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O-LevelComputer ScienceHardware2210/11 · May/June 2018 · Q815 Marks

A supermarket uses a barcode scanner to read the barcodes on its products.

  1. (a)Describe how the barcode scanner reads the barcode.[4]
  2. (b)Explain how the barcode system could help the supermarket manage its stock.[3]
  3. (c)An infrared touch screen is used to view and navigate the supermarket stock system. Explain how the infrared touch screen detects a user's touch.[4]
  4. (d)The supermarket uses secondary storage and off-line storage to store data about its stock. Explain what is meant by secondary storage and off-line storage. Secondary storage .................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................. Off-line storage ..................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................[4]

Mark scheme

Marking points from the official mark scheme (May/June 2018). The mark or mark type is shown in brackets.

  1. [1] (a) Shines light / (red) laser at barcode
  2. [1] (a) Light is called an illuminator
  3. [1] (a) Light is reflected back // White lines reflect light // Black lines reflect less light/absorbs light
  4. [1] (a) Sensors / photoelectric cells detect the light
  5. [1] (a) Different reflections / bars will give different binary values / digital values // pattern converted to digital values
  6. [1] (a) A microprocessor interprets the data
  7. [1] (b) barcode identifies a (unique) product
  8. [1] (b) barcode can be used to look up product (in a database)
  9. [1] (b) data about stock levels can be stored on a system
  10. [1] (b) stock can be automatically deducted from the system
  11. [1] (b) can check stock is below a certain level // check stock level
  12. [1] (b) automatic re-order // Alerts when stock is low
  13. [1] (b) automatically update new stock level
  14. [1] (b) to locate if an item of stock is available in another location
  15. [1] (c) (Infrared) rays are sent across screen (from the edges)
  16. [1] (c) Has sensors around edge // Sensors capture beams
  17. [1] (c) (Infrared) rays form a grid across the screen
  18. [1] (c) (Infrared) ray is broken (by a finger blocking a beam)
  19. [1] (c) Calculation is made (on where beam is broken) to locate the 'touch' // Co-ordinates are used to locate the touch
  20. [1] (d) Secondary Storage: Not directly accessed by the CPU
  21. [1] (d) Secondary Storage: Non-volatile storage
  22. [1] (d) Secondary Storage: Secondary is internal to the computer/device
  23. [1] (d) Secondary Storage: An example of secondary storage would be HDD/SSD
  24. [1] (d) Off-line storage: Non-volatile storage
  25. [1] (d) Off-line storage: Off-line storage is storage that is removable from a computer/device // not internal // portable
  26. [1] (d) Off-line storage: An example of off-line storage would be CD/DVD/USB stick/SD card/magnetic tape/ external HDD/SSD

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About this question

Topic
Hardware, O-Level Computer Science (syllabus 2210). Structured question, 15 marks.
Source
O-Level Computer Science, May/June 2018 Paper 1 Variant 1, question 8.

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