September 2, 2022

KCSE Past Papers 2016 Computer Studies Paper 2 2016 Computer Studies – Paper 2 Questions and Answers

KCSE Past Papers 2016 Computer Studies Paper 1 2016 Computer Studies – Paper 1 Questions and Answers No. 1.(a) State the meaning of the term disk defragmentation as used in computers. (1 mark) ❖ The process of rewriting parts of a file to contiguous sectors on a disk (b)State the purpose of disk defragmentation. (1 mark) ❖ to increase the speed of access and retrieval of files. + to increase space on the disk space No.2. Identify the appropriate computer output device suitable for each of the following tasks: (a) generating receipts where carbon copies are required; (1 mark) ❖ Carboncopies – impact printers e.g. dot matrix. (b)an architectural drawing where precision is required; (1 mark) ❖ Architectural design – plotter (c) producing document output for a visually impaired person. (1 mark) ❖ Visual impairment – speakers/ brailles No.3.Pesa Tele Company has offices in Nairobi and Kampala connected in a network. The management is convinced that someone is illegally gaining access to the data in their computers. State three ways in which the company can overcome this problem. (3 marks) ❖ Encryption. ❖ Firewalls. ❖ User profiles/ passwords/user. ❖ Limit the number of log-in attempts. ❖ Audit trail/ tracking. ❖ Physical protection of computers. No.4.Explain two ways in which the use of Internet could make reporting of corruption easier.(4 marks) – Interactiveness: ❖ the internet based technology enables real-time dialogue hence instantaneous reporting of cases; Outreach: ❖ the technology allows the coverage of wide areas/ can be reported from anywhere; Social mobilisation: ❖ It is easy to use technology to create a network with people or organisations with similar concerns; – Anonymity: ❖ With use of the technology, it has become easy to report corruption cases without being known; Security: The message sent reaches the destination with less risk of being intruded No.5. State two ways in which software errors can be prevented in program development. (2 marks) ❖ Use of anti-virus software. ❖ Update system frequently. ❖ Purchase software from authentic sources. ❖ Test the software before implementation. ❖ Test syntax/ logic. ❖ Proper training. ❖ Proper enactment of laws. No.6.Convert each of the following binary numbers to decimal equivalent given that the left most digit is a sign bit: (a) 00101101 No.7.State the functions of each of the following keys on the computer keyboard: (2 marks) (a) backspace; ❖ moves the display cursor one position backwards, deletes the character at that position, and shifts back the text after that position by one position (b)insert (ins) ❖ When insert is selected, keys add characters to the screen at the cursor (insertion point) without deleting those already there. When typeover is selected the new characters type over the old, deleting them as they go No.8. An organisation intends to replace an existing system by carrying out the process in stages. (a) Name this implementation strategy; (1 mark) ❖ The implementation strategy is: – phased change-over/modular (b)Give two reasons why the organisation is opting to use the implementation strategy in (a) above. (2 marks) ❖ It gives employees opportunity to learn ❖ Organization can revert to old system in case of failure. ❖ Reduces resistance by employees. (c) A manager wishes to replace the current manual system with a computerised one. Describe three main areas that must be evaluated to justify the replacement. (6 marks) – Technical feasibility: ❖ Does’ the current technology (hardware & software) allow. – – Economic feasibility: ❖ Are funds available? Social feasibility: ❖ How will the new system impact on the organization/ society? No.9.Headache, back and neck pain may result from the use of computers. State how each of them can be minimised. (2 marks) ❖ Headache ❖ Use of filters/ antiglare. ❖ Proper lighting. ❖ Regular break. ❖ Back as Neck Pain ❖ Proper/ correct furniture for the computer. ❖ Correct position of the screen. ❖ Correct sitting posture. ❖ Taking a break. No.10. Students of a school intend to elect their school captain by secret ballot. State three ways in which computers can be used to improve the election process. (3.marks) ❖ Registering voters/ (faster); ❖ Voter identification (accurate); ❖ Actual voting; ❖ Tallying process (speedy). No.11. Explain why an intranet is a more secure way to share files within an organisation compared to the Internet. (2 marks) ❖ Intranet involves interconnection of computers within an organisation, in intranet it’s easier to monitor the access and sharing of files since the users working in the organisation can be assigned accounts and passwords which will enable them access the files they are authorised to access unlike the internet where many people can access whatever is stored in the organisation website. No.12. List two career opportunities directly associated with computer networking. (2 marks) ❖ Network administrators + Network engineers ❖ Network technicians No.13. Distinguish between a formula and a function as used in spreadsheets. (2 marks) ❖ A formula is a mathematical expression that creates a relationship between cells to return a new value while a function is an inbuilt predefined formula that the user can quickly use instead of having to create a new one every time they want to do a calculation No.14. The C directory of a computer has folders named Form 1, Form 2, Form 3 and Form 4. Each class has students’ folders named according to their admission number. The students created their own folder for subjects they are studying based on the table shown below: (a) A form four student intends to create a folder named proj to store project documents. State the path for the project folder. (1 mark) ❖ C:\FORM4\STUDNO\ADB\PROJECT (b) Suggest how the student can ensure that: (i) work is not lost in case the hard disk fails; (1 mark) ❖ Keep backup copies of the project on offline secondary storage media. (ii) the project is not copied by other students. (1 mark) ❖ Use passwords for opening and modifying the project No.15.A water company sends out clerks to read meters. The data collected by the

