0478 May/June 2017 Past Papers — IGCSE Computer Science
IGCSE Computer Science — the May/June 2017 examination series: 6 question papers with their mark schemes, the examiner report and the grade thresholds. Under each paper is ZAK's question map: the topic, marks, command words and assessment objectives of every question, each one a click away from its mark scheme in the past-paper practice tool.
Papers
6
2 papers × 3 variants
Questions mapped
54
367 marks · 54 shared with 2210
Examiner report
Yes
per-question comments
Grade thresholds
Yes
marks needed for each grade
Paper 1 — Computer Systems
1h 45m · 75 marks · 50%
0478/11 Paper 1, variant 1
| Q | Marks | Topic | Command words | AO mix |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Q1= 2210 | 6 | Data Representation | Explain, Give, Convert | AO1 2 · AO2 2 · AO3 2 |
| Q2= 2210 | 6 | Software | Describe, Explain, Name | AO1 6 |
| Q4= 2210 | 5 | Data Transmission | Tick | AO2 5 |
| Q5= 2210 | 7 | Data Transmission | Explain, Tick | AO1 4 · AO2 3 |
| Q6= 2210 | 6 | Hardware | Identify | AO1 6 |
| Q7= 2210 | 5 | The Internet and Its Uses | Draw | AO1 5 |
| Q8= 2210 | 6 | Hardware | Complete | AO1 6 |
| Q9= 2210 | 6 | Hardware | Identify | AO1 6 |
| Q10= 2210 | 4 | Boolean Logic | Write, Complete | AO2 4 |
| Q11= 2210 | 3 | Software | State | AO1 3 |
| Q12= 2210 | 9 | Automated and Emerging Technologies | Describe, Identify, Give | AO1 9 |
| Q13= 2210 | 8 | Data Representation+ The Internet and Its Uses (1) | State | AO1 6 · AO3 2 |
Q links open the question with its mark scheme. 12 questions · 71 marks mapped of 75 — questions that lean on pre-release material, or that the bank could not slice cleanly, are left out. Questions marked “= 2210” were set word for word under 2210 too; the bank keeps them under the 2210 reference.
0478/12 Paper 1, variant 2
| Q | Marks | Topic | Command words | AO mix |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Q1= 2210 | 3 | Hardware | Name | AO1 3 |
| Q2= 2210 | 6 | Hardware | Give | AO1 6 |
| Q3= 2210 | 4 | Hardware | Draw | AO1 4 |
| Q4= 2210 | 8 | Data Transmission | Describe | AO1 8 |
| Q5= 2210 | 7 | Hardware+ Data Representation (3) | Give, Convert, Show | AO1 2 · AO2 5 |
| Q6= 2210 | 4 | Hardware | Explain, Identify | AO3 4 |
| Q7= 2210 | 12 | Data Transmission | State, Describe, Draw | AO1 6 · AO2 6 |
| Q8= 2210 | 10 | The Internet and Its Uses | Explain | AO1 10 |
| Q9= 2210 | 6 | Automated and Emerging Technologies | Explain | AO1 6 |
| Q10= 2210 | 8 | Boolean Logic | Complete, Draw | AO2 8 |
| Q11= 2210 | 7 | The Internet and Its Uses | Explain | AO1 7 |
Q links open the question with its mark scheme. 11 questions · 75 marks mapped. Questions marked “= 2210” were set word for word under 2210 too; the bank keeps them under the 2210 reference.
0478/13 Paper 1, variant 3
| Q | Marks | Topic | Command words | AO mix |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Q1= 2210 | 6 | Data Representation | Explain, Give, Convert | AO1 2 · AO2 2 · AO3 2 |
| Q2= 2210 | 6 | Software | Describe, Explain, Name | AO1 6 |
| Q4= 2210 | 5 | Data Transmission | Tick | AO2 5 |
| Q5= 2210 | 7 | Data Transmission | Explain, Tick | AO1 4 · AO2 3 |
| Q6= 2210 | 6 | Hardware | Identify | AO1 6 |
| Q7= 2210 | 5 | The Internet and Its Uses | Draw | AO1 5 |
| Q8= 2210 | 6 | Hardware | Complete | AO1 6 |
| Q9= 2210 | 6 | Hardware | Identify | AO1 6 |
| Q10= 2210 | 4 | Boolean Logic | Write, Complete | AO2 4 |
| Q11= 2210 | 3 | Software | State | AO1 3 |
| Q12= 2210 | 9 | Automated and Emerging Technologies | Describe, Identify, Give | AO1 9 |
| Q13= 2210 | 8 | Data Representation+ The Internet and Its Uses (1) | State | AO1 6 · AO3 2 |
Q links open the question with its mark scheme. 12 questions · 71 marks mapped of 75 — questions that lean on pre-release material, or that the bank could not slice cleanly, are left out. Questions marked “= 2210” were set word for word under 2210 too; the bank keeps them under the 2210 reference.
