Free Practice Questions for CCEA GCSE DT Programming
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Key Facts: CCEA GCSE DT Programming Exam
A* to G
CCEA GCSE Digital Technology (Programming) is graded A* to G
CCEA GCSE Digital Technology specification
30% + 40% + 30%
Unit 1 written, Unit 4 written and Unit 5 controlled assessment weightings
CCEA GCSE Digital Technology (2017) specification at a glance
1 h / 1 h 30
Unit 1 is 1 hour; Unit 4 is 1 hour 30 minutes
CCEA GCSE Digital Technology (2017)
Python/Java/C#
Unit 5 coded solutions must use Python, Java or C#
CCEA Unit 5 Digital Development Practice
No route mix
Programming uses Units 1+4+5 only; Multimedia Units 2–3 cannot be combined
CCEA GCSE Digital Technology (2017)
AO2 46%
Applying knowledge and proposing solutions has the largest overall AO share
CCEA assessment objective weightings (±3%)
QAN 603/1122/8
Qualification number for CCEA GCSE Digital Technology (2017)
CCEA GCSE Digital Technology specification
MCQ adaptation
This free bank is an English MCQ study aid, not the official exam format
OpenExamPrep
CCEA GCSE Digital Technology Programming (Route B, NI) cash-in is Units 1+4+5: Unit 1 written (1 h, 30%), Unit 4 written (1 h 30, 40%) and Unit 5 controlled assessment coding in Python/Java/C# (30%). Graded A* to G. Schools/centres pay CCEA entry fees. This free 100-question bank is an English MCQ study adaptation only — practise written papers and Unit 5 coding separately.
Sample CCEA GCSE DT Programming Practice Questions
Try these sample questions to review concepts for the CCEA GCSE DT Programming exam. Each question includes a detailed explanation. Start the interactive quiz above for the full 100+ question experience with AI tutoring.
1What is the difference between data and information?
2How many bits are there in one byte?
3Which ordered list correctly ranks storage units from smallest to largest?
4Which data type is most appropriate for storing a person's full name in a database?
5How does increasing the resolution of a bitmap image typically affect file size?
6What is a key difference between bitmap and vector graphics?
7Which factor does NOT directly affect digital sound quality when recording audio?
8Why is analogue-to-digital conversion needed when recording sound on a computer?
9Which file format is commonly used for compressed photographic images on the web?
10What is the main purpose of data compression?
About the CCEA GCSE DT Programming Exam
CCEA GCSE Digital Technology (Programming) is the Northern Ireland Route B cash-in of the 2017 Digital Technology specification (QAN 603/1122/8; subject classification codes 2650 and 2610). All students take compulsory Unit 1 Digital Technology (external written exam, 1 hour, 30%) covering data representation, software, databases, spreadsheets, hardware, networks, cybersecurity, cloud, legislation, ethics, employment, health and safety and digital applications. Route B then adds Unit 4 Digital Development Concepts (external written exam, 1 hour 30 minutes, 40%) on programming paradigms, binary and character data, computational thinking, algorithms, programming constructs, error handling, testing and evaluation, and Unit 5 Digital Development Practice (controlled assessment, 30%) where candidates design, build and test a coded solution in Python, Java or C#. Grades run A* to G. This 100-question bank is a free English-language MCQ study adaptation weighted to those units; it does not replace structured written answers, Quality of Written Communication practice or centre-controlled coding assessment. Multimedia Route A (Units 2–3) is out of scope for this bank.
Exam sponsor: CCEA (Council for the Curriculum, Examinations and Assessment), Northern Ireland. The requirements and fees below concern the certification or admission exam, separate from our free practice resources.
Assessment
Route B Programming cash-in only (Units 1, 4 and 5). Unit 1 Digital Technology: external written examination, 1 hour, 30%. Unit 4 Digital Development Concepts: external written examination, 1 hour 30 minutes, 40%. Unit 5 Digital Development Practice: controlled assessment in which students design, code and test a digital solution in Python, Java or C#, 30%. Students cannot combine Multimedia Units 2–3 with this pathway. At least 40% of assessment must be terminal under CCEA rules. Overall AO weightings: AO1 30%, AO2 46%, AO3 24% (±3%).
Time Limit
Unit 1 written exam: 1 hour. Unit 4 written exam: 1 hour 30 minutes. Unit 5 controlled assessment: completed under centre-controlled conditions across the course using the live CCEA task for the series.
Passing Score
No single pass mark. Graded A* to G; A* is awarded only at subject level. Raw mark boundaries are set independently each examination series; do not invent fixed unit grade boundaries.
Exam / Certification Fees
No fee is paid directly by students. Entry fees for CCEA GCSE Digital Technology units are paid by schools and registered centres; private candidates are charged by the centre that enters them.
Exam sponsor websiteFees, eligibility, and exam policies can change. Confirm them with the exam sponsor before applying or paying.
