Computer Applications Technology Grade 12 P2 2026 QP (Eng)

Mock hlayiso mock exams Practice Series: Grade 12 NSC Preparation WWW.HLAYISO.COM NATIONAL SENIOR CERTIFICATE GRADE 12 COMPUTER APPLICATIONS TECHNOLOGY P2 MOCK EXAMINATION 2026 MARKS: 150 TIME: 3 hours This question paper consists of 15 pages. Copyright reserved Please turn over

Computer Applications Technology/P2 2 Hlayiso/Mock 2026 NSC Mock INSTRUCTIONS AND INFORMATION 1. This question paper consists of: SECTION A (25) SECTION B (75) SECTION C (50) 2. Answer ALL the questions. 3. Number the answers correctly according to the numbering system used in this question paper. 4. Start EACH question on a NEW page. 5. Do NOT write in the right-hand margin of the ANSWER BOOK. 6. Leave a line after EACH subquestion. 7. Generally, one mark is allocated per fact; therefore, a 2-mark question would require TWO facts, etc. 8. Read the questions carefully. DO NOT give more answers than the question requires as it will NOT be marked. 9. All answers MUST be related to Computer Applications Technology. 10. Unless otherwise specified, answers such as ’cheaper’, ’slower’/’faster’, etc. will NOT be accepted. 11. Do NOT use brand names in your answers, unless specifically required. 12. Write neatly and legibly. Copyright reserved Please turn over

Computer Applications Technology/P2 3 Hlayiso/Mock 2026 NSC Mock SECTION A QUESTION 1: MULTIPLE-CHOICE QUESTIONS Various options are given as possible answers to the following questions. Choose the answer and write only the letter (A–D) next to the question numbers (1.1 to 1.10) in the ANSWER BOOK, e.g. 1.11 D. 1.1 Which ONE of the following is an output device? A Scanner B Microphone C Plotter D Webcam (1) 1.2 The type of software that may be used, changed and distributed freely because its source code is available to everyone: A Freeware B Open-source software C Shareware D Proprietary software (1) 1.3 A Wi-Fi hotspot is … A a cellular tower that provides mobile data. B an area where a wireless access point provides internet access. C a router that connects two LANs with cables. D a device that boosts a satellite signal. (1) 1.4 Which ONE of the following file extensions indicates a compressed file? A .zip B .pdf C .csv D .html (1) 1.5 The spreadsheet function that returns the number of characters in a text string: A COUNTA B LEN C LEFT D TRIM (1) 1.6 A small program that adds a specific feature to a web browser: A Cookie B Cache C Extension D Bookmark (1) Copyright reserved Please turn over

Computer Applications Technology/P2 4 Hlayiso/Mock 2026 NSC Mock 1.7 Which ONE of the following is NOT a biometric method of identification? A Fingerprint B Iris pattern C Password D Voice (1) 1.8 The time delay between a request for data and the start of the data transfer on a network: A Bandwidth B Latency C Resolution D Capacity (1) 1.9 The field in a database table that uniquely identifies each record: A Foreign key B Primary key C Index D Query (1) 1.10 Which HTML tag is used to create a row in a table? A <td> B <th> C <tr> D <table> (1) [10] Copyright reserved Please turn over

Computer Applications Technology/P2 5 Hlayiso/Mock 2026 NSC Mock QUESTION 2: MATCHING ITEMS Choose a term/concept from COLUMN B that matches the description in COLUMN A. Write only the letter (A–T) next to the question numbers (2.1 to 2.10) in the ANSWER BOOK, e.g. 2.11 U. COLUMN A COLUMN B 2.1 Software that is permanently stored on a chip A firmware and controls basic hardware functions B spyware 2.2 A fraudulent e-mail designed to trick users into C resolution revealing personal information D #VALUE! 2.3 The number of pixels that a screen can display E PAN F spam 2.4 Files that are stored on remote servers and G footnote accessed via the internet H cloud storage 2.5 The error that displays when a value in a I bibliography spreadsheet is divided by zero J scalability 2.6 The ability of a network to continue working well K src when more users are added L #DIV/0! 2.7 A list of all the sources used in a document M phishing N WAN 2.8 A network that connects devices that are within O href a few metres of a person P freeware 2.9 Unsolicited bulk e-mail sent to many users Q pharming R refresh rate 2.10 The HTML attribute that specifies the address of S portability a linked page T local storage (10 x 1) [10] Copyright reserved Please turn over

