IGCSE ICT 0417 February 2026 Paper 1 Theory

Added: 2026-05-10

[00:00:00]Hi, welcome back to my YouTube channel.

[00:00:03]Hi, I'm Gabriel. In this video, I'll look at February March 2026 of information and communication technology ICT. Paper one is a theory paper. This is 0417/12.

[00:00:19]Typically, this paper last for 1 hour 30 minutes.

[00:00:24]According to the instruction, you must answer all the questions in this paper. Answer all questions. Take note, you are not supposed to use an erasable pen. Do not use correction flu or tape. Do not write on any barcodes. Take note of that. Then um the total mark for the paper is 80.

[00:00:49]No marks will be awarded for using brand names or software packages or hardware.

[00:00:54]So it is advised to use generic terms to answer your question. So let's start with the first question. Question one.

[00:01:03]Complete the following sentences.

[00:01:06]The physical component of a computer are known as the hardware component.

[00:01:13]Hardware component. to say hardware.

[00:01:18]Good. Then the next one, the programs for controlling the operation of a computer are known as software.

[00:01:29]Software. You can see the question start with simple questions. Simple question that you can easily answer. A student is making a recording of his voice for a podcast. Explain how the key word on how the student's voice could be recorded on a computer.

[00:01:49]Explain. Explain is the action word how the same voice could be recorded on a computer. In this type of question, you have to explain how that can be done. So you can start by saying the students will record their voice by using a microphone to capture the analog sound. A microphone to capture analog sound.

[00:02:29]Then that is don't forget it's a three mark question. So that's first point.

[00:02:33]Then after the microphone has captured the sound microphone is an impute device. Then the sound captured by the microphone will be converted to digital using an ADC that is analog to digital converter that is ADC.

[00:03:03]Okay? Because sound is analog, computer is digital. Then after the uh sound has been converted, then the sound will be stored as a sound file on the computer.

[00:03:21]on the computer and in the appropriate format appropriate format maybe uh MP3 or wave or MP3 format. So we have made three points here. Then the next one when his voice has been recorded the student wishes to listen to it that is what we call playback. Okay he has recorded the sound has been stored on the computer in the appropriate file format. Okay. When the student wishes to listen to it explain another keyword explain the processes that enables the student to listen to the recording of his own voice. So for that playback we can highlight the following steps for the processes. The first thing is that the voice that has been recorded stored in the file will be retrieved from storage that has been stored be retrieved. Then after that after that retrieval then from digital from the digital format will be converted to analog because the the sound is in analog format.

[00:04:57]analog then it will be output through the what?

[00:05:04]The output display is played through the speakers or headphones that is basic processes. Then question three, ROM is a type of internal memory in a computer. State one other type for a one mark question here. Say other type of internal memory and that will be uh RAM. So you can write random access memory or just write RAM. Okay, good. That is beautiful.

[00:05:47]The next question period B state characteristics of Rome characteris of Rome number one Rome is nonvolatile is nonvatile.

[00:06:04]ROM is not volatile meaning it cannot be modified or you say ROM ROM is read only.

[00:06:25]Read only cannot be modified. You can say that ROM stores firmware firmware or you say boot instructions the required instruction for the computer to boot up. So any two here will give you the full mark. Then question four, a computer system can use command line interfaces or dialog based user interfaces. Compare compare the action word here a command line interface with a dialog based user interface from what we learned in chapter one when we learned about operating system we said operating system can serve as a user interface. So we learned about four types of user interfaces. I remember we learned about command line interface, dialog based user interface, we learned about GUI, graphical user interface and um um gesture based user interface. Those are the four that we learned. But in this question they want us to compare command line interface with dialog based user interface. It used to be command line interface with GUI. In this case, command line interface versus dialog based user interface. And if you look at the mark allotted to it, this is a six mark question. So if it's a six mark question, you have to give minimum six valid point to end the full mark. So let's go to those six points. So let's start with um CLI.

[00:08:03]with CLI we can say that for CLI command line interface.

[00:08:17]Okay, we can start by saying that it requires typing commands using a keyboard.

[00:08:28]All right, to interact with the computer.

[00:08:31]We can also say that it needs memorization of code or syntax syntax of the instruction.

[00:08:46]This is keyboard.

[00:08:48]Okay. Another point we can give is that for CLI it is faster faster to use for expert.

[00:09:02]Okay.

