OCR A2 Computing F453 Official Thread 22/06/2016 Exam Discussion

Original post by Hooch Is Crazy

For the algorithm questions in f453, if you wrote the algorithm like it is in the mark scheme (the one on the left) is that sufficient to get full mark ?
Thanks

Yes, full marks for anything that is along those lines.

Reply 102

ExamBuddy101

3

Do any of you think that F453 is quite mundane in the sense that it is really the same thing asked each time? There seems to be little variation, whereas with F451/2 there seemed to be a lot more flexibility in what the examiner could throw at you. Just my opinion.

Reply 103

Original post by ExamBuddy101

Do any of you think that F453 is quite mundane in the sense that it is really the same thing asked each time? There seems to be little variation, whereas with F451/2 there seemed to be a lot more flexibility in what the examiner could throw at you. Just my opinion.

I agree, particularly with F452. I'd even argue F452 is a more difficult exam providing you've spent time learning the content for F453. I think for people who spend time doing past papers and learning the styles of questions OCR like to ask, you can do very well with minimal effort in comparison to other A levels.

Reply 104

ExamBuddy101

3

Original post by ryanroks1

I agree, particularly with F452. I'd even argue F452 is a more difficult exam providing you've spent time learning the content for F453. I think for people who spend time doing past papers and learning the styles of questions OCR like to ask, you can do very well with minimal effort in comparison to other A levels.

Yes, you're right. Some of the markschemes for things like F453 can be almost identical in different years. Other times, the content can be different but if you include a bit of both you should be ok usually. How did you find the project or what way did you do it?

Reply 105

Original post by ExamBuddy101

Yes, you're right. Some of the markschemes for things like F453 can be almost identical in different years. Other times, the content can be different but if you include a bit of both you should be ok usually. How did you find the project or what way did you do it?

The amount of times I've recited "single control unit, use of fetch-execute cycle, program instructions and their data share same memory" for the question on features of von Neumann - it's crazy! :tongue:

I did a maths quiz-style game that got progressively harder as the user improved and wrote to and read their progress from an access database. Overall, it wasn't too bad - the bulk of the effort was screenshots and annotations so tedious more than anything! How did you find yours, what did you do? :smile:

Reply 106

ExamBuddy101

3

Original post by ryanroks1

The amount of times I've recited "single control unit, use of fetch-execute cycle, program instructions and their data share same memory" for the question on features of von Neumann - it's crazy! :tongue:

I did a maths quiz-style game that got progressively harder as the user improved and wrote to and read their progress from an access database. Overall, it wasn't too bad - the bulk of the effort was screenshots and annotations so tedious more than anything! How did you find yours, what did you do? :smile:

For that very reason, F453 is hard to revise haha .. Too dry!

I done a college applications program where the college wanted to turn a paper-based system into a computerised one. We used Pascal in Lazarus to code, wbu? Yes, that's very true. Feel sorry for the moderators who have a page of almost identical screenshots ..

Reply 107

TheLazyKid

Hi guys, I know this isn't about F453 but I'm retaking F452 and I'm not sure if we're allowed a calculator or not :/
I vaguely remember using a calculator last year as you need to do Data Size calculations but on the front page of the answer booklet it doesn't mention calculators :frown:

Reply 108

Original post by TheLazyKid

Hi guys, I know this isn't about F453 but I'm retaking F452 and I'm not sure if we're allowed a calculator or not :/
I vaguely remember using a calculator last year as you need to do Data Size calculations but on the front page of the answer booklet it doesn't mention calculators :frown:

Yep, you're allowed one. You're actually allowed to use one in any exam unless it mentions it's prohibited. :smile:

Reply 109

TheLazyKid

Original post by ryanroks1

Yep, you're allowed one. You're actually allowed to use one in any exam unless it mentions it's prohibited. :smile:

Ah ok thanks :smile:

Reply 110

MrSplash

Anyone tried 2009 f452 papers?

Any predictions for paper on Tuesday?

Reply 111

Original post by MrSplash

Anyone tried 2009 f452 papers?

Any predictions for paper on Tuesday?

Yes and no.

Reply 112

TheLazyKid

Original post by MrSplash

Anyone tried 2009 f452 papers?

Any predictions for paper on Tuesday?

Yeah I've done both 2009 papers and they seemed ok. Grade boundaries were really high though, I think for Jan 2009 it was 83 for an A!
I think Tuesday's paper is going to be relatively easy (based on how easy F451 was as I retook that as well). However, have a feeling grade boundaries are going to be VERY high :frown:

Reply 113

Original post by TheLazyKid

Yeah I've done both 2009 papers and they seemed ok. Grade boundaries were really high though, I think for Jan 2009 it was 83 for an A!
I think Tuesday's paper is going to be relatively easy (based on how easy F451 was as I retook that as well). However, have a feeling grade boundaries are going to be VERY high :frown:

No year 12 to bring the boundaries down since its a legacy paper :/ Probably going to mean very high and close grade boundaries...

Reply 114

MrSplash

Original post by Aydin7

No year 12 to bring the boundaries down since its a legacy paper :/ Probably going to mean very high and close grade boundaries...

They cant possibly change radically.... is that even allowed, last year it was 66 for an A

Reply 115

Original post by MrSplash

They cant possibly change radically.... is that even allowed, last year it was 66 for an A

From what I know, the ums conversions are set yearly to ensure that grade distribution is similar each year(e.g. 10-20% or something to get an A). They are based on performance of the candidates and difficulty of the paper.

Reply 116

Original post by AKC...

Hiya can anyone explain how Case-select statements are done in pseudocode? Thanks!

Have a look at question 4F on the June 2014 past paper.

Reply 117

ryandaniels2015

11

Does anybody think there is anything that has not been asked in past papers, that may come up?

Reply 118