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Cambridge IGCSE™

COMPUTER SCIENCE 0478/23

Paper 2 May/June 2021
MARK SCHEME
Maximum Mark: 50

Published

This mark scheme is published as an aid to teachers and candidates, to indicate the requirements of the
examination. It shows the basis on which Examiners were instructed to award marks. It does not indicate the
details of the discussions that took place at an Examiners’ meeting before marking began, which would have
considered the acceptability of alternative answers.

Mark schemes should be read in conjunction with the question paper and the Principal Examiner Report for
Teachers.

Cambridge International will not enter into discussions about these mark schemes.

Cambridge International is publishing the mark schemes for the May/June 2021 series for most Cambridge
IGCSE™, Cambridge International A and AS Level components and some Cambridge O Level components.

This document consists of 17 printed pages.

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Generic Marking Principles

These general marking principles must be applied by all examiners when marking candidate answers. They should be applied alongside the
specific content of the mark scheme or generic level descriptors for a question. Each question paper and mark scheme will also comply with these
marking principles.

GENERIC MARKING PRINCIPLE 1:

Marks must be awarded in line with:

• the specific content of the mark scheme or the generic level descriptors for the question
• the specific skills defined in the mark scheme or in the generic level descriptors for the question
• the standard of response required by a candidate as exemplified by the standardisation scripts.

GENERIC MARKING PRINCIPLE 2:

Marks awarded are always whole marks (not half marks, or other fractions).

GENERIC MARKING PRINCIPLE 3:

Marks must be awarded positively:

• marks are awarded for correct/valid answers, as defined in the mark scheme. However, credit is given for valid answers which go beyond the
scope of the syllabus and mark scheme, referring to your Team Leader as appropriate
• marks are awarded when candidates clearly demonstrate what they know and can do
• marks are not deducted for errors
• marks are not deducted for omissions
• answers should only be judged on the quality of spelling, punctuation and grammar when these features are specifically assessed by the
question as indicated by the mark scheme. The meaning, however, should be unambiguous.

GENERIC MARKING PRINCIPLE 4:

Rules must be applied consistently, e.g. in situations where candidates have not followed instructions or in the application of generic level
descriptors.

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GENERIC MARKING PRINCIPLE 5:

Marks should be awarded using the full range of marks defined in the mark scheme for the question (however; the use of the full mark range may
be limited according to the quality of the candidate responses seen).

GENERIC MARKING PRINCIPLE 6:

Marks awarded are based solely on the requirements as defined in the mark scheme. Marks should not be awarded with grade thresholds or
grade descriptors in mind.

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Please note the following further points:

The words in bold in the mark scheme are important text that needs to be present, or some notion of it needs to be present. It does not have to
be the exact word, but something close to the meaning.

If a word is underlined, this exact word must be present.

A single forward slash means this is an alternative word. A double forward slash means that this is an alternative mark point.

Ellipsis (…) on the end of one-mark point and the start of the next means that the candidate cannot get the second mark point without being
awarded the first one. If a MP has ellipsis at the beginning, but there is no ellipsis on the MP before it, then this is just a follow-on sentence and
can be awarded without the previous mark point.

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Question Answer Marks

Section A

1(a)(i) One mark per bullet point 3

• Constant NumberofOptions
• Value 5
• Use Storing the maximum number of options (for the referendum)

1(a)(ii) One mark per bullet point 2

• Variable UniqueNumber
• Use Storing/inputting the voter’s unique identification number

1(a)(iii) One mark for each valid mark point (Max 4) 4

• Suitable name e.g. IdNumber

• Suitable data type e.g. Integer
• Suitable array length e.g. 170 (elements)
• Suitable sample data e.g. 100
• Suitable use e.g. to store the unique numbers

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Question Answer Marks

1(b) Any six from: 6

MP1 Initialisation of totalling variables
MP2 Loop to cycle through all the data
MP3 Totalling the votes for at least one of the options
MP4 Totalling the votes for all five options
MP5 Separate totals for students and staff
MP6 Output to show one set of results
MP7 Output to show more than one set of results with messages
MP8 Comprehensive output to show student, staff and combined results, with messages

