Data Transmission

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1 (a) State what is meant by the terms:

Parallel data transmission .........................................................................................................

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Serial data transmission ...........................................................................................................

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[2]

(b) Give one benefit of each type of data transmission.

Parallel data transmission

Benefit .......................................................................................................................................

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Serial data transmission

Benefit .......................................................................................................................................

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[2]

(c) Give one application of each type of data transmission. Each application must be different.

Parallel data transmission

Application ................................................................................................................................

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Serial data transmission

Application ................................................................................................................................

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[2]

2 (a) State what is meant by the term USB.

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[1]

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 (b) Describe two benefits of using USB connections between a computer and a device.

1 ................................................................................................................................................

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2 ................................................................................................................................................

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[2]

3 (a) Five statements about serial half-duplex data transmission are shown in the table

below.
Tick (3) to show whether each statement is true or false.

true false
Statement
(3) (3)

Data is transmitted in one direction only, one bit at a time.

Data is transmitted in both directions, multiple bits at a time.

Data is transmitted in one direction only, multiple bits at a time.

Data is transmitted in both directions, but only one direction at a

time. Data is transmitted one bit at a time.
Data is transmitted in both directions, but only one direction at a
time. Data is transmitted multiple bits at a time.
[5]
(b) Describe the difference between synchronous and asynchronous data transmission.

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[4]

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 4 (a) Three descriptions of data transmission are given below.

Tick (✓) the appropriate box in each table to show the:

• type of transmission
• method of transmission

Description 1:
Tick Tick
Type Method
(✓) (✓)
Data is transmitted several bits at
a time down several wires in both simplex serial
directions simultaneously.
half-duplex parallel

full-duplex

Description 2:
Tick Tick
Type Method
(✓) (✓)
Data is transmitted in one direction
only, one bit at a time, down a simplex serial
single wire.
half-duplex parallel

full-duplex

Description 3:
Tick Tick
Type Method
(✓) (✓)
Data is transmitted one bit at a
time down a single wire; the data simplex serial
is transmitted in both directions
but not at the same time.
half-duplex parallel

full-duplex

[6]

(b) Give two reasons why serial transmission, rather than parallel transmission, is used to
connect devices to a computer.

1 ................................................................................................................................................

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2 ................................................................................................................................................

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[2]

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5 (a) Parity checks are often used to detect errors that may occur during data transmission.

The received bytes in the table below were transmitted using odd parity.

Tick (3) to show whether each byte has been corrupted during transmission or not
corrupted during transmission.

corrupted not corrupted

during during
Received byte
transmission transmission
(3) (3)

10110100

01101101

10000001
[3]

(b) Another method of error detection is Automatic Repeat reQuest (ARQ).

Explain how ARQ is used in error detection.

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 6 Parity checks are often used to check for errors that may occur during data transmission.

(a) A system uses even parity.

Tick (✓) to show whether the following three bytes have been transmitted correctly or
incorrectly.

Received byte Byte transmitted correctly Byte transmitted incorrectly

11001000

01111100

01101001

[3]

(b) A parity byte is used to identify which bit has been transmitted incorrectly in a block of data.

The word “F L O W C H A R T” was transmitted using nine bytes of data (one byte per
character). A tenth byte, the parity byte, was also transmitted.

The following block of data shows all ten bytes received after transmission. The system uses
even parity and column 1 is the parity bit.

letter column column column column column column column column

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
byte 1 F 1 0 1 0 0 1 1 0
byte 2 L 1 0 1 0 1 1 0 0
byte 3 O 1 0 1 0 1 1 1 1
byte 4 W 1 0 1 1 0 1 1 1
byte 5 C 1 0 1 0 0 0 1 1
byte 6 H 0 0 1 0 1 0 0 0
byte 7 A 0 0 1 0 0 1 0 1
byte 8 R 1 0 1 1 0 0 1 0
byte 9 T 1 0 1 1 0 1 0 0
parity
1 0 1 1 1 1 1 0
byte

(i) One of the bits has been transmitted incorrectly.

Write the byte number and column number of this bit:

Byte number ......................................................................................................................

Column number .................................................................................................................

[2]

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 (ii) Explain how you arrived at your answer for part (b)(i).

