Cambridge International Examinations

Cambridge International Advanced Subsidiary and Advanced Level

* 1 0 0 6 2 5 0 4 5 8 *

APPLIED INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY 9713/11

Paper 1 May/June 2015
1 hour 15 minutes
Candidates answer on the Question Paper.
No Additional Materials are required.

READ THESE INSTRUCTIONS FIRST

Write your Centre number, candidate number and name on all the work you hand in.
Write in blue or black pen.
Do not use staples, paper clips, glue or correction fluid.
You may use a pencil for any diagrams, graphs or rough working.
DO NOT WRITE IN ANY BARCODES.

Answer all questions.

The number of marks is given in brackets [ ] at the end of each of each question or part question.

The businesses described in this paper are entirely fictitious.

This document consists of 13 printed pages and 3 blank pages.

DC (LEG/FD) 101217/3
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Scenario 1
Questions 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5

XYA is a company in a developing country that buys and sells steel. They employ a number of sales
staff to phone potential customers in order to sell their steel.

They are seeking to save costs and have asked a number of their sales staff to work from home.
Temperatures are fairly low in the winter so sales staff tend to have central heating systems in their
homes.

Regular staff meetings are planned to take place using phone conferencing which the manager
Ibrahim will organise.

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1 Tick the four statements which are benefits to the company of workers working from home.

Benefit

Workers will not have to work as hard as if they were in an office
It is easier to get all the workers together for meetings and briefings
It would be easier for managers to supervise workers 

Not so much money would have to be spent on the company’s utility bills
There would be no distractions for workers preventing them from working 

Lower costs as company can rent smaller offices 

The workforce would probably be happier so there would be improved

motivation to work and increased productivity
It would be easier to sell steel
The cost to the company of the phone calls would be cheaper as home
phone charges are lower
More staff would be retained so money would not have to be spent on
training new staff 
[4]

2 Tick the four statements which are benefits to the company of using staff to make phone sales
rather than advertising on a website.

Benefit


You can reach a larger audience by phone than by using a website

Running a website is cheaper than paying telephone operators

They can be sure all targeted customers are reached as not everybody will see
the website 

Phone calls always result in a successful sale

They can contact customers whose internet speed is so slow they may not
be able to use the website 

They will know accurately how many sales they have made 

You cannot get immediate feedback from your potential customers

Customers would never buy steel using a website

Websites can have video and photographs

It is more personal so it might be easier to persuade customers to purchase

steel 
[4]

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3 Describe how a microprocessor makes use of the data from a temperature sensor to control a
central heating system.

Compares temperature from sensor to the pre-set value

If sensor temperature is higher/lower than pre-set value microprocessor sends a
signal… …to the actuator
If lower, microprocessor/actuator switches heater on
If higher, then microprocessor/actuator switches heater off

4 Each sales person would need a PC and a monitor. They will need additional hardware and
software to allow them to work from home.

(a) Name, and describe the use of, three additional items of hardware. Each use must be different.

A router/modem to connect to the internet

A fax machine to fax phone orders to main office
A landline phone to communicate with manager/main office/customers
A mobile phone in case landline phone is damaged
A printer to print orders to be faxed
Headset/touch phone to phone conference with the main office
Microphone/speakers/headset to communicate with customers

(b) Name, and describe the use of, three items of software. Each use must be different.

Word processor to type up orders

Database software to edit customer details
CTI software to communicate with customers
Time management software to record hours of work
E-mail software to send messages to colleagues

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5 Ibrahim is considering introducing video conferencing to replace phone

conferencing. Describe the advantages and disadvantages of doing this.

Advantages
You can see the facial expressions/body language of other participants
You can see/amend/share documents that you want to discuss with each other
Easier to identify whose turn it is/who wants to contribute next
Once equipment is bought less expensive to run/set up/organise than a phone conference

Disadvantages
More expensive to buy hardware/software
If there are problems with internet connection, conference may be
interrupted More equipment needed so greater chance of problems

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Scenario 2
Questions 6 and 7

A geography teacher wants to use computers to help students improve their learning and help with
her lesson preparation.

Computers will be used by other teachers in their teaching.

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6 Describe the use of each of the following types of software that the geography teacher would use
to prepare materials for her lessons. Each use must be different.

Spreadsheet prepare population statistics.

Web browser look up resources for worksheets/students to use.
DTP produce worksheets.
Image editing software to edit maps.

7 Discuss the benefits and drawbacks to teachers and students of using computers in lessons to
aid teaching and learning.

Benefits
ICT make lessons more interesting/entertaining
ICT make lessons more varied
Internet allows students to investigate ideas
Internet allows students to carry out research
Neatness of students work makes it easier for teacher to
mark ICT provides a more interactive learning environment
Teachers can spend less time with students with special needs because of ICT resources/
ICT resources can help students with special needs
Teachers have more varied teaching aids/can make use of multimedia in lessons
Teachers can use/produce computer based tests/can use ICT to assess students’
performance/students can assess own performance
Teachers can use spreadsheets/databases to record test scores/produce graphs of progress
Easier to compare class/students’ performance/track progress
Tests can be computer-marked saving teachers’ time
Easier to monitor student activities using monitoring software

Drawbacks
Takes a lot of time to prepare ICT materials
Can be difficult to ensure all students are on task if no monitoring software is available
More resources are available so students might make inefficient use of these
More difficult to co-ordinate activities
Plagiarism can cause teachers’ problems

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Scenario 3
Questions 8, 9, 10, 11 and 12

RockICT has decided to combine its staff records. It currently has separate computerised personal
and payroll details of all its staff.

