Computer Concepts - MIDTERM

In a digital integrated circuit such as a microprocessor, a logical 0 value is usually represented as:

A low or near-zero voltage

An integrated circuit (also called computer chip, microchip, or simply chip) is:

A set of microscopic electronic components

Because of its low power consumption, the most popular processor for smartphones is:

ARM

If your laptop has a MiniDisplay port for the external video but your monitor has only a DVI connection, you need:

An adapter

What is the textbook's recommended backup system for macOS computers?

Time machine

Arturo just spilled his bottled water all over his laptop. What would be the wisest action for Arturo to take first?

Turn the laptop off.

To select the product that will best fit your needs when purchasing a new digital device, you should begin by _____.

considering how you plan to use your device

A microprocessor instruction set _____.

contains a collection of directions for actions that its circuitry can perform

In a microprocessor, instructions to be executed are fetched by the _____.

control unit

Which device should you purchase if you want an affordable system that is ideal for dedicated gamers, serious designers, desktop publishers, and video editors?

desktop

Software that helps a peripheral device establish communication with its host device is called a _____.

device driver

The advantages of liquid crystal display (LCD) screens include _________________.

display clarity

Solid state storage is also known as:

flash memory

Professor Plum draws a diagram to show the class how data from external devices travels through the circuitry of a computer. The arrows representing the data should take what path?

port to expansion bus to RAM to local bus to CPU

In which form of processing must all steps in the instruction cycle be completed before the microprocessor begins to execute the next instruction?

serial

When it is one of the fastest computers in the world at the time of its construction, a computer can be categorized as a(n) _________________.

supercomputer

Which of the following is difficult or impossible to reconstruct if not backed up?

Data files

You have just started a copy of a very large file from your laptop to a USB drive. To make sure the copy is complete before disconnecting the USB drive, you should use the ______ function of your operating system.

Eject

A clamshell device:

Has a keyboard as the base and a screen on the hinged cover

Which of the following is not a characteristic of solid state drives?

Highly sensitive to mechanical shock (ie, dropping)

A friend calls you in a panic because the hard drive in his Windows PC has failed. He asks you what he should do now. What next steps do you recommend to your friend?

Install a new hard drive and use your recovery drive to boot the computer.

Which of the following statements about cloud storage is false?

It is expensive compared to other forms of storage.

Into which component are data, application software instructions, and operating system instructions loaded each time a computer is powered on?

RAM

The most commonly used digital device in the world is:

Smartphone

The process of backing up a smartphone to a desktop or laptop computer is termed:

Syncing

What color is a microprocessor chip?

The color may vary and is unimportant

The term form factor refers to:

The size and dimensions of a device or component

Charlotte is examining the output from a network utility to determine the IPv6 address for her computer. Which of the following strings of characters should she identify as the IPv6 address? a. 2001:48a8:800:1192:198:110:192:54 b. 207.75.117.26 c. 11001111 01001011 01110101 00011010 d. 172.16.0.0-172.31.255.255

a. 2001:48a8:800:1192:198:110:192:54

When you connect to a Wi-Fi hotspot, your digital device is classified as a _______________. a. DTE b. server c. DCE d. router

a. DTE

If your cable Internet service is sometimes delivering less than the speed quoted when you signed up, this means: a. Other users are competing with you for the bandwidth your cable company has from the Internet b. You are being cheated, pure and simple c. Your connection is not asymmetric d. You need to replace your router

a. Other users are competing with you for the bandwidth your cable company has from the Internet

What should be your first step when setting up a home router? a. Set up a new password for configuring the router b. Deactivate the guest network c. Enable WiFi d. Configure local addresses for DHCP

a. Set up a new password for configuring the router

When network protocols clean a corrupted signal, the process is called ______________. a. error correction b. packet switching c. handshaking d. UDP

a. error correction

Which type of cable is used for high-capacity trunk lines that provide the main routes for telephone, cable, and Internet communications? a. fiber-optic cables b. coaxial cables c. category 6 cables d. twisted pair cables

a. fiber-optic cables

Jared is using a BitTorrent network. He mentions this to his wife, who correctly points out that _____. a. it would be illegal to share videos whose copyright is held by someone else on this network b. this is an illegal technology, and thus Jared should seek an alternative c. Jared must register a copyright before sharing audio or text files he has created on this network d. these types of networks are secure because they cannot be used to distribute malware

a. it would be illegal to share videos whose copyright is held by someone else on this network

