# Computer Applications Technology Grade 12 P2 2026 QP (Eng) > Grade 12 Computer Applications Technology Paper 2 question paper from the NSC November Prediction Exam 2026 (English). Read online or download the free PDF. - Page: https://www.hlayiso.com/library/grade-12-computer-applications-technology-2026-nsc-november-prediction-exam-question-paper-paper-2/f2c502c8-9829-42c9-a38e-f28ef733b270 - Updated: 2026-10-29 - Subject: Computer Applications Technology - Grade: Grade 12 - Language: English - Document type: Question paper - Year: 2026 - Exam period: NSC November Prediction Exam - Paper: 2 - Publisher: Hlayiso - Curriculum: CAPS - Pages: 14 Breadcrumbs: [Home](https://www.hlayiso.com/) › [Library](https://www.hlayiso.com/library) › [Grade 12](https://www.hlayiso.com/library/grade-12) › [Computer Applications Technology](https://www.hlayiso.com/library/grade-12/computer-applications-technology) › [Computer Applications Technology Grade 12 P2 2026 QP (Eng)](https://www.hlayiso.com/library/grade-12-computer-applications-technology-2026-nsc-november-prediction-exam-question-paper-paper-2/f2c502c8-9829-42c9-a38e-f28ef733b270) ## About this document Computer Applications Technology · Grade 12 · NSC November Prediction Exam · 2026 · English. Question paper, 14 pages. Read online or download the PDF. Read it free online on the page above; download the PDF from there. ## Document text Text extracted from the PDF. Layout, diagrams and tables may not survive extraction. ### Page 1 Prediction hlayiso mock exams Practice Series: Grade 12 NSC Preparation WWW.HLAYISO.COM NATIONAL SENIOR CERTIFICATE GRADE 12 COMPUTER APPLICATIONS TECHNOLOGY P2 PREDICTION EXAMINATION 2026 MARKS: 150 TIME: 3 hours This question paper consists of 14 pages. Copyright reserved Please turn over ### Page 2 Computer Applications Technology/P2 2 Hlayiso/Prediction 2026 NSC Prediction 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 ### Page 3 Computer Applications Technology/P2 3 Hlayiso/Prediction 2026 NSC Prediction 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 Software that recognises the characters in a scanned page so that the text can be edited: A CAPTCHA B OCR C PDF D RSS (1) 1.2 Which ONE of the following users is the BEST example of a power user? A A learner who types assignments and browses the internet B A pensioner who uses e-mail and video calls C An engineer who designs buildings in 3D design software D A receptionist who books appointments (1) 1.3 The main purpose of a VPN is to … A increase the bandwidth of an internet connection. B block pop-ups and advertisements. C share a printer on a home network. D create a secure, encrypted connection over the internet. (1) 1.4 The spreadsheet function that counts the number of cells in a range that meet ONE specific condition: A COUNTA B COUNTIF C SUMIF D COUNT (1) 1.5 Which HTML tag contains the text that is displayed on the tab of a web browser? A B

C D <body> (1) 1.6 Malware that encrypts the files on a computer and then demands payment to unlock them: A Ransomware B Spyware C Adware D Rootkit (1) Copyright reserved Please turn over ### Page 4 Computer Applications Technology/P2 4 Hlayiso/Prediction 2026 NSC Prediction 1.7 Which ONE of the following is NOT an advantage of a solid-state drive (SSD) compared to a hard disk drive (HDD)? A Faster access to data B No moving parts C Uses less power D Lower cost per gigabyte (1) 1.8 A word processing feature that marks a specific position in a long document so that the user can jump directly to it: A Footnote B Bookmark C Cross-reference D Comment (1) 1.9 The process of adding the location where a photo was taken to the metadata of the photo file: A Geotagging B Buffering C Spooling D Streaming (1) 1.10 Which criterion in the Surname field of a database query will display ALL surnames that START with the letter M? A Like ”*M” B = ”M” C Like ”?M*” D Like ”M*” (1) [10] Copyright reserved Please turn over ### Page 5 Computer Applications Technology/P2 5 Hlayiso/Prediction 2026 NSC Prediction 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 A utility that rearranges the scattered parts of files A cache on a hard disk so that they can be read faster B worm 2.2 A small text file that a website stores on a user’s C cryptocurrency computer to remember the user’s preferences D #VALUE! 