IGCSE Computer Science Paper 3 — Data Representation Total: 100 marks
Section A – Number Systems (30 marks)
1. (a) Convert the binary number 01011011 into denary. (3)
(b) Convert the denary number 100 into binary. Show working by division. (3)
(c) Convert the binary 11101111 into hexadecimal. (2)
(d) Convert the hexadecimal C4 into denary. (2)
(e) Define the following: bit, nibble, byte. (3)
[Total: 13 marks]
2. (a) Explain how to convert from binary to hexadecimal. Use an example. (4)
(b) Convert the binary number 110111100 to hexadecimal. (3)
(c) Explain two uses of hexadecimal in computer science. (4)
[Total: 11 marks]
3. (a) Add in binary: 11101 + 11011. Show working. (3)
(b) Give an example of a binary calculation that results in an overflow error. (2)
(c) Perform a left binary shift of 01011001 by 3. What denary effect does this have?
(3)
[Total: 8 marks]
Section B – Data Compression and Storage (35 marks)
4. (a) Explain the difference between lossy and lossless compression, with one example
of each. (6)
(b) State two advantages of using compression when sending files over the internet.
(4)
(c) Explain why lossy compression is not always appropriate. (3)
[Total: 13 marks]
5. (a) Explain the principle of run-length encoding (RLE). (3)
(b) Encode the string: ppppqqrrrrrrrss using RLE. (3)
(c) Describe the purpose of a flag in RLE algorithms. (3)
[Total: 9 marks]
6. (a) Complete the table: (6)
Storage unit Power of 2 Bytes
1 KiB 210
1 MiB 220
1 GiB 230
1 TiB 240
(b) 4 GiB = ? bytes. Show working. (3)
[Total: 9 marks]
IGCSE Computer Science Data Representation Page 2 of 3
Section C – Representing Media and Text (35 marks)
7. (a) Define sampling rate and sampling resolution. (4)
(b) Explain one advantage and one disadvantage of increasing the sampling resolution.
(4)
(c) A mono sound recording is 30 seconds long with 44,100 Hz sampling and 16-bit
depth. Calculate the file size in MB. (5)
[Total: 13 marks]
8. (a) Define colour depth. (2)
(b) An image is 1920 × 1080 pixels with 24 bits colour depth. Calculate its raw file
size in MB. (5)
(c) Explain the trade-off between colour depth and image file size. (4)
[Total: 11 marks]
9. (a) Describe the purpose of ASCII. (3)
(b) Explain two problems with using ASCII in a modern global context. (4)
(c) State how Unicode solves these problems. (3)
[Total: 10 marks]
Page 2
IGCSE Computer Science Data Representation Page 3 of 3
Answer Page – Paper 3
1. (a) 91. (b) 100 = 1100100. (c) EF. (d) C4 = 196. (e) Bit = smallest unit, nibble
= 4 bits, byte = 8 bits.
2. (a) Group binary in 4s → hex digit. E.g. 101111 = 2F. (b) 110111100 = 1DC. (c)
Uses: colour codes, memory addresses.
3. (a) 11101 + 11011 = 111000. (b) 1111 + 0001 in 4 bits. (c) 01011001 ¡¡3 = 11001000
= multiplies denary by 8.
4. (a) Lossy removes some data (MP3, JPEG), lossless keeps all (RLE, ZIP). (b) Faster
transfer, less storage. (c) Not suitable where exact reproduction needed.
5. (a) RLE stores symbol + run length. (b) p4q2r7s2. (c) Flag shows when data is
repeated.
6. (a) 1 KiB = 1024, 1 MiB = 1, 048, 576, 1 GiB = 1, 073, 741, 824, 1 TiB = 1, 099, 511, 627, 776.
(b) 4 × 230 = 4, 294, 967, 296 bytes.
7. (a) Rate = samples per second, resolution = bits per sample. (b) Higher quality vs
larger files. (c) 44, 100 × 16 × 30 = 21, 168, 000 bytes = about 21.2 MB.
8. (a) Bits per pixel. (b) 1920 × 1080 × 24 = 49, 766, 400 bits / 8 = 6.22 MB. (c)
Higher depth improves quality, but increases file size.
9. (a) ASCII maps characters to binary codes. (b) Can’t represent non-English char-
acters; limited to 128/256. (c) Unicode supports all global scripts with more bits.
Page 3