O Level Computer Science 2210 · Topic 3

Hardware: past paper questions

192 real questionsasked in 10 of the last 10 exam series2019–2025usually: Identify, Give, Explain, Describe, State

Real questions on hardware

The newest 20 of 192 written questions. Open one to see it on the real paper.

2210/12 · October/November 2025 · Q1e(i)[1]
Identify the name of the item of hardware.
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2210/12 · October/November 2025 · Q1e(ii)[1]
Tick (✓) one box to show whether a barcode scanner is a type of input, output, process or storage device. A input B output C process
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2210/12 · October/November 2025 · Q1e(iii)[1]
The barcode scanner contains a sensor. Identify the type of sensor that the barcode scanner could contain.
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2210/12 · October/November 2025 · Q1e(iv)[4]
A backup of the database is made at the end of each day using optical storage. Describe how the database is written to the optical storage.
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2210/12 · October/November 2025 · Q4a[5]
Complete and annotate the diagram to show how instructions are decoded and executed. control unit (CU) arithmetic logic unit (ALU)
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2210/12 · October/November 2025 · Q4b[2]
The CPU is dual core and has a processor speed of 2.4 GHz. Describe what is meant by a core.
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2210/12 · October/November 2025 · Q4c[4]
Explain two ways that the performance of the CPU could be increased.
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2210/12 · October/November 2025 · Q5a[1]
Identify the name of this type of interrupt.
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2210/12 · October/November 2025 · Q5b[4]
Explain how the interrupt is serviced after it is placed in the queue. (b) The interrupt is placed in a queue.
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2210/12 · October/November 2025 · Q7a[3]
The smart speaker cannot be described as a robot. Explain why the smart speaker is not a robot.
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2210/12 · October/November 2025 · Q7b[1]
Identify the input device that allows voice commands to be used as input.
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2210/12 · October/November 2025 · Q7d[2]
Explain why the smart speaker is an embedded system. (d) The smart speaker is an example of an embedded system.
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2210/13 · October/November 2025 · Q1e(i)[1]
Tick (✓) one box to show whether the sensor is an example of an input, output, process or storage device. A input B output C process
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2210/13 · October/November 2025 · Q1e(ii)[3]
The temperature sensor continuously sends analogue data to the microprocessor. This data is then converted to digital. Explain how the microprocessor keeps the temperature of the room at a constant level.
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2210/13 · October/November 2025 · Q1f[2]
The air-conditioning system is an example of an embedded system. Explain why the air-conditioning system is an embedded system.
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2210/13 · October/November 2025 · Q2a[1]
Give the name of the first register that is used in the fetch part of the cycle.
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2210/13 · October/November 2025 · Q2b(i)[3]
Describe the role of the CU in the CPU.
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2210/13 · October/November 2025 · Q2b(ii)[1]
Give the name of the register that is part of the CU.
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2210/13 · October/November 2025 · Q2c(i)[1]
Tick (✓) one box to show the correct statement that describes the purpose of cache. A It stores important instructions. B It stores the next instruction to be processed. C It stores frequently used instructions. D It stores instructions so they are not lost when the power is turned off.
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2210/13 · October/November 2025 · Q2c(ii)[2]
Give one other example of primary storage. Identify the type of data your example would store. Primary storage Data
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What examiners said

Few candidates were able to accurately state what is meant by the clock speed. Many candidates gave a describe description such as it is the speed at which the CPU runs.
— Examiner report, October/November 2023, 2210/12 Q3(a)(i) (Cambridge)

Most candidates were able to state that it would increase the performance of the CPU. Few candidates were able to expand upon why this would happen.
— Examiner report, October/November 2023, 2210/12 Q3(a)(ii) (Cambridge)

Many candidates were able to state that the MAR stores addresses. Few candidates were able to expand their description with further detail.
— Examiner report, October/November 2023, 2210/12 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 hardware

In the syllabus

3.0 Describe how a check digit is used to detect

Describe how an automatic repeat query (ARQ) • Including the use of:
– positive/negative acknowledgements
– timeout
Explain the purpose and functions of a web • The main purpose of a web browser is to
render hypertext markup language (HTML) and display web pages • Functions include: – storing bookmarks and favourites – recording user history – allowing use of multiple tabs – storing cookies – providing navigation tools – providing an address bar
(a) Understand and use the concept of
Understand and use the concept of • Including:
– IF statements – CASE statements
Understand and use the concept of • Including:
– count-controlled loops – pre-condition loops – post-condition loops
Understand and use the concepts of
Understand and use the concept of string • Including:

3.1 Computer architecture

(a) Understand the role of the central • The CPU processes instructions and data that
are input into the computer so that the result can be output
Understand what is meant by a • A microprocessor is a type of integrated circuit
on a single chip
(a) Understand the purpose of the • Including:
– units: arithmetic logic unit (ALU) and control
unit (CU) – registers: program counter (PC), memory address register (MAR), memory data register (MDR), current instruction register (CIR) and accumulator (ACC) – buses: address bus, data bus and control bus
Describe the process of the • How instructions and data are fetched from
random access memory (RAM) into the CPU,
how they are processed using each component
and how they are then executed • Storing data and addresses into specific registers • Using buses to transmit data, addresses and signals • Using units to fetch, decode and execute data and instructions
Understand what is meant by a core, cache • The number of cores, size of the cache and

3.2 Input and output devices

Understand what is meant by an input device • Including:
– barcode scanner – digital camera – keyboard – microphone – optical mouse – QR code scanner – touch screen (resistive, capacitive and infra-red) – two-dimensional (2D) and three-dimensional (3D) scanners
Understand what is meant by an output device • Including:
– actuator – digital light processing (DLP) projector – inkjet printer – laser printer – light emitting diode (LED) screen – liquid crystal display (LCD) projector – liquid crystal display (LCD) screen – speaker – 3D printer
(a) Understand what is meant by a sensor and • Limited to:
– acoustic – accelerometer – flow – gas – humidity – infra-red – level – light – magnetic field – moisture – pH – pressure – proximity – temperature
Identify the type of data captured by each

3.3 Data storage

Understand what is meant by primary storage • Primary storage is directly accessed by the CPU • Including the role of: – random access memory (RAM) – read only memory (ROM) • Including why a computer needs both RAM and ROM, and the difference between them
Understand what is meant by secondary • Secondary storage is not directly accessed by
the CPU and is necessary for more permanent storage of data
Describe the operation of magnetic, optical • Magnetic storage uses platters which are
divided into tracks and sectors
Data is read
and written using electromagnets
Including hard disk drive (HDD) • Optical storage uses lasers to create and read pits and lands
Including: CD, DVD and Blu-ray • Solid-state (flash memory) uses NAND or NOR technology
Transistors are used as control gates and floating gates
Including: solid-state drive (SSD), SD card and USB drive
Describe what is meant by virtual memory, how • Pages of data are transferred between RAM

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