Computer Applications Technology/P2 6 Hlayiso/Mock 2026 NSC Mock QUESTION 3: TRUE/FALSE ITEMS Indicate whether the following statements are TRUE or FALSE. Write ’true’ or ’false’ next to the question numbers (3.1 to 3.5) in the ANSWER BOOK. Correct the statement if it is FALSE by changing the underlined word(s) to make the statement TRUE. (Do NOT simply use the word ’NOT’ to change the statement.) NO mark will be awarded if only FALSE is written. EXAMPLES: QUESTION ANSWER The initial start-up instructions are stored in the ROM. True An NIC has slots for hardware components, such as False, motherboard the CPU. 3.1 RAM is volatile memory. (1) 3.2 A switch is used to connect a home network to the internet. (1) 3.3 Defragmenting a solid-state drive regularly improves its performance. (1) 3.4 A footer appears at the bottom of every page of a document. (1) 3.5 Primary data is data that has already been collected and published by someone else. (1) [5] TOTAL SECTION A: 25 Copyright reserved Please turn over

Computer Applications Technology/P2 7 Hlayiso/Mock 2026 NSC Mock SECTION B QUESTION 4: SYSTEMS TECHNOLOGIES 4.1 Explain the difference between a solid-state drive (SSD) and a hard disk drive (HDD) in terms of how data is stored. (2) 4.2 Give TWO reasons why a user would choose a laptop rather than a desktop computer. (2) 4.3 Name TWO types of ports that can be used to connect a monitor to a computer. (2) 4.4 State the purpose of EACH of the following: 4.4.1 BIOS/UEFI (1) 4.4.2 Device driver (1) 4.5 Thandi’s computer becomes very slow when she has several programs open at the same time. 4.5.1 Recommend ONE hardware upgrade that will solve the problem AND motivate your answer. (2) 4.5.2 Explain what virtual memory is. (2) 4.6 Explain the term software as a service (SaaS). (2) 4.7 A school wants to buy a new multifunction printer. 4.7.1 What is a multifunction device? (1) 4.7.2 Give TWO factors, other than cost, that the school should consider when buying a printer. (2) 4.8 State TWO reasons why software updates should be installed regularly. (2) 4.9 Explain the difference between compressing a file and encrypting a file. (2) 4.10 Name TWO assistive technologies that a user with limited hand movement could use to operate a computer. (2) 4.11 The specifications of a computer state that the CPU has a clock speed of 3.2 GHz. Explain what the clock speed of a CPU indicates. (2) [25] Copyright reserved Please turn over

Computer Applications Technology/P2 8 Hlayiso/Mock 2026 NSC Mock QUESTION 5: INTERNET AND NETWORK TECHNOLOGIES 5.1 What does the abbreviation ISP stand for? (1) 5.2 Give TWO advantages of a fibre internet connection compared to a mobile (LTE) internet connection. (2) 5.3 Explain what a VPN is AND why an employee who works from home would use one. (2) 5.4 Study the network diagram below and answer the questions that follow. PC 1 PC 4 PC 2 Switch Router Internet Laptop Printer PC 3 5.4.1 Identify the network topology shown above. (1) 5.4.2 Give ONE advantage of this topology. (1) 5.4.3 What will happen to the network if the switch stops working? (1) 5.5 Differentiate between a URL and an IP address. (2) 5.6 Explain ONE way in which a cookie benefits a user AND ONE risk of allowing cookies. (2) 5.7 Explain the difference between the Cc and the Bcc fields when sending an e-mail. (2) 5.8 Many online banking applications use two-factor authentication (2FA). Give ONE example of a second factor that can be used in 2FA. (1) [15] Copyright reserved Please turn over