2.3 Sharing the mobile data connection of a E phishing smartphone with a laptop F cookie 2.4 An attack where a user is redirected to a fake G validation rule website even though the correct web address was typed H tethering 2.5 Digital money that only exists electronically and is I src not controlled by a central bank J defragmenter 2.6 The spreadsheet error that displays when a K telecommuting formula refers to a cell that has been deleted L crowdfunding 2.7 A field property that controls the pattern in which M #REF! data must be typed, e.g. a cellphone number as 000 000 0000 N Disk Cleanup 2.8 Using ICTs to do your work from home instead of O input mask travelling to an office P alt 2.9 Malware that spreads through a network by Q pharming copying itself, without being attached to a file R trojan 2.10 The HTML attribute that specifies the text that will S spooling be displayed if an image cannot be shown T e-learning (10 x 1) [10] Copyright reserved Please turn over ### Page 6 Computer Applications Technology/P2 6 Hlayiso/Prediction 2026 NSC Prediction 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 Computer program instructions are executed by the True CPU. An NIC has slots for hardware components, such as False, motherboard the CPU. 3.1 Virtual memory is a part of the storage drive that is used as RAM when the RAM is full. (1) 3.2 Encryption reduces the size of a file so that it takes up less storage space. (1) 3.3 The #DIV/0! error is displayed when the name of a function is spelt incorrectly in a formula. (1) 3.4 A report is the database object that is used to present grouped and summarised data in a printable format. (1) 3.5 Plagiarism is the illegal copying and distribution of software without a valid licence. (1) [5] TOTAL SECTION A: 25 Copyright reserved Please turn over ### Page 7 Computer Applications Technology/P2 7 Hlayiso/Prediction 2026 NSC Prediction SECTION B QUESTION 4: SYSTEMS TECHNOLOGIES 4.1 Study the advertisement for a computer below and answer the questions that follow. FlexBook 14 – 2-in-1 Convertible Laptop • 14” 2.8K OLED multi-touch screen, 120 Hz • 2 x USB-C ports (40 Gbps, supports display and charging) • 360° hinge – use as a laptop or a tablet • 1 x USB-A port, 1 x HDMI port • 8-core processor, 1.8 GHz – 4.6 GHz • microSD card reader • Integrated graphics (shared memory) • Wi-Fi 6E and Bluetooth 5.3 • 16 GB RAM (soldered) • Fingerprint reader; 1080p webcam • 512 GB NVMe SSD • Stylus pen included R18 999 Free 1-year subscription to an online office suite 4.1.1 Explain what is meant by a 2-in-1 convertible laptop. (1) 4.1.2 Explain what the processor speed of 1.8 GHz – 4.6 GHz indicates. (2) 4.1.3 A video editor considers buying this laptop. Explain why this laptop is NOT the best choice for a video editor by referring to ONE specification in the advertisement. (2) 4.1.4 Give ONE disadvantage of RAM that is soldered onto the motherboard. (1) 4.1.5 The user needs more storage space for photos. State TWO ways in which the user can increase the available storage WITHOUT opening the laptop. (2) 4.1.6 Give ONE advantage of a USB-C port compared to a USB-A port. (1) 4.1.7 Which specification in the advertisement will allow the user to connect wireless earphones to the laptop? (1) 4.1.8 What does 120 Hz in the screen specification refer to? (1) 4.2 Discuss TWO risks of NOT installing software updates on a computer. (2) 4.3 Give TWO reasons why a user would compress (zip) a folder of files before sending it via e-mail. (2) 4.4 Name TWO accessibility features of an operating system that can assist a user who has a visual impairment. (2) 4.5 After a new graphics card was installed in a desktop computer, the