Exam practice — 5 questions · 12 marks · 1CP2 Paper 1 style
⚡ Write your pseudocode or answer — the AI marks against the Edexcel 1CP2 Paper 1 mark scheme.
1 markRAM characteristic1CP2 Paper 2
Which of the following best describes RAM?
A Non-volatile memory that stores the BIOS
B Volatile read/write memory that stores currently running programs and data
C Very fast memory built directly into the CPU for frequently used data
D Permanent storage for large files and the operating system installation
3 marksCompare HDD and SSD1CP2 Paper 2
A school is replacing all its computers. Give TWO advantages of SSDs over HDDs and ONE advantage of HDDs over SSDs. (3 marks)
Hint: SSDs are faster and more durable. HDDs win on cost per GB and available capacity.
+30 XP
1 markCache purpose1CP2 Paper 2
Why does the CPU use cache memory rather than always fetching from RAM?
A Cache has a larger capacity than RAM
B Cache is much faster than RAM — frequently needed instructions are kept close to the CPU to reduce fetch time
C Cache is non-volatile so data is not lost between tasks
D Cache can store more data types than RAM
4 marksData unit conversion1CP2 Paper 2
A sound file has a sample rate of 44,100 samples per second, bit depth of 16 bits, and duration of 60 seconds. (a) Construct an expression for the file size in bits. (b) Convert to MiB. Do not calculate — write the expression. (3 marks)
Hint: Sound file size = sample rate × bit depth × duration (in bits). Then: ÷8 for bytes, ÷1024 for KiB, ÷1024 for MiB.