Computing Higher, Revision

Less than two weeks to go!

I have been waiting for a barrage of questions… I guess that you have all been too busy with all your studying. Don’t be put off by the good weather it will still be there when your exams are done and dusted. Get your head down and get on with it.

Here is how to fill the next two weeks (except the days you have other exams).

  • Get a marking scheme for a higher past paper, oh look here is one.
  • Get an A4 piece of paper and draw a line bisecting it.
  • Write the question on one side and the answer on the other.
  • Every time you meet an answer you don’t understand go look it up and rewrite the answer in a fashion you do understand.

For example for the paper above and question 4

2005 New Q4

Describe the function of a defragmenter.
  • • Locate parts of files around disk (file is split up)
  • • Re-order these
  • • Into physically adjacent blocks / contiguous allocation of blocks
  • • Thereby speeding up loading of files / file access / gather free space at end of disc

(1 mark for each point – up to max of 3)

Lose a mark if talk about ‘memory’
A defragmenter program is used to check that files are contiguous and if not move the separated file blocks into adjacent storage, thereby speeding up the loading of the file.

This gives a double benefit.

  1. Familiarisation with past paper questions and the number of and distribution of marks.
  2. Studying areas of the course you are weak in.

Remember there is no shame in not knowing something, as long as you then do something about it. That’s why I am here, leave a comment or send me an email if you need any help.

Now on the more techy side of the news NASA have bought a quantum computer. This is a truly amazing time to become a computer scientist a brand new field is just opening up.