Data Capture Data capture refers to the Input of data, not as a direct result of data entry but as a result of performing a different but related activity eg Barcode reader equipped supermarket checkout counters, for example, capture inventory related data while recording a sale. Original data should be captured at source rather than use a processed or unstructured form of the data. The most appropriate data capture method to be applied depends on the nature of data to be captured and the application area. Data capture has evolved significantly over the years from early versions that relied on simple character based OCR, to modern versions that incorporate Word recognition, zonal and document recognition as well as Artificial intelligence such as pattern recognition and machine learning to deliver the most accurate recognition for computer generated text. With advances in cloud computing, AI and mobile technology, data capture has come such a long way in recent years and is required in some form in almost every digital process. The digital world can overlay and co-exist with the physical world and business operations to create new value and possibilities in personal lives as well as  working lives. METHODS OF DATA CAPTURE Manual Keying Manual keying or data entry is still relevant with certain types of unstructured data. Process Flows can provide manual keying, verification services and even hybrid automation as a managed service. Manual keying of metadata from unstructured data is appropriate for data that is received in low volumes and results in low levels of recognition by intelligent data capture products. Nearshore Keying Nearshore keying is the same as manual keying but instead of the task being completed in-house it is delivered by a managed service or delivery centre. Nearshore keying of Metadata can be an appropriate option when there are highly variable documents being processed. Artificial Intelligence Artificial Intelligence is ultimately an umbrella term for different artificial intelligence techniques. AI is best viewed in context of the use, case and application. All of the methods described below can be augmented to some degree or another by Artificial intelligence such as: Computer vision, Image or pattern recognition to improve the recognition of any type of image. Neural Networks & Machine learning to assist with accurate recognition training based on large data sets and assisted learning. Natural Language Processing for interpreting sentences and their meaning. Intelligent Voice Capture The boom in smart devices has also seen the rise of voice controlled virtual assistants from the likes of Apple (Siri), Google (Google Assistant), Amazon (Alexa) and Microsoft (Cortana). These are the best examples of voice capture being used mainstream in our everyday lives. There are now many applications of Voice data capture in businesses. For example, applications such as CX-E (CallXpress) and virtual assistants provide the ability to capture voice commands and initiate business processes, transcribe voice mails and other functions unifying verbal communications data with other channels. Contact centres are a good example of where the unification and integration of voice data alongside voice, instant messaging, email, fax and forms deliver enhanced customer experiences and business processes. Source Data Entry Devices  Source data entry devices are used for audio input, video input and to enter the source document directly to the computer. Source data entry devices do not require data to be typed-in, keyed-in or pointed to a particular location. Speech recognition Input Device: The “Microphones – Speech Recognition” is a speech Input device. To operate it we require using a microphone to talk to the computer. Also, we need to add a sound card to the computer. A sound card translates analog audio signals from microphone into digital codes that the computer can store and process. Sound card also translates back the digital sound into analog signals that can be sent to the speakers. A speech recognition program can process the input and convert it into machine-recognized commands or input. Digital Camera: A digital camera can store many more pictures than an ordinary camera. Pictures taken using a digital camera are stored inside its memory and can be transferred to a computer by connecting the camera to it. A digital camera takes pictures by converting the light passing through the lens at the front into a digital image. Scanner: Scanner is an input device that accepts paper document as an input. Scanner is used to input data directly into the computer from the source document without copying and typing the data. The input data to be scanned can be a picture, a text or a mark on a paper. It is an optical input device and uses light as an input source to convert an image into an electronic form that can be stored on the computer. Scanner accepts the source paper document, scans the document and translates it into a bitmap image to be stored on the computer. The denser the bitmap, the higher is the resolution of the image. The quality of scan increases with the increase in resolution. Scanners come with utility software that allow the stored scanned documents to be edited, manipulated and printed. Optical Character Recognition (OCR) OCR is the ability of machine to recognize characters. OCR is a type of optical scanner, which can detect alphanumeric characters printed on paper. The OCR uses special light, or optic to read text from a piece of paper. A special font standard is needed to recognize character. The OCR system consist of combination of hardware and software to recognize characters. The advanced OCR system can read variety of fonts, but still have difficulty to read hand written text.  OCR systems can recognise many different OCR fonts, as well as typewriter and computer-generated characters. The OCR devices examine each character by analyzing point of characters then when the whole character is scanned, it is compared with standard fonts in which OCR devices are programmed to recognize the optical characters.  OCR is used for large volume processing application such as reading of passenger tickets, processing motor vehicles registration etc.

Marking Scheme 2017 Computer Studies – Paper 2 1. (a) Typing values in the cells √ Values in cell range Al: B6 @1 √ Margin cells AI:B1 @ 1 √ Text wrap in the tit1e A1:B1 @ 1 √ Typing column 1(range A9: A22) @ 1 √ Typing column 2 (range B9: B22) @ 2 √ Typing column 3(range C9: C22) @ 1 √ Typing column 4(range D9: D22) @ 1 √ Typing column 5 (range E9: E22) @ 1 √ Saving the workbook @ 1 Column title text (row 8) √ Typing column title text (correct, bolded and completeness-A8. H8) @ 2 √ Wrapping titles @ 1 √ Applying bold face @ 1 √ Applying borders to all the visible cells @ l Tatal = (15 marks) (b) Naming the cells containing: √ 1500 as SR @ 1 √ 2800 as DR @ 1 √ 3200 as VP @ 1 √ 300 as FR @ 1 (4 marks) (c) (i) -If (D9 = “S”, C9* SR, if (D9= “D”, C9 * DR, if (D9 = “V”, C9 * VP))) √ Use of the IF function @ 1 √ S selection @ 2 √ D selection @ 2 √ V selection (else) @ 2 √ Logic and syntax @ 1 (8 marks) (ii) =If (E7 = “Yes”, FR * C7, 0) Use of the function Al Selection of fridge H 1 Alternative selection @ 1 (3 marks) (iii) √= G 7 * H7 @ 1 √ Applying other cells @ 1 (2 marks) (d) √ Currency formats @ 1 Zero decimal formats @ O √ Formats applied in the correct range @ O (2 marks) (e ) (i) √ Copying the content of the current worksheet to sheet 2 (1 mark) (ii)√ Rename sheet 1 as original @ 1 √ Rename sheet 2 as NEW @ 1 (2 marks) (f) (i) √ Enabling filter feature @ 1 √ Filtering