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Mark Scheme (Results)

November 2021

Pearson Edexcel GCSE In

Computer Science (1CP0/01)
Paper 1: Principles of Computer Science
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November 2021
Publications Code 1CP0_01_2111_MS
All the material in this publication is copyright
© Pearson Education Ltd 2021
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General Marking Guidance

• All candidates must receive the same treatment. Examiners

must mark the first candidate in exactly the same way as they
mark the last.
• Mark schemes should be applied positively. Candidates must
be rewarded for what they have shown they can do rather than
penalised for omissions.
• Examiners should mark according to the mark scheme not
according to their perception of where the grade boundaries
may lie.
• There is no ceiling on achievement. All marks on the mark
scheme should be used appropriately.
• All the marks on the mark scheme are designed to be awarded.
Examiners should always award full marks if deserved, i.e. if
the answer matches the mark scheme. Examiners should also
be prepared to award zero marks if the candidate’s response is
not worthy of credit according to the mark scheme.
• Where some judgement is required, mark schemes will provide
the principles by which marks will be awarded and
exemplification may be limited.
• When examiners are in doubt regarding the application of the
mark scheme to a candidate’s response, the team leader must
be consulted.
• Crossed out work should be marked UNLESS the candidate has
replaced it with an alternative response.
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Question Answer Additional Guidance Mark

Number
1(a) D 1

Question Answer Additional Guidance Mark

Number
1(b) Any two from: Accept ‘anti-malware’ if
• Anti-virus mark not already
• Anti-spyware awarded for Mark point
• Firewall 1/2
• File management
• File repair/recovery
• File conversion
• Compression
• Defragmentation
• Back up 2

Question Answer Additional Guidance Mark

Number
1(c) Machine code / binary (1) Accept ‘computer’
Processor / CPU (1) 2

Question Answer Additional Guidance Mark

Number
1(d) An explanation to include two linked points such as:
• The source code is not available (1) because the compiler
converts the code to machine code (1)
• Compiled code is not human readable (1) so nobody else can
alter it or sell it on (1)
• Compiled code is difficult/impossible to reverse engineer (1) so
nobody else can alter it or sell it on (1) 2
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Question Answer Additional Guidance Mark

Number
2(a)

X Y Z Y AND Z X OR (Y AND Z)

0 1 0 0 0

0 1 1 1 1

1 1 0 0 1

1 1 1 1 1

0 0 0 0 0

0 0 1 0 0

1 0 0 0 1

1 0 1 0 1

Question Answer Additional Guidance Mark

Number
2(b) Arithmetic Logic Unit / ALU 1

Question Answer Additional Guidance Mark

Number
2(c) Process 1
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Question Answer Additional Guidance Mar

Number
2(d) Any one from:
• To store frequently used instructions (1)
• To act as a buffer (1)
• To make up the difference in the speed between RAM and the
CPU (1) 1

Question Answer Additional Guidance Mark

Number
3(a) A description to include:
A sequence of instructions (1) that solves a problem (1) 2

Question Answer Additional Guidance Mark

Number
3(b)

3
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Question Answer Additional Guidance Mark

Number
3(c) An explanation such as: Mark point 1 can be
(Inclusion) reduces the divide/disadvantage in society (1) because awarded for reference to:
more people have access (1) legal requirements /
increased sales 2

Question Answer Additional Guidance Mark

Number
3(d) An explanation such as:
• Less CO2 is produced by people travelling to work (1) because
people can use the internet to work remotely (1)
• More energy efficient homes (1) because smart technologies
can switch the lights off when no one is in the room (1)
• Endangered species can be protected (1) because GPS
technologies can track their locations (1)
2

Question Answer Additional Guidance Mark

Number
3(e) A description to include two linked points such as:
Freedom to view the source code (1) and modify/distribute it (1)

Question Answer Additional Guidance Mark

Number
3(f) A description to include two points such as:
• Essential features such as
colours/images/suits/numbers/values (1) can be used to 2
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represent a general model of a card (1)

• No need to consider physical features of cards / just need to
know essential features (1) e.g. suit, value, rank (1)

Question Answer Additional Guidance Mark

Number
4(a) • 32
• 25 1

Question Answer Additional Guidance Mark

Number
4(b) AD
1

Question Answer Additional Guidance Mark

Number
4(c) Binary: One mark for 1110 0011 Allow follow through.
Denary: One mark for 227
2

Question Answer Additional Guidance Mark

Number
4(d) One mark for each nibble in the correct location: Binary must be expressed
0100 0101 using 8 bits for both
marks.
Or one from:
• H – E (1)
• 72 – 3 (1)
• 69 (1)

2
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Question Answer Additional Guidance Mark

Number
4(e) A comparison to include two from:

Effect on sample resolution (1)

e.g. More levels of amplitude can be represented (with 24 bits)

Effect on accuracy of representation (1)

e.g. The sound is more like the original (with 24 bits)

Effect on transmission speed/storage/memory (1)

e.g. Takes longer to transmit / creates larger file sizes / uses more
memory (with 24 bits) 2

Question Answer Additional Guidance Mark

Number
4(f) One mark for each nibble:
(i)

0 0 1 1 1 0 1 0

1 0 1 1 0 0 1 1

1 1 1 0 1 1 0 1

Question Answer Additional Guidance Mark

Number
4(f) It will produce an overflow error (1) because there are not enough
(ii) available bits (1) 2
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Question Answer Additional Guidance Mark

