AQA A-Level Computer Science Paper 1, June 2025: Question 8

1 mark · Easy difficulty · Short Answer

State the identifier for a variable in the Skeleton Program that could represent a vector.

Practise this question

Question

Question 08 from an exam paper asking to state the identifier for a variable in the Skeleton Program that could represent a vector, worth 1 mark. Below the question is an instructional banner indicating the start of Section D, advising students to spend no more than 70 minutes on the section and to complete it using the provided Skeleton Program.
Question text

08 State the identifier for a variable in the Skeleton Program that could represent

a vector. 15

[1 mark]

Section D

You are advised to spend no more than 70 minutes on this section.

Enter your answers to Section D in your Electronic Answer Document.

You must save this document at regular intervals.

These questions require you to load the Skeleton Program and to

make programming changes to it.

Mark scheme

Show the mark scheme Mark scheme for question 08 showing 1 mark for AO2 (analyse). Acceptable answers listed are NumbersAllowed, Targets, or Temp. Notes indicate to reject additional code and ignore case and spacing.

Question Marks

08 Mark is for AO2 (analyse) 1

NumbersAllowed;

Targets;

Temp;

R. if additional code

I. case

I. spacing

Max 1

How to answer it

Data Structures: Vector Representation in Skeleton Code

📌 What this question tests

Syllabus Focus: Fundamentals of Data Structures (Vectors) & Skeleton Program Code Comprehension.

  • Theoretical Understanding: Recognising how mathematical vectors are implemented in programming languages (as 1-dimensional arrays or lists).
  • Code Inspection (AO2 - Analyse): Navigating the provided Skeleton Program to locate a variable that stores an ordered, 1D sequence of numerical elements.
  • Identifier Precision: Correctly stating an identifier without unnecessary syntax, prefixes, or code additions.
Question 08 • 1 Mark (AO2)

Variable Identifier for a Vector

Identify a variable in the Skeleton Program capable of representing a vector

✅ Acceptable Answers (Any One)

The examiner accepts any one of the following valid variable identifiers from the Skeleton Program:

  • NumbersAllowed
  • Targets
  • Temp

Note: The mark scheme explicitly states: Ignore case and Ignore spacing. Maximum 1 mark.

💡 Key Knowledge: What is a Vector?

  • In computer science theory, a vector is a mathematical object that can be represented as an ordered 1-dimensional collection of elements (e.g. [x₁, x₂, ..., xₙ]).
  • In standard high-level programming languages (Python, C#, VB.NET, Java), vectors are typically implemented using:
    • 1D Arrays (fixed size)
    • Lists / Dynamic Arrays (resizable)
  • Variables such as NumbersAllowed and Targets store a single-dimensional sequence of numbers, making them direct software equivalents of vectors.

🧠 Exam Technique & Examiner Insight

  • State only the identifier: When asked to "state an identifier", provide only the variable name. Do not write full assignment statements like Dim NumbersAllowed() As Integer or NumbersAllowed = [] .
  • Reject rule (R): The mark scheme applies R. if additional code. Writing code around the identifier will forfeit the mark completely.
  • Search strategy: In Paper 1 Section D, before jumping into edits, use the editor's search function (Ctrl+F) to quickly inspect declarations at the top of procedures to confirm whether a data structure is 1-dimensional (vector) or 2-dimensional (matrix).

❌ Common Errors to Avoid

  • Adding brackets or indexes: Writing NumbersAllowed[] , Targets(0) , or Temp[i] counts as additional syntax/code and risks losing the mark under the Reject additional code rule.
  • Selecting 2D structures (matrices): Confusing a vector (1D) with a 2D grid/board array (which represents a matrix or table, not a single vector).
  • Selecting scalar variables: Choosing variables holding single primitive values (e.g., a single integer score or count) rather than an array or list.
Mark Scheme Breakdown:
[1 mark] AO2 (Analyse) — Correctly identifying any one of NumbersAllowed , Targets , or Temp without superfluous code.

Topics

4.2 Fundamentals of data structures · 4.2.8 Vectors

Question and mark scheme from the AQA A-Level Computer Science examination, Paper 1, June 2025. QuestionVault is an independent revision resource; questions remain the copyright of the awarding body.