INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY
PAPER 2
GRADE 12 
NSC EXAMS
PAST PAPERS AND MEMOS NOVEMBER 2018

INSTRUCTIONS AND INFORMATION 

1. This question paper consists of SIX sections:
   SECTION A: Short Questions (15)
   SECTION B: System Technologies (23)
   SECTION C: Communication and Network Technologies (21)
   SECTION D: Data and Information Management (25)
   SECTION E: Solution Development (29)
   SECTION F: Integrated Scenario (37) 
2. Read ALL the questions carefully. 
3. Answer ALL the questions.
4. The mark allocation generally gives an indication of the number of  facts/reasons required. 
5. Number the answers correctly according to the numbering system used in this  question paper. 
6. Write neatly and legibly.

QUESTIONS 

SECTION A: SHORT QUESTIONS 
QUESTION 1 
1.1 Various options are provided as possible answers to the following questions.  Choose the answer and write only the letter (A–D) next to the question  numbers (1.1.1 to 1.1.5) in the ANSWER BOOK, e.g. 1.1.6 D. 
1.1.1 A type of malware that is disguised as a useful program is known  as a … 

1.  virus.
2. rootkit. 
3. worm.
4. trojan horse. (1) 

1.1.2 Software that may be used for free but with a time and functionality  limit: 

1. EULA 
2. Shareware 
3. Proprietary software
4. Freeware (1)

1.1.3 Which ONE is NOT a duty of a system analyst? 

1.  Analyses the software requirements of the client
2. Collaborates with the client and the programmer to develop  a system
3. Creates a list of specifications for the software developer 
4. Writes code for the software solution (1) 

1.1.4 What will be the value of iAnswer when the following statement is  executed? 

iAnswer := 2 + 5 * 7 div 2 – sqr(4); 

1. 3 
2. 8
3. 1
4. 0 (2)

1.1.5 Which formula is represented in the segment of code below? 

for k := 2 to p do 
       begin 
               n:= n * n; 
       end; 

1. n * p
2. n^p 
3. pⁿ 
4. p^p (2)

1.2 Give ONE word/term for EACH of the following descriptions. Write only  the word/term next to the question numbers (1.2.1 to 1.2.8) in the  ANSWER BOOK. 
1.2.1 Part of the ROM where information with regard to the setup of the  computer can be saved (1) 
1.2.2 Security based on the measurement and identification of unique  physical characteristics of a person, e.g. fingerprints (1) 
1.2.3 Digital code, attached to an e-mail, used to identify and validate the  sender of an electronic message (1) 
1.2.4 Software that allows the user to perform maintenance tasks on  a computer (1) 
1.2.5 The method that is used in object-oriented programming to instantiate an object (1) 
1.2.6 The steps followed to prevent anomalies from occurring in  a database (1) 
1.2.7 A tool used to identify logical errors by working through the  program manually step by step and recording the result of each  step in a table (1)
1.2.8 Compressing data by losing some insignificant portions of the data (1)

TOTAL SECTION A: 15 

SECTION B: SYSTEM TECHNOLOGIES 
QUESTION 2 

2.1 Tablet computers will be used to place orders directly on the system in the  new restaurant. Give TWO reasons why the use of tablet computers is appropriate for this  purpose. (2) 
2.2 The mall server will store all the records. 
2.2.1 Name TWO hardware components for which the specifications will  be of a higher level in the server, as opposed to those for a  standard PC. (2) 
2.2.2 State TWO types of actions that will be performed by a disk  clean-up when clearing space on the server's hard disk drive. (2) 
2.3 Many restaurants owners are considering an upgrade of their computer  systems. 
2.3.1 State TWO important differences between standard RAM and  cache memory in a computer system. (2) 
2.3.2 What is the function of the device driver that is installed when  adding a new printer? (2) 
2.3.3 What is the purpose of the product key or activation code that is  often required when installing new software? (1) 
2.3.4 The operating system indicated that updates were available. 

