IGCSE ICT: The Effects of Using IT — Practice Questions

These are original questions written for Marlbridge, in the style and at the standard of the examination. They are not reproduced past-paper questions — Cambridge International holds copyright in its own papers. Use these alongside the official past papers available through your school or Cambridge directly.

Related: The Effects of Using IT revision notes

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Section A

1. Name two of the five dimensions considered when discussing the effects of smart devices in the home. [2]

2. State one cause of repetitive strain injury (RSI). [1]

3. State one negative effect of autonomous vehicles that is distinct from a data-security concern. [1]

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Section B

4. A household installs a smart lighting system that automatically adjusts lighting based on the time of day and occupancy.

(a) Explain one positive effect of this system on lifestyle. [2] (b) Explain one data security concern this system introduces. [2]

5. An office worker develops headaches after several months of a new job involving long hours at a computer screen.

(a) Identify two possible causes of the headaches. [2] (b) Recommend two specific prevention strategies, each linked to a cause you identified. [2]

6. A transport company is considering introducing autonomous delivery vehicles.

(a) State one positive effect this could have for the company. [1] (b) State one negative effect this could have for the company’s current drivers. [1] (c) Explain one transport-safety consideration, distinct from data security, that the company should evaluate before introducing these vehicles. [2]

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Section C

7. Discuss the positive and negative effects of a smart home security camera system linked to a mobile app, referring to at least two of the five named dimensions, and reach a brief, reasoned judgement about whether its benefits outweigh its risks for a typical household. [8]

8. A student writes: “Using a computer for a long time causes headaches, so you should just take regular breaks.” Evaluate whether this is a complete answer to a question asking about the causes and prevention of headaches from prolonged IT use. [4]

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Worked answers

1. Any two of: lifestyle, leisure time, physical fitness, security of data, social interaction. [2]

2. Repeated small movements, such as from typing or mouse use. [1]

3. New safety questions around the vehicle’s decision-making in unusual situations (or job displacement for professional drivers). [1]

4. (a) The system automates a routine task (adjusting lighting), saving the household time and effort compared with manually operating light switches throughout the day. [2] (b) The system is network-connected and likely linked to an account or app, making it a potential target for unauthorised access if that account or the home network is not properly secured. [2]

5. (a) Any two of: eye strain from prolonged screen focus; screen glare; poor posture; dehydration. [2] (b) Each prevention strategy must match its named cause, e.g. for eye strain: taking regular breaks and looking away periodically; for poor posture: using an adjustable chair and keeping the screen at eye level. [2]

6. (a) Reduced human error in the delivery process (or drivers/staff able to use time otherwise spent driving productively, if applicable). [1] (b) Job displacement — current drivers may lose their roles if delivery is automated. [1] (c) The company should evaluate how the vehicle’s control system handles unusual or unpredictable situations, such as an unexpected obstacle or unclear road conditions, since this concerns the vehicle’s actual decision-making and operational safety, separate from whether its systems could be accessed without authorisation. [2]

7. A strong answer discusses at least two dimensions with genuine mechanisms rather than a generic opinion. Positive: under lifestyle, the system can increase a household’s sense of security and convenience by allowing remote monitoring of the property. Negative: under security of data, the camera system is network-connected and linked to a mobile app, making it a potential target for unauthorised access — if compromised, it could expose live footage of inside or around the home to someone other than the household, which is a more serious privacy risk than for many other smart devices given what the camera actually records. A reasoned judgement should weigh the specific benefit (security/convenience) against the specific risk (privacy exposure if compromised), and could reasonably conclude that the benefits outweigh the risks provided the household takes basic security precautions (such as a strong password and keeping the app updated), rather than asserting one conclusion without reference to the trade-off. [8] (Marks for at least two named dimensions with genuine mechanisms, and a reasoned rather than asserted judgement.)

8. This is an incomplete answer. It correctly identifies prolonged computer use as a general cause and breaks as a general prevention strategy, but headaches from prolonged IT use have several distinct specific causes — eye strain, screen glare, poor posture, and dehydration — each of which has its own more specific and effective prevention strategy (adjusting brightness/contrast, using anti-glare measures, correcting posture, staying hydrated) beyond simply “taking a break.” A complete answer would name at least one or two of these specific causes and pair each with its matching, specific prevention strategy, rather than treating “take breaks” as a single answer that covers every possible cause. [4]

Official syllabus

Cambridge International, Cambridge IGCSE Information and Communication Technology (0417) syllabus for 2026, 2027 and 2028, Subject content, section 5 “The effects of using IT” (5.1-5.2) — the same specification cited by the The Effects of Using IT study guide and its revision notes. Verified 2026-09-02.