screen flickers and only displays at a very low resolution. Explain the most likely cause of the problem AND how it can be solved. (2) 4.6 A small office uses a UPS for each computer. Explain why a UPS alone is NOT a suitable solution to keep the computers working during two and a half hours of load-shedding. (2) Copyright reserved Please turn over ### Page 8 Computer Applications Technology/P2 8 Hlayiso/Prediction 2026 NSC Prediction 4.7 Give TWO ways in which 3D printing is used in the medical field. (2) 4.8 Many software companies now sell their software on a monthly subscription basis instead of a once-off licence. Give ONE advantage AND ONE disadvantage of subscription software for a user. (2) [25] QUESTION 5: INTERNET AND NETWORK TECHNOLOGIES 5.1 Explain the difference between a router and a switch. (2) 5.2 Give TWO factors that can weaken the Wi-Fi signal in a home. (2) 5.3 An ISP offers an uncapped internet package with a fair usage policy. Explain what will most likely happen to the connection of a user who downloads far more data than the fair usage limit AND why the ISP does this. (2) 5.4 A school plans to store ALL its learners’ work in cloud storage only. Discuss TWO factors that the school should consider before doing this. (2) 5.5 Explain what a browser extension (add-on) is AND give ONE risk of installing browser extensions. (2) 5.6 Learners complain that there is a delay between when the teacher speaks and when they hear her during online video lessons. Explain the term latency AND give ONE way in which it can be reduced. (2) 5.7 Give ONE reason why a firewall alone is NOT enough to protect a computer. (1) 5.8 A learner streams the same 30-minute lesson video every day instead of downloading it once. Explain why this uses more data than downloading the video AND give ONE advantage of streaming a video. (2) [15] Copyright reserved Please turn over ### Page 9 Computer Applications Technology/P2 9 Hlayiso/Prediction 2026 NSC Prediction QUESTION 6: INFORMATION MANAGEMENT 6.1 Explain the difference between data and information by using a learner’s test marks as an example. (2) 6.2 Lerato designed a questionnaire for her PAT on learners’ use of social media. Study TWO of her questions below. Question A: Don’t you agree that social media is a waste of time? □ Yes □ No Question B: How many hours per day do you spend on social media and on gaming? □ 0–1 □ 1–3 □ 3–5 □ More than 5 6.2.1 Identify ONE problem with Question A. (1) 6.2.2 Identify ONE problem with Question B. (1) 6.3 Explain the difference between a citation and a bibliography. (2) 6.4 Give ONE reason why a focus question for a research task should NOT be a question that can be answered with ’yes’ or ’no’. (1) 6.5 The table below shows the amount of mobile data that Lerato used in the first six months of the year. Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Data used (GB) 4.2 5.1 6.8 6.1 8.3 9.0 6.5.1 Which type of chart would be the most suitable to show the trend in Lerato’s data usage over the six months? (1) 6.5.2 Give ONE conclusion that can be drawn from the data. (1) 6.6 Give ONE advantage of using an online form rather than a paper questionnaire to collect data. (1) [10] QUESTION 7: SOCIAL IMPLICATIONS 7.1 Give TWO signs that an e-mail you have received may be a phishing e-mail. (2) 7.2 State TWO ways to reduce eye strain when working on a computer for long periods. (2) 7.3 Explain why old computers and cellphones should NOT be thrown away with ordinary household waste. (2) 7.4 Discuss TWO concerns about learners using generative AI tools (chatbots) to complete their school assignments. (2) 7.5 Explain the term digital footprint AND give ONE way in which it can affect a person who applies for a job. (2) [10] Copyright reserved Please turn over ### Page 10 Computer Applications Technology/P2 10 Hlayiso/Prediction 2026 NSC Prediction QUESTION 8: SOLUTION DEVELOPMENT 8.1 The spreadsheet extract below shows the sales of a school tuck shop for one week. The prices