IB DP Computer Science HL Paper 1 Sample 2023
This paper mirrors the real DP Computer Science HL Paper 1 experience: you'll encounter multi-concept questions that blend system architecture, network protocols, and algorithmic thinking in ways that force you to justify your reasoning, not just guess. Inside you'll find a mix of straightforward definition questions, diagram-based system design prompts, and tricky scenarios that test whether you understand *why* a technique matters, not just that it exists. Built for Grade 12 IB DP students preparing for the May/November examinations. By the time you finish, you'll recognize the subtle differences between similar concepts (like circuit switching vs packet switching, or sequential vs concurrent execution) that separate candidates at 5–6 marks from those at 7–8.
Questions in this quiz
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- Question 1
A processor uses a 3-stage pipeline (Fetch, Decode, Execute). If each stage takes 1 clock cycle and there are no data hazards, how many clock cycles are needed to execute 5 independent instructions?
- Question 2
Which of the following best describes the difference between RISC and CISC processor architectures?
- Question 3
A computer system has L1 cache (64 KB), L2 cache (256 KB), and main memory (8 GB). Rank these storage types by access speed from fastest to slowest.
- Question 4
True or False: In a Harvard architecture, the CPU can fetch an instruction and read data from memory simultaneously in the same clock cycle.
- Question 5
A network uses packet switching with a packet size of 1000 bytes and a link capacity of 100 Mbps. How long does it take to transmit one packet?
- Question 6
Which network topology provides the best redundancy and fault tolerance, but is the most expensive to implement?
- Question 7
A router uses longest prefix matching to route an IP packet. If the routing table contains entries for 10.0.0.0/8, 10.1.0.0/16, and 10.1.2.0/24, which entry will match a packet destined for 10.1.2.5?
- Question 8
Which error detection method can detect and correct single-bit errors in transmitted data?
- Question 9
A stack is used to evaluate the postfix expression '5 3 + 2 *'. What is the result?
- Question 10
In a binary tree used as a binary search tree (BST), which statement is always true?
- Question 11
True or False: A depth-first search (DFS) traversal of a graph always visits nodes in the same order, regardless of which node you start from.
- Question 12
An algorithm has a time complexity of . If processing 100 items takes 1 second, approximately how long will processing 1000 items take?
- Question 13
Which of the following is the most efficient sorting algorithm in the worst case for a general comparison-based sort?
- Question 14
A queue is implemented as a circular buffer with a fixed size of 5. If the queue currently contains [A, B, C] (front at index 0), and you enqueue D, then dequeue once, how many elements remain in the queue?