WAEC SSCE - Computer Studies - 2024 (Essay)

Question 1 Report

(a) Give two differences between a compiler and an interpreter in Table 2.
Table 2

Compiler	Interpreter

(b) State one advantage of coding in:
(i) high level programming language;
(i) low level programming language.

Answer

(a)

Computer	Interpreter
Intermediate object code is generated	No intermediate object code is generated
Takes the entire program at once	Translate sources program line by line
Comparatively faster in execution	Slower in execution
Error detection is difficult	Comparatively easy
More memory requirement	Requires less memory

(b) Advantages of coding in high level programming language are:
(i) I. Provides higher level of abstraction; allows programmes to focus on the logic and functionality of their programs rather than hardware or complex low-level operations.
II. Easy to code, debug and maintain.

(ii) Advantages of coding in low level programming language are:
I. Faster execution times
I. Greater control over hardware resources

(c) Characteristics of a good program
I. Correctness: a good program must produce the desired output for a given input.
II. Maintainability: Must be easy to modify, update and debug
III. Readability: Must be clear, concise and understandable.
IV. Reliability: Must consistently perform correctly under various conditions.
V. Efficiency: Must use system resources (time, memory, etc.) optimally.
VI. Portability: Must be able to run on different platforms with minimal modifications.

Answer Details

(a)

Computer	Interpreter
Intermediate object code is generated	No intermediate object code is generated
Takes the entire program at once	Translate sources program line by line
Comparatively faster in execution	Slower in execution
Error detection is difficult	Comparatively easy
More memory requirement	Requires less memory

(ii) Advantages of coding in low level programming language are:
I. Faster execution times
I. Greater control over hardware resources

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Question 2 Report

(a) Explain the following Internet terms
(i) Sign in; (ii) Search engine
(b) Figure 1 and 2 illustrate the access methods.

(i) Identity the hle access method illustrated in:
I. Figure 1; II. Figure 2.
(ii) State one advantage and one disadvantage each for the file access m method illustrated in:
I. Figure 1;
Advantage:
Disadvantage:
II. Figure 2.
Advantage:
Disadvantage:

Answer

a(i)Sign in: This means to enter a username, password or other authentication details to access a website, application or online service, allowing the user to access their account, personalized content and features.
(ii) Search engine: This is a website or program that enables people to find information online by searching for keywords or phrases. Examples include Google, Bing, Yahoo.

b(i)I. Figure 1: Random access method
II. Figure 2: Sequential access method.

(i) I. Figure 1:
Advantage: Records can be accessed directly regardless of physical location making it ideal for fast data retrieval.
Disadvantage: Complex indexing system required to manage record locations

II. Figure 2:
Advantage:
(i) Straightforward to implement as records are stored and accessed linearly.
(ii) Less prone to data corruption.
(ii) Efficient for large files.
Disadvantage:
Show data retrieval most especially if the desired record is located far into the sequence.

Answer Details

b(i)I. Figure 1: Random access method
II. Figure 2: Sequential access method.

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Question 3 Report

(i)Explain a logic truth table
(ii) Name two types of logic gate.
(ii) Using the two named logic gates in 4a(ii), complete the truth table in Table 1.

Table 1

X	Y	Z = X ? Y	Z = X ? Y
0	0
0	1
1	0
1	1

(b) Explain the term comparator as a logic device.

Answer

a(i)Logic truth table is a mathematical table used to evaluate the truth value of logical statements or arguments. It displays logical operations on input signals in table format.

(ii) Types of logic gate are:
I. OR gate II. AND gate III. NOT gate IV. NOR gate V. NAND gate VI. XOR gate XII. EXNOR gate

(iii)

X	Y	Z = X + Y (OR)	Z = X - Y (AND)
0	0	0	0
0	1	1	0
1	0	1	0
1	1	1	1

(b) Explanations of the term comparator as a logic device are:

* A comparator is a logic device that compares two input values (X and Y) and produces an output based on their relative values. It is basically a digital circuit that determines whether one value is greater than, less than or equal to another.
The output is I if the condition is met and O if not.
Comparators are commonly used in digital systems for data comparison, error detection, sorting and searching, digital arithmetic circuits, etc.

Answer Details

a(i)Logic truth table is a mathematical table used to evaluate the truth value of logical statements or arguments. It displays logical operations on input signals in table format.

(ii) Types of logic gate are:
I. OR gate II. AND gate III. NOT gate IV. NOR gate V. NAND gate VI. XOR gate XII. EXNOR gate

(iii)

X	Y	Z = X + Y (OR)	Z = X - Y (AND)
0	0	0	0
0	1	1	0
1	0	1	0
1	1	1	1

(b) Explanations of the term comparator as a logic device are:

* A comparator is a logic device that compares two input values (X and Y) and produces an output based on their relative values. It is basically a digital circuit that determines whether one value is greater than, less than or equal to another.
The output is I if the condition is met and O if not.
Comparators are commonly used in digital systems for data comparison, error detection, sorting and searching, digital arithmetic circuits, etc.

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