“Consider” — what the examiner wants
How to answer a Cambridge Computer Science question that starts with Consider (9618): Cambridge's definition, what a full-mark answer contains, the mistake that loses the mark, and how often the word has come up in 22 current-syllabus past-paper questions.
Cambridge's definition
“review and respond to given information”
What earns full marks
Read the given information carefully and respond to it specifically — the marks depend on using what you were given.
What loses the mark
Answering from memory and never referring to the information in the question.
A question that uses it
Consider the program design shown. Identify a more appropriate data structure for the marks and justify your choice.
In real past papers
Current-syllabus questions only (2210 / 0478 from 2023, 9618 from 2021); a question set under both 2210 and 0478 counts once.
22
questions
0
parts open with it
—
median marks a part
By paper
- 2210 / 0478 Paper 220 of 262 questions · 8%
- 9618 Paper 12 of 270 questions · 1%
Topics where “Consider” comes up most
Recent questions that use it
Open any one to read it and mark your answer against the official mark scheme.
Marks shown as “a / b”: a = marks in parts that open with “Consider”, b = the whole question.
Don't confuse it with
The definition follows the command-word table in the Cambridge syllabus; the guidance is ZAK's. Statistics come from the real past-paper question bank (command words are read from each question's wording). Command words and past papers are © Cambridge Assessment International Education.