9618/11/M/J/26 · Question: 1(a)(i)
A computer can store numbers and text in binary.
The computer uses the UNICODE character set.
Complete the table by calculating the missing values.
| character | denary | binary | hexadecimal |
|---|---|---|---|
 | 0001 1110 1001 | 1E9 | |
| @ | 64 | 40 | |
 | 911 | 0011 1000 1111 | |
 | 0001 0101 1101 0110 | 15D6 |
working space
[4]
Mark scheme [4]
1 mark for each correct value
| Character | Denary | Binary | Hexadecimal |
|---|---|---|---|
| 489 | 0001 1110 1001 | 1E9 |
| @ | 64 | 0100 0000 | 40 |
| 911 | 0011 1000 1111 | 38F |
| 5590 | 0001 0101 1101 0110 | 15D6 |
Guidance
Correct answers only
General marking instructions
Cambridge International AS & A Level
COMPUTER SCIENCE
9618/11
Paper 1 Theory Fundamentals
May/June 2026
MARK SCHEME
Maximum Mark: 75
Published
This mark scheme contains the instructions and marking guidance that our examiners used to mark candidate responses for this component.
Before they start marking, examiners complete a standardisation process. They review a range of candidate responses and discuss the mark scheme in detail to agree which answers can and cannot be accepted. Examiners award marks where it is clear that candidate responses have met the requirements of the mark scheme. These requirements may vary between different components or different versions of the same component, depending on the exact requirements of the question and the candidate responses seen during the standardisation process.
Sometimes, our mark schemes may allow marks to be awarded to responses which contain elements that are factually incorrect or for content not covered by the syllabus. We do this in response to the demands of a specific question to support candidates and make sure that our assessments are fair. However, these allowances should not be used as a guide for teaching and learning.
We cannot discuss the mark scheme with schools, and we recommend that schools read the mark scheme together with the assessment material and the Principal Examiner Report for Teachers.
This document consists of 17 printed pages.
General marking principles
All examiners must apply these marking principles when marking candidate responses.
1
Examiners must award marks for each response in line with:
- the specific content defined in the mark scheme
- the specific skills defined in the mark scheme or in the level descriptions
- the standard of response required as exemplified by the standardisation scripts.
2
Examiners must award whole marks (not half marks or other fractions).
3
Examiners must award marks positively. This means that:
- marks are not deducted for errors or omissions
- marks are awarded for correct/valid answers as defined in the mark scheme and also for other valid answers which go beyond the scope of the syllabus and mark scheme referring to your team leader as appropriate
- the quality of spelling, punctuation and grammar are judged only when the mark scheme indicates that these features are specifically assessed in the question. However, the meaning of all responses must be unambiguous.
4
Examiners must consistently apply the requirements of the mark scheme and any rules for what to do when candidates have not followed instructions correctly.
5
Examiners must use the full range of marks defined in the mark scheme, unless limited by the quality of the candidate responses seen.
6
Examiners must award marks according to the mark scheme and must not award marks with grade thresholds or grade descriptions in mind.
Annotations guidance for centres
Examiners use a system of annotations as a shorthand for communicating their marking decisions to one another. Examiners are trained during the standardisation process on how and when to use annotations. The purpose of annotations is to inform the standardisation and monitoring processes and guide the supervising examiners when they are checking the work of examiners within their team. The meaning of annotations and how they are used is specific to each component and is understood by all examiners who mark the component.
We publish annotations in our mark schemes to help centres understand the annotations they may see on copies of scripts. Note that there may not be a direct correlation between the number of annotations on a script and the mark awarded. Similarly, the use of an annotation may not be an indication of the quality of the response.
The annotations listed below were available to examiners marking this component in this series.
Annotations
| Annotation | Meaning |
|---|---|
 | Correct |
 | Incorrect |
 | To indicate where a key word/phrase/code is missing. |
 | Not relevant or used to separate parts of an answer. |
 | Indicates a part of the answer that is incorrect. |
| Highlighter | To draw attention to a particular aspect or to indicate where parts of an answer have been combined. |
 | Too vague. |
 | Repetition |
 | No examples or not enough. |
| Annotation | Meaning |
|---|---|
 | Benefit of Doubt. |
 | Not Answered Question. |
 | Indicates that work or a page has been seen including blank answer spaces and blank pages. |
 | Follow through. |
 | Ignore |