I85PREP
⌘ K
SACE Stage 2 Information Processing and Publishing study materials
SACE Stage 2 Information Processing and Publishing study resources

SACE Stage 2 Information Processing and Publishing practice questions

One question at a time. Build your SACE Stage 2 Information Processing and Publishing understanding.

First 50 of 199 questions. Each one lists the choices, the correct answer, and an explanation. The checker at the top of this page saves progress in this browser when it is available.

Continue in the practice tool above to load more questions, 50 at a time.

Question 1School assessment

Which file format stores image data without compression, preserving every pixel exactly as captured?

  1. GIF
  2. JPEG
  3. BMP Correct answer.
  4. SVG

Explanation

BMP is a raster format that typically stores pixel data uncompressed, so no image information is discarded when the file is saved. Formats such as JPEG use lossy compression, GIF reduces colours to a palette, and SVG stores shapes as text instructions rather than pixels.

Question 2School assessment

A school wants each student's marks stored so that a spreadsheet can calculate averages automatically. Which data type is most appropriate for the marks field?

  1. Text
  2. Boolean
  3. Number Correct answer.
  4. Date

Explanation

Numeric values must be stored with a number data type so spreadsheet functions can perform arithmetic on them. Text entries that look like digits are treated as labels and cannot be summed or averaged. Boolean and date types represent truth values and calendar points, not measurable scores.

Question 3School assessment

Which statement best describes the purpose of a primary key in a relational database table?

  1. It uniquely identifies each record in the table Correct answer.
  2. It sorts the records into alphabetical order
  3. It encrypts sensitive records stored in the table
  4. It links the table to an external spreadsheet

Explanation

A primary key is a field whose value is unique for every record, giving each row a reliable identifier. This uniqueness prevents duplicate records and allows other tables to reference rows through foreign keys. Encryption, sorting and external linking are separate functions unrelated to the key's defining role.

Question 4School assessment

A student writes a survey question: 'Don't you agree that the new timetable is much better than the old one?' What is the main design flaw?

  1. The question uses too many technical terms
  2. The question allows multiple responses
  3. The question contains a leading prompt Correct answer.
  4. The question is too short to be understood

Explanation

The wording presupposes that the new timetable is better, which steers respondents toward agreement and biases the results. A neutral question would ask respondents to compare the two timetables without implying a preferred answer. Length, jargon and response options are separate concerns from this leading bias.

Question 5School assessment

Which software category is designed specifically for laying out text and images on pages for print publication?

  1. Desktop publishing software Correct answer.
  2. Database management software
  3. Spreadsheet software
  4. Web browser software

Explanation

Desktop publishing software provides page layout tools such as frames, columns and typographic control for producing print-ready documents. Spreadsheets handle calculations, databases store structured records, and browsers display web content rather than design print pages.

Question 6School assessment

A file must be sent by email and the receiver needs to open it on any device without installing extra software. Which approach best meets this requirement?

  1. Save as a proprietary format tied to one application
  2. Convert the file into a series of screenshots
  3. Save as a widely supported open format such as PDF Correct answer.
  4. Compress into a password-protected archive

Explanation

Open, widely supported formats such as PDF can be read on most devices with free viewers, maximising compatibility. Proprietary formats may require specific software, while archives and screenshots either hinder access or lose editable content.

Question 7School assessment

In a relational database, what is a foreign key used for?

  1. To store the largest numeric value in a table
  2. To reference the primary key of another table Correct answer.
  3. To guarantee that every field is unique
  4. To define the visual layout of a report

Explanation

A foreign key holds a value that matches a primary key in another table, creating a relationship between the two tables. This enforces referential integrity so records cannot point to non-existent rows. Uniqueness across all fields and report layout are unrelated to foreign keys.

Question 8School assessment

Which practice best protects a student's account from unauthorised access?

  1. Using the same short password across all accounts
  2. Writing the password on the inside of a laptop case
  3. Using a long passphrase unique to that account Correct answer.
  4. Sharing the password only with close friends

Explanation

A long passphrase that is unique to one account resists guessing and ensures a breach of one service cannot expose others. Reusing a short password, sharing it, or storing it physically all increase the chance of compromise.