Number
5(a) One from:
• Instructions for the game do not change.
• RAM is volatile.
• Users aren't expected to alter the game's code or assets 1

Question Answer Additional Guidance Mark

Number
5(b) An explanation such as:
To store actions /progress during the game (1) because this data is
changeable (1)
OR
RAM stores data that can change (such as variable values) (1) which
is needed to store scores/progress during the game (1) 2

Question Answer Additional Guidance Mark

Number
5(c) A linked response to include two from:
Logic allows for decisions to be made (1) enabling a range of
options/pathways/scenarios to be provided (1) that can adapt to
ability of the player / how the player plays (1)

Example response:
Logic is used to compute the output response (1) generated by the
player's action given their location and the location and actions of
other players in the game environment (1)
2
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Question Answer Additional Guidance Mar

Number
5(d)i 000 0011
010 0101
(1)

000 0100
(1)

010 0001
111 0011
010 0001
000 0011
(1) 3

Question Answer Additional Guidance Mark

Number
5(d)ii One mark for sight of each: Award equivalent
expressions e.g.
• 10x9 (1) • (10x9x7)-(6x7)
• x7 (1) • (90x7)-(6x7)
• 10x9/15x7 (1)

Award all four marks for a complete expression including minus sign
and expressed with the correct order of operations.
e.g.
(10x9x7)-(10x9/15x7)
4
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Question Answer Additional Guidance Mar

Number
6(a) A
1

Question Answer Additional Guidance Mark

Number
6(b) A description to include three linked points from:

ROM contains (1) the firmware for the motherboard / BIOS / Boot
sequence / Start-up instructions (1) that loads the operating system
(1) from secondary storage (1) into RAM (1)
3
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Question Indicative content

Number
6(c) Lower order responses: -
HDD vs SSD
Low cost/High capacity vs High cost/Low capacity
Low vs High energy efficiency
Slow vs fast access speeds
Higher order responses:
Access speeds negated by network latency
SSD access speeds faster, so could be used for database software to provide quicker lookups.
Larger storage capacity means used for file storage provided by HDD
Files written to SSD as faster and then permanently stored / Backed up to HDD
Frequently stored data ‘cached’ on SSD.

Level Mark Descriptor

0 No rewardable content

Level 1 1-2 A comparison may be attempted but with limited application of knowledge and understanding of
key concepts/principles of computer science to the theoretical context.
The comparison will contain basic information with some attempt made to link knowledge and
understanding to the given context.
Level 2 3-4 A comparison will be given with adequate application of knowledge and understanding of key
concepts/principles of computer science to the theoretical context. Lines of reasoning are
occasionally supported through a linkage
The comparison shows some linkages and lines of reasoning with some structure.
Level 3 5-6 A comparison will be given with comprehensive application of knowledge and understanding of
key concepts/principles of computer science to the theoretical context. Line(s) of reasoning are
supported throughout by sustained application of relevant evidence.
The comparison shows a well-developed and sustained lines of reasoning which is clear, coherent
and logically structured.
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Question Answer Additional Guidance Mar

Number
7(a) C
1

Question Answer Additional Guidance Mark

Number
7(b) An explanation to include two from:
• IMAP retains the data on a server (1) which can be read by any
computer (1)
• POP3 downloads the data to the client (1) so it would not be
available from a different computer (1) 2

Question Answer Additional Guidance Mark

Number
7(c) A linked description to include four from:

Splits the data into packets (1) and numbers them (1)
using a checksum (1) to see if packets have been delivered correctly
(1) to avoid error/data corruption detection (1) before reordering
them at their destination (1)

Award other linked points such as:

resends packets if found to be corrupt/missing on arrival (1)
handles handshaking and transmission details (1)
establishes a dedicated channel between source and destination
devices (1)
communicates with the application layer above and the network layer
below (1)
4
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Question Answer Additional Guidance Mark

Number
7(d) Responds to incoming client requests (1) by supplying a
service/resource (1)

Examples:
File/web/mail/database server (1) stores resources (data/files) and
delivers (data/files) / manages requests (for data/files) (1)
Print server (1) manages requests for print jobs (1) 2
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Question Answer Additional Guidance Mark

Number
7(e) Single line not directly connected to any device (bus) (1) single lines
connecting each device to bus (1)

2
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Question Indicative content

Number
8 • Validation and authentication techniques (access control, physical security and firewalls)
• Security issues associated with the ‘cloud’ and other contemporary storage
• Different forms of cyberattack (based on technical weaknesses and behaviour) including social
engineering (phishing, shoulder surfing), unpatched software, USB devices, digital devices and
eavesdropping
• Methods of identifying vulnerabilities including penetration testing, ethical hacking, commercial
analysis tools and review of network and user policies
• How to protect software systems from cyber-attacks, including considerations at the design stage,
audit trails, securing operating systems, code reviews to remove code vulnerabilities in
programming languages and bad programming practices, modular testing and effective network
security provision

Level Mark Descriptor

0 No rewardable content

Level 1-2 Basic, independent points are made showing elements of knowledge and understanding of key
1 concepts/principles of computer science.

The discussion will contain basic information with little linkage between points made.
Level 3-4 Demonstrates adequate knowledge and understanding of key concepts/principles of computer science.
2
The discussion shows some linkages and lines of reasoning with some structure.
Level 5-6 Demonstrates comprehensive knowledge and understanding by selecting relevant knowledge and
3 understanding of key concepts/principles of computer science to support the discussion being presented.

The discussion shows a well-developed, sustained line of reasoning which is clear, coherent and logically
structured.