out correct records (displaying S values only) @ 1 (2 marks) (ii) √ Creating bar chart @ 1 √ Selecting the correct X fields @ 2 √ Selecting the correct Y fields @ 1 (4 marks) (iii) Insertion of chart elements √ Chart title @ 1 √ X axis label H 1 Y axis label @ 1 (3 marks) (iv)√ Renaming the chart worksheet as SREVENUE @ 1 (1 mark) (g)√ Printing the following (i)√ Original worksheet @ 1 (ii)√ NEW worksheet @ 1 (iii)√ SREVEN (iv)√ UE chart @ l (3 marks) 2. (a) Page settings (i)√ Paper orientation @ l (ii)√ Units set to centimetres @ l (iii)√ Paper size set to A4 @ 1 (iv)√ Margins set to 2cm @ 1 (4 marks) (b) Border lines (i)√ Outer borders @ 1 (ii)√ Inner rectangles @1 (iii)√ Corner shapes @ O x4 =2 (iv)√ Position on the page II (5 marks) “Certificate of Participation” Text √ Typing text @ 1 √ Enlarging and italicizing of “of’ @ 2 √ Positioning of this element on the page @1 (4 marks) Lines below and above the “Certificate of Participation” √ Text Top lines A O x 2 =1 √ Below lines H O x 2 =1 Correct placement Al (3 marks) “Awarded to:” Text √ Typing text @ 1 √ Correct placement this element on the page @ 1 (2 marks) Line below “Awarded to:” √ Text Inserting of the line @1 Correct placement @1 (2 marks) “For the phenomenal. ” text √ Typing text @ 1 √ Correct placement @ 1 (2 marks) “Fire Emergency Rescue” Text √ Typing the text Al Text (font) size Al √ Fill pattern (outline font) Al Insertion of text box @l √ Applying a dotted background in the text box Al Correct positioning of this elements in the page @l (6 marks) “Presented By:” Text √ Typing text -H I ‘ √ Horizontal line below @ 1 √ Position on the page Al “On This Day” Text √ Typing text @ 1 √ Position on the page @ 1 √ Horizontal line below @ 1 (3 marks) The Flame and Candle Graphic √ 2 curved lines A D x 2 =1 √ Flame outline(Filling the inner curve) @ 2 Rectangular shape @ 1 √ Correct fill pattern on the rectangle @ ½ √ Correct position of all the elements in the page @ 1 (5 marks) The Star Graphic √ Outer shape (drawing) Al Fill pattern II √ Star shape (drawing) @ 1 White fill colour @1 √ Correct positioning on page @ 1 Star shape in front @ 1 (6 marks) Second Star graphic √ Copying (duplicated) @l √ Correct positioning of both graphic each 2 O 1=2 (3 marks) Saving the certificate (1 mark) (c) Printing the design (1 mark)

Classification by processing This is based on how the computer represents and processes the data: Digital computers are computers which process data that is represented in the form of discrete values like 0, 1, 2, by operating on it in steps. They result in greater accuracy. Analog computers are used for scientific, engineering, and process-controlled purposes. Outputs are represented in the form of graphs. Hybrid computers are computers that have the combined features of digital and analog computers. Classification by purpose Special purpose computers are used for a certain specific function e.g. in medicine, engineering and manufacturing General-purpose computers can be used for a wide variety of tasks e.g. accounting and word processing Classification by generation First generation. Produced in the 1940s and early 1950s, produced a lot of heat, took a lot of space, were very slow had maintenance problems and expensive. E.g. LEO, ENIAC and UNIVAC. Second generation. Produced in the 1950s and early 1960s, made use of transistors and thus were smaller and faster and much reliable. E.g. The IBM system 1000. Third generation. 1960s to early 1970s computers, made use of Integrated Circuits. They had speeds of up to 1MHz.allowed many different applications at one time, improved performance and lowered production costs E.g. the IBM system 360. Fourth generation computers of the 1970s and 1980s, had speeds of up to 10MHz. the Intel 4004chip located all the components of the computer with thousands of integrated circuits built onto a single silicon chip. Came with GUIs (Graphical User Interface), the mouse and hand held devices E.g. the IBM 4000 series. Fifth generation computers. These were computers of the 1990s, present time and even beyond. They used very Large Scale Integration (VLSI) technology and had speeds of up to 400MHz and above and based on artificial intelligence. Are still in development with many applications e.g. voice recognition devices. The goal is to develop devices that respond to natural language input and that are capable of learning and self organisation Classification by power and size/ configuration The largest and most powerful, used to process large amounts of data very quickly in meteorological or astronomical applications. E.g. Cray and Fujitsu. Mainframe computers. Large computers in terms of price, power and size. Require a carefully controlled environment and specialist staff to operate them. International Business Machine (IBM). Minicomputers. Their size, speed and capabilities lie somewhere between mainframes and microcomputers. Used as departmental computers in large organisations or as the main computer in medium-sized organisations. E.g. IBM personal computers including desktops, laptops and palmtops. Eg Hewlett Packard (HP), Compaq and Dell. ADVANTAGES OF COMPUTERS Speed – Computers have higher processing speeds than other means of processing. Accuracy – Computers are not prone to errors. So long as the programmes are correct, they will always give correct output. Consistency – Given the same data and the same instructions, computers will produce exactly the same answer every time that particular process is repeated. Reliability – Computer systems are built with fault tolerance features, meaning that failure of one of the components does not necessarily lead to failure of the whole system. Memory capability – A computer has the ability to store and access large volumes of data. Processing capability – A computer has the ability to execute millions of instructions per second. Storage – Computers occupy less storage space compared to manual records. Some of the areas that computers are used include: Communication Digital communication using computers is popular and computers have also enhanced communication through email communication, electronic data interchange, electronic funds transfer, Internet etc. Banking The banking sector has incorporated computer systems in such areas as credit analysis, fund transfers, customer relations, automated teller machines, home banking, and online banking. Organisational management Management information systems have aided greatly the processes of managerial planning, controlling, directing, decision-making, transaction processing, managerial control, sales and marketing, accounting, customer service, etc. Science, research and engineering – Computers are used: as research tools and in carrying out complex computations for simulation e.g. outer-space simulations, flight simulations as diagnostic and monitoring tools. for computerized maps using global positioning satellite (GPS) technology