Prabhu is comparing diagrams of the infrastructures of cable, dial-up, and mobile broadband Internet services. He observes that _____. a. only the mobile broadband infrastructure provides a means to hand off signals as a user changes locations b. with both cable and dial-up connections, the user's data travels into space and back c. only the dial-up infrastructure results makes users parts of a neighborhood network linked by the ISPs wiring d. all three infrastructures involve the use of separate modem and router devices

a. only the mobile broadband infrastructure provides a means to hand off signals as a user changes locations

Which type of network topology connects multiple devices to a central device? a. star b. bus c. point-to-point d. mesh

a. star

Suppose you wanted to run a Web server or FTP server from your home. What type of IP address would you want? a. static b. dynamic c. broadband d. TCP

a. static

Luca has been tasked with setting up Wi-Fi for the small business where he works. The company's owner has asked him to make sure the Wi-Fi network is secure and available. Luca should set up Wi-Fi _____. a. using the star topology b. so that devices can broadcast directly to each other c. using the mesh topology d. with at least three routers in the network

a. using the star topology

Marley loves her IoT thermostat, which allows her to adjust its temperature setting from an app on her smartphone. She maintains her home at a different temperature when traveling, and she realizes that would-be housebreakers could use this information to burgle her home in her absence. She should _____. a. verify that her thermostat's IoT network encrypts data when it is transmitted and stored b. not worry because IoT devices are not vulnerable to security issues c. disable the sensors in her thermostat d. check that her thermostat is using RFID or NFC and not Bluetooth technology

a. verify that her thermostat's IoT network encrypts data when it is transmitted and stored

An INS would most likely be found in a(n) _________________.

autonomous vehicle

Internet addresses are controlled by which of the following protocols? a. TCP b. IP c. HTTP d. UDP

b. IP

While signing up for satellite Internet service so you can work at home at a rural location, you are concerned about latency. So you should watch for: a. High ping times b. LEO (Low Earth Orbit) satellites c. High bandwidth d. GEO (Geosynchronous) satellites

b. LEO (Low Earth Orbit) satellites

How can you tell if a hotspot is NOT encrypted? a. You had to enter information on a login screen b. No password was required to connect to it the first time c. It is free d. It showed up automatically on your computer

b. No password was required to connect to it the first time

traceroute (tracert on Windows) is used to troubleshoot Internet connections. I just did one on eclass.e.southern.edu, and several results were "Request timed out." But the site is actually working just fine for me! Why would I get this message? a. I am too far from that server to use traceroute. b. One or more of the routers along the path are using defensive security measures. c. traceroute does not work reliably when a person is using WiFi. d. The Internet is routing my request improperly.

b. One or more of the routers along the path are using defensive security measures.

On a network, which protocol is responsible for dividing files into chunks, adding headers containing information for reassembling packets in their original order, and verifying that the data was not corrupted while in transit? a. FTP b. TCP c. IP d. UDP

b. TCP

Oops! I forgot to pay for something I picked up while shopping, and an alarm went off as I walked out the door. This happened because the item I hadn't paid for contained a. WiFi transponder b. Tag c. Chemical responder d. Sensor

b. Tag

If your usual DNS server goes down, you might bypass the problem by: a. Using a private IP address for your computer b. Using one of Google's public domain name servers c. Changing your computer's IP address d. Connecting to your router

b. Using one of Google's public domain name servers

Which type of communication protocol converts data into standard formats that can be used by applications? a. error correction b. arrival c. physical d. transport

b. arrival

Dreandrea scans the results of an Internet search, looking for links that lead to Web pages hosted by educational institutions because she feels that they are more trustworthy. Dreandrea is _____. a. protecting herself from DNS spoofing by hackers b. checking the top-level domains for each domain name in the search results c. seeking Web links that end in either .com or .biz d. comparing the domain name servers from which each search result originated

b. checking the top-level domains for each domain name in the search results

What are Bluetooth LE, ZigBee, and Z-Wave? a. network interface controller technologies b. low-power, short-range technologies developed for IoT networks c. networking technologies defined by IEEE 802.3 standards d. networking technologies defined by IEEE 802.11 standards

b. low-power, short-range technologies developed for IoT networks

Scout would like to find out how many packets are being sent from and received by her Mac, so she _____. a. starts the Resource Monitor and checks the Network Activity pane b. opens Activity Monitor and clicks on the Network tab c. opens the Terminal application and uses the Ping utility d. activates DHCP using her router's browser interface

b. opens Activity Monitor and clicks on the Network tab

Railroad trains can carry huge loads efficiently because they are composed of cars which are of similar sizes. Data can be carried more efficiently across the Internet because it is placed in _______________ of similar sizes. a. protocols b. packets c. streams d. encryption algorithms

b. packets

A wired Ethernet jack looks like: a. A traditional USB jack b. A european 240 volt power jack c. A slightly over-sized jack for a wired telephone d. An earphone jack

c. A slightly over-sized jack for a wired telephone

On a network, any device that stores or generates data is considered to be a(n) _________. a. DCE (data communication equipment) b. router c. DTE (data terminal equipment) d. ATP (advanced threat protection)

c. DTE (data terminal equipment)

