Test your basic knowledge |

DSST Introduction To Computing

Instructions:

Answer 50 questions in 15 minutes.
If you are not ready to take this test, you can study here.
Match each statement with the correct term.
Don't refresh. All questions and answers are randomly picked and ordered every time you load a test.

This is a study tool. The 3 wrong answers for each question are randomly chosen from answers to other questions. So, you might find at times the answers obvious, but you will see it re-enforces your understanding as you take the test each time.

1. Backup
They are small programs which run in the ___________ and are used by devices such as modems - storage devices - mice - keyboards - monitors - printers - sound cards - network cards.
Proprietary information about a company concerns information a __________ might find valuable.
Floppy disk - external hard drive - CD-RW - tape - and USB flash drive are all examples of ______ media.
Meeting ___________ software is an example of groupware.

2. Directly
DHCP stands for Dynamic Host _______________ Protocol.
Random access storage devices are able to go _____ to the requested data
Reading through a program to make sure it is logical and free of errors is called _____ ________.
A computer resource is any component required to perform ____.

3. Spammers
Spoofing makes it appear that a message came from someone other than the sender. This is a tactic often used by _________.
A newsgroup is also known as a ______ and there are thousands of them on the Internet.
A _______ __________ plan is used to restore information technology functions after operations have been interrupted by an event such as a hurricane.
The columns are called _______.

4. Cursor
Examples include _____________ identification and retina scanners.
The ______ is a marker on the monitor which indicates where the next character will appear.
An advantage of a network is that it allows for the sharing of ___________ devices; users on a network can share devices such as printers and modems.
A ___ is the smallest unit of data that a system can handle.

5. Guide
Virtual machine technology allows users to simulate the hardware and software of one computer ____________ on another.
A wizard is an interactive computer utility that asks a user questions to _____ the user through a task.
A _________ is a limited working system - developed to test design concepts.
An iteration control structure directs the computer to ______ one or more instructions until a certain condition is met.

6. Expert system
RSI (Repetitive _______ Injury) affects tendons - muscles and nerves in the hands - wrists - arms and shoulders.
A template is a ____________ document often provided with word processing software.
An ______ _______ is an interactive computer program that helps users solve problems.
The compiled program is saved as object code for later __________.

7. Avatars
The GUI (Graphic User Interface) is sometimes called a computer __________ and Microsoft Windows is an example of an operating system that uses a GUI.
_______ are computer depictions of humans often found in computer games and training software.
In MS PowerPoint - the outline view helps you ________ the content of your material.
A ________ is a collection of interrelated files in a computer system.

8. Storage
Virtual machine technology allows users to simulate the hardware and software of one computer ____________ on another.
A typical computer includes the system and a variety of input - output and ______ devices.
The toolbar displays menus and icons of commonly used ________ and options.
Most computer processing takes place in a component called the ___.

9. Network interface
Examples of cache include L1 - L2 - and L3. In all cases - cache is storage located closer to the processor than RAM and therefore can be accessed much more ________.
The prefix '____' means a million.
Improper positioning of your keyboard and mouse can cause ___.
A MAC address is a series of numbers assigned by the manufacturer to a _________ ________ card at the factory.

10. Standalone
Multimedia authoring software combines video - text - animation - graphics and sound to create __________ multimedia applications.
The compiled program is saved as object code for later __________.
The main circuit board of the computer is called the ___________.
The series of events which takes place in a set order and at specified intervals - that occurs when the processor retrieves an instruction from storage and executes it - is called the instruction _____.

11. Network
Reading through a program to make sure it is logical and free of errors is called _____ ________.
The location on a spreadsheet where a row and a column intersect is called a ____.
The Internet is a worldwide computer _______ that connects hundreds of thousands of smaller networks.
A ___ ________ is software that enables a user to find and access the various parts of the Internet.

