“Show (that)” — what the examiner wants
How to answer a Cambridge Computer Science question that starts with Show (that) (2210 & 0478): Cambridge's definition, what a full-mark answer contains, the mistake that loses the mark, and how often the word has come up in 129 current-syllabus past-paper questions.
Cambridge's definition
“provide structured evidence that leads to a given result”
What earns full marks
The answer is already in the question — the marks are for the steps that get there. Lay the working out in order.
What loses the mark
Writing the given result and nothing else.
A question that uses it
Show that the hexadecimal value 3F is 63 in denary.
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.
129
questions
172
parts open with it
3
median marks a part
By paper
- 2210 / 0478 Paper 121 of 210 questions · 10%
- 9618 Paper 133 of 270 questions · 12%
- 9618 Paper 375 of 353 questions · 21%
Typical marks per part: 3 marks (40%), 2 marks (25%), 4 marks (15%), 1 mark (12%).
Topics where “Show (that)” comes up most
- A2 LevelData Representation26 questions
- AS LevelInformation Representation24 questions
- A2 LevelHardware and Virtual Machines20 questions
- O Level / IGCSEData Representation20 questions
- A2 LevelSystem Software17 questions
- A2 LevelArtificial Intelligence11 questions
- AS LevelProcessor Fundamentals5 questions
- AS LevelEthics and Ownership2 questions
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 “Show”, 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.