The payroll system runs using all the data on a weekly basis. Workers are paid according to how
many hours they work in a week. On the new system human resources staff will need to be able to
access records quickly.

Joanne, a systems analyst, has collected a large amount of information about the existing system.
The information will be analysed before the system is designed.

RockICT requires its workers to have a duty of fidelity. It also has to follow government data protection
rules when storing data about its workers.

RockICT has hired Arty, an art and design company to produce CD covers for the albums its
musicians produce.

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8 (a) Give three items of information, not related to their pay, that will need to be stored on the
master file about each member of RockICT staff.

1. Name
2. Contact details i.e. phone/address
3. Holiday entitlement
4. Job title
5. Employee number/ID number/payroll number/works number
6. Social security/national insurance number
7. Department worked in
8. Date employed
9. Date of birth

(b) Label the components of the following systems flowchart to show how the master file is
updated.

Transaction
Old master file
file

..........update

...........process

........reports...... ..........new..........

................................ ...........master file.........

[4]

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9 (a) Describe in detail two ways that Joanne will use a data flow diagram to identify suitable
hardware for the new system.

1 Look at the terminators and flow arrows in the DFD which show the volume of input
data …which leads to decisions on appropriate input devices
2 Look at the terminators and flow arrows out of the system which indicate the quantity/
format of the output/required output…
…which leads to decisions on appropriate output devices

(b) Describe how Joanne will identify the user and system requirements for the new system.

Using collected information/results of observation to see exactly what job each worker
is doing
Joanne will have interviewed payroll workers/manager to find their requirements
Will use the DFD to come to a conclusion about the user/system requirements
From user requirements she will produce a requirements specification…
…list of the features of the system that is required
Identify general requirements such as what the user wants the overall system to do
Identify specific requirements
Example of specific requirements
Results of examining documents will help identify required
hardware/software Results of observation will help identify required
hardware/software

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10 (a) Describe what is meant by the indexed sequential method of storing data.
Give reasons why it would be suitable in this scenario.
Indicate which storage medium would be most appropriate to use.

Table of indexes is stored

The index will allow for direct access…
…needed when accessing individual worker records quickly
The records will be held sequentially to allow for serial access…
…used to process all records one after the other
Suitable because payroll will process all records one after the other

(b) Joanne will need to design the file structure of the new system.
Describe six steps involved in designing the file structure, without referring to the indexed
sequential method of storing data.

Type of database is chosen (flat file/relational)

If it is going to be a relational database, number of tables is decided
upon A key field to identify each record is chosen
Relationships are designed/Entity Relationship Diagrams are
designed Appropriate field names are chosen…
…relating to data content of field and unique name
Field data type is selected such as text, number, Boolean, appropriate to field contents
Field lengths are chosen so that space/memory is not wasted, but leaves room for
expansion Validation rules are designed
Validation rules are chosen appropriate to field contents
Validation error message(s) designed
Field descriptions are included which adequately inform about field contents

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11 (a) Explain what is meant by duty of fidelity.

Employee must be loyal to their employer….

…for as long as they are employed by the company
Must not tell rival companies about their work
Employee is free to use skills and knowledge acquired from company after they leave them
(b) Describe four rules which would be included in data protection legislation.

Kept secure
Fairly and lawfully processed
Processed for limited purposes
Adequate, relevant and not excessive
Accurate and up to date
Not kept longer than necessary
Processed in accordance with the individual’s rights
Not transferred to countries outside that country unless it has adequate protection for
the individual interests of the individual or another person

(c) Apart from following data protection rules and having a duty of fidelity, explain the
responsibilities of the company and its workers with regard to the privacy of payroll data.

Payroll workers must not share any payroll data with anybody/outside the
organisation/other employees.
Payroll workers should sign a confidentiality agreement/have a duty of confidence
Information about an individual should not be passed to another organisation
without permission of the individual
Information should be anonymised where possible
Information should be aggregated where possible

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12 Arty use graphics software to change images that have been imported into the software.

(a) Name and describe two input devices which are used to import images for use in the CD
covers.

1 Scanner
Used to import hard copy images/photographs

2 Digital camera
Used to download photographs stored on the camera

(b) Name and describe four features of the graphics software used when changing the images.

1. Cropping – removing a portion of the image

2. Rotating – turning the image through an angle

3. Flipping – getting a mirror image

4. Filling – filling a shape with colour

(c) Describe two sources of images which would accompany the software when bought.

1. Clip art library/gallery

2. Photograph library/gallery

(d) The printing of the CD covers is now computer controlled. Describe two effects this had on
the workers who used to be involved in the printing process.

1. Increase in unemployment of print workers

2. Re-training of print workers
3. Change in working practices of print workers
4. Print workers‘ skills will no longer be required

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© UCLES 2015 9713/11/M/J/15