AP Comp Sci Practice Test

Which of the following best describes a challenge involved in using a parallel computing solution?

A parallel computing solution may not be appropriate for an algorithm in which each step requires the output from the preceding step.

Which of the following best exemplifies the use of keylogging to gain unauthorized access to a computer system?

A user unintentionally installs a program on their computer that records all user input and forwards it to another computer. A few weeks later, someone else is able to access the user's computer using the recorded data.

Which of the following best explains how data is transmitted on the Internet?

Data is broken into packets, which can be sent along different paths.

Which of the following is a true statement about the use of public key encryption in transmitting messages?

Public key encryption enables parties to initiate secure communications through an open medium, such as the Internet, in which there might be eavesdroppers.

Which of the following best describes a direct benefit in using redundant routing on the Internet?

Redundancy often allows messages to be sent on the network even if some network devices or connections have failed.

A program developed for a Web store represents customer account balances using a format that approximates real numbers. While testing the program, a software developer discovers that some values appear to be mathematically imprecise. Which of the following is the most likely cause of the imprecision?

The account balances are represented using a fixed number of bits, resulting in round-off errors.

An online gaming company is introducing several new initiatives to encourage respectful communication between players of online games. Which of the following best describes a solution that uses crowdsourcing?

The company allows individual players to endorse fellow players based on courteous interactions. Once a player receives enough endorsements, the player is given free rewards that can be used during gameplay.

A video-streaming Web site keeps count of the number of times each video has been played since it was first added to the site. The count is updated each time a video is played and is displayed next to each video to show its popularity. At one time, the count for the most popular video was about two million. Sometime later, the same video displayed a seven-digit negative number as its count, while the counts for the other videos displayed correctly. Which of the following is the most likely explanation for the error?

The count for the video became larger than the maximum value allowed by the data type used to store the count.

Which of the following best explains the ability to solve problems algorithmically?

There exist some problems that cannot be solved algorithmically using any computer.

Which of the following best explains how devices and information can be susceptible to unauthorized access if weak passwords are used?

Unauthorized individuals can use data mining and other techniques to guess a user's password.