12. Resources
A what-if analysis allows a user to change the contents of a spreadsheet cell and find out how that would change the _______ of the calculation.
One use of an intranet is to allow employees to access and exchange company _____ needed to do their jobs.
A field contains the smallest unit of meaningful data and can therefore be called the basic ________ block for a structured file or database.
System software helps the computer manage internal and external _________ and enables the computer to run applications.

13. Internet
A keystroke logger can be used to steal __________.
Examples of personal finance manager software include ________ and Microsoft Money.
Public domain software is not ___________ and can be copied without fear of prosecution.
Cyberspace is the world of communications in general; it includes wired and wireless communications - as well as the _________.

14. Hub
Computer processing is the ____________ of data which transforms data into information.
The central computer is called a ____.
A communications network that covers a large geographic area such as a country is called a ___.
HTML (__________ Markup Language) tags are used to structure and format web pages and links to other documents.

15. Supercomputers
FTP can be used on any _______ network such as a LAN or the Internet and is compatible with any operating system.
______ data can be represented as a wave.
A ______ is a small unit of data transmitted over a network.
______________ are the most expensive and fastest computers available.

16. Formatting
In word processing - the __________ for a document refers to the way text - graphics - headings - and page numbers appear on a page.
Meeting ___________ software is an example of groupware.
Financial software allows users to track income and expenses - manage __________ - create reports - and record tax information.
A _________ is a limited working system - developed to test design concepts.

17. Commands
Applications no longer had to include code to control low level hardware operations but instead called on operating system routines through simple standardized _________.
A ________ is a unit of measurement equaling 1024 bytes of data.
The monitor - speakers - and printer are examples of computer ______ devices.
A system of interconnected telephones - computers - or other communication devices that can communicate and share data is called a _______.

18. Sequentially
With serial processing - instructions are executed ______________ in the order received.
The toolbar displays menus and icons of commonly used ________ and options.
Examples of an event include a key press or a mouse ______.
Analytical graphics are also called _________ graphics and make sales figures and economic trends easier to understand.

19. Recorded
Computer resources include the ____ - RAM - storage space - and peripherals.
____ is the communications protocol used by your browser to connect with web servers and display web pages on your computer.
___ software is used to design products - maps - structures and civil engineering drawings.
When you install software or hardware - information is ______ in the registry.

20. Encrypted
When you install software or hardware - information is ______ in the registry.
_______ errors can be found with a debugger.
A message that has not been _________ is called plaintext.
A MAC address is a series of numbers assigned by the manufacturer to a _________ ________ card at the factory.

21. Served
Screening job applicants and limiting employee ______ to only information needed to do a specific job are examples of people controls.
A technique for increasing the speed of computer components such as motherboards - memory - processors - and graphics cards is called ____________.
Messages are divided into equal size packets and shipped over the network on a first come first _______ basis.
Multiple files which have been consolidated into ___ file and compressed to reduce size and download time are said to be zipped.

22. Certification
Personal Information Management software helps users organize and manage daily ________ activities.
Many employers view IT _____________ with some degree of skepticism.
______ times for PC storage devices are measured in milliseconds.
Random access is much faster than ___________ access storage (tape).

23. Click
Examples of an event include a key press or a mouse ______.
A programming problem statement defines the scope of the problem - spells out the known information - and specifies when the problem has been ______.
An example of parallel processing is when several ___________ work together sharing memory on the same task.
Linux is a non-___________ version of UNIX and is maintained by thousands of volunteer programmers around the world.

24. Stress
A _________ is a graphical representation of a series of steps needed to solve a problem.
With a parallel implementation - the old and new systems are operated side by side until the new system is proven to be ________.
Note that the URL starts by indicating what _________ should be used to access the page (HTTP).
RSI (Repetitive _______ Injury) affects tendons - muscles and nerves in the hands - wrists - arms and shoulders.

