Memory (Edexcel IGCSE ICT): Exam Questions

Exam code: 4IT1

30 mins15 questions
1
2 marks

Gail uses digital devices for work.

Describe how the size of RAM can impact the user experience.

2
1 mark

Camille uses digital devices for work.

Camille’s laptop uses secondary storage.

State one type of storage media that stores data as electrical charges.

3a
1 mark

Camille’s laptop uses memory.

Which one of these statements is true?

  • ROM is never used in laptops

  • ROM always stores more instructions than RAM

  • ROM contains values that can be changed by applications

  • ROM is used to store startup files

3b
1 mark

Give one drawback of increasing the size of random access memory

4
1 mark

Joe’s computer has 8GiB of RAM.

Each recording uses 300MiB of RAM.

Which one of these is a benefit to Joe of increasing RAM?

  • He does not have to save recordings as frequently

  • Increased processor speed

  • Recordings will be higher quality

  • There is less need to back up recordings

5
1 mark

Which one of these does the ‘A’ stand for in RAM?

  • Access

  • All

  • Array

  • Available

6
1 mark

State the reason why RAM and ROM are called ‘Random’.

7
1 mark

Which one of these is a characteristic of flash memory?

  • It loses its data when the power is turned off

  • It has no moving parts

  • It reads data using a laser

  • It stores data on a spinning magnetic disk

8
1 mark

State what random access memory (RAM) is used to store in a computer.

9
2 marks

Ari is writing an essay on a laptop. Ari has not saved the essay yet.

Explain why the essay will be lost if the laptop battery runs out.

10
4 marks

Ren edits videos on a desktop computer. Ren often has a video editor, a web browser and a music player open at the same time. The computer becomes slow when Ren switches between them.

Ren is thinking about increasing the amount of random access memory (RAM) in the computer.

Explain two benefits to Ren of increasing the amount of RAM.

11
2 marks

Read only memory (ROM) is found in computers and in many other digital devices.

Give two characteristics of ROM.

12
2 marks

When a computer is switched on, it must run a set of start-up instructions before it can do anything else.

Explain why these start-up instructions are stored in read only memory (ROM) and not in random access memory (RAM).

13
4 marks

A washing machine has a microprocessor embedded in it. The program that controls the washing machine is stored in read only memory (ROM).

Explain two reasons why ROM is suitable for storing this program.

14
2 marks

Noor wants to make a backup copy of several years of family videos. The videos take up a very large amount of storage space.

Explain one reason why a flash memory device may not be the best choice for this backup.

15
4 marks

Sami is a wildlife photographer. Sami works outdoors for many hours, far from any power supply, and carries the camera over rough ground.

The camera stores photos on a flash memory card.

Explain two reasons why flash memory is suitable for Sami's camera.