0478 Oct/Nov 2025 Past Papers — IGCSE Computer Science
IGCSE Computer Science — the Oct/Nov 2025 examination series: 6 question papers with their mark schemes 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
49
450 marks · 31 shared with 2210
Examiner report
—
not published for this series
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 | 11 | Data Representation | State, Explain, Give, Show | AO1 4 · AO2 5 · AO3 2 |
| Q2 | 12 | Data Transmission+ Hardware (4) | State, Identify, Give, Draw, Tick | AO1 9 · AO2 3 |
| Q3 | 11 | Hardware+ Data Representation (4), The Internet and Its Uses (2) | State, Explain, Circle | AO1 8 · AO3 3 |
| Q4 | 16 | The Internet and Its Uses+ Software (7) | State, Describe, Explain, Give | AO1 10 · AO3 6 |
| Q5 | 11 | Automated and Emerging Technologies | Describe, Explain, Give, Tick | AO1 7 · AO3 4 |
| Q6 | 9 | Hardware+ Software (3) | Give, Complete | AO1 9 |
| Q7 | 5 | Hardware | Explain, Identify | AO1 5 |
Q links open the question with its mark scheme. 7 questions · 75 marks mapped.
0478/12 Paper 1, variant 2
| Q | Marks | Topic | Command words | AO mix |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Q1= 2210 | 13 | Data Representation+ Hardware (9) | Describe, Identify, Give, Convert, Tick | AO1 8 · AO2 5 |
| Q2= 2210 | 7 | Data Representation | Give, Show | AO2 7 |
| Q3= 2210 | 4 | Software | Describe, Identify, Tick | AO1 3 · AO3 1 |
| Q4= 2210 | 11 | Hardware | Describe, Explain, Complete | AO1 6 · AO2 5 |
| Q5= 2210 | 10 | Data Transmission+ Software (5) | Explain, Identify, Give | AO1 7 · AO3 3 |
| Q6= 2210 | 14 | The Internet and Its Uses | Describe, Write, Complete | AO1 6 · AO2 8 |
| Q7= 2210 | 16 | Hardware+ Automated and Emerging Technologies (5) | Explain, Identify, Give | AO1 7 · AO2 2 · AO3 7 |
Q links open the question with its mark scheme. 7 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 | 16 | Hardware+ Data Representation (8) | Explain, Give, Show, Tick | AO1 6 · AO2 8 · AO3 2 |
| Q2= 2210 | 14 | Hardware | Describe, Identify, Give, Write, Tick | AO1 8 · AO2 6 |
| Q3= 2210 | 14 | Data Transmission | Explain, Write, Complete | AO1 4 · AO2 10 |
| Q4= 2210 | 12 | The Internet and Its Uses | State, Describe, Explain, Identify | AO1 12 |
| Q5= 2210 | 7 | Data Representation | Give, Complete | AO1 2 · AO2 5 |
| Q6= 2210 | 12 | Software+ Automated and Emerging Technologies (6) | Describe, Explain, Identify | AO1 10 · AO2 2 |
Q links open the question with its mark scheme. 6 questions · 75 marks mapped. 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 | 4 | Databases | Draw | AO1 4 |
| Q2 | 3 | Algorithm Design and Problem-Solving | Identify | AO2 3 |
| Q3 | 1 | Programming | Tick | AO1 1 |
| Q4 | 14 | Programming+ Boolean Logic (4) | Write, Draw | AO2 14 |
| Q5 | 4 | Algorithm Design and Problem-Solving | Complete | AO2 4 |
| Q6 | 9 | Programming | Describe, Explain, Identify, Calculate | AO1 2 · AO2 7 |
| Q7 | 10 | Programming+ Algorithm Design and Problem-Solving (5) | State, Write, Complete | AO1 4 · AO2 6 |
| Q8 | 6 | Databases | State, Give, Complete | AO1 3 · AO2 2 · AO3 1 |
| Q9 | 4 | Programming | Write | AO2 4 |
| Q10 | 5 | Programming | Write | AO2 5 |
| Q11 | 15 | Programming | Write | AO3 15 |
Q links open the question with its mark scheme. 11 questions · 75 marks mapped.
0478/22 Paper 2, variant 2
| Q | Marks | Topic | Command words | AO mix |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Q1= 2210 | 1 | Programming | Tick | AO1 1 |
| Q2= 2210 | 15 | Programming | Explain, Identify, Write, Complete | AO2 13 · AO3 2 |
| Q3= 2210 | 6 | Algorithm Design and Problem-Solving | Complete | AO2 6 |
| Q4= 2210 | 7 | Programming | State, Write | AO1 1 · AO2 6 |
| Q5= 2210 | 13 | Programming+ Algorithm Design and Problem-Solving (7) | Describe, Write, Complete | AO2 13 |
| Q6= 2210 | 8 | Boolean Logic | Complete, Draw, Consider | AO2 8 |
| Q7= 2210 | 10 | Databases | State, Give, Complete | AO1 6 · AO2 4 |
| Q8= 2210 | 15 | Programming | Write | AO3 15 |
Q links open the question with its mark scheme. 8 questions · 75 marks mapped. 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 | 3 | Programming | Give | AO1 3 |
| Q2= 2210 | 4 | Programming | Draw | AO1 4 |
| Q3= 2210 | 1 | Databases | Tick | AO1 1 |
| Q4= 2210 | 14 | Programming+ Boolean Logic (5) | Explain, Write, Complete | AO2 14 |
| Q5= 2210 | 6 | Algorithm Design and Problem-Solving | State, Complete | AO2 4 · AO3 2 |
| Q6= 2210 | 9 | Algorithm Design and Problem-Solving+ Programming (4) | Identify, Write, Complete, Name | AO1 1 · AO2 8 |
| Q7= 2210 | 8 | Programming+ Algorithm Design and Problem-Solving (2) | Identify, Write | AO1 2 · AO2 6 |
| Q8= 2210 | 5 | Databases | State, Give, Complete | AO1 4 · AO3 1 |
| Q9= 2210 | 10 | Programming | Write, Name | AO2 10 |
| Q10= 2210 | 15 | Programming | Write | AO3 15 |
Q links open the question with its mark scheme. 10 questions · 75 marks mapped. 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 1 225 marks over 3 variants
- Data Representation41 marks · 18% · trend
- The Internet and Its Uses37 marks · 16% · trend
- Data Transmission27 marks · 12% · trend
- Automated and Emerging Technologies22 marks · 10% · trend
Paper 2 225 marks over 3 variants
- Programming146 marks · 65% · trend
- Algorithm Design and Problem-Solving37 marks · 16% · trend
- Boolean Logic17 marks · 7% · 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.
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.