When setting up my new home router, I want to make sure that visitors using my WiFi cannot access the shared files on my desktop computer. What should I configure to do this? a. Range extension b. MIMO c. Guest network d. Encryption

c. Guest network

If you register a domain name, the company you use for this has an arrangement with the top-level authority: a. gmail.com b. Cisco, the router manufacturer c. ICANN d. register.com

c. ICANN

If you wish to set up a file in your home network so that others can look at it but not change it, the permission for that is: a. Write b. Look c. Read d. Copy

c. Read

When setting up my home router, I wish for it to show on people looking for it as "WEGOFASTER". What is the name of the parameter in my router where I would put this name? a. Encryption method b. Frequency band c. SSID d. Region

c. SSID

If your Internet connection's packet loss is zero, this means: a. The quality of any videos you watch will be very poor b. You can't stream movies or use Zoom c. The action in a video game you are playing will be smooth d. The action in a video game you are playing will stutter badly

c. The action in a video game you are playing will be smooth

OK, so we know radio waves like WiFI and cell phones require an antenna. Why don't we see antennas on laptops and cell phones? a. Lack of an antenna is why they have such short ranges b. Unlicensed frequencies do not require antennas c. The antenna is built into the case d. They use a newer type of radio waves that don't require antennas

c. The antenna is built into the case

When you are using a public WiFi hotspot, the textbook's (and your professor's) recommendation about file sharing on your laptop is: a. Make sure any files you transfer are encrypted b. Use it to save hard drive / SSD space c. Turn it off d. You've OK if you plug in a USB drive

c. Turn it off

The bandwidth of a channel that carries digital data is usually measured in ___________. a. GHz b. microwaves c. bits per second d. bytes per second

c. bits per second

Which type of network topology allows for redundant paths between devices that can be used to bypass failed devices? a. point-to-point b. star c. mesh d. bus

c. mesh

Which of the following is a characteristic of wired connections as compared to the alternatives? a. less dependable b. slower c. more secure d. cheaper to install

c. more secure

If Sandeep wants to view the directories and the files they contain on another computer in his office network from his Windows PC, he should _____. a. open a browser application and search for the name of the folder or file he is looking for b. turn off network discovery in the Network and Internet tab of the Control Panel utility c. open File Explorer, expand the Network folder, and select the name of the other computer d. select the Network option within the Finder application and then click on the Files tab

c. open File Explorer, expand the Network folder, and select the name of the other computer

One important consideration when evaluating local storage options for digital devices is the amount of data that can be stored, referred to as _____.

capacity

Meredith is preparing for an important business meeting via Skype with five participants, after which he plans to relax by watching some funny videos on YouTube shared by his sister. Which connection speeds listed would be considered adequate for watching the funny videos but not fast enough for his meeting? a. 500 Kbps download, 300 Kbps upload b. 1.5 Mbps download, 200 Kbps upload c. 2 Mbps download, 512 Kbps upload d. 1 Mbps download, 100 Kbps upload

d. 1 Mbps download, 100 Kbps upload

If your Internet connection's download speed is twice your upload speed, this means your connection is: a. Unuseable b. Symmetric c. Too slow for multiple users in a home d. Asymmetric

d. Asymmetric

Which file-sharing protocol distributes the role of a file server across a collection of dispersed computers? a. UDP b. FTP c. Dropbox d. BitTorrent

d. BitTorrent

Last week you noticed that your IP address on the free WiFi at the Student Center was 10.9.32.16. Just now it is 10.9.32.85. This means your address is: a. Public b. Invalid c. Distributed d. Dynamic

d. Dynamic

Where does a Network Interface Device get its MAC (media access control, called "hardware" by Microsoft) address? a. You must type it in for the NIC to have a MAC address b. From the Dynamic Host Control Protocol (DHCP) system c. From your local router d. It is embedded in the device at manufacture time

