9618Paper 1 · Theory Fundamentals§3.1, §3.2

3. Hardware

Input, output and storage devices and how they work, buffers, embedded systems, memory types (RAM/ROM, SRAM/DRAM, PROM/EPROM/EEPROM), monitoring and control systems, and logic gates and circuits.

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Statometer79BankerNext Paper 195%

Marks a paper14.3 · 19%Rank#5 of 12 · #3 on P1Trend · last 12→Full stats

Everything for this topic — study hub

AS Level · 9618 · Paper 1

Statometer — what 33 real papers say about this topic and each of its 4 syllabus bullets

Banker · #5 of 12 in AS Level · recomputed with every new session

Banker#5 of 12 in AS Level#3 on Paper 1→ Steady

Set in nearly every paper and worth a big slice of it — revise first, expect it.

Next Paper 1: 95%; 9 in 10 chance it is set
Marks a paper: 14.3 / 75; 19% of Paper 1 · fair share 13%
Appeared in: 33 / 33; Paper 1 sittings 2021–2026
Last set: May/Jun 2026; 9618/13 · Q8 · 10 marks · 11-series streak

Marks in each of the last 12 Paper 1 sittingsOct/Nov 24 → May/Jun 26

What the papers say

Set in 33 of 33 Paper 1 sittings on the current syllabus — treat it as certain.
Worth about 14.3 marks a paper (19% of Paper 1, 1.5× its fair share).
Last set May/Jun 2026 · 9618/13 · Q8 for 10 marks — in the most recent series.
Set in each of the last 11 series without a miss.
Steady at around 15.1 marks a paper year on year.
Lives on “Complete” and “Describe” — 75% of its questions: you must produce something — code, a diagram, a table — practise doing it, not reading it.
58% of its questions involve a diagram, table or figure — practise with pen and paper.
49% of its questions are set out as code, pseudocode or a table to complete.
Its biggest question so far: 22 marks (May/Jun 2024 · 9618/13 · Q7).
Inside the topic, §3.2 Logic gates and logic circuits carries the most marks (37%) and §3.1 Memory types the least (12%).
It is examined mostly as AO1 (Knowledge & understanding, 64%), the rest AO2 (36%) — definitions and descriptions in syllabus words score.
The examiner has commented on 37 of its questions — read “What the examiner said” before you practise.

Command words

Share of questions using the word (a question can use several). What each wants →

Question shapes

≤ 6 mk43
7–9 mk9
10–12 mk4
13–15 mk3
16+ mk6

Average 6.9 marks a question · 58% with a figure or table · 49% with code · biggest 22 marks

Assessment objectives — how it is examined

Every part of every current-syllabus question filed under Cambridge's AO1 / AO2 / AO3 (from its command word and what it asks you to do), so you know whether this topic pays for definitions, for applying, or for judging and building.

AO1 64%

AO2 36%

AO1 Knowledge & understanding
AO2 Apply & analyse
AO3 Design, program & evaluate

Paper 1 as a whole

Paper 1	Syllabus	Measured
AO1 Knowledge & understanding	60%	68%
AO2 Apply & analyse	40%	32%
AO3 Design, program & evaluate	0%	0%

Syllabus = Cambridge's grid; measured = the bank's current-syllabus papers.

Inside the topic — every syllabus bullet, measured

Each part of each question is filed under the bullet it examines; the numbers are per Paper 1 sitting, exactly like the topic's. Open a bullet for its own Statometer.