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(c) Give the denary (base 10) value of the byte: 1 0111110
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(d) A parity check may not identify that a bit has been transmitted incorrectly.

Describe one situation in which this could occur.

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7 There are various methods used to detect errors that can occur during data transmission and
storage.

Describe each of the following error detection methods.

Parity check ......................................................................................................................................

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Echo Check .......................................................................................................................................

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Checksum ........................................................................................................................................

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[6]

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8 Computer A is communicating with computer B.

(a) Draw an arrow or arrows to show simplex, duplex and half-duplex data transmission. The
direction of the data transmission must be fully labelled.

Simplex data transmission

Computer A Computer B

Duplex data transmission

Computer A Computer B

Half-duplex data transmission

Computer A Computer B
[6]

(b) State a use for the following data transmission methods. The use must be different for each
data transmission method.

Simplex .....................................................................................................................................

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Duplex ......................................................................................................................................

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[2]

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 (c) A computer includes an Integrated Circuit (IC) and a Universal Serial Bus (USB) for data
transmission.

Describe how the computer uses these for data transmission, including the type of data

transmission used.

IC ..............................................................................................................................................

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USB ..........................................................................................................................................

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[4]

9 The three binary numbers in the registers A, B and C have been transmitted from one computer to
another.

Parity bit
Register A 1 0 0 1 1 0 0 0

Register B 0 1 1 0 0 1 1 1

Register C 1 0 0 1 1 0 0 1

One binary number has been transmitted incorrectly. This is identified through the use of a parity bit.

Identify which register contains the binary number that has been transmitted incorrectly. Explain
the reason for your choice.

The binary number that has been transmitted incorrectly is in Register ..........................................

Explanation ......................................................................................................................................

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[4]
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10 The three binary numbers in the registers X, Y and Z have been transmitted from one computer to
another.

Parity bit

Register X 1 0 0 1 0 0 1 0

Register Y 1 1 1 0 0 1 1 1

Register Z 1 1 1 0 1 0 0 1

Only one binary number has been transmitted correctly. This is identified through the use of a
parity bit.

Identify which register contains the binary number that has been transmitted correctly. Explain
the reason for your choice.

The binary number that has been transmitted correctly is in Register ............................................

Explanation ......................................................................................................................................

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[4]

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11 (a) A computer in a factory is connected to a printer. The printer is located in an office 1 km away
from the factory.

Identify which data transmission method would be most suitable for this connection.

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Give two reasons for your choice.

1 ................................................................................................................................................

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2 ................................................................................................................................................

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[3]

(b) When data are transmitted from one device to another, a parity check is often carried out on
each byte of data. The parity bit is often the leftmost bit in the byte.

(i) If a system uses even parity, give the parity bit for each of the following bytes:

parity bit

1 1 1 0 0 0 1

parity bit

0 0 1 0 1 1 1
[2]

(ii) A parity check can often detect corruption of a byte.

Describe a situation in which it cannot detect corruption of a byte.

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12 A file server is used as a central data store for a network of computers.

Rory sends data from his computer to a file server that is approximately 100 metres away.

It is important that the data is transmitted accurately. Rory needs to be able to read data from and
write data to the file server at the same time.

(a) (i) Use ticks (3) to identify the most suitable data transmission methods for this application.

Method 1 Tick Method 2 Tick

(3) (3)
Serial Simplex
Parallel Half-duplex
Duplex
[2]

(ii) Explain why your answer to part (a)(i) is the most suitable data transmission.

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13 (a) Three descriptions and two methods of data transmission are given.

Tick () the correct box to show the Method of data transmission for each description.

Description Method
Serial Parallel
Multiple bits are sent
and received at the
same time.
Bits are sent one
at a time in a single
direction.
Bits are sent using a
single wire. Data can
be sent or received, but
not at the same time.
[3]

(b) Three descriptions and three types of data transmission are given.

Tick () the correct box to show the Type of data transmission for each description.

Description Type
Simplex Half-duplex Duplex
Multiple bits are sent
and received at the
same time.
Bits are sent one
at a time in a single
direction.
Bits are sent using a
single wire. Data can
be sent or received, but
not at the same time.
[3]

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