it past papers

The Institute of Chartered Accountants of Pakistan Modular Foundation Examinations Autumn 2001 September 09, 2001 INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY-2 (MARKS 100) PAPER D13 (MODULE ‘D’ & SM ‘6B’) (3 hours) Q.1 The way in which data is stored and manipulated is an important aspect of information

systems design. Show the differences between non-integrated systems and integrated systems? (04)

Q.2 (a) A database has four main objectives. Discuss? (04) (b) Differentiate between data independence and data redundancy? (04) Q.3 What factors would you consider in choosing computer hardware for a business concern? (10) Q.4 As manager of a new departmental store, you find that the following computerized systems

need to be introduced: (a) Inventory management system for ensuring that adequate stock is maintained; (b) Airline booking system to make travel arrangements for executive. Explain how these systems work, and state which part of each would exist at your end. (20)

Q.5 (a) Describe the term ‘Bandwidth’. How are Internet users benefited with larger bandwidth? (03)

(b) Describe a fibre-optic cable? Apart from the cost factor what drawback does it have over coaxial cable? (03)

(c) Differentiate between computer conference and Teleconferencing. (04) Q.6 (a) In MS-Excel what are Pivot Table Reports? (04) (b) What does PMT function do in an MS-Excel worksheet. (02) (c) What does the gutter option in MS-Word facilitate. (02) Q.7 (a) Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of flowcharting? (05) (b) What purpose do Decision Trees and Decision Tables in a system design serve? (05) Q.8 (a) Define the following: (i) Machine code (ii) Assembly Language (iii) 4 GL (iv) Sub-routine (08) (b) What is the disadvantage of using high-level language. (02) Q.9 Your manager has shown concern about the computer security in the firm. Describe the

different forms of security, which might be used in a PC system to provide back-up facilities and to prevent unauthorized access to the computer files? (08)

Q.10 (a) List the various possible risks to data in a system? (03) (b) What measures would you adopt to ensure effective control. (09)

(THE END)

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THE INSTITUTE OF CHARTERED ACCOUNTANTS OF PAKISTAN Modular Foundation Examinations Spring 2002 March 10, 2002 INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY-2 (MARKS 100) PAPER D13 : (Module D,SM, 6B, 3B & 4B) (3 hours) Q.1 Mr X approached an ATM machine to draw an amount of Rs.5000/-. He inserted his

ATM Card into the machine and entered his pin code on prompt. He also entered his choice of getting only 1000 currency notes. The machine served his request. Draw a program flow chart of the ATM machine for completing this task.

05

Q.2 What is the difference between system flow charts and data flow diagrams? 05

Q.3 As a manager of an IT Consultant firm you are conducting a review of a newly implemented computerized financial system. Briefly answer the following questions:

(a) What factors of the implemented system would you consider during your post implementation review?

04

(b) How would you gather information for your analysis from the users? 04 (c) What would be the objective of your review? 02

Q.4 The National Library has decided to computerize the book catalogue

(a) What Microsoft family software would be suitable for this task and why?

Give two reasons for support your answer 02

(b) How should the database be structured if access to the books is desired via any of the following options:

(i) Author name (ii) Publisher Name (iii) Edition Number 03

Q.5 (a) What is an information system? 05

(b) Explain the following systems in detail: (i) Transaction Processing System. 05 (ii) Management Information System. 05 (iii) Decision Support System. 05 (iv) Executive Information System. 05

Q.6 ABC Company has decided to opt for a computerized information system. However

the management is concerned about the control procedures for the Information System and would like to have an understanding of the various functions of the information system. As the Marketing Manager of a software house how would you convince the management of ABC company about the following:

(a) General Control Procedures for Information Systems. 05 (b) Preventive Controls against fraud or disaster 05 (c) Error/fraud Detection Controls 05 (d) Error correction controls 05



(2) Q.7 Beta Ltd is an advertising agency providing its services to various clients. There are

80 employees in the office of Beta Ltd. To improve the work efficiency the company has connected all the PCs in the office via LAN.

(a) Describe the security risk that can harm the data on the network. 03 (b) How can the data be restricted to only the authorized users? 05 (c) Would a server need to be installed? If yes, then:

(i) What function would it perform? (ii) What role could it play in the security system envisaged?

03 04

Q.8 Define expert system, with examples. Describe the main features 10

Q.9 (a) What is a database? 02

(b) With regard to databases, briefly describe the following terms: (i) Entity (ii) Attribute (iii) Relationship

03

(THE END)



THE INSTITUTE OF CHARTERED ACCOUNTANTS OF PAKISTAN Intermediate Examinations Autumn 2002 September 08, 2002 INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY (MARKS 100) Module D Paper D13 (3 hours) Q.1 Your company wants to take advantage of computerization, and as a first step, a

LAN is to be installed. The management needs to decide which server model should be used. You are required to write a report for the Chief Financial Officer that should explain:

(a) What is a LAN? (02)

(b) Distinctions between file server model and client server model networks. (08)

Q.2 To be meaningful and useful, disaster event scenarios need to be developed to enable planning for disaster recovery. One important approach is to identify disasters at certain levels such as minor, major and catastrophic. What would be the characteristics of minor, major and catastrophic disasters?

(10)

Q.3 (a) What results will following Excel functions return; (Where needed describe

result as “multiply A1 with A2”):

1. = TODAY ( ) - DAY( TODAY( ) ) 2. = IF (B1< >0,A1/B1,0) 3. = COUNTIF(A1:A10,“>5”) 4. = ROUND(543.21,-1) 5. = “AS AT” & TEXT( NOW( ), “MMMM DD, YYYY” ) (05)

(b) You have four computers available to be handed over to four users. Please

assign the computers to users, give reasons for your assignment.

Computer 1: PII, 500MHz, 128MB RAM, 20GB HD, 15” Monitor and 56kb

Modem

Computer 2: PIII, 700MHz, 512MB RAM, 40GB HD, 15” Monitor and 56kb Modem

Computer 3: PIV, 1.3GHz, 256MB RAM, 40GB HD, 17” Monitor and 56kb Modem

Computer 4: (Notebook) PII, 350MHZ, 64MB RAM, 10GB HD, 12” TFT Display and 128kb Modem

User A: A Budget Accountant who uses huge Excel sheets to prepare budgets

and monitor periodic performance.

User B: An Engineer who uses CAD software to design new parts components and products.

User C: A Sales person who while visiting customers presents product information and takes orders.

User D: Executive Secretary to Finance Manager, who handles correspondence, prepares presentations and reports.

(05)



(2)

Q.4 Explain briefly:

(a) Source code (b) Scan Disk (c) Cookies (d) Macro virus (e) XBRL (10) Q.5 Development phase of SDLC is usually described in seven steps. Explain these

steps. (14)

Q.6 (a) Why are Data Integrity Controls required in MIS? Give some examples of

Input Controls and Processing in MIS (10)

(b) What is the impact of MIS on managerial planning? Discuss in detail (05) Q.7 What is a virus? How does it infect a system? (06)

Q.8 A medium size manufacturing company has following order fulfillment process: Orders from the wholesalers from all over the country are received by visiting

salesmen and by telephone/fax. Salesmen or sales clerk attending the order fills an order form.