1. State ONE advantage of ensuring that the operating system  is updated regularly. (1) 
2. State ONE disadvantage of allowing the operating system to  update automatically. (1) 

2.3.5 Virtual memory can enhance the performance of the computer.

1. When will virtual memory be used by the operating system? (1)
2. Explain the basic concepts of how virtual memory works. (2)

2.4 Safeguarding of the data is vital.  
2.4.1 Give ONE reason why a hard disk drive could fail. (1) 
2.4.2 Suggest ONE device that could protect data from being corrupted  during a power failure. (1) 
2.4.3 Explain the difference between making a backup and archiving  data. (3) 
2.4.4 Explain the role of a firewall as a means of data protection. (2)

TOTAL SECTION B: 23

SECTION C: COMMUNICATION AND NETWORK TECHNOLOGIES 
QUESTION 3 
3.1 Sharing resources is an important benefit of using networks.  State TWO other benefits of having a computer network in a company. (2) 
3.2 In laptop computers NICs are used to provide both Wi-Fi connection and an  Ethernet port. 
3.2.1 Explain the function of an NIC when providing network connectivity. (2)
3.2.2 What medium is used to send and receive data in a Wi-Fi network? (1) 
3.3 Communication performance in cabled and wireless networks is often  compared. 
3.3.1 Name a type of network cable that has a very low level of  attenuation of signal. (1) 
3.3.2 Explain how poor signal strength can be addressed when setting  up wireless communication networks. (2) 
3.3.3 Give TWO reasons why companies providing wireless internet  access prefer to use WiMAX instead of Wi-Fi. (2) 
3.4 Web 3.0 is often referred to as the 'Semantic Web'.  
3.4.1 Explain what is meant by the term Semantic Web. (2)
3.4.2 What is the purpose of metadata in the Semantic Web? (1)
3.5 E-mail remains a popular means of communication. 
3.5.1 Which protocol is used to download e-mail? (1) 
3.5.2 Differentiate between notifications and push technology in terms of  the way e-mail is handled on a mobile device. (2) 
3.5.3 Explain how a cloud-based service can be used to make large files  available to an e-mail recipient, without attaching the files to the  e-mail. (2)
3.5.4 Phishing is a technique often used by cyber criminals. 

1. Explain the term phishing. (2)
2. Give ONE example of phishing. (1)

TOTAL SECTION C: 21

SECTION D: DATA AND INFORMATION MANAGEMENT  
QUESTION 4 

4.1 Name ONE possible role of a database in the POS system of a restaurant. (1) 
4.2 The job card below contains information about a waiter in a restaurant for a  specific week.  

4.2.1 A database with the following tblWaiter table has been designed: 

Use the information provided on the job card to suggest a suitable data type for EACH of the following fields: 

1. WaiterID (1) 
2. Permanent Appointment (1) 

4.2.2 A report with an alphabetical list of waiters, sorted according to  their surnames, is required. 
Evaluate the structure of the tblWaiter table and state the problem  that will arise when attempting to generate the report. (1)
4.2.3 A second table, tblJobCard, needs to be created to save the  remaining information on the job card. 
The table below represents a tblJobCard table for the waiters.  Redraw this table in your ANSWER BOOK.  

Use the information on the weekly job card (on the previous page)  and complete the tblJobCard table in your ANSWER BOOK as  follows: 

1. Identify and add the field name of a suitable primary key (PK).
2. List other field names that must appear in the tblJobCard table in addition to the NormalHoursWorked field.
3. Identify and add an applicable foreign key (FK). Use the  abbreviation FK in the first column. 

NOTE: 

• Each job card record must relate to a waiter. 
• Follow the rules for normalisation. (6) 

4.2.4 Draw a simple entity-relationship diagram (ERD) to show the  relationship between the tblWaiter table and tblJobCard table. (3)
4.3 The physical integrity of data is just as important as the logical integrity. 
4.3.1 Identify ONE issue that could threaten the physical integrity of data in general. (1) 
4.3.2 State TWO database design aspects that will ensure logical  integrity. (2) 
4.4 An advertisement for a database administrator for a restaurant must be placed in the local newspaper. State THREE primary responsibilities of a database administrator. (3)
4.5 State TWO benefits of having a DBMS installed on a server. (2)
4.6 A restaurant group uses a distributed database system. 
4.6.1 Suggest ONE reason why a distributed database system would  require sophisticated security when compared to a database  system stored on a single computer. (1) 
4.6.2 What is the benefit of working on a distributed database rather than on a single-server database, from a user's perspective? (1) 
4.6.3 Briefly explain how data synchronisation is done when using a  partitioning model in a distributed database. (2) 

TOTAL SECTION D: 25

SECTION E: SOLUTION DEVELOPMENT 
QUESTION 5 

5.1 Answer the questions below on general aspects and concepts related to  programming. 
5.1.1 State TWO guidelines for writing clear and readable source code. (2)
5.1.2 Define the concept of an algorithm in programming. (2)
5.1.3 Debugging is an integral part of programming. 

