AS Computing Test One – (17/11/14)

In today’s lesson, we received the results back from our first computing test from a month or so ago, testing us on some basic programming concepts such as data types, verification, validation and annotation. When we initially completed the test, we marked it ourselves, and I awarded myself 21 marks out of 24 (88%). After being checked by my teacher, he also seems to agree, since no adjustments to marks have been made.

The 3 marks I lost where from 2 question, the answers to which I shall detail below;
(6c) The customer’s email address is validated. Describe a different suitable validation check that could be carried out on the customer’s email address giving an example of invalid data that would be detected by this check. [2]

The answer I gave was; “One validation check could be a length check. This could be used to check an email address is not too short, for example, the email address length must be greater than or equal to 5 characters (a@b.c). An example of invalid data would be ‘@c’.”

Despite this answer being correct, the mark scheme dictated that all references to length checks should lose the mark, apparently only taking into consideration the idea of limiting how long an address can be, rather than limiting how short it can be which, as demonstrated by my response, considering the use of syntax such as @, must therefore have a minimum length, making this suggestion perfectly valid. However, the mark scheme’s narrow mindedness would not allow it. The correct response should have been related to presence checks, which personally I try to avoid using in these questions, as it feels like a cop out.

(11bii) Briefly explain why the government may have made this change [relating to the change in line 5 of the code which now reads “else if ((Emission > 150) OR (Consumption < 35))] [1]

The answer I gave was; “By removing some of the criteria needed for the If statement to be true, the result “£150 tax” will be more likely to be outputted, meaning the government may get more money.”
As the convoluted wording may suggest, I wasn’t 100% sure about this answer, and so made a guess based on the greed-obsessed ways of our corrupt government. My teacher’s correction reads; “To encourage people to buy more fuel-efficient or low emission cars.”


Overall, I am happy with my high mark, and despite my resentment towards the blindness of logic displayed in the marking of (6c), I am more or less content with the few corrections made.

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