Monitoring and control — AS & A Level Information Technology (9626) questions by topic
Monitoring and control questions justify IT's use in environmental monitoring, work through a glasshouse sprinkler system controlled by a moisture sensor, describe an actuator's purpose in a control system, and describe what data logging involves.
Describe, draw, explain, state and evaluate span marks worth 4 to 12 across 7 real questions from 2023 papers. Flowchart precision and the distinction between sensing and processing decide many of these marks, so working through each scenario and checking the instant-marked result shows immediately whether a decision box, sensor description, or evaluative judgement has been left incomplete.
What examiners look for
- Examiners repeatedly note candidates labelling only one branch of a decision box with YES or NO, rather than both, which costs easily avoidable marks.
- A recurring criticism is confusing what a sensor does with the processing that happens afterwards, since sensors cannot themselves process data.
- Reports flag descriptions of a temperature sensor that gave it the attributes of an entire system, such as an air-conditioner, rather than the sensor's own small role.
- A common error is describing each control process in detail rather than actually evaluating its efficacy, when a judgement was required.
- Strong answers labelled both branches of every decision box, drew the correct two-bar rectangle for a predefined process, and made a clear judgement on each calibration method rather than simply describing it.
February–March 2023, Paper 12
Mark has a small glasshouse. He lives in a warm country where plants can die if they are left without water for too long. The glasshouse has a microprocessor controlled sprinkler…
Answer this question and get it marked →Sensors are used to measure physical variables. Describe the light sensor and give an appropriate use in a monitoring system.
Answer this question and get it marked →May–June 2023, Paper 12
Sensors are used in monitoring and control to measure physical variables. Describe these sensors. For each sensor, explain how it could be used in a control system. Each system…
Answer this question and get it marked →May–June 2023, Paper 13
Describe what is involved in data logging.
Answer this question and get it marked →Justify the use of Information Technology for monitoring the environment.
Answer this question and get it marked →A computer-controlled traffic light system controls the flow of motor vehicles and pedestrians. Describe the inputs, processing and outputs involved in this system.
Answer this question and get it marked →October–November 2023, Paper 11
Most control technology systems use actuators and sensors. (a) Describe the purpose of an actuator.
Answer this question and get it marked →Other AS & A Level Information Technology topics
- Spreadsheets (30)
- Software (22)
- Security (21)
- The impact of IT (21)
- Multimedia (20)
- Data and information (17)
- Databases (16)
- Systems development life cycle (13)
- Networks (10)
- Web authoring (8)
- Programming (8)
- Hardware (7)
← All AS & A Level Information Technology (9626) past papers