25. Time
HTML is a set of special instructions used to create ____ _____.
Bandwidth is an expression of how much data can be sent through a communications channel in a given amount of ____.
The public key encryption software used to encrypt documents such as _____ is called PGP.
Computer resources include the ____ - RAM - storage space - and peripherals.

26. Solaris
_______ is a version of UNIX popular for large websites and e-commerce servers.
In recent years - antivirus software has been one of the most popular categories of _______ software.
A ___ ________ is software that enables a user to find and access the various parts of the Internet.
_____ memory drives plug into the computer's USB ports and have memory capacities of up to several gigabytes.

27. Machine
The goal is to overload the target server or network by suddenly bombarding it with thousands or even millions of _________ - making it unable to respond to requests from legitimate users.
The section of code that repeats is called a _____ or an iteration.
The instruction cycle is also often referred to as the ________ cycle.
EarthLink - AT&T - and Road Runner are all examples of ISPs (Internet __________________).

28. Recalculation
Note that the URL starts by indicating what _________ should be used to access the page (HTTP).
They are small programs which run in the ___________ and are used by devices such as modems - storage devices - mice - keyboards - monitors - printers - sound cards - network cards.
Each connection _____ on a network is called a node.
_____________ is the process of recomputing values in a spreadsheet.

29. Central
A _______ computer that holds a collection of data and/or applications for providing services to workstations or PCs is called a server.
A device ______ is system software used by the computer to control peripheral devices.
_____ data can be text - images - numbers - or sounds.
Database ______________ create - maintain - and supervise the day to day operation of databases.

30. Collisions
Adware is spyware that tracks surfing and online _________.
CSMA/CD is the Ethernet protocol that handles __________.
Spoofing makes it appear that a message came from someone other than the sender. This is a tactic often used by _________.
Cache speeds up _________.

31. Files
Random access storage allows access to any location in any _____.
A keyword has a predefined meaning for the ________ which translates each line of programming code into the machine language that the computer can understand.
FTP is a protocol used to copy _____ from one computer to another over the Internet.
A bus network has two endpoints and all computers are connected to a single wire or _____.

32. Software
The Windows registry is a database that maintains a record of installed ________ and peripheral devices - preferences - and settings.
If a program exceeds its available RAM - the _________ _________ can use an area of hard disk called virtual memory to store parts of data files or programs until needed - thereby gaining almost unlimited memory capacity.
In Windows - to see a list of active _________ - you must open the task manager.
File compression is a method of removing __________ elements of a file causing the file to require less storage space and less time to transmit.

33. Microcomputers
With a ______ implementation - parts of the new system are implemented separately.
____ is an internet protocol used to make phone calls over the internet.
Personal computers are also called ______________.
In MS PowerPoint - the outline view helps you ________ the content of your material.

34. Changed
Web page design software allows users to create sophisticated web pages with ___________ features.
_______________ is used to restore the file to its original condition by replacing the repeated patterns that were removed during file compression.
A computer resource is any component required to perform ____.
When data is ________ in one cell - data in other cells is automatically recalculated.

35. Fiber optic
Integrated circuits were able to do the work of thousands of _____________ or vacuum tubes on a single miniature chip.
_____ ______ cable transmits pulsating beams of light rather than electricity.
Paint - photo _______ - and drawing software are all examples of graphics software.
Analytical graphics are also called _________ graphics and make sales figures and economic trends easier to understand.

36. Bits
_________ data is defined as converting data from one format to a format compatible with the program you are currently using.
A programming problem statement defines the scope of the problem - spells out the known information - and specifies when the problem has been ______.
________ transmission sends data via light waves at a frequency too low for human eyes to see.
The number of bits limits how big of a number can be expressed. To calculate this limit - simply do 2n - where n is the number of ____.

37. Permission

38. Systems analysts
A computer resource is any component required to perform ____.
________ ________ plan and implement new or improved computer services.
The Sarbanes-Oxley act requires full disclosure in accounting systems and protects corporate ______________.
The opposite of a variable is a _________ - which is a factor that remains the same throughout the program.

