questionQuestion 4Oct/Nov 2023, paper 12Structured5 marks
A washing machine is an example of an embedded system. Give two characteristics of an embedded system.
- Try this questionQuestion 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.
- Try this questionQuestion 5May/June 2024, paper 11Structured11 marks
A computer uses both random access memory (RAM) and secondary storage. State the purpose of secondary storage.
- Try this questionQuestion 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.