Question 9School assessment

A designer reduces a 4000-pixel-wide photograph to 400 pixels wide for a web banner. What is the main consequence?

  1. The image becomes editable as text
  2. The colour depth automatically doubles
  3. The file becomes a vector graphic
  4. Detail is lost and the image cannot regain its original resolution Correct answer.

Explanation

Downsampling permanently removes pixel information, so enlarging the image later produces a blurry result. The file remains a raster image and no automatic gain in colour depth or text editability occurs.

Question 10School assessment

A database query returns every customer who has placed no orders. Which condition correctly implements this requirement?

  1. Include customers whose order count equals zero Correct answer.
  2. Include customers whose order count is greater than zero
  3. Include customers whose order count is null or positive
  4. Exclude customers whose order count equals zero

Explanation

Filtering on an order count equal to zero selects exactly those customers with no recorded orders. Conditions using greater than zero or excluding zero return the opposite group, and combining null with positive values does not isolate the required set.

Question 11School assessment

A newsletter is produced with body text set at 9 point and headings at 10 point bold. What is the main design problem?

  1. The typeface is not installed on the printer
  2. The page margins are set too wide
  3. The images are stored at low resolution
  4. The contrast between heading and body text is too weak Correct answer.

Explanation

Effective layout uses clear visual hierarchy, and a heading only one point larger than body text is difficult to distinguish. Readers rely on size, weight and spacing to scan structure quickly. Printer fonts, margins and image resolution are unrelated to this specific contrast issue.

Question 12School assessment

Which sequence correctly describes how a web page reaches a user's browser?

  1. Server sends files unprompted, browser requests the address, page renders
  2. Server renders the page, browser stores it, user requests the address
  3. Browser sends request, server responds with files, browser renders the page Correct answer.
  4. Browser renders the page, then requests the files from the server

Explanation

The browser resolves the address, sends an HTTP request to the server, and the server returns the requested files, which the browser then interprets and displays. Rendering follows retrieval, not the reverse, and servers do not push pages without a request.

Question 13School assessment

A spreadsheet cell displays the error value #DIV/0!. What is the most likely cause?

  1. A formula divides by a cell that is empty or zero Correct answer.
  2. A column is too narrow to display the result
  3. A referenced worksheet has been renamed
  4. A text value was entered where a number was expected

Explanation

The #DIV/0! error appears when a formula attempts division by zero or by an empty cell treated as zero. Text entry problems produce different errors, renamed sheets break references, and narrow columns show hashes rather than this error.

Question 14School assessment

A company collects customer email addresses for a loyalty program. Which action best complies with privacy principles?

  1. Collect only the data needed and explain its intended use Correct answer.
  2. Retain the data indefinitely regardless of purpose
  3. Share the list with partner businesses without notice
  4. Collect as much data as possible in case it becomes useful

Explanation

Privacy principles emphasise collecting only necessary information and informing people how it will be used. Excess collection, undisclosed sharing and indefinite retention all exceed the stated purpose and reduce individual control over personal data.

Question 15School assessment

Which file format is most suitable for a company logo that must scale to billboard size without losing sharpness?

  1. PNG
  2. JPEG
  3. SVG Correct answer.
  4. GIF

Explanation

SVG stores shapes as mathematical instructions, so it scales to any size without pixelation, which suits logos and signage. JPEG, PNG and GIF are raster formats whose quality degrades when enlarged far beyond their stored dimensions.

Question 16School assessment

A team builds a website where content must be updated by non-technical staff through a browser interface. Which solution best fits?

  1. A content management system with an administrative interface Correct answer.
  2. A desktop publishing document exported to PDF
  3. A static HTML site edited directly in code
  4. A spreadsheet shared on a network drive

Explanation

A content management system separates content from presentation and gives non-technical users a browser-based editor for updating pages. Direct code editing requires technical skill, while PDFs and spreadsheets are not web publishing platforms.

