IGCSE Information and Communication Technology 0417 · Topic 6

ICT applications: past paper questions

59 real questionsasked in 9 of the last 10 exam series2019–2025usually: Describe, Discuss, Explain, State, Give

Real questions on ict applications

The newest 20 of 59 written questions. Open one to see it on the real paper.

0417/11 · October/November 2025 · Q7a[6]
Describe the characteristics of online shopping.
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0417/11 · October/November 2025 · Q7b[4]
Discuss the impact of using Artificial Intelligence (AI) in online shopping.
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0417/12 · October/November 2025 · Q5b[2]
A robot paints cars during manufacture. The robot can be programmed by a set of instructions typed into the computer system. Explain one other way in which the robot could be programmed to carry out this task.
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0417/12 · October/November 2025 · Q5c[6]
Discuss the benefits and drawbacks of using a robot to paint the cars.
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0417/12 · October/November 2025 · Q7b[4]
The tickets for the theme park are booked online. Describe the characteristics of an online booking system.
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0417/12 · October/November 2025 · Q13a[2]
State two other uses of 3D printing in medicine.
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0417/12 · October/November 2025 · Q13b[4]
State two benefits and two drawbacks of using 3D printing when creating prosthetics. Benefit Benefit Drawback Drawback
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0417/13 · October/November 2025 · Q3a[6]
Describe how an expert system can be used to produce a schedule for the delivery of the meals.
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0417/13 · May/June 2025 · Q2a[2]
Audio editing software is an example of applications software. Describe what is meant by audio editing software.
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0417/12 · February/March 2025 · Q3a[4]
Describe how expert systems produce diagnoses of an illness.
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0417/12 · February/March 2025 · Q3b[2]
Explain how an expert system could produce an incorrect diagnosis of an illness.
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0417/11 · October/November 2024 · Q4b[4]
Describe the inputs and outputs involved in the use of an expert system.
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0417/12 · October/November 2024 · Q7b[3]
Write down three examples of expert systems.
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0417/12 · October/November 2024 · Q11a[4]
State four characteristics of an ePublication.
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0417/12 · October/November 2024 · Q11b[2]
Give two other uses of ePublications.
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0417/11 · May/June 2024 · Q9a[3]
Explain the following components of an expert system. Rules base
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0417/11 · May/June 2024 · Q9b[3]
Explain the following components of an expert system. Inference engine
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0417/12 · February/March 2024 · Q7a(ii)[2]
Knowledge base
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0417/12 · February/March 2024 · Q7b[4]
Explain how an expert system is used to discover locations to drill for water.
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0417/01 · Specimen 2023 · Q12[4]
Tawara Retail is an online store. This online store does not have physical shops. Customers buy products from this store using internet shopping. Describe the advantages to Tawara Retail of offering internet shopping.
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What examiners said

This question was quite well answered although some candidates re-wrote the question in the answer, namely audio editing. Many candidates gained at least one mark for identifying a feature of audio editing but could not expand their answers to gain the second mark. In order for candidates to improve the answering of questions of this type candidates should not re-word he questions in the answer.
— Examiner report, May/June 2025, 0417/13 Q2(a) (Cambridge)

The question asked candidates to explain the process of the use of an expert system many found it challenging. Some candidates repeated parts of the question stem in their answers, namely ‘producing a diagnosis of the problem’. Most candidates achieved at least one mark for stating that the questions were displayed on the user interface. For those responses that described the process of searching...
— Examiner report, February/March 2025, 0417/12 Q3(a) (Cambridge)

This was a new question and asked candidates to explain how an incorrect diagnosis could be produced; it was simply an alternative to garbage in and garbage out (GIGO). If the questions are answered incorrectly then the result produced would be incorrect. Many candidates achieved at least a mark on this question. Candidates that did well on the question identified the specific places where errors...
— Examiner report, February/March 2025, 0417/12 Q3(b) (Cambridge)

Practise this topic

Answer these questions online and get each one marked against the official mark scheme, with what you missed and how to fix it.