Computer Applications Technology/P2 9 Hlayiso/Mock 2026 NSC Mock QUESTION 6: INFORMATION MANAGEMENT 6.1 Explain the difference between data and information. (2) 6.2 State TWO criteria that can be used to evaluate whether the information on a website is reliable. (2) 6.3 Give ONE disadvantage of using only closed questions in a questionnaire. (1) 6.4 Explain what is meant by plagiarism. (1) 6.5 Name the type of rating scale used in a questionnaire where respondents choose a value from ’Strongly disagree’ to ’Strongly agree’. (1) 6.6 Langa Solar asked 200 clients to give the main reason why they installed a solar system. The results are shown in the table below. Main reason Number of clients Load-shedding 96 Lower electricity bills 58 Concern for the environment 26 Increase the value of the house 20 Total 200 6.6.1 Which type of chart would be the most suitable to show the percentage of clients for each reason? (1) 6.6.2 Give ONE finding that can be made from the data above. (1) 6.6.3 Name ONE spreadsheet feature that can be used to summarise a large set of survey data by category. (1) [10] QUESTION 7: SOCIAL IMPLICATIONS 7.1 A small business found that all its files were encrypted and a message demanded payment to unlock them. 7.1.1 Name the type of malware described above. (1) 7.1.2 Give ONE way in which the business could have recovered its files without paying. (1) 7.2 The Protection of Personal Information Act (POPIA) applies to companies that collect personal information. State TWO responsibilities of a company that collects the personal information of its clients. (2) 7.3 Give TWO ways in which old computer equipment (e-waste) can be disposed of responsibly. (2) Copyright reserved Please turn over

Computer Applications Technology/P2 10 Hlayiso/Mock 2026 NSC Mock 7.4 Explain what fake news is AND give ONE way in which a user can check whether a news article is true. (2) 7.5 What is a deepfake? (1) 7.6 Name ONE health risk associated with using a computer for long periods without breaks. (1) [10] Copyright reserved Please turn over

Computer Applications Technology/P2 11 Hlayiso/Mock 2026 NSC Mock QUESTION 8: SOLUTION DEVELOPMENT 8.1 Study the spreadsheet extract below and answer the questions that follow. A B C D 1 Client Panels Price/panel Total 2 Mokoena 8 R4 850 ###### 3 Naidoo 12 R4 850 R58 200 4 Botha 16 R4 850 R77 600 5 Average #NAME? Cell B5 contains the formula: =AVERGE(B2:B4) 8.1.1 Why does cell D2 display ###### AND how can the problem be solved? (2) 8.1.2 Explain why cell B5 displays the #NAME? error. (1) 8.1.3 The formula =B2*C2 in cell D2 was copied to D3:D4. Explain the difference between a relative and an absolute cell reference. (2) 8.2 Answer the following questions on word processing: 8.2.1 Name the paragraph setting that will keep a heading on the same page as the paragraph that follows it. (1) 8.2.2 Explain the difference between a section break and a page break. (2) 8.3 A database table stores the details of clients. 8.3.1 State the purpose of a validation rule. (1) 8.3.2 Which data type should be used for a CellNumber field? Motivate your answer. (2) 8.4 Study the HTML code below and answer the questions that follow. <img src="logo.png" alt="Langa Solar logo" width="100"/> <h2>Our services</h2> <ul> <li>Installations</li> <li>Repairs</li> </ul> 8.4.1 What will be displayed if the file logo.png cannot be found? (1) 8.4.2 Name the tag that must replace the <ul> tag to display a numbered list. (1) 8.4.3 Write the HTML code to create a hyperlink with the text ’Home’ that opens the web page index.html. (2) [15] TOTAL SECTION B: 75 Copyright reserved Please turn over

