PYTHON

 

PART 1: PYTHON FUNDAMENTALS

1. INTRODUCTION TO PYTHON

📖 What is Python?

Python is a high-level, interpreted programming language created by Guido van Rossum and first released in 1991 . It is designed with a philosophy that emphasizes code readability through significant whitespace and a straightforward syntax that resembles natural English.

python

# This is Python - clean and readable
print("Hello, World!")  # Simple, right?

🎯 Why Learn Python?

Reason	Explanation
Readable Syntax	Code looks almost like natural English, making it easier to learn and maintain
Versatile Applications	Web development, data science, automation, AI/ML, and more
Rich Ecosystem	Extensive standard library and thousands of third-party packages
Cross-platform	Runs on Windows, macOS, Linux, and many other platforms
Strong Community	Excellent documentation, tutorials, and community support
Rapid Development	Faster to write and maintain than many other languages

🛠️ How to Set Up Python

Windows Installation

bash

# 1. Download from python.org
# 2. Run installer - IMPORTANT: Check "Add Python to PATH"
# 3. Verify installation
python --version

macOS Installation

bash

# Using Homebrew (recommended)
brew install python

# Verify
python3 --version

Linux Installation (Ubuntu/Debian)

bash

sudo apt update
sudo apt install python3 python3-pip python3-venv
python3 --version

📝 Your First Python Program

Create a file called hello.py:

python

#!/usr/bin/env python3
"""
My First Python Program
This demonstrates basic Python syntax and structure
"""

# This is a comment - it's ignored by Python

# Get user input
name = input("What is your name? ")

# Create a greeting
greeting = f"Hello, {name}! Welcome to Python programming."

# Display the greeting
print(greeting)

# Show current year
year = 2026
print(f"The year is {year}")

Run it:

bash

python3 hello.py

16 – System life cycle

 Questions and Answers

1.  Identify five stages in the system life cycle. 

Ans: Feasibility; analysis; design; implementation/ development/coding/programming; testing; installation/implementation; maintenance; documentation; evaluation.

2. Explain why interviews are better than questionnaires for smaller groups of users. 

Ans: The analyst can expand upon questions that have been asked during the interview to gain further information from the user; questionnaires take time to create and so it is unnecessary when a small group of users can all be interviewed.

3. State the purpose of the system specification.

Ans: To identify the hardware and software required to operate the developed system.

4. Identify the purpose of a data flow diagram (DFD).

Ans: To show the data flows within a system

5. Identify one rule for data flows within a level 1 DFD.

Ans: Each data flow must have a process attached to it. A data flow cannot move directly from one external entity to another or from one data store to another or between an external entity and a data store

6. Describe the difference between a tick box and an option button

Ans: A tick box allows more than one response where as an option button only allows one response.

7. Describe the purpose of using extreme test data

Ans: To test that a validation rule accepts data that is within the acceptable range.

8.Describe two differences between alpha and beta testing

Ans:  Alpha testing is carried out by the development team whereas beta testing is carried out by users; alpha testing is planned and structured whereas beta testing is ordinary everyday use; alpha testing uses test data whereas beta testing uses real data.

9. Explain black box testing

 Ans:  Tester will use input data to test part of a system or a whole system and check the expected results against actual results without knowing or understanding the code inside the black box

10. Explain the importance of having a test plan

Ans: A test plan will identify all the tests that are needed for every input, every button, every link, every report, every screen and all other elements of a system. The test plan will include different types of test data including valid, invalid and extreme so that inputs are tested to their limits. Without this planning, important parts of testing would be missed out and errors could be left untested. The plan will also cover all the user’s requirements and ensure that they are tested.

11. Identify four methods of changeover

Ans:  Parallel; direct; phased; pilot

12. Describe one situation when direct changeover would be more appropriate than parallel changeover

Ans:  If it would be too costly or take too long to input data into both systems, then direct would be more appropriate.

13. Describe one situation when pilot changeover would be more appropriate than phased changeover 

Ans:  If there are a lot of users then pilot changeover will enable training to take place in stages rather than all at once; If the new system is not very big and doesn’t have features that can be separated then pilot could be used instead of trying to phase something that can’t be broken into parts.

