IGCSE Information and Communication Technology (9–1) 0983 · Topic 18

Databases: past paper questions

8 real questionsasked in 4 of the last 10 exam series2020–2023usually: Describe, Complete, Write

Real questions on databases

The newest 8 of 8 written questions. Open one to see it on the real paper.

0983/11 · October/November 2023 · Q1a[1]
Tick (✓) the field name that would be the most appropriate primary key for the database. A Product_number B Name_of_publication C Selling_price D Frequency E Publisher
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0983/11 · October/November 2023 · Q1c[4]
The newsagent could use a relational database rather than a flat file database. Describe the advantages of using a relational database rather than a flat file database.
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0983/11 · October/November 2022 · Q4b[4]
Part of the database is shown. Student_name Date_of_birth Gender Exam_mark Average_mark Seth 25/02/2007 M 22 43.4 Adom 17/07/2007 M 67 73.1 Maria 02/05/2007 F 78 67.9 Lesedi 15/12/2006 F 45 50.0 Write down the field name which is the most appropriate for the data type, based on the data shown in the table. Your answers...
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0983/12 · May/June 2022 · Q9d[2]
The completed file could have been created using a database. Describe two reasons why databases are used in certain applications rather than spreadsheets.
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0983/12 · May/June 2021 · Q5[15]
Petr has set up a database for a science project on planets in the solar system. Part of the database is shown. ID Name_of_planet Number_of_moons Orbital_period Rings Gravity Type_of_planet First_observed 4 Mars 2 1.88 N 0.38 Regular 1610 5 Ceres 0 4.61 N 0.27 Dwarf 1801
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0983/12 · May/June 2021 · Q11[6]
Haumea 1 309 N 0.401 Dwarf 2004 (a) When Petr was designing his database, he had to set the data types for each field. Complete the design table below by filling in the data types for each named field. Use the most appropriate data type. Each data type must be different. For any numeric field, specify the type of numbe...
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0983/11 · October/November 2020 · Q10a[5]
Write the search criteria to find all the earthquakes of a magnitude greater than or equal to 6.5, with a depth less than 15 km.
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0983/12 · May/June 2020 · Q1a[4]
Tick (✓) the most appropriate data type for each of the following fields. Boolean (✓) Numeric (✓) Text (alphanumeric) (✓) Athlete_name Gold_medal (Y/N) Age Name_of_country
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What examiners said

This question was well answered with virtually all the candidates gaining the mark. The answer the Examiners were looking for was Product_number.
— Examiner report, October/November 2023, 0983/11 Q1(a) (Cambridge)

Surprisingly this part of the question was challenging even though it spanned both the theory and the practical parts of the syllabus. When a question asks for advantages, as this one did, then a comparison needs to be made. Some candidates wrote that a relational database used multiple tables and therefore reports and queries would be complex. Many of the answers given seemed to lack depth. This...
— Examiner report, October/November 2023, 0983/11 Q1(c) (Cambridge)

This was answered well by most candidates. As the question asks candidates to write down the field names from the data given, then it is expected that the field names are correct including the underscores.
— Examiner report, October/November 2022, 0983/11 Q4(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.

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In the syllabus

1 0417.18.1.01 — Import data from existing files (including .csv, .txt) using specified field names to create tables Set appropriate data types to fields inc

Import data from existing files (including .csv, .txt) using specified field names to create tables Set appropriate data types to fields including text, numeric (integer, decimal, currency), date/time, Boolean/logical Set sub-types of numeric data including percentage, number of decimal places Set display format of Boolean/logical field (yes/no, true/false, checkbox) Set display format of date/time data Create and edit primary and foreign keys Create relationships between tables
Create a data entry form including specified fields, appropriate font styles and sizes, appropriate spacing between fields, character spacing of individual fields, use of white space, radio buttons, check boxes, drop down menus
Characteristics, uses, advantages and disadvantages of a flat file and a relational database
Characteristics of primary key and foreign keys
Characteristics of good form design

2 0417.18.1.02 — Create a data entry form including specified fields, appropriate font styles and sizes, appropriate spacing between fields, character spacin

Create a data entry form including specified fields, appropriate font styles and sizes, appropriate spacing between fields, character spacing of individual fields, use of white space, radio buttons, check boxes, drop down menus

3 0417.18.1.03 — Characteristics, uses, advantages and disadvantages of a flat file and a relational database

Characteristics, uses, advantages and disadvantages of a flat file and a relational database

4 0417.18.1.04 — Characteristics of primary key and foreign keys

Characteristics of primary key and foreign keys

5 0417.18.1.05 — Characteristics of good form design

Characteristics of good form design

6 0417.18.2.01 — Use arithmetic operations or numeric functions to perform calculations including calculated fields, calculated controls Use formulae and fun

Use arithmetic operations or numeric functions to perform calculations including calculated fields, calculated controls Use formulae and functions to perform calculations at run time including addition, subtraction, multiplication, division, sum, average, maximum, minimum, count
Use a single criterion, or multiple criteria to sort data into ascending or descending order
Use a single criterion, or multiple criteria to select subsets of data using a query perform searches using a variety of operators including AND, OR, NOT, LIKE, >, <, =, >=, <=, <> perform searches using wildcards

7 0417.18.2.02 — Use a single criterion, or multiple criteria to sort data into ascending or descending order

Use a single criterion, or multiple criteria to sort data into ascending or descending order

8 0417.18.2.03 — Use a single criterion, or multiple criteria to select subsets of data using a query perform searches using a variety of operators including

Use a single criterion, or multiple criteria to select subsets of data using a query perform searches using a variety of operators including AND, OR, NOT, LIKE, >, <, =, >=, <=, <> perform searches using wildcards

9 Present data — Databases

Produce reports to display data including displaying all the required data and labels in full Use appropriate headers and footers within a database report including report header, report footer, page header, page footer Set report titles Produce different output layouts including controlling the display of data, labels, tabular or columnar format Align data and labels appropriately including right aligning numeric data and decimal alignment Control the display format of numeric data including number of decimal places, currency symbol, percentage

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