1. Explain what is meant by debugging a program. (2)
2.                                      
   1. What is a runtime error? (1) 
   2. Give an example of a type of error that will lead to  a runtime error. (1) 

5.1.4 Looping is a common programming structure. Compare the structure and execution of a WHILE…DO loop and  a REPEAT…UNTIL loop. (2) 
5.1.5 Identify the data types for variables X and Y when executing the  following two instructions: 

• X := 5 mod 2; 
  AND 
  Y := 5 mod 2 = 0; (2)

5.2 Bookings are saved in a text file called Bookings.txt. 

5.2.1 Explain the purpose of the following line of code: AssignFile(tFile,'Bookings.txt'); (2) 
5.2.2 State the effect of replacing Append(tFile) with  Rewrite(tFile) in the procedure above. (2) 
5.2.3 The user needs to save data to a text file.  When a button was clicked to write the data to the text file, an  Input/Output file error occurred.

Give a possible reason why the I/O error occurred. (1)
5.3 The algorithm below is used to test the validity of a pin code. 

5.3.1 Copy the trace table below into your ANSWER BOOK and  complete it to determine the output value if 623 is entered as the  pin value.  (6) 

5.3.2 Analyse the completed trace table and state what the requirement  is for the pin to be valid. (1) 
5.4 An algorithm is required to display a pattern, based on the number that was  entered indicating the number of lines to be displayed.  
Example: If the value 6 is entered, the pattern below must be displayed: 

Complete the algorithm from line 3 below to display the pattern based on any input value.  (5) 

TOTAL SECTION E: 29

SECTION F: INTEGRATED SCENARIO 
QUESTION 6 

6.1 The restaurant created an unsecured hotspot for their guests. 
6.1.1 What is a hotspot? (2)
6.1.2 Name the threat for a guest when using an unsecure hotspot. (1) 
6.1.3 The use of BitTorrent has been blocked on the network by the firewall. 

1.  What is BitTorrent? (1)
2. Give TWO reasons why the restaurant owner insists that  BitTorrent be blocked. (2) 

6.2 The hotspot in the restaurant is used by business people to connect to their company's VPN. 
6.2.1 Write out the abbreviation VPN. (1)
6.2.2 Briefly explain what a VPN is. (2)
6.3 The restaurant upgraded their website. 
6.3.1 The URL for a page on the website for this restaurant is given  below. 

http://www.mydinnersite.com/product.asp?id=12345 

1.  Is this a static or dynamic web page? Motivate your answer. (2)
2. How would the URL change to indicate that it is a mobile  site? (2) 

6.3.2 A paragraph on the home page of the website encourages users to use less power.  

1. Give TWO hints for saving power when using computing  devices. (2)
2. Suggest ONE environmentally friendly way in which the  restaurant could dispose of its old electronic equipment. (1) 

6.3.3 Name the technique that is used to ensure that the restaurant's  website is placed as high as possible on a list of search results. (1) 
6.4 Cybercrimes, such as DDoS, are common phenomena in cyberspace today. 
6.4.1 Briefly explain what a DDoS attack on the restaurant's website  might entail. 
NOTE: NO marks will be allocated for writing out the acronym. (2) 
6.4.2 Suggest TWO measures that the restaurant could implement to  prevent cybercrime. (2) 
6.5 The restaurant encourages their guests to download the Foursquare app to  their mobile devices. 

6.5.1 Explain what a connected app is. (2) 
6.5.2 Give TWO reasons why an app is more popular than conventional  web pages when using certain websites. (2) 
6.5.3

1. What type of technology makes location-based services, such as Foursquare, possible? (1)
2. State TWO benefits of a check-in service, such as  Foursquare, from a restaurant's perspective. (2)

6.6 The process of data mining of data in a data warehouse produced the graph  below of the monthly income of the restaurant. 

6.6.1 Explain the purpose of a data warehouse. (2)
6.6.2 State TWO roles that people play in the data-mining process. (2)
6.6.3 What is the purpose of data mining in this context? (2) 
6.7 An application program for a specific task is required. Both a desktop package  and an online application have the functions needed. Both packages involve  additional cost. 
6.7.1 State TWO advantages of using the online application. (2) 
6.7.2 Give ONE reason why the desktop package could be regarded as  the preferred choice. (1) 

TOTAL SECTION F: 37 
GRAND TOTAL: 150