Filled order forms are sent to Accounts Receivables/Credit Control department.

They check order for customer credit limits and over due invoices.

Approved orders are sent to Finished Goods Warehouse. Here store clerks

check availability of goods and prepares Delivery Challans (DC). On the basis of DC goods are picked and delivered to delivery van. DC is stamped as “delivered” and sent to Accounts Receivables/Credit Control department.

Accounts Receivables/Credit Control department raises an invoice in a

computer system. The system also produces Customer Ledgers, Sales Reports and Control totals for positing to General Ledger.

Required: (a) Flow Chart the entire system with the objective of developing Customized

Ordering System which is to be integrated with the sales system. (05)

(b) How can Information Technology be used as competitive advantage for reducing order fulfillment time and per order processing cost?

(10)

Q.9 In respect of DBMS define: (a) Field (b) Record (c) Primary key (d) Data redundancy (e) Record locking (10)

(THE END)



THE INSTITUTE OF CHARTERED ACCOUNTANTS OF PAKISTAN Modular Intermediate Examinations Spring 2003 March 09, 2003 INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY (MARKS 100) Module D Paper D13 (3 hours) Q.1 (a) Explain the difference between Information Technology, Information System

and Information Management for an organization. (06)

(b) Define corrective and adaptive maintenance. (04) Q.2 Jhilani Enterprises Pvt. Ltd. does not have a computerized system. You are required

to investigate and document the existing manual system.

(a) Describe at least three commonly used methods that you may want to consider to investigate and document the system.

(12)

(b) Also explain two important reasons why you should conduct this exercise. (08) Q.3 A good DBMS must be able to provide suitable solutions for various situations

when storage of information is centralized. In the following situations, what sort of access should be given to users and what are the problems, if any:

(a) Multiple users need to read the data only. (05)

(b) Multiple users need to update different portions of the file. (05)

(c) Database administrator needs to add additional fields. (05) Q.4 (a) What is meant by network topologies? Explain types of LAN system. (08)

(b) Define front end processing. (02) Q.5 The Phoenix Insurance Company Limited offers three categories of car insurance

policy to car owners: • 'Category A - Third party'. The basic premium is calculated as 2% of the car's

value. • 'Category B - Third party, fire and theft'. The basic premium is calculated as 3%

of the car's value. • 'Category C - Comprehensive'. The basic premium is calculated as 5% of the

car's value.

The company offers a very attractive 'no claim bonus'. A policyholder over 25 years old and who has not claimed on a previous car insurance policy is offered a 20% reduction on the basic premium.



(2) Any policyholder, however, who has previously claimed on a car insurance policy is

not eligible for the 'no claims bonus' and will incur a penalty charge of Rs.200 on top of the basic premium. You are given the following details on ten policyholders:

Policy Age Insurance Insurance Car Holder Category Claims Value Rupees

Abid 52 C No 10,600 Baber 35 A No 8,200 Noman 23 A Yes 2,500 Salman 61 B No 6,100 Asim 44 C No 17,500 Faisal 28 C No 12,700 Zahir 37 A Yes 9,100 Sadiq 20 B No 4,500 Tanveer 58 C No 14,800 Hamid 24 B No 5,400

Required:

You are required to calculate:

(i) The basic premium to be paid by each policyholder (Use the appropriate

lookup function in the formula)

(ii) The penalty charges to be paid by the relevant policyholders (Use the IF function)

(iii) The bonuses for the relevant policyholders (iv) The insurance premium payable by each policyholder - after bonuses are

deducted from or penalty charges added to the basic premium.

Note: Show formulae as well. (10) Q.6 (a) What are decision tables? (02)

(b) Construct a decision table under the following scenario:

An order should be placed on hold if the customer’s account balance is overdue and it exceeds the customer’s credit limit. If the order is processed, a reminder should be generated for overdue balances and a reference should be obtained if customer is new. If the customer is not new, then the appropriate level of discount should be given. New customer orders in excess of credit limit should be referred to the section head.

(08)

Q.7 Programmers follow the specifications in a Program Specification Document.

Briefly explain at least five types of information that this document should contain. (10)

Q.8 Explain stages of risk management process. (05)

Q.9 Briefly explain the following, and their importance in a computer based system:

(a) Audit Trails as computer-based controls. (05)

(b) Users as non-computer controls. (05)

(THE END)



THE INSTITUTE OF CHARTERED ACCOUNTANTS OF PAKISTAN Intermediate Examinations Autumn 2003 September 08, 2003 INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY (MARKS 100) Module D (3 hours) Q.1 As an external IT consultant, you have been contacted by Alam & Co. with request

to establish a security mechanism to protect the organization from harmful agents attempting to access it from the internet. You are recommending that Alam & Co. implement a firewall, and you are required to clarify the following in a report to the client.

(a) What does a firewall protect? (03)

(b) Whom does a firewall guard against? (05)

(c) What are the components of a firewall? (04) Q.2 Irfan & Co. is a young growth oriented organization. You are conducting a review

of this company to assess its information needs, and advise it on future development related activities. You have noted that although a few PCs are being used by the administration department, these are mainly stand-alone in nature, and almost all information is being manually recorded in books of accounts and records. Explain to Irfan & Co. what they could hope to achieve by implementing computerized information systems.

(12)

Q.3 As the IT Manager of Suleman and Co., you are required to attend to all IT-related

problems experienced by the users. The following persistent problems have been reported by users across the organization, and you are now required to explain what steps you would take to address/resolve them:

(a) Speed of report production is very slow, and this results in inordinate delay in the work of the company;

(08)

(b) User Manuals are not user-friendly because they contain several errors, they are limited in number, and are too bulky; the on-line HELP function included in the initial system development plan has not been implemented as yet.

(10)

Q.4 Awami International is a large manufacturing company. It has traditionally

developed most of its information systems in-house, and only 2 of its 6 main applications and 20 smaller applications have been purchased off-the-shelf. The data processing (DP) department currently employs about 100 staff, however, it does not have a good reputation. User departments frequently complain about missed deadlines, poor quality software and lack of functionality.



(2) A new IT director has recently been appointed. He believes that most of the

problems have been caused by the organization’s insistence on building bespoke solutions. His view is that off-the-shelf software packages are a better option, and that the organization should not build their own systems because standard packages offer cost and time savings as well as guaranteed quality. He also proposes that where the system does not match the working of operational departments, the process should be changed to accommodate the system.

The Managing Director of Awami International is concerned about the IT director’s

new approach and has consulted you for advice before the company adopts this policy.

(a) Briefly explain how the software package approach can offer each of these

three benefits to Awami International.