d. It is embedded in the device at manufacture time

While shopping for a new home, you are hoping for high-speed Internet to be available via fiber. Then you see a crew putting in a "carrier" that looks like a plastic pipe in the ground next to a power/telephone/cable pole. If they are putting in fiber, the color of that carrier is probably: a. Blue b. Green c. Black d. Orange

d. Orange

The feature that allows you to turn your mobile phone into a hotspot so that your laptop can use it as a connection to the Internet is: a. Range extension b. Dual-band compounding c. Amalgamation d. Tethering

d. Tethering

The wire used to bring a DSL connection into a home from the Internet Service Provider is: a. Coaxial cable b. Fiber c. Cat-6 twisted pair d. The same kind used for standard telephones

d. The same kind used for standard telephones

While setting up her wireless network, Maria decides to activate encryption on her router. She is offered a choice of several encryption protocols, and because it is the weakest and oldest option, she is careful not to pick _____. a. WPS b. WPA2 c. PSK d. WEP

d. WEP

The glue that holds the Internet together and makes it possible for data to travel across borders is: a. a network of treaties between countries participating in the Internet b. the United Nations Office of International Communication c. massive routers controlled by the U.S. defense department d. a set of standard protocols that were developed for the original ARPANET

d. a set of standard protocols that were developed for the original ARPANET

Legitimate consumer concerns regarding sharing files via the cloud include _____. a. the expense of purchasing the required client software to use Internet-based file sharing b. the need to deal directly with the operating system or file management system of a remote computer c. low availability of file hosting services and the steep learning curve for their use d. advertising that accompanies free storage services and cloud security

d. advertising that accompanies free storage services and cloud security

DSL is an example of what type of Internet access? a. mobile b. portable c. wireless d. fixed

d. fixed

A message is divided into several packets that can be routed independently to their destination during _____. a. packet sniffing b. handshaking c. circuit switching d. packet switching

d. packet switching

Gagan's desktop computer is hit by an electrical surge that corrupts the device's boot loader. Gagan recognizes that he might be able to correct this problem by _____.

flashing the ROM

Which of the following sensors would be most useful for helping a drone remain level as it flies?

gyro sensor

Mitzi is shopping for an external storage device that she can use to back up her laptop. One product's description is: "4 TB 5400 RPM HDD SATA 6.0 Gb/s." This means that this storage device _____.

has a speed of 5,400 revolutions per minute

Which device should you purchase if you want a portable system that combines all components in a single unit and supports both professional productivity and content consumption?

laptop

Which of the following is a small, lightweight personal computer that is designed like a clam shell?

laptop computer

Bella is an office manager for an audio equipment firm who has been tasked with selecting a new printer that will be used to print high volumes of black and white user manuals and product data sheets. Which type of printer should she choose?

laser printer

Journee notices that her smartphone's touchscreen is looking dirty and would like to safely clean it. She should _____.

leave her plastic screen protector on the touchscreen and wipe it with a disinfecting wipe

Which of the following sensors would best help an autonomous vehicle calculate the distance between itself and another vehicle?

lidar

Microprocessors can't directly understand the programming languages typically used by software developers, so programs have to be converted into binary strings of 0s and 1s called _____.

machine language instructions

Most computers have temporary holding areas for data called __________.

memory

Modern refrigerators, washing machines, and other appliances are controlled by integrated circuits that combine sensors with processing circuitry, called _____.

microcontrollers

Which feature of device touchscreens is designed to repel the oils deposited by fingers that tap and swipe the screen?

oleophobic coating

Which category of optical storage technology is used to mass-produce compact discs whose contents cannot be changed?

read-only

What is a significant disadvantage of storage devices that rely on magnetic storage technology?

risk for head crashes

Which type of algorithm do self-driving vehicles use to gather data, analyze it, and then carry out the required actions?

sense-plan-act

Ina has just acquired a new Mac laptop to use for work and wants to protect herself against data loss. To accomplish this, she purchases an external storage device and _____.

sets the Time Machine utility to run in the background while she uses her laptop

You should establish a regular maintenance routine for your digital devices, but be sure to avoid _____.

spraying cleaning agents directly on them

Pablo would like to be able to view more application windows side by side on his laptop screen. To achieve this, he can _____.

switch to a higher screen resolution, which will make the windows and the text and icons inside them smaller

Helping the computer system monitor itself in order to function efficiently is the primary purpose of _____ software.

system

Which device should you purchase if you want a small, portable system that is great for consuming content such as books, music, and videos and that do you not intend to use for creating content or multitasking?

tablet

When a computing device is turned on, the boot loader _____.

verifies that the computer's hardware is operating correctly