exclude VAT. A B C D E F G H I 1 Item Price Qty Income VAT Rating VAT rate: 15% sold 2 Vetkoek R8 145 R1 160 R174 Popular 3 Muffin R12 62 R744 R0 Average 4 Juice R10 118 R1 180 R0 Popular 5 Samoosa R7 50 R350 R0 6 Popcorn R6 35 R210 R0 Low 8.1.1 The formula =D2*I1 was entered in cell E2 and copied to cells E3:E6, but cells E3:E6 display R0. Explain why this happened AND write down the correct formula for cell E2. (2) 8.1.2 Write down a function that will count how many items sold MORE than 100 units. (2) 8.1.3 The following formula was entered in cell F2 and copied down: =IF(C2>=100,"Popular",IF(C2>=50,"Average","Low")) What will be displayed in cell F5? (1) 8.2 Answer the following questions on word processing: 8.2.1 A school creates personalised letters with mail merge. How can the school ensure that letters are ONLY created for parents whose school fees are outstanding, without deleting any records from the data source? (1) 8.2.2 Name the feature that will automatically number the diagrams in a document as Figure 1, Figure 2, etc. (1) 8.3 The design view of a database table that stores the details of the members of a chess club is shown below. Field Name Data Type Description MemberID AutoNumber Primary key IDNumber Number 13-digit South African ID number Surname Short Text Gender Short Text M or F DateJoined Date/Time Date on which the member joined 8.3.1 Give ONE reason why the Number data type is NOT suitable for the IDNumber field. (1) 8.3.2 Write down a validation rule for the Gender field that will ONLY accept M or F. (1) Copyright reserved Please turn over ### Page 11 Computer Applications Technology/P2 11 Hlayiso/Prediction 2026 NSC Prediction 8.3.3 Write down the criteria for the DateJoined field that will display ONLY the members who joined during 2025. (1) 8.3.4 A field must be added to record whether a member has paid the annual membership fee. Which data type would be the most suitable for this field? (1) 8.4 Study the HTML code below and answer the questions that follow. <table border="1"> <tr><th>Item</th><th>Price</th></tr> <tr><td>Muffin</td><td>R12</td></tr> </table> <a href="menu.html" target="_blank">Full menu</a> 8.4.1 How many rows will the table have when it is displayed in a browser? (1) 8.4.2 What is the purpose of target="_blank" in the code above? (1) 8.4.3 Write down the HTML code to display the image cake.jpg with a width of 200 pixels. (2) [15] TOTAL SECTION B: 75 Copyright reserved Please turn over ### Page 12 Computer Applications Technology/P2 12 Hlayiso/Prediction 2026 NSC Prediction SECTION C QUESTION 9: INTEGRATED SCENARIO Thuthuka Community Clinic in a rural area of KwaZulu-Natal is replacing its paper patient files with a computerised system. 9.1 The clinic will store patient records in a database. 9.1.1 Give TWO advantages of electronic patient records compared to paper files. (2) 9.1.2 Explain why each record in the Patients table needs a primary key. (1) 9.1.3 State TWO responsibilities of the clinic, in terms of the Protection of Personal Information Act (POPIA), regarding the information of its patients. (2) 9.2 Patients will check in at reception by scanning a fingerprint. 9.2.1 Give TWO advantages of fingerprint identification compared to a clinic card with a patient number. (2) 9.2.2 Give ONE disadvantage of using a fingerprint scanner at a busy clinic. (1) 9.3 The patient database is backed up every night. 9.3.1 Explain the difference between a full backup and an incremental backup. (2) 9.3.2 Give ONE reason why a backup copy should be kept off-site or in the cloud. (1) 9.4 Nurses at the clinic consult with doctors at a hospital in Durban using video conferencing. 9.4.1 Give TWO advantages of video consultations for patients in rural areas. (2) 9.4.2 The video often freezes during consultations. Give TWO possible reasons for this. (2) 9.5 The vaccine fridges have temperature sensors that are connected to the internet. If the temperature rises too high, the nurse in charge receives an alert on her smartphone. 