“State” — what the examiner wants
How to answer a Cambridge Computer Science question that starts with State (2210, 0478 & 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 328 current-syllabus past-paper questions.
Cambridge's definition
“express in clear terms”
What earns full marks
One precise fact per mark — a name, a value, a term. No explanation is needed and none is credited.
What loses the mark
Writing a paragraph for a one-word answer wastes time; writing something vague ("it stores data") when a specific term is wanted ("RAM") loses the mark.
A question that uses it
State the denary value of the binary number 01011010.
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.
328
questions
376
parts open with it
1
median marks a part
By paper
- 2210 / 0478 Paper 166 of 210 questions · 31%
- 2210 / 0478 Paper 245 of 262 questions · 17%
- 9618 Paper 169 of 270 questions · 26%
- 9618 Paper 264 of 251 questions · 25%
- 9618 Paper 384 of 353 questions · 24%
Typical marks per part: 1 mark (65%), 2 marks (24%), 3 marks (7%), 4 marks (3%).
Topics where “State” comes up most
- AS LevelProgramming34 questions
- O Level / IGCSEDatabases20 questions
- A2 LevelData Representation18 questions
- A2 LevelSystem Software18 questions
- AS LevelData Types and Structures18 questions
- AS LevelInformation Representation18 questions
- O Level / IGCSEData Representation17 questions
- O Level / IGCSEHardware14 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 “State”, 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.