Question 17School assessment

A survey is sent only to students who attend the morning bus route. Which sampling concern does this raise?

  1. The response rate will be impossible to calculate
  2. The questions cannot be analysed statistically
  3. The survey cannot be delivered electronically
  4. The sample may not represent the whole student population Correct answer.

Explanation

Restricting the survey to one bus route creates a biased sample that may not reflect students who travel differently or not at all. Conclusions drawn from it may not generalise to the full population. Response rate and statistical analysis remain possible, and delivery is unaffected.

Question 18School assessment

A spreadsheet uses a relative cell reference such as B2 in a formula that is copied down a column. What happens to the reference?

  1. It adjusts to the corresponding row in each copy Correct answer.
  2. It remains fixed on cell B2 in every copy
  3. It becomes an error value in lower rows
  4. It converts into an absolute reference automatically

Explanation

Relative references change when a formula is copied, shifting to match the new row or column so each copy operates on its own data. Keeping a reference fixed requires an absolute reference using dollar signs. No automatic conversion or error occurs.

Question 19School assessment

Which statement correctly distinguishes lossless from lossy compression?

  1. Lossless always produces smaller files than lossy
  2. Lossless discards data permanently; lossy restores the original exactly
  3. Lossless only applies to text; lossy only applies to audio
  4. Lossless restores the original data exactly; lossy discards some data permanently Correct answer.

Explanation

Lossless compression encodes data so it can be fully reconstructed, whereas lossy compression removes detail judged less perceptible to achieve smaller sizes. The distinction concerns reversibility, not media type, and lossy methods generally achieve greater size reduction.

Question 20School assessment

A relational database stores orders and customers in separate tables. Which design best prevents a customer's address being stored inconsistently across many orders?

  1. Store the address only in printed invoices
  2. Store the address in a text field inside each product record
  3. Store the address once in the customers table and link orders by customer ID Correct answer.
  4. Store the address in the orders table and retype it for each order

Explanation

Keeping the address in a single customer record and referencing it by customer ID removes duplication and the risk of conflicting versions, which is the goal of normalisation. Retyping the address per order or per product reintroduces redundancy, and printed invoices are not a data store.

Question 21School assessment

A web page must display correctly on phones, tablets and desktop monitors. Which technique is most appropriate?

  1. Responsive design using fluid grids and media queries Correct answer.
  2. Fixed pixel widths for every element
  3. Embedding all content inside a single large image
  4. Serving a separate printed version to each device

Explanation

Responsive design uses flexible layouts and media queries so one page adapts its arrangement to different screen sizes. Fixed widths cause horizontal scrolling on small screens, and images or print versions do not provide adaptable layout.

Question 22School assessment

An organisation stores backups on-site beside the original servers. Which weakness does this introduce?

  1. A single local incident can destroy both copies Correct answer.
  2. Backups consume too much network bandwidth
  3. Restoring from backup takes longer than before
  4. Backups become unreadable over time

Explanation

Keeping backups in the same location means a fire, flood or theft can destroy the originals and the copies together. Off-site or cloud replication protects against such localised events. Readability, bandwidth and restore time are separate considerations.

Question 23School assessment

A student must cite an online article in a report. Which detail is essential for a reader to locate the source?

  1. The number of words in the article
  2. The browser used to view the article
  3. The colour scheme of the website
  4. The author, title, publication date and URL Correct answer.

Explanation

A citation needs enough identifying detail, such as author, title, date and location, for a reader to retrieve the same source. Visual design, word count and browser choice do not identify the article and are irrelevant to referencing.

Question 24School assessment

A spreadsheet must show a student's grade only when all assessment marks are present, otherwise display 'Incomplete'. Which approach is most robust?

  1. Sort the rows so incomplete records appear last
  2. Use a formula that tests for blank marks before calculating the grade Correct answer.
  3. Manually type the grade after checking each row
  4. Apply a colour fill to rows with missing marks

Explanation

A conditional formula that checks for blanks before computing the grade enforces the rule automatically and updates as marks are entered. Manual entry is error-prone, and sorting or colouring only changes appearance without controlling the displayed result.