– Cost savings – Time savings – Guaranteed quality

(04) (04) (04)

(b) Identify and explain two risks of adopting the software package approach suggested by the IT director compared with the internal bespoke systems development approach traditionally used in the company.

(08)

Q.5 Given below are three illustrations of networks. Identify each network and briefly

comment on the type of relationship.

(a) (b) (c)

Cost Centre Department Budget 0134 1 43100 0135 1 16300 0210 1 50000 0686 2 40000

Invoice #

Item 1 Item 2

Item 3

Supplier A

Item 1 Item 2

Item 3

Supplier B Supplier C



(3)

Department Name Manager 1 Marketing 016480 2 Purchasing 036212

Employee # Name Address Salary

016480 Aslam Ali Defence Hsg. Society

45,000

028311 Mohabbat Khan Landhi, Malir 6,000 036212 Mehmood ul

Hasan Clifton 38,000

(15)

Q.6

Greetings Incorporated has hired a commission based sales force to sell greeting cards. The monthly pay package comprises of fixed salary and commission on card sales. Commission is calculated on the following formula: Cards Sold Commission % (Packets of 100) on total sales 0 to 9 1.00% 10 to 24 1.50% 25 to 49 2.00% 50 to 74 2.50% More than 74 4.00% Prepare payroll report of the sales staff using the following data and in the given format, and present to management with the report sorted in descending order of highest Net Salary. You are also required to show the formulae for each computation separately.

123456789

101112

13141516

17

A B C D E F G H I

S.No. Name #Cards Sales Salary Commission Total Tax NetSold (Rs) Salary (5% of Total Salary

Salary)

10 Alam 83 664,000 10,0004 Ali 9 72,000 10,0003 Bilal 85 680,000 10,0001 Erum 15 120,000 10,0008 Hamida 65 520,000 10,0002 Mannan 87 696,000 10,0007 Rabia 74 592,000 10,0006 Rehman 48 384,000 10,0005 Salim 45 360,000 10,0009 Shehnaz 75 600,000 10,000

Greetings IncorporatedPayroll Sheet



(4) Q.7 Operational managers of Mehran International are quite upset because IT needs are

not being met by the IT Department. Among the various reasons being mentioned are the following:

• IT is not competent or does not have the required expertise • IT is not geared to support the organization • IT is not concerned with other operational issues, and therefore its staff

are never available when required. The Chief Executive Officer has decided that the IT department should be closed down and its current employees re-distributed between the other departments. In such a decentralized arrangement ‘IT would be under the direct control of the manager responsible for that department’. In your opinion, what could be at least three advantages of decentralizing the IT department that convinced him to take this decision.

(06)

(THE END)



THE INSTITUTE OF CHARTERED ACCOUNTANTS OF PAKISTAN Intermediate Examinations Spring 2004 March 12, 2004 INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY (MARKS 100) Module D (3 hours) Q.1 The IT Manager has conducted an in-house review of his operations and has

identified the following specific risks and exposures:

(a) Processing the wrong data file. (b) Missing transactions. (c) Processing improper transactions. (d) Recording transactions in a wrong accounting period. (e) Lost transactions after a restart. (f) Information security breaches and inadequate controls over privacy of data. (g) System errors could go undetected or uncorrected for extended periods of time

thus compromising data integrity.

Since you are the IT Auditor, he has requested you to advise him on at least two

controls or control procedures each that may be put in place to address the identified risks and exposures.

(14)

Q.2 Iqbal Manufacturing Ltd. is an old company that has grown substantially over the

time. They began with a small IT function which is managed by a limited number of staff. As the company grew, the IT responsibilities were shared out over the limited staff so that most of them have now been assigned more than one responsibility. The management has felt the need for modernization, and is aggressively pursuing it. As part of this exercise, they are also evaluating the available manpower as well as the responsibilities assigned. The following functions have been identified, and the management wants to distinguish the functions as compatible (to combine them for efficiency and effectiveness), and incompatible (that may not be combined to ensure separation of responsibilities):

(a) Data entry and production job scheduling. (b) Quality assurance and data security administration. (c) Computer operations and applications programming. (d) Computer operations and systems programming. (e) Application programming and systems programming. (f) Help desk and telecommunication networks. (g) Systems programming and data security administration. (h) Job control analysis and job scheduling. (i) Data security administration (includes database administration). (j) Data administration and quality assurance. (k) Data base administration and applications programming. (l) Tape librarian and documentation librarian. (m) Telecommunication network and computer operations. (n) Quality assurance and applications development/maintenance. (o) Quality assurance and systems programming. (p) Systems analysis and application programming. (16)



(2) Q.3 There are many system-related files that are available in a data-processing

environment. These files contain valuable data for analysis and reporting purposes. A major concern is who can access and update these files and for this it is necessary to correctly recognize and identify them. Give at least 8 different types of files, along with a brief description or example of each type.

(16)

Q.4 In his initial report, the management consultant has indicated that your organization

needs a workflow computing system, which is a type of integrated system. As asked by senior management, you are required to:

(a) Advise them about what is a workflow computing system. (05) (b) Identify at least five benefits that it is expected to provide. (05) (c) Give at least two examples of the applications in such a system. (04) Q.5 The selection of the method to convert an old system to a new system is an important

decision. Explain the available methods and the risk or benefit which distinguishes each. Which method would you generally recommend and explain why?

(10)

Q.6 The following information has been extracted from XYZ Corporation’s records, and

has been used to prepare a comparative Income Statement for 2003 (forecast), 2002 and 2001:

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

15

A B C D

2003* 2002 2001Total revenues 264,019 112,345 57,477Cost of goods sold 97,952 47,605 30,643Gross profitGross Margin (%)Operation expenses 150,000 50,000 23,877Operation income (loss) 16,067 14,740 2,957Other income (expense) 225,000 100,000 25,000Net profit (loss)Income tax (%) of net profit 40% 40% 40%(Income taxes)Net profit (loss) after taxesNet Margin (%)*Forecast

Income Statement - XYZ Corporation (in 000s)

Using the data given above for the XYZ Corporation, you are required to do the

following:

(a) Calculate the gross profit, gross margin (%), net profit, income taxes, net profit and net margin (%).

(03)

(b) What should be the total revenue in 2003 if gross margin should equal to 70%. What Microsoft Excel function would you use to make the calculation?

(02)

(c) Prepare the revised income statement for 2003 with gross margin of 70%. Separately show the formulas that you would input to calculate the above.

(05)



(3) Q.7 Adnan is helping AB & Co. to automate their delivery system. He designs a flow

chart to represent the data flow of the system. This is a general process used to describe the analyzed systems before their implementation. However a flow diagram does not always work. Under what circumstance will a flow diagram be inadequate? What other options are available to design the system?

(05)

Q.8 There are a few common problems that are encountered in programming. You are

required to identify at least five common problems. (05)

Q.9 “For most programmers, developing documentation is not an interesting task.

However, without adequate documentation, even the creator of the program could not use it after a lapse of time”. In the light of this statement, identify and explain the two types of documentation associated with programs/programming.

