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CIE · IGCSE · Computer Science

Free CIE IGCSE Computer Science
Practice Paper

8 mixed-difficulty practice questions in the style of real CIE IGCSE papers — answers, mark-scheme-style explanations, and the official exam structure all on one page.

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What the real CIE IGCSE Computer Science paper looks like

Paper 1 (Multiple Choice)
40 multiple-choice questions, 1 mark each. 45 minutes. Tests breadth of knowledge.
Paper 2 (Core) / Paper 4 (Extended)
Structured written paper. 1 hour 30 minutes (Core) or 1 hour 45 minutes (Extended). Tests depth of understanding and application.
Paper 6 (Alternative to Practical)
Written paper assessing practical skills for candidates without lab access. 1 hour. Worth ~20% of the total.
Total exam time: ~3 hours, depending on tier (Core vs Extended).
Grading: Grades: A* (highest) to G (lowest), with U (ungraded). Most universities require C or above.

Mini practice paper: 8 questions

Mixed-difficulty questions from across the Computer Science syllabus. Tap "Show answer" after each to check yourself.

Q1 · Difficulty 1/3

Which of the following is a characteristic of PROPRIETARY software?

  1. Users are legally permitted to redistribute it freely
  2. It is always provided at no cost to the end user
  3. The source code is kept private and owned by the developer
  4. The source code is publicly available for modification
Show answer & explanation
✓ Answer: C — The source code is kept private and owned by the developer
Proprietary software keeps the source code private; the developer retains ownership and restricts access. Option A describes open-source software. Option B is incorrect because proprietary software typically requires payment of a licence fee. Option D contradicts proprietary licensing, which restricts redistribution.
Q2 · Difficulty 1/3

A computer sends data to a printer, but the printer cannot send data back to the computer. Which type of transmission is this?

  1. Simplex transmission
  2. Parallel transmission
  3. Full-duplex transmission
  4. Half-duplex transmission
Show answer & explanation
✓ Answer: A — Simplex transmission
Simplex transmission allows data to flow in one direction only; the receiver cannot send data back to the sender. This matches the computer-to-printer scenario described. Half-duplex allows two-way communication, just not simultaneously. Full-duplex allows simultaneous two-way communication. Parallel refers to how many bits travel at once, not the direction.
Q3 · Difficulty 1/3

Which of the following best describes symmetric encryption?

  1. The same key is used to both encrypt and decrypt data
  2. Data is encrypted using a certificate issued by a trusted authority
  3. A public key encrypts data and a private key is shared openly
  4. One key encrypts data and a different key decrypts data
Show answer & explanation
✓ Answer: A — The same key is used to both encrypt and decrypt data
In symmetric encryption, a single shared key is used for both encryption and decryption. Option B describes asymmetric encryption. Option C incorrectly states the private key is shared openly — it is the public key that is shared. Option D describes part of the SSL/TLS certificate process, not symmetric encryption itself.
Q4 · Difficulty 1/3

What is the value of the most significant bit (MSB) in an 8-bit two's complement representation of a negative number?

  1. A: The MSB is always 0
  2. D: The MSB depends on the magnitude
  3. C: The MSB can be 0 or 1
  4. B: The MSB is always 1
Show answer & explanation
✓ Answer: D — B: The MSB is always 1
In two's complement representation, the MSB acts as the sign bit. For any negative number, the MSB is always 1. Option A describes positive numbers. Options C and D are incorrect because the MSB definitively indicates sign: 1 for negative, 0 for positive.
Q5 · Difficulty 1/3

A 1D array called Scores is declared to store 10 integer values. Which of the following correctly accesses the fifth element in pseudocode following Cambridge IGCSE conventions?

  1. Scores{4}
  2. Scores(5)
  3. Scores[4]
  4. Scores[5]
Show answer & explanation
✓ Answer: C — Scores[4]
Cambridge IGCSE pseudocode uses zero-based indexing by default, so the fifth element is at index 4, accessed as Scores[4]. Option A accesses the sixth element due to zero-based indexing. Option C uses round brackets which are not the correct array notation in Cambridge pseudocode. Option D uses curly braces which are not valid array notation.
Q6 · Difficulty 1/3

A student writes the following Python code. What type of error does exception handling specifically protect against? try: age = int(input('Enter age: ')) except: print('Please enter a number')

  1. Syntax errors detected before the program runs
  2. Linker errors caused by missing program modules
  3. Logic errors caused by incorrect algorithms
  4. Runtime errors caused by unexpected inputs or conditions
Show answer & explanation
✓ Answer: D — Runtime errors caused by unexpected inputs or conditions
Exception handling protects against runtime errors — errors that occur while the program is running due to unexpected inputs, invalid operations, or unavailable resources. In this example, entering a non-numeric value causes a runtime error during type conversion. Syntax errors are caught before execution; logic errors produce wrong results but do not raise exceptions; linker errors are not a Python concept at this level.
Q7 · Difficulty 1/3

Which logical operator returns TRUE only when both of its operands are TRUE?

  1. XOR
  2. AND
  3. NOT
  4. OR
Show answer & explanation
✓ Answer: B — AND
The AND operator returns TRUE only when both operands are TRUE; if either operand is FALSE, the result is FALSE. OR returns TRUE when at least one operand is TRUE. NOT inverts a single Boolean value. XOR is not part of the Cambridge IGCSE 0478 core pseudocode operator set and returns TRUE only when operands differ.
Q8 · Difficulty 1/3

Which of the following best describes 'open-source software'?

  1. Software owned by a company that charges a licence fee for its use
  2. Software that can only be used on computers connected to the internet
  3. Software whose source code is freely available for anyone to view, modify, and distribute
  4. Software that is free to download but cannot be modified by the user
Show answer & explanation
✓ Answer: C — Software whose source code is freely available for anyone to view, modify, and distribute
Open-source software is defined by the availability of its source code, which anyone can inspect, modify, and redistribute. Option B describes freeware, not open-source software. Option C describes proprietary software. Option D is unrelated to the open-source definition.
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CIE IGCSE Computer Science FAQ

What does the CIE IGCSE Computer Science exam look like?
The CIE IGCSE Computer Science exam is structured across 3 components. Paper 1 (Multiple Choice): 40 multiple-choice questions, 1 mark each. 45 minutes. Tests breadth of knowledge. Paper 2 (Core) / Paper 4 (Extended): Structured written paper. 1 hour 30 minutes (Core) or 1 hour 45 minutes (Extended). Tests depth of understanding and application. Paper 6 (Alternative to Practical): Written paper assessing practical skills for candidates without lab access. 1 hour. Worth ~20% of the total. Total exam time: ~3 hours, depending on tier (Core vs Extended).
Can I download a free CIE IGCSE Computer Science past paper?
Real CIE past papers are published directly by CIE on their official website. Kramizo doesn't redistribute copyrighted past papers, but we do generate free AI-written practice papers in the exact same style — same command words, same difficulty tier, same mark conventions. Use this practice paper as warm-up, then time yourself on official past papers before exam day.
How is CIE IGCSE Computer Science graded?
Grades: A* (highest) to G (lowest), with U (ungraded). Most universities require C or above. Kramizo's practice questions are tagged with difficulty 1-3 mapping roughly to the lower, middle, and top grade boundaries you'll encounter in the real exam.