DP Computer Science Questionbank

Identify two ways that a cascading style sheet (CSS) can be used to ensure web pages are compatible with different screen sizes and formats.

With reference to the URL https://home.cern/topics/large-hadron-collider

Identify the steps taken by the domain name server when the scientist enters a URL such as https://home.cern into their web browser.

Explain the processing this code enables on the server before search.php is sent to the client.

With reference to the URL https://home.cern/topics/large-hadron-collider

State the protocol used.

Define the term extensibility.

Outline one advantage of XML for sharing data on the web.

To what extent has the use of social media, blogs and forums enabled the head librarian to be a more effective decision maker?

Distinguish between a blog and a forum.

Identify two characteristics of HTML.

Explain why TCP/IP is a reliable protocol in relation to downloading operations.

Identify three differences between a static web page and dynamic web page.

Discuss the benefits and disadvantages of the template including a CSS file in addition to the HTML page.

Evaluate the use of server-side scripting to provide the mechanism for registration.

A fragment of a script and a web form are provided below.
In the script some functions are not implemented, and only their specification is provided.

<?php
  //include a database of urls
  include('url_db.php');
  $url = $short = "";

  if ($_SERVER["REQUEST_METHOD"] == "POST")
  { $url = $_POST['url'];
    $short = make_short($url);
    function make_short($u)
    { $x = make_alpha_string($u);
      $y = first4_last4($x);
      $z = limits($x);
      $v = $y. ".".$z;   //string concatenation
      return $v;
  }

  function make_alpha_string($u)
  { // It removes, in this order: substrings corresponding to
    // protocol names, the substring www, and all characters
    // except for letters
  }

  function first4_last4($u)
  { // It returns the string made of the first 4 characters
    // followed by the last 4 characters of $u
  }

  function limits($u)
  { // It returns the string made of the first character and
    // last character of $u
  }

  mysql_query("
    INSERT INTO url_db(orig_url, short_url, url_ip) VALUES
    ( '".$_POST['url']."',
      '".$short."',
      '".$_SERVER['REMOTE_ADDR']."'
    )
  ");
 }
?>

<form method="post" action="">
URL:
<input type="text" name="url" />
<br><br>
<input type="submit" name="Submit" value="Submit" />
</form>

Describe the processing that occurs when the form is filled with the URL https://www.the2nd.org/bin.php?id=70 that the server discovers is associated with the IP address 172.16.254.1.

Outline the steps that the script could perform for sending out these notifications.

Suggest two services, and the benefits that they would provide, if the museum were to redesign its website to be dynamic.

Outline, with an example, how the URL for these new pieces of code will be generated.

Outline one technical reason for restricting the number of podcasts to eight.

Outline one reason for this problem.

Describe how this URL provides security in communication over the Internet.

These podcasts are normally displayed on the website in the chronological order in which they were added, with the most recent on top. However, users who regularly access the site for science podcasts, may see them presented in a different order, with all the scientific ones on top.

With reference to the technology involved, explain how this is made possible.

Identify the steps that the Domain Name System (DNS) server will take in order to locate the correct IP address for this request from the browser.

Outline how the footer of a web page can be made identical across all pages of a website.

State one format for an audio file.

Users may perform several actions on their shopping baskets. These actions require interaction with a central database of products. Each record in this database includes the identifier, the name and the price of one of these products.

Consider the following fragment of code:

<
$basket = new Basket
  …

If $_REQUEST['action'] == 'removeBasketItem' && !empty($_REQUEST['id']){
remove($basket, $_REQUEST['id']);
header("view_basket.php");
}
>

From the code, identify the information that the user has provided.

Suggest the function of this fragment of code.

State the type of scripting used in the php code.

State the protocol used in the company’s website.

Explain the importance of protocols on the World Wide Web.

Identify one additional method of online interaction that can be incorporated in this website.

State one inbuilt function along with parameters used in the php code.

Describe the processing that occurs when the subscribe button is clicked.

Describe how a domain name server (DNS) functions.

Explain one function of a web browser.

State the output of the index.html file in the web browser.

Describe the working of the common gateway interface (CGI).

Distinguish between the internet and the World Wide Web.

Describe the processing that takes place when the user inputs “Pugh” into the text box and then uses the clickme button.

Explain why these two validation checks occur on different computer systems.

Explain how website certificates are used to authenticate a user’s browser through secure protocol communications like HTTPS.

Outline the relationship between the Internet and the world wide web (WWW).

Describe how a wiki can support the ongoing collaboration in producing the triathletes’ resource.

Explain why server-side processing is used in this case.

The 20 most recent account transactions can be displayed on screen in a webpage that uses XML. A print-out of all transactions of the past three months may be obtained by clicking an onscreen button on the webpage. The print-out is landscape oriented and shows many more columns than are displayed on the screen.

Describe how this processing takes place with reference to the use of XML and XSLT.

Outline the processing that takes place when the line of code above is executed.

Outline the functioning of this app. Include specific references to the technology and software involved.

With reference to the use on mobile devices, outline a feature of this application that may rely on client-side scripting.

The RunAndBeyond website continually automatically updates its content regarding a live sporting event.

Suggest how a dynamic web page would function in providing this service to the user.

Explain why the choice of browser should not affect a customer’s ability to access their bank account details.

State two features that make HTTPS more suitable than HTTP in the context of home banking.

State the reason why the above link is a URL.

Outline what would be necessary to make the above unnormalized table conform to 1st Normal Form (1NF).