Example answers
Version 1
TotalAS ← 0; TotalBS ← 0; TotalCS ← 0; TotalDS ← 0; TotalsES ← 0; TotalAF ← 0;
TotalBF ← 0; TotalCF ← 0; TotalDF ← 0; TotalEF ← 0
FOR Count ← 0 TO 150
TotalAS ← TotalAS + StudentA[Count]
TotalBS ← TotalBS + StudentB[Count]
TotalCS ← TotalCS + StudentC[Count]
TotalDS ← TotalDS + StudentD[Count]
TotalES ← TotalES + StudentE[Count]
NEXT Count
FOR Count = 0 TO 20
TotalAF ← TotalAF + StaffA [Count]
TotalBF ← TotalBF + StaffA [Count]
TotalCF ← TotalCF + StaffA [Count]
TotalDF ← TotalDF + StaffA [Count]
TotalEF ← TotalEF + StaffA [Count]
NEXT Count
OUTPUT "Option Students Staff Total"
OUTPUT "A ", TotalAS, TotalAF, (TotalAS + TotalAF)
OUTPUT "B ", TotalBS, TotalBF, (TotalBS + TotalBF)
OUTPUT "C ", TotalCS, TotalCF, (TotalCS + TotalCF)
OUTPUT "D ", TotalDS, TotalDF, (TotalDS + TotalDF)
OUTPUT "E ", TotalES, TotalEF, (TotalES + TotalEF)

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Question Answer Marks

1(b) Version 2
TotalAS ← 0; TotalBS ← 0; TotalCS ← 0; TotalDS ← 0; TotalsES ← 0; TotalAF ← 0;
TotalBF ← 0; TotalCF ← 0; TotalDF ← 0; TotalEF ← 0
OUTPUT "Are you a student? (Y or N)"
INPUT Student
IF Student = "Y" THEN
OUTPUT "Enter your number"
INPUT Number
IF Students[Number] = 0 THEN
REPEAT
OUTPUT "Enter preference for A"
INPUT Vote
UNTIL Vote >= 1 and Vote <= 5
TotalAS ← TotalAS + Vote
REPEAT
OUTPUT "Enter preference for B"
INPUT Vote
UNTIL Vote >= 1 and Vote <= 5
TotalBS ← TotalBS + Vote
REPEAT
OUTPUT "Enter preference for C"
INPUT Vote
UNTIL Vote >= 1 and Vote <= 5
TotalCS ← TotalCS + Vote
REPEAT
OUTPUT "Enter preference for D"
INPUT Vote
UNTIL Vote >= 1 and Vote <= 5
TotalDS ← TotalDS + Vote
REPEAT
OUTPUT "Enter preference for E"
INPUT Vote
UNTIL Vote >= 1 and Vote <= 5
TotalES ← TotalES + Vote

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Question Answer Marks

1(b) Student[Number] ← 1
ELSE
OUTPUT "Enter your number"
INPUT Number
IF staff[number] = 0 THEN
REPEAT
OUTPUT "Enter preference for A"
INPUT Vote
UNTIL Vote >= 1 and Vote <= 5
TotalAS ← TotalAS + Vote
REPEAT
OUTPUT "Enter preference for B"
INPUT Vote
UNTIL Vote >= 1 and Vote <= 5
TotalBS ← TotalBS + Vote
REPEAT
OUTPUT "Enter preference for C"
INPUT Vote
UNTIL Vote >= 1 and Vote <= 5
TotalCS ← TotalCS + Vote
REPEAT
OUTPUT "Enter preference for D"
INPUT Vote
UNTIL Vote >= 1 and Vote <= 5
TotalDS ← TotalDS + Vote
REPEAT
OUTPUT "Enter preference for E"
INPUT Vote
UNTIL Vote >= 1 and Vote <= 5
TotalES ← TotalES + Vote
Staff[Number] ← 1
ENDIF

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Question Answer Marks

1(b) OUTPUT "Option Students Staff Total"

OUTPUT "A ", TotalAS, TotalAF, (TotalAS + TotalAF)
OUTPUT "B ", TotalBS, TotalBF, (TotalBS + TotalBF)
OUTPUT "C ", TotalCS, TotalCF, (TotalCS + TotalCF)
OUTPUT "D ", TotalDS, TotalDF, (TotalDS + TotalDF)
OUTPUT "E ", TotalES, TotalEF, (TotalES + TotalEF)

1(c) Any two from: 2

MP1 Change the maximum preferences constant to 6
MP2 Change the input prompt to show six options
MP3 Change the loop counter
MP4 Change the number of inputs for each person to six
MP5 Add another array/variable to store/total the new option votes