for modern mass production methods in the auto industry using computer driven technology. Education Computers incorporate databases of information  that  are  useful  in organising and disseminating educational resources. E.g. e-learning and virtual classrooms have enabled the teaching industry to have a global reach to students. Computers are also used for marking uniform tests done in schools, school administration and computer aided instructions. Management of information material The Internet has massive reference material on virtually every learning area. Computer systems have enabled the efficient administration of library materials for information storage and retrieval. Manufacturing and production Computer aided design (CAD), computer integrated manufacturing (CIM), and process control systems among other technologies are among computer systems that have revolutionized the production industry. Entertainment Computers enable high-quality storage of motion pictures and music files using high-speed and efficient digital storage devices such as CDs, VCDs and DVDs. The Internet is also a great source of entertainment resources. Retailing Computers are used in point of sale systems and credit card payment systems as well as stock inventories. Home Appliance Computers (especially embedded computers or microprocessors) are included in household items for reasons of economy and efficiency of such items. E.g. microwave ovens, clothes washers, refrigerators and sewing machines Reservation Systems Guest booking, accommodation and bills accounting using computers in hotels have made the process to be more efficient and faster. Airline computer reservation systems have also enhanced and streamlined air travel across major airlines. Health Care and Medicine –the use of computers in medicine has become a medical specialty in itself. Computers are used in such areas as maintenance of patient records, medical insurance systems, medical diagnosis and patient monitoring. DATA Meaning Data is defined as a base representation of a fact, represented in the  form of numbers, letters or words. Examples of data include the number of visits to a community, the number of crop failures, and the number

Questions and Answers 2017 Computer Studies – Paper1 1. State the meaning of the term computer software. (2 marks)   It is a set of programs written in a computer language to direct a computer on how to perform a particular task or behave in a certain way.2. State three features of fifth generation computers. (3 marks)   Use of expert system Support the use of natural language Support distributed computing Support artificial intelligence and voice recognition. Support parallel processing Small in size/ portable Superior hardware and software consume less power3. Differentiate between home page and web page as used in the lnternet. (2 marks) – It’s the first page that opens when a site is opened using the When the domain name. – It is web document in a website/ Any page on a web. 4. State three characteristics of mainframe computers. (3 marks)   They have bigger memory capacity. Have high processing power. It supports multiprocessing. Supports large number of users at the same time/ Supports several peripheral devices. Runs so many applications at the same time.5. The management of an organisation intends to purchase a printer. State three factors that they should consider during the purchase (3 marks)   Volume of work to be printed. Maintenance cost below e.g. consumables like toners should be affordable. Speed of printing. Type of work to be printed; type of paper, paper size/user needs /range of capability. Type of printout whether colour is required or not. Compatibility with the existing hardware Initial cost availability of in the market Portability / physical size6. Describe each of the following computer cables: (a) Parallel cable; (2 marks) – It is a communication cable which has high speed of transmission and transmits several bits at the same time. (b) Serial cable; (2 marks) – It is a communication cable which has low speed of transmission and bits follow one another in sequence or are transmitted one at a time. 7. A computer technician has observed a lot of dust on computers in the computer laboratory. State three precautions that need to be put in place to avoid this. (3 marks)   Fit ventilating / air conditioning system to allow free circulation of air. Fit curtains on the windows / add a curtain net to reduce dust entry into the laboratory. Regularly use of a blower or vacuum cleaner/mob to blow dust from the computer parts. Avoid entering the laboratory with materials that may have dust such as shoes8. Explain the term proofreading as used in word processing. (2 marks) – It is the process of using appropriate proofing reading like spelling and grammar checkers and autocorrect features to check whether the document has typographical or grammatical errors. 9. State the function of each of the following computer keyboard keys when using a word processor: (a) End (1 mark) – Used for moving the cursor to the end of the line been typed or already typed. (b) Insert (1 mark) – Used for changing typing mode from insert mode to type over and vice versa (Accept the description of type over and insertion). (c) Backspace. (1 mark) – Used to delete a character to left of the cursor position. 10. Explain two problems associated with the computer hard disk. (4 marks)   Excessive shock like dropping it on the hard surface may cause the platters to dislocate hence reading may be a problem Contact with strong magnetic fields or static electricity may affect the device since data is saved magnetically. If the case containing the platters is opened, dust may get into it causing disk crash, Some viruses may create virtual tasks which will eventual cause the disk to be overwork hence causing it to crash Sporadic power failure may cause the disk to crash.11. State the spreadsheet function that can be used to obtain each of the following values in a worksheet: (a) Number of cells with values in a column. (1 mark) =Count () (b) Mean of values in a range of cells. (1 mark) =Average ( ) 12. A school intends to install wireless media in their communication system. State three advantages of this mode of communication media. (3 marks)   The school will find it easy to add or remove modes on the system. Incase of new building is put up, there will be no need of interfering with the communication media. Users will find it safer to move around as there are no wires around the rooms. Students will be able to roam as they access the network.13. State two ways in which one can create a password which cannot be easily accessed by hackers.