14. Give three sections you would expect to find in user documentation

Ans:  Cover, contents, introduction, hardware/ software requirements, instructions, glossary, troubleshooting, index.

15.  Describe the purpose of a glossary in user documentation

Ans:  To give definitions of any technical terms used in the user documentation.

16. Give a situation when technical documentation would be needed.

Ans:  When a system requires maintenance

17. State three elements that might be evaluated after a system has been installed

Ans:  Working relationship; efficiency of system; bugs or errors in the system; ease of use of the system; possible improvements to the system.

18. Give a situation when corrective maintenance would be required.

Ans:  If a bug or error is found within a system.

19. Compare and contrast evolutionary and throw away prototyping.

Ans:  Evolutionary prototyping develops each prototype further whereas throw-away prototyping involves disposing of the prototype. Evolutionary prototyping involves refining user requirements after each evolution of the prototype and throw-away prototyping also involves refining requirements after the prototype is developed. Both methods involve producing a basic version of what the user interface will look like. Both methods involve getting feedback from the user early during the project.

20. Describe the differences between incremental and iterative methods of development.

Ans:  With incremental development, a part of the software is fully developed before moving on to the next part of the software whereas with iterative development, the phase of a system (e.g. design) is completed before feedback is sought and improvements made.

21. Describe joint application development.

Ans:  JAD involves both users and developers working together to develop a working prototype with the user being able to refine the design and layout as the development progresses. Software application frameworks will be used to develop the prototype and end-solution.

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14 - COMMUNICATIONs TECHNOLOGY

 1- Identify two examples where an infrared wireless connection could be used.

Ans: 

2. What do you think would happen if a buffer were not used when streaming data?

Ans: 

3. A  company creates websites using style sheets.

Describe another scenario that would allow an organisation to take advantage of the ability to scale up resources using cloud computing.

Ans: 

EXAM-STYLE QUESTIONS 

 1 Explain the function of the presentation layer in the OSI model. [2] 

Ans: 

 2 Explain the function of the network layer in the TCP/IP model. [2] 

Ans: 

 3 William wants to create a network in his home that will connect three computers, a printer, a mobile tablet device and a mobile telephone. He wants to minimise the costs in setting up his network. 

 a Identify the network structure that would be suitable for William to use. 

Ans: 

Justify your choice. b Identify the components William will need to build the network and describe the role of each. [4] 

Ans: 

 c William wants to use the network to stream videos and music. Explain the importance of bandwidth and bit rate for this purpose. [2] [Total 7] 

Ans: 

 4 Identify two protocols that are used in the transmission of emails. Describe the role of each protocol in the process. [4] 

Ans: 

 5 Describe how the sound required to make a telephone call is sent from one mobile device to another, using a mobile network. [4] 

Ans: 

 6 Emily stores data about her customers on a server in a server room in her office building. Emily wants to keep the data more secure, so she installs a biometric device required to gain access to the server room. She also installs a firewall. 

 a Explain one advantage and one disadvantage of using a biometric device to secure access to the server room. [2]

Ans: 

 b Describe how the firewall will help keep the data safe. [4] [Total 6] 

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 7 Discuss the impact of implementing a disaster recovery plan for an organisation. [6]

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12 IT in Society

1- How do you think a business could make use of data mining when hiring staff?

The business could mine data about what kind of qualifications and what kind of people are employed by its competitors. The business could use data mining to find out what characteristics of an employee are a good match for their company

Exam-style questions 

 1. Explain what is meant by a cryptocurrency. (3)

All of the following [3]: 

• A cryptocurrency is a type of digital currency. 

• A cryptocurrency is decentralised. 

• A cryptocurrency uses encryption algorithms and cryptographic techniques as a security method. 

 2. Explain two advantages and two disadvantages of the use of digital currency. (4)

Four from the following (two per advantage and disadvantage) [4]: 

 Advantages • Don’t need to carry physical money. 

 • User can stop transactions if digital method is lost/stolen. 

 • All transactions are encrypted.

 • Can speed up payment. 

 • Don’t need to exchange physical currency in foreign countries. Disadvantages

 • Always the risk that a transaction can be hacked. 

 • Some people may lose track of their spending as they don’t hand over actual money. 