[00:09:05]And then we can say it uses uh less memory. It consumes or uses less computer memory.

[00:09:18]All right. But then for dialog based user interface we can say it uses human voice to give commands to the computer. We can say it is easier to use for physically challenged.

[00:09:33]Voice activation is used to control devices and it requires more computer memory for it operation. That is for that. Then the next one that is question five.

[00:09:47]A student is studying the quality of water in a river. The student can analyze the data using a tablet computer or a smartphone.

[00:10:01]Okay, tablet computer or a smartphone.

[00:10:04]So the key word here is explain why a tablet computer is better than a smartphone for collecting and analyzing data from the river. explain why a tablet computer is better. So you consider about the size about um the efficiency. So those are the things you compare them with you know in explaining this. So I can say that for it's a formal question. So for tablet computer, tablet computer has a larger screen and what's the advantage of that which makes it easier to view data. Okay, you can see the data clearly. Another another thing is that because he has a tablet computer has a larger a larger keyboard or keypad. So it makes it uh to have a better data entry experience. So it is easier to enter data. Okay. Another point we can give is that a tablet computer has a more processing power more processing power than than a smartphone.

[00:11:47]Another one you can say is that it has more storage capacity capacity than using a smartphone. We can also say that a tablet computer it has better multitasking ability.

[00:12:07]Multitasking ability. Okay. So please take note of that.

[00:12:16]Then the next one question 5B. The student can collect data using sensors.

[00:12:23]Sensors are in devices. Okay. or collect data manually and then type it into the tablet into the tablet computer. So it's either you use sensor which can be done automatically or manually having to type in the data. So discuss is the action word the benefits and drawbacks of using sensors to collect the data. This is another six mark question. So we have to be strategic about this. So let's start with the benefit of using sensors.

[00:12:56]Benefits of using sensor.

[00:13:02]So I can start by saying if you use sensor it brings about automatic data collection. The data collection will be done automatically. Okay. So another uh benefit is that it gives more accurate reading data reading or data collection.

[00:13:32]Okay, good. Then you can say it can it gives continuous continuous monitoring or you can say 247 monitoring of the river can be actualized using a sensor. Another one is that the recording will be faster.

[00:14:05]faster using sensor.

[00:14:10]Okay, then let's go to uh some of the drawbacks of using sensors.

[00:14:22]Some of the drawbacks it is expensive because you need to buy expensive to buy the sensors and other uh devices that been it is expensive since sensors will be bought.

[00:14:47]Okay. then we can say that it's the sensor may require the sensors may require some calibration.

[00:15:04]So that's another stress or task.

[00:15:08]Then the using sensor it requires um some technical setup technical set up. Okay.

[00:15:29]Another um benefit you can put is that using sensor it can be easy to do or to plot the graph of the data collected automatically. That can be done automatically. That's still part of the benefit. So let's go to the next question. Question C. The data collected from the sensors can be stored on the cloud. Okay, it can be stored on the cloud. states the keyword why the data is stored on the cloud rather than being stored on a portable solid state drive.

[00:16:07]Okay. So let's let's consider that if it is stored because I said why the data is stored. If it is stored on the cloud, what are the reasons why it should be stored in the cloud? The data become can be accessed can be accessed anywhere on any devices as long as there there is internet connection. Then using it it provides automatic automatic backup which we to remove uh redundancy.

[00:16:56]Okay. Then another one is that it brings about easy sharing.

[00:17:04]and share the uh data with colleagues very easily across the globe.

[00:17:14]Then there will be no need to buy or carry physical devices. No physical storage devices will be needed.

[00:17:27]Okay. You can also say it reduces risk of loss of data or damage. Not only loss, damage. Okay, good. So, any three points here will give you the full mark.

[00:17:48]Then the next question, question six. A computer contains both antivirus software and anti-mware software. You know many people use this term interchangeably which is not perfectly correct. A computer contains both antivirus software and antimalware software. Explain the differences between antivirus software and antimalware software. Okay. There are a lot of differences. If you use an antivirus software, antivirus software specifically, again the main differences are that one antivirus software specifically removes viruses.

[00:18:40]Antivirus software detects or removes viruses removes viruses specifically.

[00:19:06]So it's specifically for this purpose to detect, remove or quarantine viruses.

[00:19:14]Specifically that's function of antivirus software. But of course an ant malware his brother in his operation in that he can handle spyware ransomware etc. Then another point could be that antimalware is more comprehensive than antivirus software.

