IGCSE Computer Science 0478 · Data representation · 39

0478.1.2.01 — Understand how and why a computer • Text is converted to binary to be processed by: past paper questions

5 real questionsasked in 4 of the last 10 exam series2023–2026usually: Explain, State, Describe

Real questions on 0478.1.2.01 — understand how and why a computer • text is converted to binary to be processed by

The newest 5 of 5 written questions. Open one to see it on the real paper.

0478/11 · May/June 2026 · Q8a[3]
Explain how the computer represents the text.
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0478/11 · October/November 2025 · Q3a[3]
Explain how the text the student writes is converted to binary to be processed.
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0478/11 · October/November 2023 · Q5a[5]
A musician is recording herself playing the music for a song on the piano. Explain how the analogue sound is recorded and converted to digital.
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0478/11 · October/November 2023 · Q5b[2]
State two ways that the accuracy of the recording could be increased.
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0478/12 · May/June 2023 · Q3a[3]
Describe how the text is converted to binary to be processed by the computer.
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What examiners said

Very few candidates were able to provide and accurate and technical description about how the sound is converted to digital. Most candidates gained a mark for stating that a microphone would be used to record the sound, but few candidates could give information beyond this point. It would be beneficial for candidates to have a greater understanding of converting analogue sound to digital.
— Examiner report, October/November 2023, 0478/11 Q5(a) (Cambridge)

Few candidates were able to give any indication about how the accuracy of the recording could be increased.
— Examiner report, October/November 2023, 0478/11 Q5(b) (Cambridge)

Few candidates were able to accurately describe how text is converted to binary. Some candidates focussed on how a keyboard process key presses, rather than how text is converted to binary. Centres are reminded that describing the operation of input devices is no longer part of this syllabus. It would be beneficial for candidates to have a greater understanding of how text is converted to binary u...
— Examiner report, May/June 2023, 0478/12 Q3(a) (Cambridge)

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In the syllabus

39 0478.1.2.01 — Understand how and why a computer • Text is converted to binary to be processed by

Understand how and why a computer • Text is converted to binary to be processed by
a computer
• Unicode allows for a greater range of
characters and symbols than ASCII, including different languages and emojis • Unicode requires more bits per character than ASCII
Understand how and why a computer • A sound wave is sampled for sound to be
converted to binary, which is processed by a
computer • The sample rate is the number of samples taken in a second • The sample resolution is the number of bits per sample • The accuracy of the recording and the file size increases as the sample rate and resolution increase
Understand how and why a computer • An image is a series of pixels that are converted
to binary, which is processed by a computer
• The resolution is the number of pixels in the image • The colour depth is the number of bits used to represent each colour • The file size and quality of the image increase as the resolution and colour depth increase

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