 • Some people are anxious about using digital payment methods, especially contactless ones

3. Explain the difference between a chat room and a forum. [4] 

Four from [4]:

 • A chatroom is an online service that allows multiple users to send each other instant messages Review Copy - Cambridge University Press - Review Copy 

 • … whereas a forum allows users to post questions and thoughts for other users to respond to. 

 • A chatroom is designed to be a live conversation 

 • … whereas a forum is designed to allow user to return to the forum at any time to see what other users have posed as a response. 

 • A chatroom is not normally monitored by a moderator

 • whereas a forum will often have a moderator checking the posts meet the rules.

4. Describe the process of data mining. [8] 

Eight from [8]: 

 • Stage 1 is the business understanding stage 

 • … it is where the objectives are set and the criteria for success are established. 

 • Stage 2 is the data understanding stage

•… this involves the initial collection of data from the various sources available. 

 • Stage 3 is the data preparation stage 

 • … this is where the data is taken through a whole process of selection, cleansing, construction and formatting. 

 • Stage 4 is the data modelling stage 

 • … during this stage various test scenarios are generated to model the data. 

 • Stage 5 is the evaluation stage 

 • … this is when the results generated by the models are evaluated. 

 • Stage 6 is the deployment stage 

 • … this is when a report is created to present the findings of the data mining to stakeholders.

5. Explain two ways that data mining can be used. [4] 

Four from [4]: 

 • It can be used by businesses to aid planning 

 • … informing any actions that are taken on a daily basis. 

 • It can be used by governments to aid national security 

 • … by analysing intelligence gathered to highlight current activity in a country. 

 • It can be used in surveillance 

 • … surveillance data can be analysed to predict issues such as criminal activity.

6. Explain two advantages and one disadvantage of learners using a MOOC to improve their work-based skill set. [6] 

 Six from (max four for advantages) [6]:

 Advantages 

 • A large selection of courses are available 

 • … so a user can enhance their learning in anything that they are interested it. 

 • Can provide an employee with a competitive advantage 

* … as it demonstrates their motivation to learn and improve in their own time. 

 • They are free of cost 

 • … so all users who can access them will be able to learn. 

 • The number of people on a course is often unlimited

 • … so people do not have to wait for a place to become available. 

 • User can learn at their own rate 

 • … this means that users are more able to fit the learning around the own schedule. 

 Disadvantages 

 • There are a huge selection of courses available 

 • … this may overwhelm a learner if they do not know which one to choose. • There are often a large number of people on a course 

 • … so the tutor/educator may not have a lot of dedicated time to help each person on the course. 

 • … it may also be difficult for a tutor/education to keep track of the progress of each person on the course. 

 • Some learners may struggle to complete the tasks 

 • … and may choose to only complete those ones that they know will be assessed. 

7. Discuss the impact of the central bank moving to a digital based currency only. [6] 

Six from [6]: 

• This would mean that banks create their own version of a digital currency. 

 • This may mean that physical currency disappears altogether. 

• This could save money for the government as they do not need to think about the cost of creating the physical currency. 

• This could save the bank money as they do not need to have huge security system in places, like vaults, in which physical currency is stored. 

• This could cost the banks money as they will need to have very strong security systems for their digital currency. 

 * The speed of the exchange of money from bank to bank could be improved. 

 • Criminal activity such as money laundering may decrease. 

 • Some people do not like the idea of the invasion of privacy that will exist by tracking each digital currency transaction.

8. Discuss the impact of the use of IT in banking and finance. [6]
All of the following [6]: 
• Banks heavily rely on IT to keep all the records about their customers. If they had to store paper versions of this data, it would take up huge amounts of physical storage space. 
• IT can be used in the form of ATMs to access physical currency that we have stored in our bank account. This means that a user no longer needs to go into a bank branch to queue to get money out of their account.
 • IT can be used for online banking, allowing a user to access many financial and banking facilities online, without the need to go into a bank branch. 
• IT can be used for online banking, allowing users to access many banking and financial services 24/7. 
• IT can be used for online banking, allowing users to see all the transactions instantly, without needing to wait for a paper statement to be delivered. 
• People can use comparison websites to compare the offers of banks and financial services. This means they can easily find the best and right deal for their circumstances