IGCSE ICT: Images — Practice Questions

These questions cover Cambridge IGCSE ICT 0417 Topic 12: placing and editing an image, and reducing image file size. Topic 12 is mainly assessed through practical tasks in Papers 2 and 3, so Sections A and B are theory questions and Section C has practical-style tasks that you can carry out in your own software, with a checklist of what an examiner would look for.

These are original questions written for Marlbridge, for revision and practice on this content. They are not reproduced past-paper questions, and they do not replicate the exam’s exact structure, question count or mark tariffs — Cambridge International holds copyright in its own papers. Use these alongside the official past papers available through your school or Cambridge directly.

Related: Images revision notes · Images study guide

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Section A: short answers

1. State what is meant by the aspect ratio of an image. [1]

2. Name two ways of reducing the file size of an image. [2]

3. State the difference between cropping an image and resizing it. [2]

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Section B: structured questions

4. A photograph of a school building is 12 cm wide and 8 cm high. It must be placed in a newsletter with a width of 6 cm.

(a) State the height the image should have if the aspect ratio is maintained. [1] (b) Describe how to resize the image so that its aspect ratio is maintained. [2] (c) Explain what would happen if the height were set to 6 cm as well. [1]

5. A designer has a picture of an arrow pointing right. She needs a matching arrow pointing left.

(a) Name the edit she should apply. [1] (b) Explain why rotating the arrow through 180° might not give the result she wants if the arrow has text on it. [2]

6. A logo is built from a circle, a star and a text box.

(a) Explain why the three objects should be grouped. [2] (b) The star is hidden behind the circle. Describe how to make the star visible on top. [1]

7. A web designer has a photograph of 4000 × 3000 pixels with a colour depth of 24 bits.

(a) Explain why reducing the resolution reduces the file size. [2] (b) Give one disadvantage of reducing the colour depth. [1] (c) Explain why a smaller file is better for a web page. [1]

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Section C: practical-style tasks

Use any image and a word processor or presentation package. Take a screenshot as evidence after each step.

8. Place the image at the top right of the page, aligned with the right margin. Resize it to 5 cm wide, maintaining the aspect ratio. Crop it to remove the bottom quarter. [4]

9. Insert two overlapping shapes and the image. Send the image to the back, flip one shape vertically, then group all three objects. [4]

10. Increase the brightness of the image by 20% and reduce the contrast by 10%. Explain in one sentence what each change does to the image. [4]

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Worked answers

1. The ratio of the image’s width to its height (the proportion between them). [1]

2. Reduce the resolution (number of pixels) (1); reduce the colour depth (number of bits per pixel) (1). [2]

3. Cropping removes (cuts off) unwanted parts of the image (1); resizing changes the size of the whole image without removing any of it (1). [2]

4. (a) 4 cm (6 is half of 12, so the height is half of 8). [1] (b) Open the size/format picture settings and lock (tick) the aspect ratio (1), then enter a width of 6 cm so the height changes automatically (1). Dragging a corner handle may be credited for the first mark. [2] (c) The image would be distorted / squashed horizontally (stretched vertically) because the proportions no longer match the original. [1]

5. (a) Reflect (flip) horizontally. [1] (b) Rotating through 180° turns the arrow upside down as well as pointing it left (1), so any text would appear upside down; a horizontal flip only mirrors it left to right (1). [2]

6. (a) Grouped objects act as one object (1), so the logo can be moved or resized without the parts moving apart or out of position (1). [2] (b) Select the star and use bring to front (or select the circle and send to back). [1]

7. (a) Lower resolution means fewer pixels (1), so less data has to be stored for the image (1). [2] (b) Fewer colours can be shown, so colour gradients look less smooth / quality is reduced. [1] (c) The page loads/downloads faster (or uses less bandwidth/storage). [1]

8. Examiner-style checklist, 1 mark each:

• Image placed at the top of the page with its right edge on the right margin.
• Width is 5 cm.
• Aspect ratio maintained (height has changed in proportion; no distortion).
• Bottom quarter removed by cropping, not by resizing. [4]

9. 1 mark each:

• Image is behind both shapes (sent to back).
• One shape is mirrored top-to-bottom (flip vertical, not rotate).
• All three objects are grouped (selecting one selects all).
• Evidence shows the order and group clearly. [4]

10. Brightness raised by 20% (1) and contrast lowered by 10% (1). Brightness makes the whole image lighter (1); lower contrast reduces the difference between light and dark areas, so the image looks flatter (1). [4]

Frequently asked questions

How are image skills marked in the practical papers? Practical marks are given for the result shown in your printouts or screenshots, so the size, position and proportions must match the instruction exactly. Always check the aspect ratio has been kept when told to.

Will I be asked to calculate file sizes? The 0417 syllabus asks you to recognise that lowering resolution or colour depth reduces file size; the explanation of why (fewer pixels, fewer bits per pixel) is what earns marks.

Official syllabus

Cambridge International, Cambridge IGCSE Information and Communication Technology (0417) syllabus for 2026, 2027 and 2028, Version 3, Topic 12 “Images” (Place and edit an image; File size reduction) and section 4, details of Papers 2 and 3.