1(d) Explanation 3
Any three from:
MP1 Initialise count variables/array for each option
MP2 Using a conditional statement to identify preference 1 in at least one option (in the input/stored data)
MP3 … identify preference 1 in all options
MP4 ... and adding 1 to the appropriate option count in at least one option
MP5 … for students only
MP6 … using a loop to cycle through the whole array/set of inputs for each option

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Question Answer Marks

Section B

2 Three marks for three or four correct 3

Two marks for two correct
One mark for one correct

Data Type Description

Real Must be a whole number

String Must be one of two values

Integer May be any number

Boolean May contain any combination of

characters

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Question Answer Marks

3 One mark per mark point for each piece of test data (3 × two marks) 6
• Correct validation check name
• Correct use identified

Example answers

Id27@[Link]
• Validation check name Length (check)
• Use Counts the number of characters in the data to make sure it isn’t too long (max length 320
characters).

2021
• Validation check name Range (check)
• Use Checks that the number entered fits within given parameters

Ericson-Bower
• Validation check name Type (check)
• Use Checks the type of data entered (in this case) to make sure no numbers are present

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Question Answer Marks

4(a) One mark for error identified and suggested correction 4

Line 3 – should be FullScore ← 0

Line 7 – should be FullScore ← FullScore + Score
Line 8 – should be NEXT Allow ENDFOR // alternatively Line 5 could be REPEAT with StoreLoop ← 0 just above
it and StoreLoop ← StoreLoop + 1 between lines 7 and 8.
Line 11 – should be INPUT Another

Correct Algorithm 1
1 Count ← 0
2 REPEAT
3 FullScore ← 0
4 INPUT Number
5 FOR StoreLoop ← 1 TO Number
6 INPUT Score
7 FullScore ← FullScore + Score
8 NEXT
9 OUTPUT "The full score is ", FullScore
10 OUTPUT "Another set of scores (Y or N)?"
11 INPUT Another
12 IF Another = "N"
13 THEN
14 Count ← 1
15 ENDIF
16 UNTIL Count = 1

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Question Answer Marks

4(a) Correct Algorithm 2

1 Count ← 0
2 REPEAT
3 FullScore ← 0
4 INPUT Number
StoreLoop ← 0
5 REPEAT
6 INPUT Score
7 FullScore ← FullScore + Score
StoreLoop ← StoreLoop + 1
8 UNTIL StoreLoop = Number
9 OUTPUT "The full score is ", FullScore
10 OUTPUT "Another set of scores (Y or N)?"
11 INPUT Another
12 IF Another = "N"
13 THEN
14 Count ← 1
15 ENDIF
16 UNTIL Count = 1

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Question Answer Marks

4(b) One mark per mark point (Max 4) 4

MP1 After line 6 // replace line 6

MP2 ScoreArray[StoreLoop] ← Score //
INPUT ScoreArray[StoreLoop]

MP3 between lines 8 and 10

MP4 AverageScore ← FullScore/Number
MP5 OUTPUT "The average score is ", AverageScore

Example correct algorithm for reference from part 4(a)

1 Count ← 0
2 REPEAT
3 FullScore ← 0
4 INPUT Number
5 FOR StoreLoop ← 1 TO Number
6 INPUT Score
7 FullScore ← FullScore + Score
8 NEXT
9 OUTPUT "The full score is ", FullScore
10 OUTPUT "Another set of scores (Y or N)?"
11 INPUT Another
12 IF Another = "N"
13 THEN
14 Count ← 1
15 ENDIF
16 UNTIL Count = 1

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Question Answer Marks

5(a) One mark for each correct column 5

Op Value1 Value2 Ans OUTPUT

1
87
14 101
3
2
30 60
5
10
6 Input Error
4
10
2 5
0

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Question Answer Marks

5(b) To work as a calculator // to add, subtract, multiply or divide a pair of numbers 1

5(c) To output/store the result/the value of Ans // Adding prompts for data entry. 1

Question Answer Marks

6(a) Two marks for six correct field names 2

One mark for at least three correct field names

Field name

LicenceNo

Mileage

TyreFLft

TyreFRgt

TyreRLft

TyreRRgt

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Question Answer Marks

6(b) One mark for correct fieldnames 4

One mark for correct table names and show fields
One mark for correct sort
One mark for correct search criteria in all columns

Field: LicenceNo Mileage TyreFLft TyreFRgt TyreRLft TyreRRgt

Table: TREAD TREAD TREAD TREAD TREAD TREAD

Sort: Ascending

Show:      

Criteria: <2 <2 <2 <2

or:

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