Name: ……………………………....….................………. Index No: ……………………….…………….

School: ………………………………………..................... Candidate’s Signature: ………………………

Date: ………………………..

451/1
Computer Studies
Paper 1
(THEORY)
END TERM 2 2025
JULY 2025
2 ½ Hours

Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education

INSTRUCTIONS TO CANDIDATES
 Write your name and index number in the spaces provided above
 Sign and write your name in the spaces provided above
 This paper consists of two sections; A and B
 Answer all questions in section A
 Answer question 16 and any other three questions from section B
 All answers should be written in the spaces provided on the question paper

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1. State one function of each of the following.
(a) Peripheral devices (1 mark)
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(b) System software (1 mark)
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2. Give importance of having the following in computer laboratory;- (3marks)
i) Standard furniture in the laboratory
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ii) Antiglare screen/ monitor
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iii) UPS
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3. Describe future trends in microcomputers in relation to:
(a) Hardware (2 marks)
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(b) Software (2 marks)
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4. Explain the meaning of BACKUP (2mks)
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5. Differentiate between the following terms as used in word processing. (3marks)
(a) Drop Cap and Case
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(b) Superscript and subscript
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(c) Indent and tab
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6. State two advantages of electronic spreadsheets over manual worksheets. (2marks)
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7. (a) State and explain any one type of computer processing file. (1mark)
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(b) List any two file organization methods (2marks)

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8. Define a primary key field (3marks)
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9. State the two requirements of computer program testing (2marks)

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 10. A computer studies form one student was requested to format his diskette in Windows
XP Operating System environment. Instead, he selected and formatted the hard drive
by mistake.
(a) Explain why the student had to format his diskette. (1 mark)
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(b) Explain a possible consequence of the mistake made by the student. (1 mark)
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(c) Describe two situations when the computer user will be required to format a
storage media. (1 mark)
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11. Worksheet cells are referenced using the column letter and row number e.g. D2 is
cell in column D and row 2.
Use the sample worksheet provided to answer the questions below.

A B C D E F
1 Moth Jan. Feb Mar. April Total
2 Fees 460 460 460 460
3. Food 300 350- 305 270
4. Electricity 100 100 100 100
5. Fuel 150 150 150 150
6 Transport 38 270 150 300
7 total
a) Write down the data type that is stored in cells C5 (1mark)

b) What cell contains the data items representing transport for the month of
February? (1mark)

c) Write down the formula that may be used to compute the total in cell F6. (1mark)

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12. What is deadlock in reference to operating systems (2marks)
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13. One way in which computing technology has impacted positively on society is the ease of
communication through the e-mail. State two disadvantages of e-mail. (2 marks)
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14. Differentiate between baseband and broadband signal as used in networking. (2marks)
a) Baseband signal
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b) Broadband signal
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15. Explain two ways of protecting data and information against unauthorized access.
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(2marks)

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 SECTION B (60 MARKS)
Answer question 16 (compulsory) and any other three questions from this section.
16. a) State the function of the following symbols as used in the flowchart.
(i) (1 mark)

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(ii) (1 mark)

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(b)To maintain a strategic fit Safaricom is introducing a tariff called the mega tariff that will
lower costs to Safaricom to Safaricom calls and calls to other networks. Calls to Safaricom
networks will be charged according to the time of the day as listed below:
-Between 8am to 12 noon – 6 Ksh
-Between 12 noon to 8pm-0.8 Kshs
-Between 8pm to 1 am -4Kshs
-Between 1 am to 8am- 1Kshs
Internal calls to other networks are charged at a fixed rate of Kshs 7 between 8am to 8pm and
Kshs 5 the rest of the day. International calls are charged at a rate of Kshs 25 between 8am to
8pm and Kshs 35 for the rest of the day. All calls are charged per minute usage.
Mr. Wasswa Baale a business man who makes both internal and international calls would like to
make maximum use of this tariff.