(10)

(THE END)



THE INSTITUTE OF CHARTERED ACCOUNTANTS OF PAKISTAN Intermediate Examinations Autumn 2004 September 13, 2004 INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY (MARKS 100) MODULE D (3 hours) Q.1 ABC Limited is in business for last 10 years. They have been using software

developed in FoxPro. Now the management and staff feel that it is too old to be used comfortably and does not match with the current level of expertise of users. It is also unable to provide sufficient level of MIS reports required by the management. A director of the company who has just joined after completing his studies is very enthusiastic about the use of new technologies. He has heard about upcoming trends such as:

(a) Client/Server Applications (b) Browser based Applications (c) Web based Applications Required:

Explain each of the above, their usage and the environment required for effective performance.

(15)

Q.2 Market Gurus (Private) Limited is a marketing company with a large number of

customers and inventory items. It has been using software for processing its financial transactions for a number of years. However, sales and inventory is being maintained manually. Looking at the ease of use provided by the computerized systems and the success of first implementation, company has decided to computerize Sales and Inventory functions of the company. Company has multiple warehouses and more than ten sales outlets across the country.

Required:

As head of finance you are required to draw up a plan incorporating essential input requirements, controls and output needs for: (a) Order Processing Application (b) Inventory Control Application

(10) (10)

Q.3 Growing Business Limited is a company operating a food processing plant. Its

business has been growing constantly over time. The company has been using computerized systems since its inception. Most of the equipment is too old. It has resulted in maintenance problems for IT department. At the same time it is impossible to run any new application on these machines which the company is planning to purchase. You are required to list down measures to be taken for a major overhaul of the IT infrastructure and purchase of new equipment.

(10)



(2) Q.4 Discounts House offers a customer loyalty scheme that rewards customers with

discounts and points for every transaction they make. In this scheme, all customers who pay in advance receive a 5% discount on the product price. If these customers are also designated ‘key account customers’ then they also receive 50 points. A ‘key account customer’ who does not pay in advance receives only 20 points. If a customer (whether non-key or key account) has ordered more than Rs. 100,000 worth of goods in the year, then their customer card fee (of Rs. 1,000) is returned at the end of the year. In all other circumstances there are no discounts, points or card fee refunds. Required: Draw a DECISION TABLE for the customer loyalty scheme at Discounts House.

(10)

Q.5 For managing security of information processing, Audit Trials are termed as the

most critical measure. Explain the following:

(a) System Logs

(b) Program Action Logs

(c) Database Logs (09) Q.6 Bright Limited produces consumer products in different categories. It operates two

facilities one in Lahore and one in Karachi. Head Office is located in Lahore. Over the years reliance on Information Technology (IT) has increased to a level where they cannot operate if Information Systems (IS) are not available. Company has recently implemented a new ERP solution and now company is using fully integrated systems across all locations with central database being hosted in Head Office. Management has concerns regarding availability of IS at all times and eventual capabilities of company to operate efficiently. Required: As IT manager prepare a disaster recovery plan.

(10)

Q.7 As a database manager you have come across the following performance problems.

Your CIO wants you to suggest solutions for these problems.

Problems Solution Poor operating system configuration Insufficient storage space Excessive CPU utilization Poor database design for application needs Buffer pool size is too small Inappropriate disk storage system configuration

(06)



(3) Q.8 With current level of low markup rates, you have decided to buy a new house.

Price of the house is Rs. 5,000,000. Markup rate has been offered at 8.0% p.a. The term of the loan is suggested at fifteen years. You have opted for monthly rental scheme. Equity contribution is Rs. 2,500,000. Monthly rental of Rs. 23,733 is payable in advance and the first rental is to be adjusted against the principal amount only. Required: Draw a loan repayment schedule for the first twelve months only in the following format based on the above data, also write down the Microsoft Excel formulae for each calculation.

A B C D E 1 Repayment Schedule 2 3 House value 4 Equity 5 Loan Amount 6 Interest Rate 7 Monthly Installment 8 Period 9 Installments per period 10 Total number of installments 11 12 Installment Installment Interest Principal Balance 13 Number Rupees Rupees Rupees Rupees 14 15 16 1 - - - - 17 2 - - - - 18 3 - - - - 19 4 - - - - 20 5 - - - - 21 6 - - - - 22 7 - - - - 23 8 - - - - 24 9 - - - - 25 10 - - - - 26 11 - - - - 27 12 - - - - 28 29 Total - - - (15)

Q.9 What is the difference between high and low level languages. Explain situations

where each of these may be more relevant to use. (05)

(THE END)



THE INSTITUTE OF CHARTERED ACCOUNTANTS OF PAKISTAN Intermediate Examinations Spring 2005 March 14, 2005 INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY (MARKS 100) Module D (3 hours) Q.1 Organizations must ensure that their computerized systems contain controls over

the input, processing and output of data to maintain data integrity. Describe data verification and data validation which are two important input controls; give at least four examples of each to illustrate your answer.

(10) Q.2 In order to ensure business continuity, organizations are required to develop

Disaster Recovery and Business Continuity Plans. An important aspect of these activities is to arrange for alternative processing facility to enable the organization to continue functioning till it recovers from the disaster.

Required: Explain five alternative processing facility options.

(10)

Q.3 Microsoft Office consists of a number of different applications which serve

different purposes in an office environment. MS Word is used to write letters or compose complex reports while MS Excel is used for calculations. Although each product is designed to serve a specific purpose, complex reports / documents require use of both or additional tools. Microsoft Office provides a number of ways to use these products in conjunction with each other to generate a single impressive and easy to manage document. OLE is one such feature.

You are required to:

(a) Describe what OLE is. (01) (b) Differentiate between linking and embedding. (02) (c) Where to use linking and embedding respectively. (02) Q.4 Data communication represents the transmission of data over communication

media, resulting in computerized processing of data whereas network is a collection of terminals, computers and other equipments that uses communication path to share data. Several sorts of networks give variety of speed/cost/capacity trade-off, essentially the faster the data transfer round the network the more expensive the network system is. Required:

(a) Define Local Area Network (LAN) and its components. (04) (b) Define Wide Area Network (WAN) and describe how it differs from LAN? (06) (c) Give at least four reasons for increasing popularity of networks. (04)



(2) Q.5 In order to take full advantage of a Flowchart one should be aware of the mistakes

made when drawing/designing flowchart. Required: List at least five points to be considered for producing correct and meaningful flowchart.