3.1Computers and their components#10 of 25 on Paper 1Core · 6769% next paper3.9 marks24/33 sittings→ May/Jun 2026Core · 6769%
3.9 · 33% of topic24/33May/Jun 2026latest series · →
A regular earner inside the topic — most papers touch it.Syllabus: input, output, primary and secondary storage; embedded systems; how devices work (printers, microphone, speakers, HDD, SSD, optical, touchscreen, VR); buffers
Next Paper 1
69%
7 in 10
Marks a paper
3.9
5% of the paper · 33% of the topic
Asked in
24 / 33
Paper 1 sittings · 26 questions
Last asked
May/Jun 2026
9618/13 · Q8 · 6 marks · 11-series streak
Asked in 24 of 33 Paper 1 sittings — about 7 papers in 10.
About 3.9 marks a paper (5% of Paper 1; 33% of the topic's marks across its 4 bullets).
Last asked May/Jun 2026 · 9618/13 · Q8 (6 marks) — in the most recent series.
Asked in each of the last 11 series.
Usually “Describe” or “Explain”: full sentences with a reason, not one-word answers.
Biggest chunk of marks so far: 13.5 in May/Jun 2024 · 9618/12 · Q2.
It is examined almost entirely as AO1 (Knowledge & understanding, 94%) — definitions and descriptions in syllabus words score.
Last 12 sittings→ Steady
Assessment objectives
AO1 94%
AO1 Knowledge & understanding
AO2 Apply & analyse
AO3 Design, program & evaluate
Describe73%
Explain69%
Identify46%
Complete39%
Practise its 26 questions Biggest: 13.5 marks · May/Jun 2024
3.1Memory types#20 of 25 on Paper 1Regular · 3755% next paper1.5 marks17/33 sittings→ May/Jun 2026Regular · 3755%
1.5 · 12% of topic17/33May/Jun 2026latest series · →
Set most sessions for a few marks; know the definition and one example.Syllabus: RAM vs ROM, SRAM vs DRAM, PROM, EPROM and EEPROM, and where each is used
Next Paper 1
55%
6 in 10
Marks a paper
1.5
2% of the paper · 12% of the topic
Asked in
17 / 33
Paper 1 sittings · 17 questions
Last asked
May/Jun 2026
9618/13 · Q8 · 4 marks · 9-series streak
Asked in 17 of 33 Paper 1 sittings — about 5 papers in 10.
About 1.5 marks a paper (2% of Paper 1; 12% of the topic's marks across its 4 bullets).
Last asked May/Jun 2026 · 9618/13 · Q8 (4 marks) — in the most recent series.
Asked in each of the last 9 series.
Usually “Describe” or “Explain”: full sentences with a reason, not one-word answers.
Biggest chunk of marks so far: 8 in May/Jun 2022 · 9618/11 · Q2.
It is examined almost entirely as AO1 (Knowledge & understanding, 83%) — definitions and descriptions in syllabus words score.
Last 12 sittings→ Steady
Assessment objectives
AO1 83%
AO2 17%
AO1 Knowledge & understanding
AO2 Apply & analyse
AO3 Design, program & evaluate
Describe82%
Explain65%
Complete47%
Identify29%
Practise its 17 questions Biggest: 8 marks · May/Jun 2022
3.1Monitoring and control systems#15 of 25 on Paper 1Regular · 4759% next paper2.4 marks19/33 sittings↗ May/Jun 2026Regular · 4759%
2.4 · 18% of topic19/33May/Jun 2026latest series · ↗
Set most sessions for a few marks; know the definition and one example.Syllabus: the difference between them; sensors (temperature, pressure, infra-red, sound) and actuators; the importance of feedback
Next Paper 1
59%
6 in 10
Marks a paper
2.4
3% of the paper · 18% of the topic
Asked in
19 / 33
Paper 1 sittings · 22 questions
Last asked
May/Jun 2026
9618/12 · Q6 · 9 marks · 9-series streak
Asked in 19 of 33 Paper 1 sittings — about 6 papers in 10.
About 2.4 marks a paper (3% of Paper 1; 18% of the topic's marks across its 4 bullets).
Last asked May/Jun 2026 · 9618/12 · Q6 (9 marks) — in the most recent series.
Asked in each of the last 9 series.
Rising: 1.4 → 2.8 marks a paper.
Usually “Explain” or “Describe”: full sentences with a reason, not one-word answers.
Biggest chunk of marks so far: 9 in May/Jun 2026 · 9618/12 · Q6.
It is examined almost entirely as AO1 (Knowledge & understanding, 78%) — definitions and descriptions in syllabus words score.
Last 12 sittings↗ Rising
Assessment objectives
AO1 78%
AO2 22%
AO1 Knowledge & understanding
AO2 Apply & analyse
AO3 Design, program & evaluate
Explain68%
Describe59%
Identify46%
Complete36%
Practise its 22 questions Biggest: 9 marks · May/Jun 2026
3.2Logic gates and logic circuits#5 of 25 on Paper 1Banker · 7995% next paper4 marks33/33 sittings↘ May/Jun 2026Banker · 7995%
4 · 37% of topic33/33May/Jun 2026latest series · ↘
Asked in nearly every paper — the bullet to know cold.Syllabus: NOT, AND, OR, NAND, NOR, XOR symbols and truth tables; constructing a circuit, truth table or expression from a problem statement, expression, circuit or table
Next Paper 1
95%
9 in 10
Marks a paper
4
5% of the paper · 37% of the topic
Asked in
33 / 33
Paper 1 sittings · 33 questions
Last asked
May/Jun 2026
9618/13 · Q2 · 3 marks · 11-series streak
Asked in 33 of 33 Paper 1 sittings — nearly every paper.
About 4 marks a paper (5% of Paper 1; 37% of the topic's marks across its 4 bullets).
Last asked May/Jun 2026 · 9618/13 · Q2 (3 marks) — in the most recent series.
Asked in each of the last 11 series.
Easing: 4.6 → 3.7 marks a paper.
Usually “Complete” or “Draw”: you must produce something — code, a diagram, a table — practise doing it, not reading it.
Biggest chunk of marks so far: 8 in Oct/Nov 2021 · 9618/11 · Q3.
It is examined almost entirely as AO2 (Apply & analyse, 87%) — you must apply it to the given data or scenario — work it out, trace it, explain it in context.
Last 12 sittings↘ Easing
Assessment objectives
AO2 87%
AO1 Knowledge & understanding
AO2 Apply & analyse
AO3 Design, program & evaluate
Complete70%
Draw55%
Write46%
Describe12%
Practise its 33 questions Biggest: 8 marks · Oct/Nov 2021

16% of the topic's marks sit in question parts that belong to another topic (scenario questions cross sections) or that no bullet claims; they count for the topic, not for a bullet.