Question 25School assessment

Two tables are joined and the result contains fewer rows than expected, with some customers missing. Which cause is most likely?

  1. The query has been sorted in ascending order
  2. The database has been normalised to third normal form
  3. The primary key contains duplicate values
  4. The join uses an inner join that excludes unmatched records Correct answer.

Explanation

An inner join returns only rows with matching values in both tables, so customers without a related record disappear. Using an outer join would retain them with empty fields. Normalisation, key duplication and sorting do not by themselves remove unmatched rows.

Question 26School assessment

A student wants to compare the readability of two typefaces in a printed report. Which term describes the small decorative stroke at the end of each letter in a typeface such as Times New Roman?

  1. Tracking
  2. Kerning
  3. Leading
  4. Serif Correct answer.

Explanation

A serif is the small finishing stroke at the end of a letter's main strokes, and typefaces that have these strokes are called serif typefaces. Kerning, leading and tracking all describe spacing rather than letter shape.

Question 27School assessment

Which colour model is most appropriate for artwork that will be printed on a commercial press?

  1. HSL
  2. RGB
  3. Hexadecimal
  4. CMYK Correct answer.

Explanation

Printing presses reproduce colour with cyan, magenta, yellow and black inks, so CMYK is the model used for print production. RGB, HSL and hexadecimal values describe screen colour produced by emitted light.

Question 28School assessment

A school wants a single document that many staff can read on any computer without needing the authoring software. Which format is most suitable for a fixed-layout final document?

  1. DOCX
  2. PSD
  3. PDF Correct answer.
  4. CSV

Explanation

PDF preserves the layout and fonts of a finished document and can be opened with widely available free readers. The other formats are either editable source files tied to particular software or plain tabular data.

Question 29School assessment

In a spreadsheet, which symbol must a formula begin with so the software treats the entry as a calculation rather than text?

  1. &
  2. @
  3. #
  4. = Correct answer.

Explanation

Spreadsheet software recognises a calculation when the cell entry begins with an equals sign, which signals that a formula follows. The other symbols are used for error codes, references or text concatenation rather than starting a formula.

Question 30School assessment

Which HTML element is used to create a hyperlink to another page?

  1. <h1>
  2. <img>
  3. <a> Correct answer.
  4. <p>

Explanation

The anchor element, written as <a>, creates a hyperlink and uses its href attribute to specify the destination. The other elements insert an image, a paragraph or a top-level heading.

Question 31School assessment

Which storage location typically offers the fastest access to data currently being used by a running program?

  1. A solid-state drive
  2. Random access memory Correct answer.
  3. A network file server
  4. A magnetic tape archive

Explanation

Random access memory holds data and instructions that the processor is actively using, and it can be read far faster than any secondary storage. Drives, servers and tape all involve much slower access.

Question 32School assessment

A user receives an email claiming to be from a bank and asking them to confirm their password through a link. Which term best describes this attempt?

  1. Spoofing a MAC address
  2. Spamming
  3. Packet sniffing
  4. Phishing Correct answer.

Explanation

Phishing is a social-engineering attack that impersonates a trusted organisation to trick a recipient into revealing credentials. Spam is unsolicited bulk mail, while the other options are network-level techniques rather than deceptive messages.

Question 33School assessment

Which practice best ensures that a document can be recovered if the original file becomes corrupted?

  1. Compressing the file to reduce its size
  2. Keeping a regularly tested backup copy in a separate location Correct answer.
  3. Storing the file only on the same drive as the working copy
  4. Renaming the file each time it is edited

Explanation

A backup held separately from the original protects against corruption, theft and local disasters, and testing it confirms the copy is usable. Renaming, compressing or keeping a second copy on the same drive does not protect against the drive failing.

Question 34School assessment

A magazine page uses a large photograph that overlaps the page number in the bottom corner, making the number unreadable. Which design principle has been violated?

