A-LevelComputer ScienceFurther programming9618/22 · May/June 2023 · Q110 Marks

A program calculates the postal cost based on the weight of the item and its destination. Calculations occur at various points in the program and these result in the choice of several possible postal costs. The programmer has built these postal costs into the program. For example, the postal cost of $3.75 is used in the following lines of pseudocode: IF Weight < 250 AND ValidAddress = TRUE THEN ItemPostalCost ← 3.75 // set postal cost for item to $3.75 ItemStatus ← "Valid" // item can be sent ENDIF

(a)(i)Identify a more appropriate way of representing the postal costs.[1]
(a)(ii)Describe the advantages of your answer to part (a)(i) with reference to this program.[3]
(b)The lines of pseudocode contain features that make them easier to understand. State three of these features. 1 2 3[3]
(c)Give the appropriate data types for the following variables: ValidAddress ItemPostalCost ItemStatus[3]

Mark scheme

Marking points from the official mark scheme (May/June 2023). The mark or mark type is shown in brackets.

[1] Use of constants
[3] One mark per bullet point (or equivalent to max 3): 1 Postal rates are entered once only 2 Avoids input error / changing the cost accidentally // avoids different values for postal rates at different points in the program 3 When required, the constant representing the postal rate value is changed once only // easier to maintain the program when the postal rates change 4 Makes the program easier to understand Note: Max 3 marks
[3] One mark per bullet point: • Indentation • White space • Comments • Sensible / meaningful variable names // use of Camel Case • Capitalised keywords Note: Max 3 marks
[3] One mark per bullet point: • BOOLEAN • REAL • STRING

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