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Data representation

1.1 Number systems

Understand how and why computers use binary to represent all forms of data

Understand the denary, binary and hexadecimal number systems

Convert between
(i) positive denary and positive binary
(ii) positive denary and positive hexadecimal
(iii) positive hexadecimal and positive binary

Understand how and why hexadecimal is used as a beneficial method of data representatio

(a) Add two positive 8-bit binary integers
(b) Understand the concept of overflow and why it occurs in binary addition

Perform a logical binary shift on a positive 8-bit binary integer and understand the effect this has on the positive binary integer

Use two’s complement to represent positive and negative 8-bit binary integers

Twos Compliment

1.2 Text, sound and images

Understand how and why a computer represents text and the use of character sets, including American standard code for information interchange (ASCII) and Unicode

Syllabus aspect

Additional information

Understand how and why a computer represents sound, including the effects of the sample rate and sample resolution

Understand how and why a computer represents an image, including the effects of the resolution and colour depth

Sound and images

1.3 Data storage and compression

Compression

Understand how data storage is measured

Calculate the file size of an image file and a sound file, using information given

Understand the purpose of and need for data compression

Additional information

Understand how files are compressed using lossy and lossless compression methods

Data transmission

2.1 Types and methods of data transmission

Data Transmission to encryption

(a) Understand that data is broken down into packets to be transmitted
(b) Describe the structure of a packet
(c) Describe the process of packet switching

(a) Describe how data is transmitted from one device to another using different methods of data transmission
(b) Explain the suitability of each method of data transmission, for a given scenario

Understand the universal serial bus (USB) interface and explain how it is used to transmit data

2.2 Methods of error detection

Understand the need to check for errors after data transmission and how these errors can occur

Describe the processes involved in each of the following error detection methods for detecting errors in data after transmission: parity check (odd and even), checksum and echo check

Describe how a check digit is used to detect errors in data entry and identify examples of when a check digit is used, including international standard book numbers (ISBN) and bar codes

Describe how an automatic repeat query (ARQ) can be used to establish that data is received without error

2.3 Encryption

Understand the need for and purpose of encryption when transmitting data

Understand how data is encrypted using symmetric and asymmetric encryption

3 Hardware

3.1 Computer architecture

Hardware to Embedded systems

(a) Understand the role of the central processing unit (CPU) in a computer
(b) Understand what is meant by a microprocessor

(a) Understand the role of the central processing unit (CPU) in a computer
(b) Understand what is meant by a microprocessor

a) Understand the purpose of the components in a CPU, in a computer that has a Von Neumann architecture
(b) Describe the process of the fetch–decode–execute (FDE) cycle including the role of each component in the process

Von Neumann architecture

Von Neumann questions

Understand what is meant by a core, cache and clock in a CPU and explain how they can affect the performance of a CPU

Understand the purpose and use of an instruction set for a CPU

Describe the purpose and characteristics of an embedded system and identify devices in which they are commonly used

3.2 Input and output devices

Input to Output

Understand what is meant by an input device and why it is required

Understand what is meant by an output device and why it is required

(a) Understand what is meant by a sensor and the purposes of sensors
(b) Identify the type of data captured by each sensor and understand when each sensor would be used, including selecting the most suitable sensor for a given context

3.3 Data storage

Data Storage to cloud storage

Understand what is meant by primary storage

Understand what is meant by secondary storage

Describe the operation of magnetic, optical and solid-state (flash memory) storage and give examples of each

Describe what is meant by virtual memory, how it is created and used and why it is necessary

Understand what is meant by cloud storage

Explain the advantages and disadvantages of storing data on the cloud in comparison to storing it locally

3.4 Network hardware

Network hardware

Understand that a computer needs a network interface card (NIC) to access a network

Understand what is meant by and the purpose of a media access control (MAC) address, including its structure

(a) Understand what is meant by and the purpose of an internet protocol (IP) address
(b) Understand that there are different types of IP address

Describe the role of a router in a network

4 Software

4.1 Types of software and interrupts

Types of software and interrupts

Describe the difference between system software and application software and provide examples of each

Describe the role and basic functions of an operating system

3 Understand how hardware, firmware and an operating system are required to run applications software

Describe the role and operation of interrupts

4.2 Types of programming language, translators and integrated development environments (IDEs)

4.2 Types of programming language, translators and integrated development environments (IDEs)

Explain what is meant by a high-level language and a low-level language, including the advantages and disadvantages of each

Understand that assembly language is a form of low-level language that uses mnemonics, and that an assembler is needed to translate an assembly language program into machine code

Describe the operation of a compiler and an interpreter, including how high-level language is translated by each and how errors are reported

Explain the advantages and disadvantages of a compiler and an interpreter

Explain the role of an IDE in writing program code xand the common functions IDEs provide

5 The internet and its uses

The internet and its uses

5.1 The internet and the world wide web

1 Understand the difference between the internet and the world wide web

Understand what is meant by a uniform resource locator (URL)

Describe the purpose and operation of hypertext transfer protocol (HTTP) and hypertext transfer protocol secure (HTTPS)

Explain the purpose and functions of a web browser

Describe how web pages are located, retrieved and displayed on a device when a user enters a URL

Explain what is meant by cookies and how they are used, including session cookies and persistent cookies

5.2 Digital currency

1 Understand the concept of a digital currency and how digital currencies are used

Understand the process of blockchain and how it is used to track digital currency transactions

5.3 Cyber security

Describe the processes involved in, and the aim of carrying out, a range of cyber security threats

Explain how a range of solutions are used to help keep data safe from security threats

6 Automated and emerging technologies

6.1 Automated systems

Automated and emerging technologies

Describe how sensors, microprocessors and actuators can be used in collaboration to create automated systems

Describe the advantages and disadvantages of an automated system used for a given scenario

6.2 Robotics

Understand what is meant by robotics

Robotics is a branch of computer science that incorporates the design, construction and operation of robots

Describe the characteristics of a robot

Understand the roles that robots can perform and describe the advantages and disadvantages of their use

6.3 Artificial intelligence

Understand what is meant by artificial intelligence (AI)

Describe the main characteristics of AI as the collection of data and the rules for using that data, the ability to reason, and can include the ability to learn and adapt

Explain the basic operation and components of AI systems to simulate intelligent behaviour