[00:20:04]Another one is that you can say antivirus software is more specialized than antimalware software. Okay.

[00:20:19]Question B you can say explain why explain why both antivirus software and malware software are needed in the computer. So why do we need the combination of the two on the computer typically? So using the two provides, a wider protection for the computer, a wider protection. You can also see that uh it will be able to handle different threads different can be covered using the two on a computer.

[00:21:14]Question seven, prolonged use of a computer can result in many health issues.

[00:21:20]That's question seven.

[00:21:23]prolonged use of a computer because you're using it for a long time. So, one of the health issues is repetitive strain injury RSI. So, the question is state two possible causes of RSI. Now, you are looking at causes of RSI. So, let's go to that. Two possible causes of RSI is repetitively repetitive typing on a computer keyboard could cause that. Another one is that clicking repetitively on mouse repetitively on the computer mouse could also cause it. Another one that could cause it is long periods on the computer without breaks.

[00:22:24]Long period use of keyboard or com mouse on the computer without brace could also cause that.

[00:22:39]So please take note of that or poor posture could also cause it. Okay. Then 7B state 7 A I I state two possible strategies for the prevention of RSI. So to prevent RSI you take breaks at interval.

[00:23:02]Take breaks at intervals. Exercise your fingers. Move. Exercise your fingers or use economic equipment such as such as economic mouse, economic uh keyboard etc. The word economy itself simply means com comfort.

[00:23:39]Okay. Back problems are health issue.

[00:23:42]State two possible cause of back problems when using a computer. For back problems it could be that when you look at screen at wrong height.

[00:23:56]Screen at wrong height.

[00:24:03]Okay. It could be um poor sitting posture.

[00:24:12]Posture could also cause it.

[00:24:15]Okay.

[00:24:17]Then what are the strategies for the prevention of back problems? So you can see put adjust screen at eye level.

[00:24:35]Then you can say use of adjustable share.

[00:24:45]You can also say correct posture being as correct posture posture. So these are the things that can help prevent uh back pain. Now let's go to the next question which is question eight. A company is phasing out its landline telephones and replacing them with a VIP system.

[00:25:15]VIP simply means voice over internet protocol. a set protocol that is used over the internet for voice communication over the internet. Voice communication. So we call it voice over internet protocol. Describe the benefits.

[00:25:36]The action word is describe the benefits and drawbacks of using a VIP system. How many mark question is is this a six mark question? So they're asking for benefit and drawback. So we could make it three benefit and three drawbacks, four benefits and two drawbacks or vice versa. Okay. So let's start with the benefit of using a VIP system. Benefits of using a VIP system. So number one benefit is that you can make cheaper calls.

[00:26:15]Super call can be made. You will see that with all the WhatsApp call and code that we make these days. Super calls then it's it can bring about video and audio integration.

[00:26:28]You know in that same call you could have audio and video integration in that call. Then it is flexible or mobile.

[00:26:41]It is flexible or mobile. So use this to use V O IP.

[00:26:50]Okay.

[00:26:53]Another one is that uh since most most people now use internet so it uses internet so it's something that we can easily you know get or afford. It uses internet. So let's look at some of the drawbacks.

[00:27:13]Some of the drawbacks point one we can say it depends verylely on internet for it to work. So if there's no internet, if there's no internet then internet.

[00:27:46]Okay. Then the next one is we can say that the call can have a lot of quality issue. Call quality issues can be experienced depending on the strength of the internet signal.

[00:28:06]Then another issue or drawback is that it poses some security risk.

[00:28:16]Poses some security risk. So any three points here, three points here, you earn the six marks. State two types of extended reality.

[00:28:28]Two type of extended reality is augmented.

[00:28:35]Augmented reality that is AR then um virtual reality that is VR virtual reality. So what a simple question is. So the next question number 10, the principal of Tawara University is considering setting up a group on social media like having a social media group to communicate with students.

[00:29:05]Emphasy on that to communicate with student. Social media has both benefits and drawbacks.

[00:29:13]So describe the benefit to the university of using social media in this way to communicate with the student.

[00:29:21]What are the benefit to the university?

[00:29:23]Benefit to the university, not to the students alone, not to the government but to the university. So you need to understand the question before you begin to answer. Benefits to the university.

[00:29:35]We can say number one benefit it brings about instant communication between the student body and the university management. Okay.