(2 marks)   By including many characters in a password By combining different characters in a password Use password generator manager.14. State two ways through which a computer user can minimise Repetitive Strain Injuries (RSI)associated with the use of a computer. (2 marks)   Taking regular break intervals when using a computer. Use an ergonomic keyboard to avoid stress. Support wrist with wrist rest pad when using a mouse. Use of standard furniture/proper sitting posture.15. Identify four tasks that can be achieved using a Desktop Publishing programme from the following list of tasks. (2 marks) I. Managing students records in a school II. Creating a calendar III. Designing a building structure IV. Creating a banner V. Creating a book cover VI. Processing of examination results VII. Creating business cards   Creating a calendar. Creating a banner. Creating a book cover. Creating business cardsSection B Answer question 16 and any other three questions from this section. 16. (a) State two qualities of a good pseudocode. (2 marks)   should be short and clear/ precise should have start and end clearly shown. Statements should be clearly defined. should depict the logical flow of solving the problem. should not be ambiguous. it should be indented /neat / legibility(b) With the aid of flowchart diagrams, describe each of the following programme control structures: (i) sequence (3 marks) a) Program statements are

Input devices – Enters programme and data into a computer system. Data is typed using the keyboard or using an electronic mouse or any other input device. Data and instructions enter main storage and are held until when needed to be worked on. Each computer has a control unit that fetches instructions from main storage, interprets them, and issues the necessary signals to the components making up the system. Instructions are obeyed and the necessary arithmetic and logic operations are carried out on the data. The part that does this is called the Arithmetic and Logic Unit (ALU). Central Processing Unit (CPU) –processes data. It consists of main memory, control unit and arithmetic and logic unit. Control Unit (CU) – The electronic circuitry of the control unit accesses programme instructions decodes them and coordinates instruction execution in the CPU. Arithmetic and Logic Unit (ALU) – Performs mathematical calculations and logical comparisons Registers – These are high-speed storage circuitry that holds the instruction and the data while the processor is executing the instruction. Bus – This is a highway connecting internal components to one another. Main Memory – Temporary storage to hold programmes and data during execution processing. The primary storage, also called main memory, although not a part of the CPU, is closely related to the CPU. Main memory holds programme instructions and data before and after execution by the CPU.  All instructions and data pass through main memory locations.  Memory is located physically close to the CPU to decrease access time, that is, the time it takes the CPU to retrieve data from memory.  Output devices – Display information processed by the computer system. Output Results are taken from main storage and fed to an output device. This may be a printer, in which case the information is automatically converted to a printed form called hard copy or to a monitor screen for a soft copy of data or information. They translate the machine-readable information into human-readable information – Printers- produce printouts on paper, often referred to as hard-copy Plotters are typically used for design output.  They are special-purpose output devices used to produce charts, maps, architectural drawings and three-dimensional representations. They can produce high-quality multi- colour documents or larger size documents eg blueprints or schematics. Monitors-Output device for soft-copy output (temporal screen display of output, which lasts as long as the monitor’s power is on). They are the most frequently used output devices. Some are used on the desktop; others are portable. Two important characteristics of the monitor are size and clarity. Voice Output Devices-Voice-output devices use prerecorded vocalised sounds to produce output. Most widely used voice-output devices are stereo speakers and headphones. Devices are connected to a sound card in the system unit.   Sound card is used to capture sound as well as play it back. Examples of voice output uses: Soft-drink machines, telephone, and in cars. Voice output can be used as a tool for learning. Can help students study a foreign language. Used in supermarkets at the checkout counter to confirm purchases. Most powerful capability is to assist the physically challenged. Storage devices – Permanent storage of data and programmes before and after it is processed by the computer system. Types of secondary storage devices Magnetic disks – Stores bits as magnetic spots. Magnetic disks are similar to magnetic tapes in that areas are magnetised to represent bits. Floppy disks (diskettes) are not very fast and durable. Hard disks/Fixed disks – also called hard drives have capacity ranging from 20 to120 GB, are fast and durable though not foolproof. Most are internal, but disks that use removable cartridge are available.        Optical Disks – Store bits as “pits” and “lands” on surface of disk that can be detected (read) by a laser beam. Magnetic Tapes – Magnetic tape is similar in composition to the kind of tape found in videotapes and audiotapes.. Tape cartridges – used in personal computers. Has up to 20 GB or more per tape Tape reels – Used in minicomputers and mainframes Zip drive/disk – Uses special diskettes that hold 100 MB, 250 MB or 750 MB SyQuest drive – Uses special cartridges that hold 200 MB RAID – RAID stands for Redundant Arrays of Independent or Inexpensive Disks. RAID technology is fault tolerant; that is, it allows data to be stored so that no data or transactions are lost in the event of disk failure. It involves using multiple hard disks in a special controller unit and storing data across all the disks in conjunction with extra reconstruction information that allows data to be recovered if a hard disk fails. Storage Area Network (SAN) – A storage area network connects servers and storage devices in a network to store large volumes of data. Data stored in a storage area network can be quickly retrieved and backed up. Computer Output Microfilm (COM) – Companies that must store significant numbers of paper documents often use computer output microfilm. These devices transfer data directly from the computer onto the microfilm, thus eliminating the intermediate step of printing the document on paper.  Newspapers and journals typically archive old issues in this manner, although some are now using optical storage devices. Communication devices –Enable communication with other computers. Modems allow computers (digital devices) to communicate via the phone system (based on analog technology). It turns the computers’ digital data into analog, sends it over the phone line, and then another modem at the other end of the line turns the analog signal back into digital data.