(05)

Q.6 Computer users are familiar with starting their PC and working directly with the

software and their data files. Most know that if they forget to save their work then it can be lost. It is important though to be aware that not all systems operate so directly with the user and that you need an understanding of the common modes of processing and other computer operational terms. Define the following:

(a) Batch Processing. (b) Real Time Processing (c) Distributed Processing. (09)

Q.7 Briefly describe at least five types of processing operations that can be done within

a program. (05)

Q.8 The way in which data is stored and manipulated is an important aspect of

information system design. There are three principal approaches to information handling; as a result three types of computer systems are established. Required: Explain the following three systems with their respective advantages or disadvantages:

(a) Integrated system (04) (b) Non-integrated system (04) (c) Database Management System (04)

Q.9 During Information System audit of ABC Cartons you observed the following

problems in its in-house developed application software:

(i) Input screens are not user friendly (ii) Screen based output reports are not effective (iii) The system often goes down and is difficult to recover due to poor program

code

You are required to list:

(a) At least four broad principles which should be considered while designing input screens or forms for user applications.

(02)

(b) At least four design principles for a screen based report. (02) (c) At least six principles to be followed while writing a program. (06)



(3) Q.10 With so much data being held in computerized form and much higher investment in

IT, all organizations should attempt to identify threats and introduce control measures for its information system. The most common recovery procedure that should adhere to is the regular backup of data and important files. The backup means a copy/duplicate to be kept separately from the main system in anticipation of future failure or corruption. Required: Explain backup procedure.

(10)

Q.11 A program is a set of instructions which enable particular process to be performed

by computer. An operating system is like a silent partner for computer user that provide interface between system hardware and both the user and other software. Application software consists of programs specifically written to perform certain functions. These programs may be written in-house by company staff, developed by a software house or purchased as a pre-written package. Required: Briefly describe the stages in development of an in-house fully tested program.

(10)

(THE END)



THE INSTITUTE OF CHARTERED ACCOUNTANTS OF PAKISTAN Intermediate Examinations Autumn 2005 September 12, 2005

INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY (MARKS 100) Module D (3 hours) Q.1 Active Courier Services (ACS) has a nationwide network of urgent postal service. It

has recently got its consignment booking and tracking system re-designed from Solutions (Pvt) Limited (SPL), which deals in software development and consultation services. Before implementing the new system, the management wants to have a clear understanding of the procedures that will be followed during the process of implementation.

Required: (a) List down the main stages that would be involved in the installation &

implementation of the new computer system. (03) (b) Describe various system changeover approaches that could be used for

switching over from old system to the new system. (12) Q.2 Analyzing a problem and proposed solution is critical for success of a project. An

error at design stage could result in high costs if corrected at a later stage. Structured system analysis and design is a methodology to ensure that such errors are minimized if not eliminated.

Required: List and explain various steps in structured system analysis and design. (08) Q.3 End-user computing is an important component of any organization’s IS

environment. The role of spreadsheet software in this area is truly revolutionary. Electronic spreadsheets have resulted in time and cost savings, accurate calculations and consistency of output.

Required: (a) Define spreadsheet software? (02) (b) Give at least six examples of possible uses of a spreadsheet. (03) (c) Explain the following spreadsheet functions: (i) Macros (02) (ii) Protect Sheet (02) Q.4 In software development, logic of a program must be properly developed. There are

a number of techniques to achieve this objective. Required: (a) Briefly describe at least three such techniques. (06) (b) Compare any two such techniques and narrate their relative advantages and

disadvantages. (10)



(2) Q.5 Ready Meal (RM) is a large fast food house. There are ten serving/cash counters to

receive the customers’ orders. Customers are required to place their orders at these counters, where these are input into the booking system which generates bill for the customer and booking request for the kitchen/serving section. During the review of customers’ services, the consultant has suggested the management to get their order-booking system redesigned as the booking staff is required to type most of the booking details before generating the customers’ bill. He suggested to incorporate the following command/control options in the input form to increase the efficiency of booking staff:

• Radio-buttons • Check-boxes • Drop-down list The management is of the view that efficiency could only be increased by adding

more booking counters, however, it had asked the consultant to explain how could each of the above options help in increasing the efficiency of booking staff. (System environment is based on Microsoft Windows)

Required: You are required to give the usage of each of the above options with which the

consultant should come up to convince the management. Give examples relating to RM’s business. (06)

Q.6 Mr. Ghani is an Information System Consultant and has been approached by Trade

Bank to arrange a seminar on ‘Information Systems Control Activities’. It will be attended by the officers of the bank.

Required: Write a note on the following areas which will be covered by Mr. Ghani in the

seminar: (a) Classifications of controls i.e., preventive, detective and corrective controls (06) (b) Passwords – meaning and best practices (06) Q.7 As data is stored electronically it may be difficult to trace transactions from the

detail to the summary. For example a report may claim to show TOTAL SALES for the month but there is no way to check manually that every single invoice has been included unless each transaction is logged. This ability to track transactions through various reports is known as audit trail.

Required: (a) Briefly explain the concept of Computer Audit. (04) (b) Discuss ‘Round the Computer Audit’ and ‘Through the Computer Audit’. (08)



(3) Q.8 The ABC Bank has recently migrated from its legacy, batch-processing based

application to an integrated banking package based on on-line processing. However, recently it has been facing user complaints regarding ‘slowness’ of the system. Being a new user of this technology, the Bank has been struggling to identify the real cause of the problem. A consultant hired for the purpose, has immediately pointed out that the issue pertains to processing response time.

Required: Define ‘response time’. Explain various categories of response time. (06) Q.9 The office automation software of today has led to enormous productivity gains in

organizations which use them. One of the main reasons for this phenomenon has been the ability of operating systems to support multi-tasking, multi-programming and multi-processing, in use of these software.

Required: (a) Define multi-tasking, multi-programming and multi-processing. (03) (b) What functionalities an operating system should possess to support multi-

tasking and multi-processing? (04) (c) Briefly define graphical, accounting and integrated software. (09)

(THE END)



THE INSTITUTE OF CHARTERED ACCOUNTANTS OF PAKISTAN Intermediate Examinations Spring 2006 March 13, 2006 INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY (MARKS 100) Module D (3 hours) Q.1 Rettalic is a healthcare organization having subsidiaries in seven countries. All

seven subsidiaries have their own computerized systems. The management is now considering the possibility of integrating the inventory and personnel functions of all the seven subsidiaries in a single computerized system.

Required: Describe briefly the key features of an ‘Inventory Management System’ and

‘Personnel System’. (12) Q.2 Management of Mind Care, a private hospital, is considering ways to enhance the

use of Information Technology in order to maintain its competitive advantage. A consultant who has been hired recently has advised to introduce an expert system.

Required: What do you understand by an expert system? Give two suitable examples. (05) Q.3 The Systems Development Life Cycle (SDLC) is a conceptual model used in

project management that describes the stages involved in an information system development project, from an initial feasibility study to maintenance of the completed application.

Required: What is a feasibility study? Briefly explain any three key areas in which an IT

solution has to be feasible in order to be selected? (08) Q.4 Tijarat Limited (TL) is a trading company using an IT based application to process

daily operational activities. Recently, the company has been facing problems with the software. The management has considered several options to solve the issue and is inclined to develop a new application. However CEO of the company desires that a cost benefit analysis should be conducted prior to making any decision.

