What is secondary storage?
Utility software are operating system programs designed to maintain the functionality of a computer system.
Describe three types of utility software that are provided to help maintain the security and integrity of computer data.
Computer Studies Paper 1 2021 KCSE Prediction Section B Qs. 17,18 and 19
17. a) i) Explain the term search as used in the Internet. [2]
A web based application that locates items or information from the World Wide Web
ii) Peter intends to download a movie from the Internet. State the three factors that may determine the total time taken to complete the download. [3]
b) Wakulima online is an organization that runs a web based system for assisting farmers to obtain market for their produce. State four technological reasons that may cause a farmer not to access the organization’s system. [4]
c) Explain a situation when each of the following Desktop Publishing program features may be used when creating a publication:
i. Cropping [2]
Applies to graphics – used to trim/remove/hide some portions in the graphics
ii. Transparency [2]
Used to make background of a graphic to be clear/visible
d. List two areas where infrared waves are used in data communication. [2]
18. a) List four activities of the planning stage of systems development. Ignore this question, marks redistributed elsewhere
b) Explain a circumstance when each of the following feasibility studies are carried out during systems development.
i. Technical [3]
Done to determine whether technology exists to support the proposed solution
ii. Economic [3]
Done to determine whether the proposed solution is economically viable
iii. Schedule [3]
Done to determine whether the proposed system can be done within an acceptable time.
c) Table 1 and Table 2 are related tables in a database. Use them to answer the questions that follow.
Table 1
|
Dept Code |
Dept Name |
|
001 |
Computer |
|
002 |
Aviation |
|
003 |
Engineering |
Table 2
|
DeptID |
Student Registration No. |
Student’s Name |
|
002 |
St01 |
Alex Too |
|
003 |
St02 |
Naomi Komi |
|
002 |
St03 |
Peter Kengo |
i. Identify the appropriate primary key for each table. [2]
Table 1 – Dept code, Student Registration No
ii. Explain two benefits of enforcing referential integrity in the database. [4]
19. a) Describe each of the following validation checks as used in data processing.
i. Preserve check [2]
Ignore this question, marks redistributed elsewhere
ii. Data type check [2]
Ensure correct type of data is entered for the field
iii. Check digit [2]
This is a number added/calculated by the computer to a binary number. The check digit ensures correct transmission of the binary number.
b. Write each of the following abbreviations in full:
i) BCD [1½]
Binary Coded Decimal
ii) EBCD [
This question was thrown out and marks redistributed elsewhere
iii) ASCII [1½]
American Standard Code for Information Interchange
c) Using 10-bits binary number system, perform the following decimal operation using two’s complement. [6]
12910 - 12810
+129 = 00 1000 0001
128 = 00 1000 0000
-128 = 11 0111 1111 (ones complement)
+1
11 1000 0000 (Twos complement)
129- 128
00 1000 0001
+ 11 1000 0000
100 0000 0001
Hence = 00 0000 00012 or 12 (the overflow bit is ignored)
State a circumstance under which dry-run testing is performed when developing a program (2mks)
Give two reasons why some microprocessor controlled devices do not require an operating system
Give one reason why use of video-conferencing has increased over the last ten years.
– faster communications now widely available
– safety reasons, e.g. increase in terrorist attacks on international flights
– reduced transportation/accommodation/hardware costs
– environmental issues, e.g. reduced carbon footprint
– increase in multinational working
What characterises a phased implementation approach?
- Phased means that only one part of the system is implemented at a time
Explain a reason necessitating governments to enact data protection laws
Below is a labelled diagram of a star topology network.

(a) Other than the items labelled above state the hardware required by every computer to connect to a network
b) Describe how a packet is transmitted from computer A to computer D, including the role of the switch

(a)
(b)
State the functions of the following protocols
POP -Stands for post office protocol
SMTP- Simple Mail Transfer Protocol
FTP - Stands for the file transfer protocol
State the functions of the following protocols
POP -Stands for post office protocol
SMTP- Simple Mail Transfer Protocol
FTP - Stands for the file transfer protoc
Distinguish between Incremental and Full backup
Incremental:
Full:
Ahmed sees the message “Set your browser to accept cookies”.
Explain why some websites make this request.
State three documents that are used during mail merging in word processing
State the contents of a feasibility study report
Outline three ways through which ICT can used in marketing
ICT is used to create e-commerce platforms that have made business transactions easier and convenient by allowing customers make purchases and payments from anywhere at any time
ICT is used by marketing agents to create exciting multimedia presentations concerning products or services and present them to the target customers using presentation software such MS PowerPoint
Using multimedia, presentation and animation software, it is possible to design attractive advert materials and video clips to display on billboards, broadcast over a television or uploaded on the internet
Explain the following terms
(a) Disk mirroring
(b) Encryption
(c) Backup
(a) Disk mirroring- Data is written on two or more disks simultaneously.
(b) Encryption - Contents are scrambled so they cannot be understood without a decryption key
(c) Backup - A copy of the data is taken and stored in another location
A family has purchased a computer system with the following specification:
Processor speed 2200 MHz
RAM 512 Megabyte
Hard disk drive 120 Gigabytes
CD ROM
DVD writer
Modem 56k
Monitor 17"
(a) The computer has been purchased for buying goods and services over the Internet. Explain how each of these items of hardware would be used for this purpose.
Hard disk drive
RAM
DVD writer
Modem
Hard disk drive
RAM
DVD writer
Modem
State THREE reasons why binary is used in developing digital electronic systems (3marks)
Differentiate between distributed data processing and time-sharing.