9618/31

Computer Science 9618/31May/June 2021

Cambridge A-Level · Advanced Theory · worked solutions for every part, with the mark scheme

9
questions
75
marks
90
minutes

Topics Data Representation · System Software · Computational Thinking and Problem-solving · Artificial Intelligence (AI) · Communication and Internet Technologies · Hardware and Virtual Machines · +1 more

Q1Data RepresentationFree sample

Real numbers are stored in a computer system using floating-point representation with:

• 10 bits for the mantissa
• 6 bits for the exponent
• Two’s complement form for both the mantissa and the exponent.

(a)

Calculate the normalised floating-point representation of –7.25 in this system.
Show your working.

MantissaExponent
3M
(b)

Calculate the denary value of the given binary floating-point number.
Show your working.

MantissaExponent
1011000111000111
3M
(c)

The given binary floating-point number is not normalised.

Normalise the floating-point number. Show your working.

MantissaExponent
0000000111100111

Mantissa

Exponent

3M
(d)
(i)

The denary number 513 cannot be stored accurately as a normalised floating-point number in this computer system.

Explain the reason for this.

3M
(ii)

Describe an alteration to the way floating-point numbers are stored to enable this number to be stored accurately using the same total number of bits.

2M

The rest of this paper

8 more questions
  • Q2Data Representation8M
  • Q3System Software9M
  • Q4System Software · Computational Thinking and Problem-solving8M
  • Q5Artificial Intelligence (AI)8M
  • Q6Communication and Internet Technologies4M
  • Q7Hardware and Virtual Machines8M
  • Q8Computational Thinking and Problem-solving8M
  • Q9Further Programming8M
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