Paper 2 — Algorithms, Programming and Logic
1h 45m · 75 marks · 50%
0478/21 Paper 2, variant 1
| Q | Marks | Topic | Command words | AO mix |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Q1= 2210 | 20 | Algorithm Design and Problem-Solving+ Programming (12) | Explain, Write, Name | AO1 11 · AO2 9 |
| Q2= 2210 | 4 | Algorithm Design and Problem-Solving | State | AO2 4 |
| Q3= 2210 | 2 | Algorithm Design and Problem-Solving | Complete | AO2 2 |
| Q4= 2210 | 4 | Algorithm Design and Problem-Solving | Answer | AO1 4 |
| Q5= 2210 | 6 | Programming+ Algorithm Design and Problem-Solving (3) | Describe, Identify, Write | AO2 6 |
| Q6= 2210 | 5 | Algorithm Design and Problem-Solving | Complete | AO2 5 |
| Q7= 2210 | 9 | Databases | State, Complete, Show | AO2 8 · AO3 1 |
Q links open the question with its mark scheme. 7 questions · 50 marks mapped of 75 — questions that lean on pre-release material, or that the bank could not slice cleanly, are left out. Questions marked “= 2210” were set word for word under 2210 too; the bank keeps them under the 2210 reference.
0478/22 Paper 2, variant 2
| Q | Marks | Topic | Command words | AO mix |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Q1= 2210 | 20 | Programming | State, Explain, Give, Write | AO1 15 · AO2 5 |
| Q2= 2210 | 8 | Algorithm Design and Problem-Solving | Give, Write | AO2 4 · AO3 4 |
| Q3= 2210 | 5 | Algorithm Design and Problem-Solving | Complete | AO2 5 |
| Q4= 2210 | 5 | Programming+ Algorithm Design and Problem-Solving (3) | Rewrite | AO2 5 |
| Q5= 2210 | 12 | Databases | State, Identify, Give, Show | AO1 8 · AO2 3 · AO3 1 |
Q links open the question with its mark scheme. 5 questions · 50 marks mapped of 75 — questions that lean on pre-release material, or that the bank could not slice cleanly, are left out. Questions marked “= 2210” were set word for word under 2210 too; the bank keeps them under the 2210 reference.
0478/23 Paper 2, variant 3
| Q | Marks | Topic | Command words | AO mix |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Q1= 2210 | 20 | Algorithm Design and Problem-Solving+ Programming (12) | Explain, Write, Name | AO1 11 · AO2 9 |
| Q2= 2210 | 4 | Algorithm Design and Problem-Solving | State | AO2 4 |
| Q3= 2210 | 2 | Algorithm Design and Problem-Solving | Complete | AO2 2 |
| Q4= 2210 | 4 | Algorithm Design and Problem-Solving | Answer | AO1 4 |
| Q5= 2210 | 6 | Programming+ Algorithm Design and Problem-Solving (3) | Describe, Identify, Write | AO2 6 |
| Q6= 2210 | 5 | Algorithm Design and Problem-Solving | Complete | AO2 5 |
| Q7= 2210 | 9 | Databases | State, Complete, Show | AO2 8 · AO3 1 |
Q links open the question with its mark scheme. 7 questions · 50 marks mapped of 75 — questions that lean on pre-release material, or that the bank could not slice cleanly, are left out. Questions marked “= 2210” were set word for word under 2210 too; the bank keeps them under the 2210 reference.
Topics in this session
Marks per topic, added up over every variant of the paper (a question that spans topics shares its marks between them). See how each topic behaves across all sessions on the Statometer.
Paper 1 217 marks over 3 variants
- Data Transmission44 marks · 20% · trend
- The Internet and Its Uses29 marks · 13% · trend
- Data Representation29 marks · 13% · trend
- Automated and Emerging Technologies24 marks · 11% · trend
- Boolean Logic16 marks · 7% · trend
Paper 2 150 marks over 3 variants
- Algorithm Design and Problem-Solving68 marks · 45% · trend
- Programming53 marks · 35% · trend
Command words in this session
How many of the session's questions use each command word — each one tells you what the mark scheme wants.
- Explain 13
- Complete 12
- State 11
- Identify 10
- Give 9
- Describe 8
- Write 8
- Draw 5
- Name 5
- Show (that) 4
- Tick 4
- Convert 3
- Answer 2
- Rewrite 1
Question papers, mark schemes, examiner reports and grade thresholds are © Cambridge Assessment International Education; the links open the PDFs on PapaCambridge (BestExamHelp or Cambridge's own site where PapaCambridge lacks a file). The question map shows references, marks and ZAK's topic and assessment-objective tagging only — topics and AOs are estimated from the question and mark-scheme wording.