[00:29:54]Instant communication. Another benefit is that he has a wide reach or wider reach. Okay. Another one is that it is cost effective. It's not that they need to buy another special devices to make that happen. So anybody that has internet access to Wi-Fi can easily you know communicate on the group. It is cost effective. Then there there can be easy updates.

[00:30:29]Easy update from the university to the students body.

[00:30:36]Easy update. They can easily drop update for the students. Okay. Maybe updates on change of lesson, change of lecturer or date of event. You can easily get that.

[00:30:52]then they can have more engagement with the students.

[00:30:56]More engagement with students. Okay, they can have that.

[00:31:03]And another one that is very important is that you can get feedback almost easily and constantly.

[00:31:19]Feedback Easy and constant feedback collection. Okay, so any six here will give you the full marks.

[00:31:32]Let's go to question 10b. The university is considering employing a communications manager to monitor the messages placed on his social media. A professional in charge of monitoring managing the social media group. explain why it may be necessary to do so. Somebody needs to be in charge of moderating what is happening on the group. So explain why this may be necessary. Okay, let's go to that. Number one, if they have a communications manager, it will be easy to monitor inappropriate inappropriate content.

[00:32:20]Monitor and filter inappropriate content. Okay. Then another one is that it will make it easy easy to respond to respond to queries.

[00:32:47]Okay. Another one is that you'll be able to maintain the university reputation because not just any content will be allowed. It will be content that is authorized.

[00:33:05]Okay, that will be allowed on the social media group. Maintain the university reputation. Then that will consequently ensure accurate information accurate and up to date information to be disseminated on the platform. So it is very important. So N3 year will give you the full map.

[00:33:34]Question 11. The internet is a type of wide area network. Yes, the internet is a type of wide area network.

[00:33:45]Describe. That's the action word.

[00:33:47]Describe the characteristics of a wide area network. Caster. What are the features of a one? So this is a four mark question. So point number one for character services of a wide area network. Point number one is that it covers a large geographical area.

[00:34:14]Another one is that it uses telecom infrastructure.

[00:34:28]Another one that you can take as features or characteristics is that it connects multiple lens.

[00:34:40]Okay, you can say it has lower speed than speed than land.

[00:34:54]Another one is that you can see it has higher latency or latency sorry latency than um LAN. Okay. So it has a higher latency. Okay. So latency simply means delay in signal. So one has that.

[00:35:18]Okay. State two other types of computer network apart from one. So we can mention LAN which is local area network that's land. We can mention metropolitan area network which is man.

[00:35:47]We can also mention personal area network which is fine.

[00:35:55]All right. Any to then the next question. Question 12. Tawara book sells books either as an online version or a physical version. Each book has a five-digit book number and each customer has an 8digit customer number. So I'm going to highlight the key 8digit customer number each book fivedigit book number books uses a database system which contains information about the books it sells each record contains the following data book title author book number type of book which could be online or physical date book sold customer number an approach appropriate online data entry form for just one book. You remember in chapter 7 when we learned system life cycle you know we learn about six different stages you know from the init initial understanding of a problem to the implementation and review of a particular no system. So under design stage one of the things that needs to be designed there is data capture form. So and we learned that data capture form can be online that is on screen or paper based. So they have told us that design an appropriate online data entry form. So what we want to design now is an online data entry form. So an online data entry form has some specific characteristics such as navigational button, the submit button, uh form title, um use of um drop-down menu, radio button and so on and so forth. So we want to do that in this question. So let's see how to apply the knowledge to this particular question. I know many candidate will see this question and say oh this is six marks maybe it is too much it is not or maybe it is difficult it is not you see in few minutes we are going to finish this so the first thing since they have told us that design an appropriate online data entry form for one book so we can give it an appropriate form title so how do we do that they have told us books uses a data system which contains information about the books it it sells so we could call Tower books information.

[00:38:31]Okay. So let's design the stuff. So I could come here increase the title the phone and I call it Tara books information.

[00:38:51]Okay books information that will serve as the title of the form. Okay. Then they gave us some um field to use book title, author, book number, type of book, date, book sold, customer number. So if you count this, we have 1 2 3 4 5 six. So we have about six fields to deal with here. So I could do that. Let me see increase. Sorry. I could do the see. So I put it at the center so that it makes sense. So I can use what are the stuff here. So I will reduce this out the field. So I have book title.