Project Management Improves Productivity and Reduces Costs and Workload The ultimate goal of project management and planning is efficiency. Project management helps to create an optimized methodology by creating processes, templates, and procedures that can be reused with every project. This will automatically mitigate risks and improve efficiency. Project planning help clearly define the goals, the project scope, and the timelines. It keeps the project team from slowing down and avoids unnecessary bureaucracy. A solid project plan, ensures an agreement with the client’s requirements, and that all project stakeholders are well informed on the project status as well as flag risks in advance. Effective Resource Allocation: The biggest resource any project managers have at their disposal is the team members. Project teams consist of people of different backgrounds and departments and they might have other commitments.  Proper project planning ensures that they are available when needed. Similarly, other resources like the budget, tools, machinery, and others can be arranged effectively to avoid project delays during the execution. Through properly allocating each resource in the beginning and monitoring the phases that are more demanding can be done. Each prioritized task is optimized to give maximum output at the lowest cost. Through proper utilization of resources and having an efficient system in place, a team can easily get more work done in a shorter amount of time and increase productivity. Improved Customer Satisfaction: Retaining clients is considered more important than acquiring new ones and a guaranteed way of doing it is by offering unparalleled services. An effective set of operations that focuses on quality and efficiency, would make clients satisfied. This means that they would return with more business in the future. A satisfied client would also refer the organization to other potential customers, which means free marketing. This can be an extremely effective marketing strategy for businesses. Moreover as the organization increases its customer base, it would be able to gain more capital which it can use to expand the business and hire new talent. Project Management Improves Performance Projects enable managers to track performance and results from project to project. Without a structured process, a project would fail. But sticking to outlined processes, would identify bottlenecks and variables that may make the projects fail so that they can be addressed by the project team. Project Management Helps with Problem Resolution There are always problems in projects. However, using a PM methodology, the project manager knows exactly how to approach a problem. A structured way of organizing work can even help notice the problems before they cause project failure. Project Management Improves Collaboration through Consistent Communication If everything related to the project is structured and team members know exactly what they need to do at any given time, it’ll be much easier to manage them and everyone will do their best. No project plan is complete without a solid communication structure. Communication in project management is an extremely important aspect that can have a significant effect on the performance of a team. Communication breakdown can cause project. Project managers must ensure that the whole team shares a collective end-goal and work together to achieve it. The overall efficiency and productivity of the entire team get significantly improved which leads to other benefits as well. Higher risk tolerance Proper planning means that the PM is ready for potential ‘what-if’ scenarios that may occur. This means that he is prepared to tackle any unforeseen occurrences and uncertainties that may negatively impact the project. Improved morale: With continuous success and effective performance, the project team gains more confidence. Effective project managers inspire their team by regularly rewarding top performers to keep everyone motivated. Quality control Most project managers are under enormous pressure to complete the project on time. When deadlines are missed, schedules get tightened, work is rushed, and people may resort to short – cuts, resulting in poor quality work. Methodologies like Agile ensure the quality and applicability of the delivered product by creating a separate phase for examining and testing at every step of the project. Proper project management also gives PM control over the timelines and resources. Learning by Retrospection A project manager can’t afford to make the same mistake twice. It’s also key to do more of what went right and less of what went wrong. And, projects generate a tremendous amount of knowledge. Almost every project management methodology includes a retrospective stage at the end of the project to facilitate this. It is common to learn from what went wrong throughout the course of the project. Properly recorded documentation allows the PM to keep track of all activities, enabling the team to learn from successes and failures. The learnings from a project can be applied to all future projects. It’s also a great tool to estimate costs and project timeline. MEASURES OF PROJECT SUCCESS A project Management Information System is successful when: The resulting information system is acceptable to the customer. The system is delivered on time. The system is delivered within budget. The system development process has a minimal impact on ongoing business operations. The customer is able to specifically  mention  the  importance  of  functionality  of  the  delivered system.  CAUSES OF PROJECT FAILURE Most Common Causes of Project Failure: Poorly defined project scope. Inadequate risk management. Failure to identify key assumptions. Project managers who lack experience and training. No use of formal methods and strategies. Lack of effective communication at all levels. Key staff leaving the project and/or company. Poor management of expectations. Ineffective leadership. Lack of detailed documentation. Failure to track requirements. Failure to track progress. Lack of detail in the project plans. Inaccurate timelines and effort estimates. Cultural differences in global projects. Promised resources may not be available when required. Executives may fail to grasp the full reasons behind instigating a project. There may be political reasons for continuing with a clearly unviable project. Failure to establish top-management commitment to the project. Lack of organisation’s commitment to the system development methodology. Taking shortcuts through or

