WAEC Data Processing 2016 past questions

Checked by the Skolra question team · Last updated 15 October 2026

Ten questions from the 2016 WAEC Data Processing paper, with answers and explanations. We hold 40 questions from this paper, and the Skolra app has all of them.

WAEC Data Processing 2016 questions and answers

1. 1.Which of the following operations prevent file loss?
   1. A
      regular backing up of files
      Correct
   2. B
      compressing files into one folder
   3. C
      renaming files frequently
   4. D
      deleting unused files
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   Answer: A

   Keeping regular backup copies of files protects against loss from accidental deletion, corruption or hardware failure.
2. 2.An operating system will perform the following except
   1. A
      file management
   2. B
      device management
   3. C
      word processing
      Correct
   4. D
      memory management
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   Answer: C

   Word processing is performed by an application program, not the operating system, which instead manages memory, files and devices.
3. 3.The rules for exchanging data on a network are known as
   1. A
      firewall
   2. B
      topology
   3. C
      protocol
      Correct
   4. D
      bandwidth
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   Answer: C

   A protocol is the agreed set of rules governing how data is formatted and exchanged between devices on a network.
4. 4.The MS Excel worksheet below shows the salary distribution for four staff of a company. The net salary is paid after deductions have been made. [TABLE] A | B | C | D | E; 1 | IDENTIFICATION NUMBER | BASIC SALARY (N) | TOTAL ALLOWANCE (N) | TOTAL DEDUCTION (N) | NET SALARY (N); 2 | LP/P/1202 | 22000 | 29000 | 7000 | 44000; 3 | L/P/1250 | 26000 | 35000 | 9000 | 52000; 4 | L/P/3205 | 15000 | 21000 | 6000 | 30000; 5 | L/P/3215 | 33000 | 41000 | 8000 | 66000 [/TABLE] Which of the following formulas would be used to obtain the value in cell E2?
   1. A
      =B2+C2-D2
      Correct
   2. B
      =B2+C2+D2
   3. C
      =B2-C2-D2
   4. D
      =B2-C2+D2
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   Answer: A

   Net salary equals basic salary plus total allowance minus total deduction; for row 2 this is 22000+29000-7000 = 44000, matching =B2+C2-D2.
5. 5.Which of the following is a negative impact of ICT in education?
   1. A
      wider availability of e-learning resources
   2. B
      increased examination malpractice through internet-enabled cheating
      Correct
   3. C
      faster communication between teachers and students
   4. D
      improved access to learning materials
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   Answer: B

   ICT can be misused for examination malpractice and cheating, which is a negative effect, while the other options describe genuine benefits ICT brings to education.
6. 6.Data gathering involves the following means except
   1. A
      observation
   2. B
      interview
   3. C
      computation
      Correct
   4. D
      questionnaire
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   Answer: C

   Interviews, observation and questionnaires are all means of gathering data, whereas computation is a data processing step performed after the data has been collected.
7. 7.Who developed the first digital electrical computer?
   1. A
      Blaise Pascal
   2. B
      Konrad Zuse
      Correct
   3. C
      Charles Babbage
   4. D
      John Napier
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   Answer: B

   Konrad Zuse is widely credited in computing history with building the first programmable digital electrical computer (the Z3), whereas Babbage's engine was mechanical and Pascal and Napier built earlier calculating devices.
8. 8.In graphic packages, the process of removing unwanted part of an image is known as
   1. A
      flipping
   2. B
      resizing
   3. C
      rotating
   4. D
      cropping
      Correct
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   Answer: D

   Cropping is the process in graphics packages of cutting away the unwanted parts of an image while keeping the portion needed.
9. 9.The feature in a browser which enables users to open the latest copy of a webpage is
   1. A
      history
   2. B
      bookmark
   3. C
      refresh/reload
      Correct
   4. D
      back button
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   Answer: C

   The refresh (or reload) feature re-fetches a webpage from the server so the user sees its latest version.
10. 10.In relational model, a tuple is a?
    1. A
       a row (record) in a table
       Correct
    2. B
       a database
    3. C
       a column (field) in a table
    4. D
       an entire table
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    Answer: A

    In relational database terminology, a tuple refers to a single row, or record, in a table.

The questions come from past JAMB, WAEC and NECO papers. We use software to help write the answer options and explanations, and every answer is checked twice before it goes on the site. How we check

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