[00:39:42]Maybe book title.

[00:39:45]I have that book title. Then what else do I have? I have um author.

[00:39:55]So, book title, author.

[00:40:02]What else? Author, book number.

[00:40:11]Book number. Then type of book.

[00:40:22]Type of book. Then date book sold.

[00:40:26]Customer number.

[00:40:34]Then customer number.

[00:40:40]Okay, good. Then I could put um submit button here like an action button.

[00:40:50]Submit.

[00:40:55]Okay, I can put at the center.

[00:41:02]Okay, then I could have um draw navigational button.

[00:41:09]So I can see okay let me make this color red so that the color consistency so I can see this one is next you know and I can do previous.

[00:41:44]Okay.

[00:41:47]Something similar to this.

[00:41:54]Okay. Previous. Then I can now align this to be properly aligned with everything. So it properly align.

[00:42:07]Okay. Good.

[00:42:12]Good.

[00:42:14]Good.

[00:42:17]Good.

[00:42:23]Then they told us that um what else? Um they said book has a fivedigit book number. Five digits since they have told us book number. So I could do fivedigit book number. So I could do it this way.

[00:42:44]I can use uh box I mean five one 2 3 four and five. So we show that the book number will be five. Which one again? They said um customer number has an eight customer number.

[00:43:14]Customer number. So I will align it appropriately. So this could be so something like this.

[00:43:26]So I will give eight boxes maybe 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 and 8 something similar to this.

[00:43:49]Then for date book sold um I could do that. Okay, let me do type of book online or physical. Type of book. So I could do checkbox online or physical. So I could do online physical. So here I'll type online and here I'll type physical.

[00:44:33]Okay. Online physical. Then book title.

[00:44:36]Did they say any special thing about book title?

[00:44:41]Book title. You could make it um show textbox book title because that could be long for book title.

[00:44:59]Book title maybe something similar to this.

[00:45:07]Just something similar to this.

[00:45:15]something similar to this because it's long.

[00:45:24]Okay, since you might be using pencil, you might need to make it straight, more straight than what I am drawing on the screen since I'm using mouse to draw it. Something similar to this. Then after that I have my author. So let me move this down a bit so I can align properly.

[00:45:48]Author.

[00:45:50]So I'll do something like this for author maybe.

[00:46:03]Okay. Good.

[00:46:06]author. Then dates, I could have something like this. DD.

[00:46:13]I could have a a pick for date sold, Mm.

[00:46:33]I'm probably Y maybe something like this. So I will do what color?

[00:46:46]Let me do color blue to show DD mm and show y Y why to show the format. So when you do something like this, it does make sense and it looks exactly like what they want you to actually get for this book's information and this and this. Okay, so this is correct to end the six marks in this. So then the next one, the next one, let's look at the next question. An example of the data stored in the date book sold field is 25 to 2025. Validation checks carried valition checks can be carried out on this field.

[00:47:49]State two valition checks that could be carried out on the date field. So we could use format check just like I used in the stuff. Format check.

[00:48:03]Format check. EG maybe DD/ MM/ YY.

[00:48:12]Okay, we could also use range check maybe between a particular range check a particular date and another date. We could also make it presence check that is it cannot be left empty. Presence check. So you can do that. So then the next question see before the new system is designed the current system must be analyzed.

[00:48:39]The current system must be analyzed.

[00:48:42]State two research method used in this analysis. If you want to research um the current system before the new system is designed you can use interviews.

[00:48:56]Interviews can be used. Questionaire can be used. Sharing questioner can be used. You can as well use uh observation or you can even use looking at existing looking at existing documents.

[00:49:23]Okay. So any of that can be used. Okay.

[00:49:27]Question 13. The very last question.

[00:49:30]Explain what is meant by computer aed design learning. P C A L. So if you ask this question, you can break it down and say computer CA is the use of computers in learning process. Okay. using some interactive learning software which brings about self-paced learning using CA brings about or ensures self based learning. So the learner can learn at their own pace learning using some some multi- media content their work can be graded automatically and feedback provided. So by time you have written that you would have earned the three marks that this question is asking from you. So it is simple that's how we have come to the end of this question. This is February March 2026 paper you know you can use it to prepare for your May June 2026 examination your October November 2026 examination theory paper one ICT.

[00:51:09]So this is very simple. If you have any question on this correction or solution I have done, please do not hesitate to drop