A Project Management Information System is a set of interrelated components working together to collect, classify, store, and distribute information to support decision-making.  It is more about designing the appropriate methods and processes and implementing a sound plan to manage the information cycle. A Project Management Information System is an integrated set of mutually supporting tools, processes, and methods for managing project information applied in a consistent way to support the decision-making and information needs of project stakeholders. Project managers use the techniques, processes, and tools to collect, organize, analyze, and share information through electronic and manual means. A PIMS is also beneficial during the different project-management phases. During the planning phase, a project manager uses a PMIS to organize the project work, define the scope baseline, estimate the budget, and create a schedule. During the implementation phase, the project team collects progress information that is used to compare with the baseline and evaluates the accomplishment of each activity. It is also used to manage deliverables, collect financial data, and keep a record for reporting purposes. During the monitoring phase of the project, the PMIS is used to review the goals to check if the outcomes were accomplished or not. The goal of a good PIMS is to make the right information available to the right people at the right time. With the right PMIS, project managers will be able to improve the processes through which they define, locate, collect, store, analyze, share, and use project information. The quality of a PMIS is measured by how the project manager uses the information to guide and improve his or her actions. The management of project information is a critical element and a key responsibility of the project manager, as it informs, educates, guides, and builds support for the project. Providing key project stakeholders with the right information at the right time can significantly improve decisions to adjust, change and guide the project to improve its outcomes. Characteristics of PMIS Establishing smart goals and objectives and selecting indicators for measuring progress are the elements that form the basis of a sound project management information system. An important step in developing the system is the creation of an information-management plan that outlines how information will be selected, collected, analyzed, and shared during the lifecycle of the project. Once the project team has completed the design and planning for the information, the project should be able to move to a Project Information Management Systems A good PMIS needs to contain the following characteristics: Supply the necessary information and feedback so that potential problems are identified, and solutions are implemented early, before becoming constraints. Acts as a tool to collect, analyze, store, and disseminate information useful for decision-making within a project. – builds on a project’s success while using lessons from earlier experiences to improve project performance. It’s demand-driven, flexible and adaptable to the changing conditions of the project. Transparency: the availability and access to information by all project stakeholders. Accountability: the use and application of information to monitor the progress of the project and correct deviations. Inclusion and participation: project participants are given control over decision-making, including decisions on appropriate criteria and indicators to judge the performance of the services provided by the project. Determining the right level of PMIS depends entirely on the information requirements of the project. The list below can help the project manager identify the information requirements to define and develop an information-technology solution for the PMIS. This step will help evaluate the complexity of the information the project will manage: The requirements of information from the project’s governance structure. The requirements of information from the various project stakeholders. The methods the project will use to collect and organize all the information. The frequency with which the project team needs to analyze and report the information to key stakeholders. The volume of information it needs to collect from beneficiaries. The types of visual reports required, such as graphs, tables, maps, etc. The types of access, security, and controls to manage modify and update the information. The need to develop special reports in defined formats. The need for complex analysis of the information collected. A Project Management Information System serves five principal purposes: Provide information for decision-making. Improve project management. Demonstrate results through project evaluation. Empower the project team and other project stakeholders. Increase opportunities to learn from experience. In planning, PMIS provides the following: Development of appropriate work breakdown structure Concise budget framework used in cost estimation Assigning and scheduling of tasks for efficient management Supports the development of the various project management plans such as communication plan, financial plan, procurement plan etc. Defining scope baseline In execution, PMIS: Helps in managing project resources such as materials, equipments, facilities in order to accomplish the project Enables the project manager to keep track of project tasks that are implemented by assigned personnel It creates the relationship that exists among project tasks during the execution process Compares project baseline with the actual accomplishment of each tasks Keeping project data and records for reporting purposes In closure, PMIS: Review of project tasks to ensure project goal is met. Helps in preparing project final report. Support in closing down the various project activities. Meaning of Terms used in Project Management Information Systems Project A project can be defined as a temporary sequence of unique, complex and connected activities having one goal or purpose and that must be completed by specific time, within budget and according to specification. It is a planned undertaking that has a beginning and an end and that produces a predetermined result or product. Every project is constrained by its scope, time goals and cost goals. Projects vary in size and complexity Projects have the following characteristics: Unique purpose – a project is undertaken to fulfil a specific objective or desired result. This makes project work to have a high degree of risk. Temporary – projects exist for a limited duration of time. Life cycle – The life cycle of

2018 Computer Studies – Paper1 1 (a)(i) Creating the database file @ 1 ½ (ii) Creating of tables (at least 3) @1 ½ Student table ✔ 4 Fields each @ ½ =2 Patron table ✔ 2 Fields each @ ½ =1 Dormitory table ✔ 3 Fields each @ ½ =1½ Games table ✔ 2 Fields each @ ½ =1 (iii) Relationship at least 3 each @ 1 = (b) (i) 4 forms for each table each @½ =2 = 2 (ii) Entering data into the tables Student table ✔ 8 records each @ ½ =4 Patron table ✔ 3 records each @ ½ = 1½ Dormitory table ✔ 3 records each @½ = 1½ Games table ✔ 4 records each @ ½ =2 (c) (i) Creating the orangeq query   Invoking the use of query@ 1 selecting the fields @ 1  Criteria applied to the fields @ 2✔ Saving the query @ 1 (ii) Creating the j query query   Invoking the use of query@ 1  Criteria (letter j) @✔ 1 Saving the query @ 1 (d) (i) Creating the report   Using the report feature @ 1  selecting the report fields @ 1  selecting the 4 fields each @ 1=4 Grouping @ 1  Saving the query @ 1(ii) I. Replacing the report title @l ✔ H. Entering name and index as report footer ✔Name and index @ l ✔Position the items in the footer @ 1 HI. Bolding the text ✔Selecting the text @ 1 ✔ applying bold format @l (e) Printing (i) 4 Tables each @ 1 (ii) 2 queris each @ 1 =2 (iii) The report @ 1 2 (a) (i) Typing the story   Title @½ Centering the title @½ First paragraph @ 2 Paragraph under advantages @ 2 Paragraph under disadvantages @ 2 Last paragraph @ 2 Bullets used in the advantages @ ½ Bullets used in the disadvantages @ ‘½ Saving @ 1(ii) I Formatting the title,p> Font size 18 @l Font colored @l Font typemahoma @lH Double underline   Selection of text under advantages @l Applying double space @lIH Drop cap   Selection the first letter @l Using drop cap feature @l Dropping through 4 lines @ 1IV Two columns   Selection of text @l Using the column feature @l Applying a line between the columns @ 1 Advantages to the left @ /z 4 Formats applied on subtitles Bold@1 Italics @l Underline @ 1(iii) I Water marks   Using the watermark feature @ 1 Typing the text social media in the watermark field @l Font size=20 @l Direction (Diagonal left to right) @lH Page numbering   Using page numbering feature @½ Inserting page numbers @ 1 Centering the pages horizontally @/ 2III Header   Using the header field @ / Typing the text in the header field @ 1 Alignment at the right @½ Applying italics @ 1(b)(i) Main document   Typing text @l Applying formats ½ Saving the document @ 1(ii) Main document   Creation of datasource @3 Saving the datasource @l Using the mail merge feature @½  Inserting the 2 fields at each @l =2 Generating the merged document 2 Saving the merged document @ 1(c) Printing the word documents   Social network@I mail merge @l counsel letter @l