Required: (a) Briefly describe the different costs of a new system. (06) (b) Briefly explain any three commonly used methods of cost benefit analysis

which may be used by the management of TL. (06)



(2)

Q.5 Riwauat Company (RC) has more than 100 standalone computers and each computer has its own data files. The management is planning to introduce the concept of networking to get the benefit of data sharing and avoid duplication of data. Moreover, this would help improve data processing and decision making. You have been recently hired as an IT Manager by RC and have been given the task to evaluate the suitability of a particular LAN system configuration. However, the management wants you to give them a presentation regarding various network topologies before finalizing any solution.

Required: Apprise the management about the term ‘Network Topology’ and its various types

with suitable examples. (10) Q.6 The performance of a network is dependent on the bandwidth and the media used

for data transmission. Required: You are required to list and describe the main features of any four types of data

transmission media. (08) Q.7 (a) Microsoft Excel provides features that help in tracking down problems on

worksheets. Most of these are available either as menu commands or on the Auditing toolbar. Briefly explain the function of the following options available in the Auditing toolbar:

(i) Trace Precedents (ii) Trace Dependents (iii) Circle Invalid Data (03) (b) Reviewing toolbar is an excellent feature of Microsoft Word. Briefly explain

the function of the following options available in the Reviewing toolbar: (i) Track Changes (ii) Accept Change (02) (c) One of the most popular features of Microsoft office family members is the

ability to copy and move information from one application to another. Briefly explain the following in Microsoft Windows environment:

(i) Clipboard (03) (ii) Difference between ‘copy’ and ‘cut’ operation (02) Q.8 Cancer Cure Centre (CCC) is a large hospital for diagnosis and treatment of cancer.

Patients’ bills are processed and approved by the computer. A discount is given to patients who cannot afford to pay the hospital bill. Management has laid down the following rules:

(i) For patient bill above Rs. 100,000, a discount of Rs. 15,000 plus 50% of the

amount exceeding Rs. 100,000 is given, provided the patient does not have any outstanding dues.



(3)

(ii) For patient bill above Rs. 50,000 and upto Rs. 100,000, a 30% discount is given on amount exceeding Rs. 50,000, provided the patient does not have any outstanding dues.

(iii) For patient bill less than Rs. 50,000 no discount is given. (iv) If the patient has any outstanding dues, the case is referred to the Financial

Counselor. (v) Details of payments are printed out after each record has been processed. Required: Construct a flowchart for CCC’s payment operations. (11) Q.9 Point Consulting has approached Mr. Rahman a senior member of the company to

conduct a workshop on audit of computer based systems which would help the staff conduct the IT audits more effectively and efficiently. The CEO of Point Consulting has specially requested Mr. Rahman to focus on ‘General Controls’ in his presentation.

Required: Prepare notes for Mr. Rahman’s presentation on General Controls – its meaning

and examples in the following areas: (i) Environment (ii) Development (iii) Maintenance and operation (10) Q.10 Computer Aided Software Engineering (CASE) techniques aim to automate the

document production process. Briefly describe two types of CASE tools. (04) Q.11 In view of rapid change in the Information Technology environment, the

vulnerability of the information systems has increased. To address this issue, management should identify threats to its information systems and develop a risk based approach.

Required: Explain the stages involved in managing the risk in the information systems. (10)

(THE END)



THE INSTITUTE OF CHARTERED ACCOUNTANTS OF PAKISTAN

Intermediate Examinations Autumn 2006 September 11, 2006 INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY (MARKS 100) Module D (3 hours) Q.1 Aljadeed Engineering (AE) is a large company involved in manufacturing and export of

auto parts. The management of AE is considering to computerise its records. In the board meeting held in this regard, Mr. Alif proposed to develop the project using System Development Lifecycle (SDLC) approach. Some of the board members have no idea of SDLC approach. You are required to make a presentation giving brief explanation of various stages of SDLC. (09)

Q.2 You have recently joined as Manager IT of Ever New Garments (ENG) which is a medium sized manufacturer of ready-made clothes. During your orientation visit you observed that there were sixty computers on ENG’s local area network following peer-to-peer networking model. The management of ENG is unaware of the demerits of peer-to-peer networking and the existence of any other networking model. All they know is that the data should be available to all users on timely basis. As this is not a sensible approach, you suggested to the Executive Director of ENG to switch over to file-server model. The Executive Director has requested you to compare the file server model with peer-to-peer model to highlight the advantages of file server model. (08)

Q.3 Management of ABC Limited, a fast moving consumer goods company, is considering changing its secondary sales data capture and analyses software. The management is confused whether to purchase an off-the-shelf packaged software or instead, develop a customised software.

You are required to apprise the management about the advantages and drawbacks of using off-the-shelf software. (10)

Q.4 Prototyping is one of the techniques used for developing customised software. You are required to explain:

(a) the technique of prototyping with an example. (03) (b) how prototyping is beneficial to users and developers? What are its main

disadvantages? (06)

Q.5 The employees in the accounts department of Turab and Company are well versed in the use of spreadsheets. You have recently joined the company and wish to introduce a database management system (DBMS). However, your staff feels that DBMS is difficult to learn and are unable to find anything special in it.

To convince the staff you are required to: (a) briefly explain the merits of a DBMS. (05) (b) identify and describe the key differences between a system based on spreadsheets

and a DBMS as regards security and integrity of data. (03)



(2)

Q.6 The World Wide Web (WWW) was designed in 1989 to provide a group of physicists with a mechanism to collaborate on-line in their research. It is technically similar to client/server model. Briefly explain the basic components of WWW. (05)

Q.7 (a) Briefly explain the benefits of high level languages (HLL). (03) (b) Name any five types of HLL and specify their areas of application. (05)

Q.8 You have recently joined as Manager IT of Shifa Pharma, a small sized pharmaceutical company. Just after joining, you asked your staff to guide you about various IT systems which have been developed in-house. During the discussion you noted that they have not adequately documented the flow of data in the systems and consequently a number of confusions arise. All the details regarding the system have been noted in the form of bullet points but such documentation is not meeting the standard. You are of the view that they should prepare adequate flow charts or should use some other appropriate form of system designing and documentation.

You are required to: (a) briefly inform them about dataflow diagrams, decision tables and decision trees

which are some of the common techniques of system documentation. (06) (b) advise them about the benefits and advantages of using flow charts. (05)

Q.9 With the increased use of information technology in business environment, the success and failure of businesses are becoming more and more dependent on efficient performance of their information systems. The organizations must prepare themselves to face the risks and threats posed to their information systems and must have a documented and tested disaster recovery plan.

In view of the above perspective, you are required to: (a) explain the meaning of the term disaster in an IT environment. (02) (b) briefly describe three broad categories of activities that are addressed by a disaster

recovery plan? (06) (c) list the fundamental rules that should be applied while formulating a disaster

recovery plan. (05)

Q.10 Finance and Investment Bank Limited (FBIL) is developing a new integrated system which will work in a real-time, distributed environment covering thirty branches. Management recognises the need for strong controls but there is a concern that business processes may be over-burdened with checks and controls.