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Write a pseudo code that would show him know the charges of calls with an appropriate label
when he the inputs type of call and the time where appropriate. Use a 24 hour clock.
(7 marks)

(c) Design a flowchart for the pseudo code in 16(a) above. (6 marks)

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 17. Perform the following binary arithmetic and give your answers in decimal notation:

(i) 1010.101 + 11.011 (3marks)

(ii) 1010.011 – 11.011 (3marks)

(b) Covert the following numbers into their binary equivalents

(i) 0.562510 (3marks)

(ii) 0.312510 (3marks)

c) Using four – bit twos compliment, perform the following arithmetic (3marks)
1012-1112

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 18. A school computer laboratory is scheduled to undergo major renovations. The lab is
schedule to receive new computer whose specifications are given below:-
Pentium IV 2.8GHz processor
40GB HDD
3 ½ FDD
256MB RAM
56 x CD ROM
17” SVGA TFT monitor
The computers are going to be networked and will be able to browse the internet.
a) Explain what is meant by the terms:- (2marks)
i) FDD
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ii) HDD
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iii) SVGA
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iv) TFT
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b) The computer is to be networked, name one extra device that should be fitted on every
computer to enable this to happen (1mark)
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c) The computer is to receive internet facilities through the server on a dial; up system. Name
and describe the function of a special device that needs to be connected to the server to
complete the connection. (1mark).
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d) (i) The school has to apply star topology to link up the computer. List two advantages of this
type of topology. (1mark)
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 (ii) Name the central device used to connect the computers in this topology. (1mark)

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e) List two other types of topologies that the school could have opted for (1mark)
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f) List four advantages of using a network (2marks)
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g) (i) Data transmission via the internet is done using a mode known as packet switching.
Describe this data transmission mode. (1mark)
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(ii) Name two other modes of transmission (1mark)

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h) (i) The school’s LAN is done using UTR cable. List two advantages of using this type of
cable. (1mark)
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(ii) List two advantages of using fibre cable in networking. (1mark)

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i) Data flows in the school’s LAN in a duplex manner. Discuss two other types of data
transmission in network giving examples. (2marks)
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19. a) The growth and widespread use of computers and its related technologies has led to
job displacement, creation and replacement. Define the following terminologies.

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 (i) Job displacement (1mark)
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(ii) Job creation (1mark)
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(iii) Job replacement (1mark)
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(b) Natural language processing is an area of computer systems evolution.
(i) Differentiate between natural language processing and voice input/output. (2marks)
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(ii) State any two difficulties of implementing natural language processing. (2 marks)
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(c)(i) Explain three ways in which computers and related technologies can increase
stress in the workplace. (3
marks)
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(ii) Suggest two ways in which computer related stress in the workplace can be minimized.
(2
marks)
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 ………………………………………………………………………………………………
(d)State any three examples of Internet use that may be considered morally wrong. (3 marks)
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20. Define the following terms
(i) Database ( ½mark)
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(ii) Database management system ( ½ mark)
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(iii) Hierarchical database
(1mark)
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(iv)Relational database (1mark)
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(v) Network database (1mark)
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(b) List the advantages of using an electronic database system for storage of data over the file
approach. (4marks).

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(c ) Study the spreadsheet below and answer the questions that follow
A B C D

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 1 WESTERN
COMPBOOK
CENTRE SALES
2 BOOK TITLE PRICE PER BOOK BOOKS SOLD
3 DBASE IV 400.00 145
4 LOTUS FOR DUMMIES 460.00 15
5 OFFICE WORD IN 3 DAYS 300.00 65
6 LEARN C++ IN 3 DAYS 700.00 100
7 TEACH YOURSELF PASCAL 700.00 200
8 COMPUTER STUDIES 500.00 300
9 THE CLEVER FOOL 300.00 10
COMUTER
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i) Write down the formula that can be used to find the price of the most costly book. (1mark)
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ii) Write down the formula that can be used to determine the total sales for the book titled
COMPUTER STUDIES (1mark)
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iii) Write down the formula that can be used to determine the average price of the books.(1mark)
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iv) Write down the formula in cell D6 that can be used to find the new price per book if they
went up by a percentage written in cell B 10 and the formula has to be entered only in cell D3
then be copied to others. (1mark)
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v) Write down the output in D7 if in B6 is 10% (1mark)
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 …………………………………………………………………………………………………
(d) State any four advantages of using an electronic spreadsheet as compared to a traditional
worksheet. (2marks)

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