  1. Proportion
  2. Alignment
  3. Consistency
  4. Legibility Correct answer.

Explanation

Legibility concerns whether text can be read clearly; obscuring the page number with an image makes that element unreadable. Alignment, consistency and proportion relate to placement and scale rather than to whether content remains readable.

Question 35School assessment

A student types 0.456 into a cell formatted as a percentage and expects to see 45.6%. What will the cell display if the value stays as 0.456 and percentage formatting is applied?

  1. 456%
  2. 4.56%
  3. 0.456%
  4. 45.6% Correct answer.

Explanation

Percentage formatting multiplies the stored decimal by 100 and appends the percent sign, so 0.456 is displayed as 45.6%. The decimal value itself does not change, only how it is presented.

Question 36School assessment

A spreadsheet formula in cell C2 reads =B2*$D$1. When the formula is copied to C3, which formula appears?

  1. =B3*$D$1 Correct answer.
  2. =B2*$D$2
  3. =B2*$D$1
  4. =B3*$D$2

Explanation

The relative reference B2 shifts down one row to B3, while the absolute reference $D$1 is locked and stays unchanged. Copying therefore produces =B3*$D$1.

Question 37School assessment

A database table of student records uses student ID as its primary key. Which statement about that primary key is correct?

  1. Each value must be unique and cannot be left empty Correct answer.
  2. Each value must be a text string of fixed length
  3. Each value may be repeated as long as the names differ
  4. Each value must be entered in alphabetical order

Explanation

A primary key uniquely identifies each row, so duplicate or missing values are not permitted. Its data type and the order of entry are not restricted by the primary key rule.

Question 38School assessment

A web developer wants the same style rules applied to every page of a site without repeating them in each HTML file. Which approach achieves this?

  1. Embedding a style block in every page
  2. Writing the styles as HTML comments
  3. Adding a style attribute to every element
  4. Linking each page to one external style sheet Correct answer.

Explanation

An external style sheet is stored once and linked from each page, so a single edit updates the whole site. Inline attributes, embedded blocks and comments either repeat the rules or fail to apply them at all.

Question 39School assessment

A form collects a date of birth. Which validation rule is most appropriate to check the value is plausible?

  1. Presence check only
  2. Length check of exactly two characters
  3. Range check against the earliest and latest acceptable dates Correct answer.
  4. Type check for alphabetic characters

Explanation

A range check confirms the entered date falls between sensible limits such as the earliest plausible birth date and today. Presence, alphabetic and two-character checks do not establish that a date is realistic.

Question 40School assessment

A table stores a product's supplier name in every order row. A supplier changes its name and staff must update many rows. Which change best addresses this problem?

  1. Sort the orders table by supplier name
  2. Increase the length of the supplier name field
  3. Store each supplier once in its own table and reference it by supplier ID Correct answer.
  4. Add a second supplier name column as a backup

Explanation

Storing supplier details once in a separate table and referencing them by an ID removes repeated data, so a name change needs only one edit. Widening, sorting or duplicating the column leaves the redundancy in place.

Question 41School assessment

A survey question asks: 'Do you agree that the new timetable is an improvement and that breaks are long enough?' Which weakness does this question have?

  1. It asks about two issues at once, so responses cannot be interpreted Correct answer.
  2. It collects data at a nominal level only
  3. It uses leading wording that suggests the answer
  4. It offers no option for undecided respondents

Explanation

A double-barrelled question combines two separate issues, so a single answer cannot show which issue the respondent supported. Leading wording, missing neutral options and measurement level are different concerns.

Question 42School assessment

A spreadsheet contains first names in column A and surnames in column B. Which formula combines them into a single full name in cell C2?

  1. =SUM(A2:B2)
  2. =A2=B2
  3. =A2&" "&B2 Correct answer.
  4. =A2+B2

Explanation

The ampersand joins text strings, so =A2&" "&B2 concatenates the first name, a space and the surname. The other formulas attempt arithmetic or a comparison on text values.

Question 43School assessment

A company wants to check whether a proposed new logo is clear when printed very small on a business card. Which test is most useful?