INTRODUCTION TO INFORMATION SYSTEMS – Click to view BENEFITS OF PROJECT MANAGEMENT – Click to view FUNCTIONAL / LOGICAL PARTS OF A COMPUTER SYSTEM – Click to view CLASSIFICATION OF COMPUTERS – Click to view DATA CAPTURE AND DATA PROCESSING – Click to view DATABASE ADMINISTRATION AND MANAGEMENT – Click to view DATABASE MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS – Click to view INFORMATION SYSTEMS – Click to view TYPES OF INFORMATION SYSTEMS: THEIR CHARACTERISTICS AND DIFFERENCES – Click to view INFORMATION SYSTEMS IN PROJECT PLANNING – Click to view DEPENDENCIES IN PROJECTS – Click to view MANAGING CONSTRAINTS IN PROJECTS – Click to view INFORMATION SYSTEMS IN PROJECT SCHEDULING – Click to view INFORMATION SYSTEMS AND RESOURCE MANAGEMENT – Click to view INFORMATION SYSTEMS AND SOFTWARE SELECTION – Click to view TYPES OF COMPUTER SECURITY – Click to view COMPUTER SECURITY – THREATS AND VULNERABILITY – Click to view Need these notes in PDF for reading when offline and printing? Click the link below PROJECT MANAGEMENT INFORMATION SYSTEMS NOTES

2018 Computer Studies – Paper1 1. Reasons for the preference for laptops.   They are small and fit in a small storage space. They are light weight hence can be carried to areas where their services are required. The monitor, system unit, keyboard units are attached together hence making its use to be convenient. Rechargeable / backup battery. Any 2 x 12. Reasons for the use of command — line interface OS   They do not take up a lot of memory hence boot faster than the GUI OS. They have direct access or most hardware devices. They are cheaper to acquire as some can be downloaded free of charge. They can run on lower —bit hardware systems such as 32-bit computers. Any 3 x 13. Measures to be put in place in the laboratory to safeguard user health.   All power cables must be insulated and hidden from users. The furniture used must be of standard computer furniture. The room should be lit with adequate lighting. The room must be ventilated. Computer monitor should be fitted with antiglare to filter excess light rays emanating from the monitor. Avoid slippery floors/cemented floors. Controlling dust.4. Ways in which barcode readers can be used in a school.   To take inventory of items in the school. To keep track of employee login log out. Used to transact business in the library. Used to keep track of movement of goods.5. Advantages of flat panel monitors.   They are compact and light weight; They consume less power; They do not suffer from geometrical distortions; They do not cause eye fatigue. They support many advanced technologies; They can be made in almost any size and shape; They support higher resolution. Low heat radiation.6. Reasons why daisy wheel printer are in extinct.   They supported one font size and font face; They were monochrome printers; They produced noise while printing; They were very slow; Did not print graphics. Had poor print quality.7. Ways in which an OS secures computer system:   Access controls: Authentication of users in order to access files; Performing regular patches of updates; Creating secure accounts with required privileges; Scrutinizing all incoming and outgoing packets of data through a firewall; Encryption of data, during the transmission stage; Password / biometric analysis; Log files to detect any breach. Any 3 x 18. Advantages of hardcopy output.   – They are acceptable as exhibit in cases of litigation. Can be used without a computer. They are difficult to change without leaving any trace. They can be used without power. They can be used without the experience of computer usage. Any 2 x 19. (i) Thesaurus: It is a feature in a word processor that suggest words with similar or opposite meaning to the selected word @l. (ii) Comments: It is a feature in WP that allows a user to attach a remark about the selection @l. 10. Multilevel list: It is a format style that shows the listed items of different levels rather than one at one level. Each level has different indentation and numbering style @2. Example (Accept any) 1. Chapter One Introduction Definition of terms @l. 11. Distinction between real-time and distributed OS.   Real-time OS reads information from input devices and must respond within a short duration of time to ensure correct performance. Distributed OS distributes computation among several physical processors which do not share memory or clock.12. Function of protect sheet:   It is a feature used to prevent unwanted changes to be made on the data contained in a sheet by limit the ability to make changes.13. Computer based careers created by introducing computerized data processing.   System analysts Hardware technicians Data entry clerks Programmers Networks techniciansDatabase administrators   Web designers Network administrator14. = If (A1 > 10, Al * 77, Al * 50) Compares the value in cell Al If it is greater than 10, if comparison is True, the results of operations Al * 77 is displayed, if it is False the results of the operations Al * 50 is displayed. 15. (a) Identifying technologies that could be used in the system. — System ana1ysis/ information gathering/problem recognition (@ 1) (b) Identifying the shortcoming of the old system — Problem definition (@ 1) (c) Prepares the software migration plan — Implementation stage (@ 1) 3 Section B (60 Marks) Marking Scheme 16. (a) Looping is the control structure that allows a block of code/statements to be repeated until a certain condition is fulfilled. @ 2 marks Accept any type of looping control structure (c) Distinction between a source program and compiler  Source program is the original computer based instructions written by a programmer in a programming language whileA compiler is a program that processes statements/instructions and translates them into machine language. 17. (a) (i) Search-engine It is a web-based application used to locate for an item or information from world wide web. (ii) Factors that affects duration of download   The size of the video The band width of the media used Availability of network Other activities that may be running in the computer. Other restrictions enforced in the computer The restrictions by the ISP Speed of computer (Any 3 @ l)(b) Causes of Wakulima system’s failure   Lack of power supply to the system servers. Network infrastructure breakdown/poor network coverage/lack of connection. Program failure in the system/malware (virus). Hardware failure in the system. Human action which could be accidental or intentional. Lack of access rights. System overload (Any 4 @ 1 mark)(c) (i) Cropping Used when handling a graphic and there is a need to remove some of the portions in the graphic. (ii) Transparency Used when there is a need to make the background of a graphic to be visible. (d) Areas where infra-red radio waves are used.   TV remote control communication; DVD remote control communication Communication between peripheral devices and the computer Data link over short distance using mobile phones Radio remote control Remote locking / opening doors/devices18. (a) Activities at the planning stages