Computer Applications Technology/P2 12 Hlayiso/Mock 2026 NSC Mock SECTION C QUESTION 9: INTEGRATED SCENARIO A rural secondary school in Limpopo received a donation of a solar power system and 30 laptops to set up a new e-learning centre. 9.1 The laptops will be connected to the school’s network wirelessly. 9.1.1 Name the device that is needed to give the laptops wireless access to the network. (1) 9.1.2 Give TWO ways to secure the wireless network. (2) 9.1.3 Explain why the network may become slow when all the learners stream videos at the same time. (2) 9.2 Learners will use cloud-based office applications. 9.2.1 Give TWO advantages of cloud-based applications for the school. (2) 9.2.2 Give ONE disadvantage of cloud-based applications for a school in a rural area. (1) 9.3 Each laptop has a quad-core CPU, 8 GB RAM and a 256 GB SSD. 9.3.1 What does quad-core mean? (1) 9.3.2 Give TWO reasons why an SSD is better suited than an HDD for laptops that are carried around. (2) 9.4 The inverter of the solar system sends data about the energy produced to an app via the internet. 9.4.1 Explain the concept Internet of Things (IoT). (2) 9.4.2 Give ONE advantage of monitoring the solar system remotely. (1) 9.5 Teachers will record lessons that learners can watch on the laptops. 9.5.1 Explain the difference between streaming a video and downloading a video. (2) 9.5.2 Name ONE file format that is suitable for a video file. (1) 9.6 Learners will save their projects in e-portfolios. 9.6.1 Give TWO reasons why learners should save their projects as PDF files before they share them. (2) 9.6.2 Give TWO guidelines for creating a strong password. (2) 9.7 A teacher keeps the learners’ marks in a spreadsheet. 9.7.1 Name the function that can be used to determine how many learners scored 50% or more. (1) 9.7.2 Name the spreadsheet feature that will prevent learners from changing the formulae in the spreadsheet. (1) Copyright reserved Please turn over

Computer Applications Technology/P2 13 Hlayiso/Mock 2026 NSC Mock 9.8 The centre plans to buy a 3D printer. Explain what 3D printing is AND give ONE way in which learners could use a 3D printer. (2) [25] Copyright reserved Please turn over

Computer Applications Technology/P2 14 Hlayiso/Mock 2026 NSC Mock QUESTION 10: INTEGRATED SCENARIO Kasi Stars FC is a community soccer club in Soweto. The club wants to use ICT to manage its members, sell match tickets and communicate with its supporters. 10.1 The club has a website. 10.1.1 Explain the difference between a static web page and a dynamic web page. (2) 10.1.2 Give TWO features that make a website user-friendly. (2) 10.2 Match tickets will be sold online. Each ticket contains a QR code. 10.2.1 Explain how the QR code on a ticket is used to give a supporter access at the gate. (2) 10.2.2 Give TWO indicators that a website is secure for online payments. (2) 10.2.3 What does the ’S’ in HTTPS stand for? (1) 10.3 The club uses social media to communicate with its supporters. 10.3.1 Give TWO advantages of social media for the club. (2) 10.3.2 What does it mean when a post ’goes viral’? (1) 10.3.3 The club wants to post photos of its junior players who are younger than 18. Name the South African law that requires the club to obtain consent before it publishes the personal information of the players. (1) 10.4 During training, players wear vests with built-in GPS receivers. 10.4.1 Explain how a GPS receiver determines its location. (2) 10.4.2 Give ONE way in which the coach can use the data collected by the GPS vests. (1) 10.5 The club stores the details of its members in a database. 10.5.1 Name the database object that is used to capture data in a user-friendly way. (1) 10.5.2 The table has a Yes/No field called FeesPaid. Which criterion must be used for the FeesPaid field in a query to display the members who have NOT paid their fees? (1) 10.5.3 Why would the club use a report rather than a query to present the data at its annual general meeting? (1) 10.6 The coach records matches on a tablet. 10.6.1 Give TWO factors to consider when choosing a storage device to keep the recorded videos. (2) 10.6.2 Name ONE type of storage that the coach could use to increase the storage capacity of the tablet. (1) Copyright reserved Please turn over

Computer Applications Technology/P2 15 Hlayiso/Mock 2026 NSC Mock 10.7 The club secretary works from home. 10.7.1 Name TWO ICT tools that the secretary can use to collaborate with the committee members. (2) 10.7.2 Explain the term decentralisation of labour. (1) [25] TOTAL SECTION C: 50 GRAND TOTAL: 150 Copyright reserved