39. Steps
They are for ______ use only and are ignored by the compiler when it processes the code.
A desktop ______ appears on the computer desktop and is a specialized utility that looks like a control and displays information.
A program or instruction book that helps users learn how to use a product by taking the user through a series of _____ is called a tutorial.
In a ring network - all packets flow in only one __________; there are no data collisions.

40. Trojan horse
The more _____ in a word - the faster the computer.
A _____ _______ is a program that is disguised as an innocent program to gain control of your computer.
Dreamweaver - Macromedia Flash and MS FrontPage are all examples of ___ _____ design software.
E-waste includes discarded obsolete _________ - televisions - printers - cell phones - and other electronic devices.

41. Meta
Search agents and _____ search tools allow you to automate your search process across many sites.
Word processing software is used to create - edit - print - format and store ____.
A ________ - mouse - microphone - scanner - and camera are all examples of computer input devices.
Public domain software is not ___________ and can be copied without fear of prosecution.

42. Drivers
System software include device ________ - operating systems - and compilers.
A ____ network has no endpoints and all computers are connected in a continuous loop.
___________ programming rules are called syntax.
For a computer to be able to take advantage of dual core or quad core technology - the installed ________ __________ has to support it.

43. Infrared
Note that the URL starts by indicating what _________ should be used to access the page (HTTP).
________ transmission sends data via light waves at a frequency too low for human eyes to see.
Search agents and _____ search tools allow you to automate your search process across many sites.
Access (included with Microsoft _______) is an example of a popular Windows-based relational database application.

44. E-waste
A hard drive - on the other hand - is a _______ access device - which allows it to go directly to the requested data.
Examples of utility programs include _______ and data recovery software - antivirus software - disk cleanup - etc.
Disposal of _______ is a major environmental problem caused by information technology.
Open source software projects promote user modification - peer review - _____ distribution - and copying.

45. ISP
The CPU consists of the control unit - the arithmetic/logic unit (ALU) and the _________ (high speed storage areas).
An organization that provides internet access is called an ___.
Desktop publishing software has reduced the time needed to create professional looking _______ projects.
First generation computers used _______ _____ to store individual bits of data.

46. Central
When talking about personal computers - the CPU (________ Processing Unit) is synonymous with the silicon chip known as the microprocessor - which is programmed to perform various tasks on the data it receives.
___________ and security are MS Windows' two major weaknesses.
Most computer manufacturers use components (hard drives - processors - memory - etc.) supplied by other __________; this is called outsourcing.
A what-if analysis allows a user to change the contents of a spreadsheet cell and find out how that would change the _______ of the calculation.

47. Network
The location on a spreadsheet where a row and a column intersect is called a ____.
_____ ___ is a collection of photos and drawings designed to be inserted in documents.
A firewall is designed to protect a computer or network from _________.
The hub prevents packet collisions - but if the hub goes down the _____ stops.

48. Disaster recovery
A megabyte is a unit of measurement roughly equaling one _______ bytes.
A _____ takes digital signals from a computer and converts them to analog signals to transmit over a telephone line.
Syntax refers to the _______ in which computer programming commands must be entered.
A _______ __________ plan is used to restore information technology functions after operations have been interrupted by an event such as a hurricane.

49. Decode
_____________ people is one important way to protect software and data.
Tests run by laboratories to compare the overall speed of microprocessors are called __________.
Fetch - ______ - execute and store are the four basic operations of the machine cycle.
An example of importing data would be taking a column of numbers from a spreadsheet and importing it into a ______ __________.

50. Editing
The ____ is a set of instructions contained in ROM that tell the computer how to find the operating system and load it into RAM.
In programming - a _________ is a prewritten module designed for a specific task.
Read-Only Memory chips contain fixed computer start up instructions - are loaded at the factory - and are ___________.
Paint - photo _______ - and drawing software are all examples of graphics software.