Information Technology Literacy
What the section tests
Everyday digital competence: hardware and software basics, operating-system tasks, file management, word processing and spreadsheets, internet and email use, safe and responsible practice, and basic troubleshooting.
Concepts to master
- Hardware versus software. Input devices (keyboard, mouse, scanner), output devices (monitor, printer), storage (hard disk, USB drive, cloud). RAM is volatile working memory; storage is persistent.
- File management. Extensions indicate type (.docx, .pdf, .xlsx, .jpg). Folders organise files; copy duplicates, move relocates, delete sends to the recycle bin.
- Spreadsheets. Cells are referenced by column and row (B3). A formula begins with =; relative references shift when copied, absolute references ($B$3) do not. SUM, AVERAGE, MAX, MIN are common functions.
- Internet and email. To, Cc and Bcc; reply versus reply-all; attachments and size limits; URLs and browsers.
- Safety. Strong unique passwords, phishing awareness, not sharing personal data, checking the sender and link before clicking.
Traps to watch
- Confusing RAM with storage, or saving with copying.
- Reading a spreadsheet formula as if cell references were fixed when they are relative.
- Treating Cc as hidden when it is Bcc that hides recipients.
- Believing a padlock icon guarantees a trustworthy site; it only shows the connection is encrypted.
Rule of thumb
For spreadsheet questions, trace the formula cell by cell and substitute actual values before predicting the result.
Worked example
If A1=4 and A2=6, then =SUM(A1:A2) returns 10, while =AVERAGE(A1:A2) returns 5.