Information Technology is not about knowing the buttons. It is about knowing why the computer does what it does, and how to tell it what to do.The GOAT Notes™
CAPS prescribes two final papers in Term 4: Paper 1 is practical, Solution Development in Delphi on a computer, and Paper 2 is theory, written. Each is 120 marks, so 120 + 120 = 240 marks, and each paper counts 20% of your promotion mark. CAPS 4.6.1 makes Grade 10 papers internal: your school or province sets them and they are moderated.
Paper 1 is Delphi on supplied forms: input, output, casting, formatting, selection, loops, string handling, simple algorithms and validation. Components and methods stay inside the Grade 10 column of CAPS Annexure B. Paper 2 is the theory of all the content, concepts and skills of all topics. The PAT and the school tasks are not in either paper.
In Term 2 you write a practical paper of 100 marks (at least two and a half hours) and a theory paper of 100 marks (at least 2 hours): 200 marks in all. It is Task 3, and it carries 40% of the SBA.
The SBA is five tasks: Task 1 theory test 15%, Task 2 practical test 15%, Task 3 mid-year examination 40%, Task 4 alternative task 15% and Task 5 practical test 15%. That is 15 + 15 + 40 + 15 + 15 = 100% of the SBA.
No Grade 10 Information Technology paper from 2022 on could be found, and CAPS prints no section split, choice rule or calculator rule for Grade 10. So the questions, their marks and their order are not read from a paper: check your own paper's instructions.
These forms come from three WCED Term 1 revision booklets, which are teaching booklets with no marks, not papers. Treat them as forms, not as the November layout:
The 2024 amendment teaches Delphi from Term 1. The 2011 text, which used Scratch and weighted SBA, PAT, written and practical examination at 25% each, may still be what your school runs. Ask your teacher which one you follow.
Questions say define, what is or identify. One clear sentence earns the mark.
| Question | Memo answer |
|---|---|
| What is ICT? | Computer-based technologies (computers, smartphones) combined with communication technologies (phones, the internet) ✓ |
| Define Information Technology (2) | The use of computers, software and related technology ✓ to input, process, store and communicate data and information ✓ |
Trap: “ICT is the internet” loses the mark.
Forms: identify the five parts, fill in the missing step, how do input and output devices differ?
| Question | Memo answer |
|---|---|
| Differentiate input from output devices (2) | Input devices send data into the computer (keyboard) ✓; output devices give results to the user (monitor, printer) ✓ |
| Name a communication device | Network interface card (NIC), modem or router ✓ |
| Which memory is short-term? | RAM ✓ (it empties when the power goes off) |
Expect give TWO examples and why are hardware and software interdependent?
| Question | Memo answer |
|---|---|
| Examples of system software | operating system such as Windows or Android ✓ |
| Examples of application software | word processor, spreadsheet, game ✓ |
| Why interdependent? (2) | Hardware does nothing without software to instruct it ✓; software cannot run without hardware ✓ |
Commands: differentiate, categorise. Give both sides on the criteria named.
Daily sales: 12, 18, 15, 20, 10.
The five sales are data. The average is information.
A school library scans a card, updates the loan record, shows the due date, saves the loan and sends an SMS reminder.
Explain THREE disadvantages: a name and a reason for each.
| Disadvantage | Reason to write |
|---|---|
| Health risk | Long hours cause back pain and eyestrain |
| Security risk | Malware can damage or steal data |
| High cost | Computers are expensive, which disadvantages people who cannot afford one |
A learner scans her library card at the desk. Which step of the information processing cycle is the scan?
A teacher copies the term’s marks onto a flash drive. Which step of the cycle is this?
A weather app shows today’s forecast on your phone screen. Which step is the showing?
Which list puts these tasks in the order input, then processing, then output?
A clerk captures a customer’s name on a form and the system emails a copy to the customer. Which statement is correct?
Which ONE is not an output device?
Which device lets a computer connect to a network?
A learner wants to keep her project safe until next year. Which hardware is the best choice?
Which statement about devices is correct?
Which line matches each device to the correct job?
Which ONE is application software?
You must buy a licence from the owner before you may use this software at all. It is…
Which statement about hardware and software is correct?
A company gives a photo editor away at no cost for ever, but nobody may see or change its code. This is…
A school lab runs Linux, whose code anyone may study and change. Which statement is correct?
Which type of computer is most likely to run a school’s website for thousands of learners?
Which ONE is small enough to carry in a pocket?
A farmer wants a computer for a field trip with a battery, a keyboard that folds shut and the power to run spreadsheets. Which type fits?
Which feature do laptops, tablets and smartphones all share?
Which list ranks these computers from the lowest to the highest processing power?
Which ONE is a disadvantage of using computers?
Thabo writes: “Information is raw, unorganised facts.” Which correction is right?
A shop owner has a pile of 200 till slips. What turns this data into information?
Which ONE is an example of an ICT system?
Why do organisations value information more than raw data?
(a) Define an ICT system. (2) (b) Name ONE input device used in a point-of-sale system. (1)
An ICT system is hardware, software, data and people working together to convey, manipulate and store data. Input device: a barcode scanner.
(a) Explain why hardware and software are interdependent. (2) (b) State ONE job of system software. (1)
Hardware cannot work without software, which gives it instructions. Software cannot run without hardware to run on. System software, such as an operating system, runs the computer and manages its hardware.
Explain to a Grade 8 learner how a shop till is an ICT system, using the five parts of the cycle.
Explain to a Grade 8 learner how to decide whether a computer is a desktop, laptop, tablet, smartphone, server or embedded computer.
Explain to a Grade 8 learner why raw numbers on a page are not yet information, and what you must do to them.
This is a free preview of Topic 1. The full guide has every topic, the self-marking quizzes, mock exams, planner, journal and wellbeing tools.
Unlock the full guide on WhatsAppSee pricingYour journal is saved only on this device and browser (it does not sync across devices and is lost if you clear browser data). Use "Export" to keep a copy.
Exam stress is completely normal. Here are a few things that actually work. None of this replaces a doctor or a trusted adult.
Box breathing: 4 counts in, 4 hold, 4 out, 4 hold. Do it four times.
Look at the worked example below first, then make your own. Tick off each topic as you finish it.
Example (already filled in)
| Date | Subject | Topic | Done |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mon 8 Jul | Life Sciences | Your weakest topic, notes + summary | ✓ |
| Tue 9 Jul | Life Sciences | Next topic + 10 practice questions | ✓ |
| Wed 10 Jul | Life Sciences | A full past paper under time | – |
| Thu 11 Jul | Life Sciences | Mark the paper, revise weak spots | – |
Your plan
| Date | Subject | Topic | Done |
|---|---|---|---|
Your plan is saved only on this device. Use "Export plan" to keep a copy.
Every number you convert, every trace table you complete and every line of code you can read is a mark you have already banked. Go and collect them.