Marks a paper, year by year

212223242526

By exam series

May/Jun18/18 · 13 mk
Oct/Nov15/15 · 14.3 mk

Practise 65 real questions Smart Notes Quiz Flashcards Every topic on the Statometer

What you need to know4syllabus §3.1, §3.2

3.1Computers and their components — input, output, primary and secondary storage; embedded systems; how devices work (printers, microphone, speakers, HDD, SSD, optical, touchscreen, VR); buffers
3.1Memory types — RAM vs ROM, SRAM vs DRAM, PROM, EPROM and EEPROM, and where each is used
3.1Monitoring and control systems — the difference between them; sensors (temperature, pressure, infra-red, sound) and actuators; the importance of feedback
3.2Logic gates and logic circuits — NOT, AND, OR, NAND, NOR, XOR symbols and truth tables; constructing a circuit, truth table or expression from a problem statement, expression, circuit or table

Video lectures28ZAK's YouTube channel · play here

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Infographics2draw these the way the examiner expects · download as PNG

Logic gate symbols

O LevelAS

From logic circuit to truth table

O LevelASA2

Browse all infographics →

Key terms18use these exact words in the exam

bufferembedded systemRAMROMSRAMDRAMEEPROMmonitoringcontrolsensoractuatorfeedbacklogic gateNANDNORXORtruth tablelogic expression

Dotted terms are defined in the glossary.

Code help2referenced to the Cambridge pseudocode guide

Truth table for a two-gate circuit (§3.2)

pseudocode §5.2 logic operators Run in Playground

// X = (A NAND B) OR C — one row per input combination, in binary order
DECLARE A, B, C, X : BOOLEAN
DECLARE i : INTEGER
OUTPUT "A B C | X"
FOR i <- 0 TO 7
   A <- (i DIV 4) MOD 2 = 1
   B <- (i DIV 2) MOD 2 = 1
   C <- i MOD 2 = 1
   X <- (NOT (A AND B)) OR C
   OUTPUT A, " ", B, " ", C, " | ", X
NEXT i

Monitoring vs control loop (§3.1)

pseudocode §6.2 loops Run in Playground

// A control system compares the sensor with a set point and drives an actuator;
// a monitoring system would only OUTPUT the reading.
CONSTANT SetPoint = 21
DECLARE Reading : INTEGER
DECLARE Cycle : INTEGER
Reading <- 17
FOR Cycle <- 1 TO 6
   IF Reading < SetPoint THEN
      OUTPUT "Heater ON  (", Reading, " C)"
      Reading <- Reading + 2      // feedback: the room warms up
   ELSE
      OUTPUT "Heater OFF (", Reading, " C)"
      Reading <- Reading - 1
   ENDIF
NEXT Cycle

Playground examples2runnable programs for this topic

Truth table for a logic expression
Generate all 8 input combinations of A, B, C from a counter and evaluate X = (A AND B) OR NOT C.
O LevelASPseudocodeTheory in code 2210 §10 / 9618 §3.3
Run
Half adder and full adder
Sum = A XOR B, Carry = A AND B; the full adder chains two half adders with a carry in.
ASPseudocodeTheory in code 9618 §3.3
Run

Boolean Algebra & K-map Lab5real Paper 3 questions — K-maps, De Morgan's laws, adders, flip-flops — solved and practised

XOR as a sum-of-products
A ⊕ B = A.B̅ + A̅.B — the half adder's sum output written in Boolean algebra.
A2ASO LevelBoolean algebra 9618 §15.2
Open
Circuit with working columns P, Q, R, S
June 2024 Q6(a): P = A̅, Q = B.C, R = P NAND Q... build the working columns in gate order, then Z. One mark for the working, one per half of Z.
A2ASO LevelCircuit → truth table 9618 §15.2
Open
3-input NAND circuit → truth table
Nov 2023 Q6(a): a 3-input NAND feeding the output — the syllabus says gates “may have more than two inputs”.
A2ASCircuit → truth table 9618 §15.2
Open
3-input NOR gate
Nov 2023 Q7(a): X = (A + B + C)‾ — only one row of the truth table is 1.
A2ASCircuit → truth table 9618 §15.2
Open
Four working columns and an XOR
Nov 2025 Q6(a) style: an XOR, a NAND and an OR feeding a final AND — eight rows, four working columns.
A2ASO LevelCircuit → truth table 9618 §15.2
Open

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Quiz: Hardware & Logic Gates (44)🃏 Flashcards: mix this topic (50)🖥️ Devices, storage principles & buffers (30)🔣 Logic gates & logic circuits (20)Past-paper questions (65)⚡ Logic Gates Lab 🗺️ Circuit → truth table practice 🌡️ Control system simulator

Everything for this topic — study hub

Statometer — what 33 real papers say about this topic and each of its 4 syllabus bullets

What you need to know4syllabus §3.1, §3.2

Video lectures28ZAK's YouTube channel · play here

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