You are required to advise the management about the: (a) key characteristics which should be considered while assessing the appropriateness

of controls. (05) (b) risks that need to be addressed as FBIL is moving to a real-time, distributed

environment. (05)

Q.11 The following data represents the share price of XYZ company for a week:

A B C 1 Price (Rs.) 2 Date Lowest Highest 3 21/08/2006 96 99 4 22/08/2006 99 103 5 23/08/2006 101 104 6 24/08/2006 102 106 7 25/08/2006 98 105



(3)

(a) You are required to calculate the following: (i) highest price during the week. (ii) lowest price during the week. (iii) number of days when the price dipped below Rs. 100. (iv) number of days when the price rose above Rs. 100. (v) average of the highest price. (vi) difference between the highest price and lowest price during the week. (03) (b) Write the Microsoft Excel formulas to calculate the above. (06)

(THE END)



THE INSTITUTE OF CHARTERED ACCOUNTANTS OF PAKISTAN Intermediate Examinations Spring 2007 March 12, 2007 INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY (Marks 60) Module D (1 hour 45 minutes) Q.1 You have recently joined Shifa Pharmaceutical (SP) as IT Manager of its newly formed

IT department. Previously IT support and services were outsourced. While reviewing the business and operations you observed that each department of SP had different local area network (LAN) topology and worked in isolation. For example, in Finance department every computer is connected to every other computer of the department whereas in Sales department all computers were connected via a single cable. When you pointed out this inconsistency to the SP’s Chief Executive and suggested to implement the same topology throughout the organization, he asked you to brief him about various network topologies before implementing your suggestion.

You are required to apprise the Chief Executive on basic types of Local Area Network

(LAN) system configurations. (10) Q.2 With increased automation of today’s businesses, the senior management of a company

is often overloaded with various types of data. The ability to efficiently use such data for decision making purposes is quite often what distinguishes successful companies from others. Executive Information System (EIS) is a decision support system which is commonly used in many good organizations. You are required to:

(a) briefly explain EIS; and (03) (b) list key advantages of an EIS. (03) Q.3 All organizations are at risk of attack from computer viruses, worms and trojan horses

when they are connected to the Internet and while using removable media (e.g. floppy disks and CD-ROMs) or shareware/freeware software. The impact of a virus, worm or a trojan horse can be as harmless as a pop-up message on a computer screen or as destructive as deleting all the files on a hard drive. To counter such threats antivirus programs are installed either on the network infrastructure (i.e. mail server or firewall) or on the end user machines.

You are required to describe the respective advantages and disadvantages of antivirus

programs installed at the network infrastructure and on the end user machines. (06) Q.4 You are a software consultant and have been approached by a Right Angle Business

School (RABS) to give a lecture on Computer Aided Software Engineering (CASE) tools to their students, highlighting their types, need and utility.

In the light of RABS’s request, you are required to prepare a lecture on CASE tools

explaining the following points: (a) Types of CASE tools (03) (b) Advantages of using CASE tools in system analysis and development process (03)



(2)

Q.5 ABC Bank has recently implemented a custom-built software to automate its consumer

lending operations. With an interface to the Bank’s customer credit history database, the system is expected to allow faster processing of loan applications and ensure better credit-quality decisions. On completion of first processing cycle by the new system, the IT Manager has recommended to conduct its post implementation review (PIR). The management is not sure about the necessity of carrying out such a review and therefore has asked you to apprise them about PIR in detail before any decision can be taken.

You are required to submit a report on PIR covering the following: (a) purposes of conducting a PIR; and (03) (b) when should ABC Bank conduct the PIR of the new system? (02) Q.6 Hakim Hospital (HH) is a medium size hospital equipped with state of the art medical

facilities. Though the records of HH are computerized, they are not integrated. The management is planning to get an integrated software developed from a software house. However, security over patients’ history is their major concern.

You are required to list any six logical access controls that should be incorporated in the

HH’s integrated software to ensure the security of data. (07) Q.7 Galaxy Services (GS) is a newly established brokerage house which functions 24 X 7

hours a week due to its dealings in international markets. Since continuity of operations is a prime concern for GS, it is looking for alternative processing facility arrangements. In this regard, the management of GS has asked you, being their IT Manager to explore this issue in detail and submit a report.

You are required to write a report on alternative processing arrangements covering the

following: (a) possible alternative arrangements with their distinguishing features; and (10) (b) which alternative processing facility(ies) would you recommend for GS and why? (03) Q.8 The Valley Bank (VB) has two types of credit card members viz. Gold card members

and Silver card members. You are required to construct the flowchart of a program that will generate a list of each type of members showing the credit limits utilized by each member and the total of each list. (07)

THE END



THE INSTITUTE OF CHARTERED ACCOUNTANTS OF PAKISTAN Intermediate Examinations Autumn 2007 September 10, 2007 INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY (Marks 60) Module D (1 hour 45 minutes) Q.1 E-commerce has experienced tremendous growth over the past decade. Many retail

businesses now offer some form of e–commerce services as no one wants to be left behind in the global race for business in the information age. However, not all companies have proved successful in their e-commerce ventures. Indeed, bursting of dot com bubble at the turn of last century proves that merely establishing a presence as an e-commerce company does not guarantee success.

You are required to explain the success factors which an aspiring e-commerce company

should adopt to succeed in its e–commerce initiative. (06) Q.2 Resource Enterprises (RE) is a reputed recruiting agency. One of their clients has

embarked on an ambitious program to induct entry-level fresh graduates at its various locations. The client has requested them to assist in short-listing the right candidates from the job applications which they might receive. RE decided to develop a computer application to significantly automate the process of analyzing and short-listing job applications. They plan to have a comprehensive program which could be used for other clients as well.

You are required to list down at least eight system functionalities which the above

mentioned system should have, to meet the objectives of RE. (10) Q.3 (a) Local area networks (LANs) using wireless media is gaining immense popularity

now-a-days. Briefly describe Wireless LAN and list three key advantages and disadvantages of wireless LAN. (08)

(b) Briefly explain distributed processing. (02) Q.4 (a) A relationship is a natural business association that exists between one or more

entities. Sometimes, relationships are also referred to as data associations. Give an example of each of the following types of relationships:

• One to One • One to Many • Many to Many (03) (b) List four types of storage media which can be used for taking back-up. (02) Q.5 Explain each of the following types of controls. Also give two suitable examples in each

case. (a) Preventive Controls (03) (b) Detective Controls (03) (c) Corrective Controls (03)



(2)

Q.6 (a) A global Web of computers i.e. the Internet allows individuals to communicate with each other. It provides a quick and easy exchange of information and is recognized as the central tool in the present era.