Practise ict applications

In the syllabus

1 0417.6.1.01 — Characteristics and uses including newsletters, posters, websites, multimedia presentations, audio, video, media streaming and ePublications

Characteristics and uses including newsletters, posters, websites, multimedia presentations, audio, video, media streaming and ePublications
The use of mobile devices for communication including: SMS messaging, phone calls, Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP), video calls, accessing the internet

2 0417.6.1.02 — The use of mobile devices for communication including: SMS messaging, phone calls, Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP), video calls, accessi

The use of mobile devices for communication including: SMS messaging, phone calls, Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP), video calls, accessing the internet

3 0417.6.2.01 — Including: personal finance, bridge and building design, flood water management, traffic management, weather forecasting

Including: personal finance, bridge and building design, flood water management, traffic management, weather forecasting
Advantages and disadvantages of using computer modelling rather than humans

4 0417.6.2.02 — Advantages and disadvantages of using computer modelling rather than humans

Advantages and disadvantages of using computer modelling rather than humans

5 0417.6.3.01 — Including: robotics in manufacture, production line control, autonomous vehicles

Including: robotics in manufacture, production line control, autonomous vehicles
Advantages and disadvantages of using computer controlled systems rather than humans

6 0417.6.3.02 — Advantages and disadvantages of using computer controlled systems rather than humans

Advantages and disadvantages of using computer controlled systems rather than humans

7 School management systems

Systems are used to manage learner registration and attendance Systems are used to record learner performance including computer aided learning

8 Booking systems

Characteristics, uses, advantages and disadvantages of online booking systems including travel industry, concerts, cinemas, sporting events

9 0417.6.6.01 — Characteristics, uses, advantages and disadvantages of Automatic Teller Machines (ATM) including: withdrawing cash, depositing cash or chequ

Characteristics, uses, advantages and disadvantages of Automatic Teller Machines (ATM) including: withdrawing cash, depositing cash or cheques, checking account balance, mini statements, bill paying, money transfers
Characteristics, uses, advantages and disadvantages of Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT), credit/debit card transactions, cheques, internet banking

10 0417.6.6.02 — Characteristics, uses, advantages and disadvantages of Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT), credit/debit card transactions, cheques, internet ba

Characteristics, uses, advantages and disadvantages of Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT), credit/debit card transactions, cheques, internet banking

11 0417.6.7.01 — Characteristics and uses of patient records, pharmacy records

Characteristics and uses of patient records, pharmacy records
Including printing of prosthetics, tissue engineering, artificial blood vessels, customised medicines

12 0417.6.7.02 — Including printing of prosthetics, tissue engineering, artificial blood vessels, customised medicines

Including printing of prosthetics, tissue engineering, artificial blood vessels, customised medicines

13 Expert systems

Characteristics, uses and purpose of expert systems including mineral prospecting, car engine fault diagnosis, medical diagnosis, chess games, financial planning, route scheduling for delivery vehicles, plant and animal identification Components of an expert system: user interface, inference engine, knowledge base, rules base, explanation system How an expert system is used to produce possible solutions for different scenarios

14 0417.6.9.01 — Characteristics and uses of computers in the retail industry including point of sale (POS) terminals and electronic funds transfer at point

Characteristics and uses of computers in the retail industry including point of sale (POS) terminals and electronic funds transfer at point of sale (EFTPOS) terminals Point of sale (POS) terminals including updating stock files automatically and ordering new stock automatically Electronic funds transfer at point of sale (EFTPOS) terminals including checking of the validity of cards, the use of chip and PIN, the use of contactless cards, the use of Near Field Communication (NFC) payment, the communication between the supermarket computer and the bank computer
Characteristics, advantages and disadvantages of internet shopping

15 0417.6.9.02 — Characteristics, advantages and disadvantages of internet shopping

Characteristics, advantages and disadvantages of internet shopping

16 Recognition systems

Characteristics, uses, advantages and disadvantages of: Optical Mark Recognition (OMR) including school registers, multiple-choice examination papers, barcode, QR code Optical Character Recognition (OCR) including automated number plate recognition (ANPR) systems Radio Frequency Identification Device (RFID) including tracking stock, passports, automobiles, contactless payment Near Field Communication (NFC) including payment using a smartphone Biometric recognition including face, iris, retina, finger, thumb, hand, voice

17 Satellite systems

Characteristics, uses, advantages and disadvantages of satellite systems including Global Positioning Systems (GPS), satellite navigation, Geographic Information Systems (GIS), media communication systems (satellite television, satellite phone)

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