  1. Converting the logo to a low-resolution JPEG
  2. Printing the logo at the intended small size and inspecting the result Correct answer.
  3. Viewing the logo zoomed in on a large monitor
  4. Adding a drop shadow to improve contrast

Explanation

Testing at the actual reproduction size reveals whether fine details survive the print process. Zoomed screen viewing, lossy conversion and added effects do not replicate small-scale printing conditions.

Question 44School assessment

A spreadsheet must count how many students scored 50 or more in a test held in column D. Which function is most appropriate?

  1. COUNTA(D2:D40)
  2. AVERAGE(D2:D40)
  3. MAX(D2:D40)
  4. COUNTIF(D2:D40,">=50") Correct answer.

Explanation

COUNTIF counts cells that meet a stated criterion, so COUNTIF with the criterion ">=50" returns the number of students at or above 50. The other functions compute an average, a maximum or a count of non-empty cells.

Question 45School assessment

A web page's images load slowly for users on mobile connections. Which change most directly reduces the amount of image data downloaded?

  1. Serving smaller, compressed images sized for the display Correct answer.
  2. Storing the images in a separate folder
  3. Adding more descriptive alt text to each image
  4. Increasing the image resolution and scaling it down in the browser

Explanation

Download size depends on the actual pixel dimensions and compression of the file served, so optimised images cut transfer volume. Alt text, browser-side scaling and folder structure do not reduce the bytes downloaded.

Question 46School assessment

A query joins a customers table to an orders table and is expected to list every customer, including those with no orders. Which join type returns all customers?

  1. Inner join between the two tables
  2. Right outer join from orders to customers
  3. Left outer join from customers to orders Correct answer.
  4. Cross join between the two tables

Explanation

A left outer join keeps every row of the left table and fills unmatched order fields with nulls, so customers without orders still appear. An inner join drops unmatched customers, and a cross join multiplies rows rather than preserving unmatched ones.

Question 47School assessment

A school stores assessment marks in a table keyed by student ID and task ID together. Which statement about this composite key is correct?

  1. Only the first column of the pair needs to be unique
  2. The pair can be replaced by any single text column
  3. Each individual column must also be unique on its own
  4. The combination of both values must be unique for each row Correct answer.

Explanation

A composite primary key enforces uniqueness across the combination of its columns, so a student may appear many times and a task may appear many times, but each student-task pair occurs once. Individual columns need not be unique.

Question 48School assessment

An organisation's privacy policy states that data is kept only as long as needed, yet old customer records remain in an active database indefinitely. Which principle is being breached?

  1. Individuals should be able to access their own data
  2. Data should be stored securely against loss
  3. Data should be retained no longer than necessary for its purpose Correct answer.
  4. Data should be collected using fair and lawful means

Explanation

Retention limits require that personal information be destroyed or de-identified once it is no longer needed for the stated purpose. The other options describe collection, security and access rights, which are separate obligations.

Question 49School assessment

A spreadsheet uses nested IF functions to assign grades from marks. A student with a mark of 65 receives the wrong grade because the tests are ordered from lowest to highest threshold with no final fallback. Which fix is most reliable?

  1. Change the cell format to show two decimal places
  2. Replace the marks with text values
  3. Remove the final IF so the formula is shorter
  4. Order the tests from highest threshold to lowest and end with a default result Correct answer.

Explanation

Nested IF tests are evaluated in order and stop at the first true condition, so thresholds must run from highest to lowest with a default outcome to catch remaining cases. Shortening, altering data types or reformatting does not correct the logical order.

Question 50School assessment

A team publishes a website where pages are generated from a database and templates rather than written by hand. Which advantage does this approach provide when a site-wide footer changes?

  1. One template edit updates the footer on every generated page Correct answer.
  2. Browsers automatically rewrite the footer when it is outdated
  3. Each page must be edited individually to stay consistent
  4. The footer is stored as a separate image on each page

Explanation

Template-driven publishing separates content from presentation, so a single change to the shared template propagates to all pages built from it. Manual editing, per-page images and browser behaviour would not achieve consistent site-wide updates.