You are required to explain the following terms related to Internet: • Web Page (02) • Home Page (02) • URL (03) (b) Explain the security risks associated with the use of instant messenger in a corporate

environment. (03) Q.7 Vibrant Traders is a medium sized trading company. The company is in the process of

documenting its payment procedures. The management has formulated the following rules for signing of cheques:

• All cheques should be signed by two signatories not below the rank of managers. • Cheques upto Rs. 100,000 may be signed by two managers. • Cheques upto Rs. 1.0 million should be signed by at least one director. • Cheques of more than Rs. 1.0 million shall be signed by two directors. Prepare a decision table to assist in the verification of cheques. (10)

(THE END)



THE INSTITUTE OF CHARTERED ACCOUNTANTS OF PAKISTAN Intermediate Examinations Spring 2008 March 10, 2008 INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY (Marks 60) Module D (1 hour 45 minutes) Q.1 Soft Revolution (SR) is a large IT solution provider. Recently it has purchased an old

building in a coastal city for their branch office. Since SR’s business is dependent on information technology function, the effects of physical environment require careful consideration. The management has identified three major types of physical threats to its operation i.e. fire, flooding and unauthorized physical access.

You are required to advise the management about the following: (a) At least three types of controls applicable in each of the above situation. (04) (b) What measures the company should take to mitigate the losses from the above threats? (03) Q.2 Classify the following controls as preventive, detective, or corrective controls. Give very

brief reasons to justify your answers. (i) Strong passwords (ii) Exception reports (iii) Digital signatures (iv) Segregation of duties (v) Backups (vi) Review of system activity logs (06) Q.3 E–mail, Instant Messaging (IM) and other chatting programs are very popular among home

Internet users. Few years back, these were equally popular in corporate environment where users did have one or other messenger for sharing information with friends and colleagues. However, with increasing risks and threats, the use of IM and chatting programs is generally prohibited in the corporate environment but e–mail is still widely used.

(a) Explain the difference between an e–mail and an instant message. (02) (b) List the factors which prompted the corporate world to prohibit the use of IM and

chatting programs. (04) Q.4 Internet is an important source of gathering information on different topics. (a) List any six search engines which are popular among Internet users. (03) (b) Explain with the help of an example, how a search engine will respond if the

information to be searched is entered: (i) within inverted commas; (ii) without inverted commas. (03) Q.5 (a) Networks have played an important role in the significant growth of computer

applications and office automation. Large as well as small businesses are using networking. You are required to briefly explain the benefits of networking, in corporate environment. (04)



(2)

(b) Data is transmitted over a channel in three different modes. i.e. simplex, half duplex

and full duplex. (i) Explain the difference between each of the above modes. (03) (ii) Give two examples of data transmission under each mode. (03) Q.6 (a) An operating system controls the running of programs in a computer. You are

required to explain how the operating system controls and facilitates application programs. Also list the services which an operating system provides to the users. (04)

(b) System Software comprises of various system and utility programs. These programs

are used in the design, processing and control of all computer applications. Operating System is an example of System Software. You are required to list six other types of system/utility programs. (03)

Q.7 The management of Beta Textiles is not satisfied with the performance of its information

processing system. The processing is carried out through a comprehensive software which was developed in-house about two years back. However, soon after its implementation, users started complaining that the software is not user friendly. They also complained that there are frequent hang-ups and the processing is slow. The recently appointed IT Manager is of the view that main causes of these problems are lack of software maintenance and ineffective post implementation review (PIR). The PIR team had recorded users’ concerns and various system irregularities during their review but their findings were not formalised and no action was taken to address users’ concerns.

You are required to: (a) List down the matters that should be contained in a formal PIR report. (04) (b) Explain the importance of software maintenance. (04) Q.8 International Consumers Products Limited (ICPL) is a large FMCG company with country-

wide presence. In a meeting of the executives of the company the Marketing Manager proposed the development of an Expert System (ES) for analyzing the customer trends, their preferences and anticipating the future demands. However, the IT Manager was of the opinion that ES is not suitable in their case. Since the CEO does not have adequate knowledge about application of ES, he asked the IT Manager to prepare a note, for discussion in the next board meeting.

On behalf of the IT Manager, you are required to: (a) Identify three major components of an ES and the specific contribution which each of

them makes in the working of the system. (05) (b) Explain why the IT Manager feels that ES is not suitable for ICPL. (05)

(THE END)



THE INSTITUTE OF CHARTERED ACCOUNTANTS OF PAKISTAN Intermediate Examinations Autumn 2008 September 8, 2008 INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY (Marks 60) Module D (1 hour 45 minutes) Q.1 New Era Textiles Limited is in the process of laying Local Area Network (LAN) in their

factory for the first time. The management has hired you to supervise this task. Since the management has no previous experience of working in a LAN environment, it has requested you for a discussion on the subject.

You are required to apprise the management about: (a) Four major types of network topologies and their salient features. (08) (b) Duties related to administration and control of LAN. (03) Q.2 Tameer Constructions Limited (TCL) is a growing company and is handling various

projects simultaneously. During the management meeting, the Project Managers highlighted the problems in the existing software, which was developed five years ago. They emphasized the need for a better software according to the present requirements. The senior management has decided to carry out a feasibility study before making a final decision.

Briefly explain the areas which should be addressed in the feasibility study. (05) Q.3 Most of the advanced and sensitive systems place significant reliance on automated

controls. Audit trail is one such automated control. (a) Explain the concept of audit trail in a computerized environment. (02) (b) List the major benefits which can be derived from the use of audit trails (03) Q.4 Identify the advantages which can be derived by the use of Computer Aided Software

Engineering (CASE) tools, in the system development process. (08)

Q.5 (a) Briefly explain the terms “system flowchart” and “program flowchart”. Also, identify the disadvantages associated with the use of a flowchart. (04)

(b) One Place Departmental Store is offering 10% discount to all its customers who make

purchases of more than Rs. 10,000 during a single visit. On each counter, the item code and the quantity is fed into a computer for generating the cash memo. You are required to prepare a program flowchart showing the above steps. (06)

Q.6 The Finance Manager of Nafees Traders (NT) wants to buy a customized Decision Support System for assistance in various financial projections and decision making. However, the management is not convinced with its utility because it is of the view that such programs cannot replace human intelligence, which is vital for business decisions.

On behalf of the Finance Manager, apprise the management about the uses and benefits of

a Decision Support System. (06)



(2)

Q.7 As the need for updated information is increasing, online processing is gaining popularity. However, batch processing is still a preferred choice for certain business applications.

(a) Explain how batch processing is different from online processing, in terms of

processing of transactions, file updation and response time. (03) (b) Briefly explain two situations in which batch processing will usually be preferred

over online processing. (03) (c) Briefly describe the three major types of data files used in batch processing

environment. (03) Q.8 The management of Explicit Technologies Limited (ETL) has decided to develop a risk

management manual for their IT operations. You are required to explain the main stages in the risk management process. (06)

(THE END)



it past papers

Documents

b marks

b airline

system design

implemented system

pc system

system flow charts

atm machine

computerized financial