Lesson 4.1.1.1

4.1.1.1 Data types Quiz: AQA Computer Science, Unit 1

20 questions

Written by Revision Ninja · Last reviewed 11 October 2026

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Lesson 4.1.1.1, Data types: 20 multiple choice questions for the AQA Computer Science (7517), Unit 1: Fundamentals of programming, written with Revision Ninja.

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The 20 questions

  1. Which data type should a pointer or reference variable be classed as when it stores the memory address of an object created at runtime?

    • A pointer/reference data type
    • A real/float data type, used for values that include a fractional part
    • A character data type, used to hold one symbol from the character set
    • A Boolean data type, used to hold only TRUE or FALSE values

  2. Which built-in data type is most suitable for storing whether a customer has paid an invoice, using only the values TRUE or FALSE?

    • Boolean
    • String
    • Real/float
    • Integer

  3. Which built-in data type is needed to store a value such as 3.75 that has a fractional part?

    • Real/float
    • Boolean
    • Character
    • Integer

  4. What is a record in a programming language?

    • A collection of elements that all share one data type
    • A collection of fields that may have different data types
    • A single character code stored as a number
    • A fixed numeric constant that cannot change

  5. Which of these is a user-defined data type?

    • The integer type built into the language for whole numbers
    • A record type defined by the programmer from built-in types
    • The string type built into the language for sequences of characters
    • The Boolean type built into the language for TRUE or FALSE values

  6. Which data type is used to store a single symbol such as the letter Q?

    • Character
    • Pointer/reference
    • Record
    • Date/time

  7. Which data type holds an indexed collection of elements that all have the same data type?

    • Pointer/reference
    • Array (or equivalent)
    • Date/time
    • Record (or equivalent)

  8. A program stores a student's date of birth. Which built-in data type is most suitable?

    • Integer
    • Character
    • Date/time
    • Real/float

  9. Which statement about a Boolean variable is correct?

    • It can hold only the values TRUE or FALSE
    • It can hold any whole number
    • It can hold a memory address
    • It can hold any sequence of characters

  10. A programmer defines a type Point with two real fields x and y. What is Point classed as?

    • A language-defined character type
    • A pointer/reference type
    • An integer type
    • A user-defined data type

  11. Which of these is an integer literal?

    • "42"
    • 42.0
    • 42
    • TRUE

  12. A variable holds the address of a Node object that was created with a runtime allocation. Which data type is most accurate for that variable?

    • Array, used to store an indexed set of same-type elements
    • Record, used to group fields of different types together
    • Integer, used to store a whole number value in memory
    • Pointer/reference

  13. Which type is most suitable for storing a postcode such as AB1 2CD, which mixes letters and digits and is never used in arithmetic?

    • Real/float
    • Boolean
    • String
    • Integer

  14. A price of 19.99 pounds must be used in multiplication with a quantity. Which data type should store it?

    • Real/float
    • Character
    • Pointer/reference
    • Boolean

  15. An array of 10 records is stored, and each record has 3 fields that each hold one value. How many individual data items are stored in total?

    • 30
    • 10
    • 13
    • 3

  16. Why might a real/float type be needed rather than an integer type for a value such as 0.1?

    • Integers cannot be stored in a variable
    • Floats cannot be used in comparisons
    • Integers cannot represent fractional values
    • Floats always use fewer bytes than integers

  17. Variable p holds the address of an integer object whose value is 7. The program increments the value at that address by 1 through p. What is the stored value afterwards?

    • 1000
    • 7
    • 6
    • 8

  18. Why would a programmer define a user-defined data type?

    • To group related fields under one meaningful name for reuse
    • To store every value as text
    • To avoid declaring variables altogether
    • To make the program run faster by removing type checking

  19. A date is stored as the string "2024-03-15". Why should it be converted to a date/time value before dates are compared?

    • Because date/time values use less memory than strings
    • Because strings cannot be stored in variables
    • So that comparison follows calendar order rather than text order
    • Because string comparison is always incorrect for any text

  20. Which data type should store a customer's name, such as Sarah Jones, so that it can be joined with other text?

    • Boolean
    • Real/float
    • Pointer/reference
    • String

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