Our practice resources: topics covered
We aim to reflect publicly available exam outlines and topic information in our study resources. Coverage, format, and difficulty may differ from the actual exam, and we cannot guarantee that every detail is accurate or current. Confirm exam requirements, fees, and policies with the official exam sponsor.
Unit 1: Digital Technology
Data vs information; bit to terabyte; data types; bitmap vs vector images; sound sample rate, bit depth and ADC; portable formats and compression; system software and processing modes; utilities and antivirus; database tables, keys, validation and queries; big data; spreadsheet formulae, absolute references, IF and VLOOKUP; CPU components and fetch-execute; RAM, ROM and cache; I/O and storage devices; LAN/WAN, topologies, NIC, switch and router; malware and network protection; FTP/HTTP/HTTPS; cloud computing; Copyright, Data Protection Act 1998 principles, Computer Misuse Act 1990 and Consumer Contracts Regulations 2013; ethics, employment impact, RSI and digital applications.
Unit 4: Digital Development Concepts
Procedural and object-oriented paradigms; IDE editing, compilers and interpreters; binary/hex conversion, ASCII/Unicode, overflow and Boolean truth tables; abstraction and decomposition; algorithms, flow diagrams and pseudo-code; bubble and insertion sort; linear and binary search; variables, constants, arrays, string handling, sequence/selection/iteration, functions and file handling; presence/length/type/format validation; syntax, execution and logic errors; white box, black box, unit, integration and system testing; valid, invalid and extreme test data; evaluating completeness, efficiency and robustness.
Unit 5: Digital Development Practice
Knowledge supporting controlled assessment: fully decomposed algorithm designs; data and interface requirements; validation and dry runs in design; IDE tools (editor, debugger, compiler, error diagnostics, run-time environment, GUI); language features (numeric/character/string/Boolean/date types; if/if-else; for/while/repeat; user-defined and built-in functions; arrays and text files; string handling; arithmetic and logical operators); tabular test plans with expected outputs; documenting outcomes; evaluating against user requirements and recommending refinements. Official Unit 5 is practical coding, not MCQ.
Preparing for the CCEA GCSE DT Programming Exam
What You Need to Know
- Passing score: No single pass mark. Graded A* to G; A* is awarded only at subject level. Raw mark boundaries are set independently each examination series; do not invent fixed unit grade boundaries.
- Assessment: Route B Programming cash-in only (Units 1, 4 and 5). Unit 1 Digital Technology: external written examination, 1 hour, 30%. Unit 4 Digital Development Concepts: external written examination, 1 hour 30 minutes, 40%. Unit 5 Digital Development Practice: controlled assessment in which students design, code and test a digital solution in Python, Java or C#, 30%. Students cannot combine Multimedia Units 2–3 with this pathway. At least 40% of assessment must be terminal under CCEA rules. Overall AO weightings: AO1 30%, AO2 46%, AO3 24% (±3%).
- Time limit: Unit 1 written exam: 1 hour. Unit 4 written exam: 1 hour 30 minutes. Unit 5 controlled assessment: completed under centre-controlled conditions across the course using the live CCEA task for the series.
- Exam / certification fees: No fee is paid directly by students. Entry fees for CCEA GCSE Digital Technology units are paid by schools and registered centres; private candidates are charged by the centre that enters them. Official sources
Using Our Practice Resources
- Work through all 100 available questions
- Review every answer and explanation
- Track weak areas and revisit them
- Use our AI tutor for tough concepts
CCEA GCSE DT Programming: Suggested Study Strategy
Frequently Asked Questions
What is CCEA GCSE Digital Technology (Programming)?
It is Route B of CCEA GCSE Digital Technology (2017). Students take compulsory Unit 1 plus Unit 4 Digital Development Concepts and Unit 5 Digital Development Practice, and achieve the Programming cash-in rather than the Multimedia cash-in.
What are the unit weightings for Route B?
Unit 1 Digital Technology is 30% (1-hour written exam), Unit 4 Digital Development Concepts is 40% (1 hour 30 minute written exam), and Unit 5 Digital Development Practice is 30% (controlled assessment).
Which programming languages can be used in Unit 5?
CCEA requires the completed Unit 5 solution to use one of Python, Java or C#.
Can students mix Multimedia and Programming units?
No. Students may only be entered for Units 1, 2 and 3 (Multimedia) or Units 1, 4 and 5 (Programming).
How is the qualification graded?
CCEA GCSE grades run A* to G. A* is only awarded at subject level. Raw mark boundaries are set each series; there is no single published pass percentage.
Are these official CCEA questions?
No. These are original OpenExamPrep English-language MCQ study adaptation questions for knowledge revision. Official written papers use structured answers with Quality of Written Communication, and Unit 5 is controlled assessment coding. Use CCEA past papers, mark schemes and live controlled assessment tasks separately.