Cambridge A Level · 9608 · Paper 3 · Advanced theory

Computer Science 9608/31 Oct/Nov 2019 past paper

Cambridge A Level Computer Science (9608) (previous syllabus, now 9618) Paper 3 (Advanced theory), variant 1, Oct/Nov 2019: the question paper and its official mark scheme, 9 questions worth 75 marks, with the grade thresholds. Free to open, no account needed.

Questions: 9
Marks: 75
Grade A from: 56

Open the question paper Mark scheme

File names: 9608_w19_qp_31 · 9608_w19_ms_31

Grade thresholds for 9608/31 Oct/Nov 2019

The minimum raw marks Cambridge set for each grade on this component (out of 75). Thresholds change every session and variant, so always compare your score with the paper you actually sat.

A	B	C	D	E
56	49	41	33	24

Topics in this paper

Which syllabus chapters 9608/31 Oct/Nov 2019 tested, by marks. Each chapter links to every past-paper question on it.

Chapter	Questions	Marks
Data Representation	2	20
System Software (A Level)	2	19
Communication and internet technologies	2	17
Hardware and Virtual Machines	2	14
Security (A Level)	1	5

Questions in 9608/31 Oct/Nov 2019

Question 1Data Representation · 10 marks
Real numbers are stored using floating-point representation in a computer system. This representation uses: • 8 bits for the mantissa, followed by • 4 bits for the exponent. Two’s complement form is used for both the mantissa and the exponent. …
Question 2System Software (A Level) · 9 marks
The following syntax diagrams for a programming language show the syntax of: • a condition • a variable • a number • a letter • a digit • an operator …
Question 3Communication and internet technologies · 6 marks
Protocols are essential for communication between computers. (a) Explain why protocols are essential for communication between computers. (b) A protocol used in bus networks is CSMA/CD. Explain what is meant by CSMA/CD.
Question 4Hardware and Virtual Machines · 7 marks
A Boolean expression produces the following truth table. INPUT OUTPUT …
Question 5Data Representation · 10 marks
(a) Explain why user-defined data types are necessary. (b) An organisation stores data about its employees. • Employee ID is a five-digit number, for example, 01234. • Employee name is a string, for example, ‘Kiri Moana’. • Department is one …
Question 6System Software (A Level) · 10 marks
(a) An operating system (OS) uses a memory management technique called paging. Explain what is meant by the following terms. Page Page frame Page table (b) Explain why an operating system needs to use scheduling algorithms. (c) State what is …
Question 7Communication and internet technologies · 11 marks
(a) Identify the four layers of the TCP/IP protocol suite. …
Question 8Security (A Level) · 5 marks
Digital certificates are used in internet communications. A Certificate Authority (CA) is responsible for issuing a digital certificate. (a) Identify two data items present in a digital certificate. …
Question 9Hardware and Virtual Machines · 7 marks
(a) The following incomplete table shows descriptions relating to computer architectures. Complete the table by inserting the appropriate terms. Description Term A • There are several processors. • Each processor executes different sets of instructions on one set of data …

Other Computer Science papers from Oct/Nov 2019

Questions students ask

Where can I get the 9608/31 Oct/Nov 2019 mark scheme?

Open the mark scheme above - it is the official Cambridge scheme for this exact paper (9608_w19_ms_31), and on a wide screen it sits beside the question you are reading.

What was the grade threshold for an A in 9608/31 Oct/Nov 2019?

56 marks out of 75, a C needed 41.

Which topics came up in 9608/31 Oct/Nov 2019?

Mostly Data Representation, System Software (A Level), Communication and internet technologies. The full list is in the table above.

Do I need an account to open 9608/31 Oct/Nov 2019?

No. Every paper opens for free without signing in. A free account also saves your pen marks and records your score against the grade thresholds.