9.5.1 Explain how the Internet of Things (IoT) is used in this example. (2) 9.5.2 Give ONE risk of relying on IoT devices to monitor the vaccines. (1) 9.6 Every month, the results of a database query are exported to a spreadsheet. Give ONE reason why the data would be analysed in a spreadsheet rather than in the database. (1) 9.7 The clinic’s laptops are encrypted. Explain how encryption protects the patients’ data if a laptop is stolen. (2) 9.8 The clinic staff will use the computers and the network every day. Copyright reserved Please turn over ### Page 13 Computer Applications Technology/P2 13 Hlayiso/Prediction 2026 NSC Prediction 9.8.1 State TWO rules that should be included in the clinic’s acceptable use policy (AUP) for staff. (2) 9.8.2 Give TWO ways in which the network administrator can make sure that only certain staff members can view patients’ records. (2) [25] QUESTION 10: INTEGRATED SCENARIO Mama Zodwa runs a small home bakery in Soweto. She wants to use ICT to grow her business. 10.1 Mama Zodwa prints labels with photos of her cakes on an inkjet printer. 10.1.1 What does dpi in the specifications of a printer refer to? (1) 10.1.2 The printer has a high dpi, but some printed photos look blurry and ’blocky’. Give ONE reason for this. (1) 10.2 Customers will be able to order and pay for cakes online. 10.2.1 Give TWO advantages for Mama Zodwa of selling her cakes online. (2) 10.2.2 Customers can pay by scanning a QR code with their banking app. Explain how a QR code payment works. (2) 10.2.3 Some customers received SMS messages that pretended to be from Mama Zodwa’s bakery and that asked for their bank card details. Name this type of online fraud. (1) 10.3 Mama Zodwa uses social media to advertise her business. 10.3.1 Give TWO ways in which social media can be used to promote her business, other than posting photos. (2) 10.3.2 Explain why Mama Zodwa should switch on two-factor authentication (2FA) for her business’s social media account. (2) 10.4 Mama Zodwa keeps a record of her orders in a spreadsheet. Two extracts from the worksheet are shown below. A B C D E F G 1 Customer Cake Qty Price Total Paid Area 2 Dlamini Chocolate 2 R250 R500 Yes Diepkloof 3 Naidoo Red velvet 1 R320 R320 No Diepkloof 4 Mokoena Carrot 3 R230 R690 No Pimville 5 Pillay Chocolate 1 R250 R250 Yes Pimville 6 Khumalo Lemon 2 R210 R420 No Pimville 7 Smith Red velvet 2 R320 R640 Yes Diepkloof 8 Zulu Carrot 1 R230 R230 No Pimville H I J K 1 Area Orders Value Average 2 Diepkloof 3 R1 460 R486.67 3 Orlando 0 R0 #DIV/0! 4 Pimville 4 R1 590 R397.50 Copyright reserved Please turn over ### Page 14 Computer Applications Technology/P2 14 Hlayiso/Prediction 2026 NSC Prediction 10.4.1 Write down a function that will calculate the total amount of money that customers still owe Mama Zodwa (orders that have NOT been paid). (2) 10.4.2 Cell K2 contains the formula =J2/I2, which was copied to K3:K4. Rewrite the formula in cell K2 so that it will display 0 instead of the error message in K3 when an area has no orders. (2) 10.4.3 Name the spreadsheet feature that can be used to automatically colour the rows of all the unpaid orders red. (1) 10.5 The bakery’s delivery driver uses a navigation app on a smartphone. 10.5.1 Give TWO ways in which location-based services can help the bakery with its deliveries. (2) 10.5.2 Give ONE privacy concern for the driver when his location is tracked all the time. (1) 10.6 Explain why Mama Zodwa should save her invoice design as a word processing template. (2) 10.7 The storage of Mama Zodwa’s laptop is almost full because of the many photos and videos of her cakes. Suggest TWO solutions to this problem. (2) 10.8 A competitor copied photos of Mama Zodwa’s cakes from her social media page and used them on its own website. 10.8.1 Which legal right of Mama Zodwa did the competitor violate? (1) 10.8.2 Give ONE way in which Mama Zodwa can make it more difficult for others to use her photos. 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