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. Pretty Good
This can also be called a command-_____ interface.
Adware is spyware that tracks surfing and online _________.
All the physical equipment in a computer system is called ________.
PGP (_______ ______ Privacy) encryption software is available for free download on the web.

2. LAN
_______ is a version of UNIX popular for large websites and e-commerce servers.
A database index contains a list of keys and each key provides a pointer to the ______ that contains the rest of the fields related to that key.
Software designed to solve a specific problem is called ___________ software.
A data communications network that connects personal computers within a limited geographical area is called a ___.

3. Loop
For example - the largest number an 8-bit variable can hold is ____ (2 to the power of 8 equals 256 - but a computer starts at 0 - so it can express anywhere from 0 through 255).
A ____ network has no endpoints and all computers are connected in a continuous loop.
Such information includes information related to company finances - _________ - products and procedures.
The section of code that repeats is called a _____ or an iteration.

4. Intel
Mac OS X was rewritten for _____ architecture in 2006 and has a reputation for being an easy to use - reliable - and secure operating system.
To convert seconds to milliseconds - _________ by 1000 (i.e. 5 seconds is equal to 5 -000 milliseconds).
Dreamweaver - Macromedia Flash and MS FrontPage are all examples of ___ _____ design software.
Multiple files which have been consolidated into ___ file and compressed to reduce size and download time are said to be zipped.

5. Direction
Defragmentation can improve _____ ______ performance by helping the computer operate more efficiently.
Examples of keywords include READ - ______ - IF - and THEN
In a ring network - all packets flow in only one __________; there are no data collisions.
A megabyte is a unit of measurement roughly equaling one _______ bytes.

6. Text
A _________ is a graphical representation of a series of steps needed to solve a problem.
Word processing software is used to create - edit - print - format and store ____.
System software helps the computer manage internal and external _________ and enables the computer to run applications.
The JPEG graphics format has built-in _____________ that can be adjusted by the user.

7. Multiply
A database index can be used to _________ data in alphabetical or numerical order.
To convert seconds to milliseconds - _________ by 1000 (i.e. 5 seconds is equal to 5 -000 milliseconds).
The BIOS (Basic ______________ System) also enables the computer to interpret keyboard commands and display characters on the monitor.
A field contains the smallest unit of meaningful data and can therefore be called the basic ________ block for a structured file or database.

8. Math
Applications no longer had to include code to control low level hardware operations but instead called on operating system routines through simple standardized _________.
Small pictures on the desktop that represent documents - procedures and programs are called _____.
A computer resource is any component required to perform ____.
The ALU is an area of the CPU optimized to handle _____ calculations (i.e. Add and Subtract) as well as logic comparisons (i.e. AND - NOT - and OR).

9. CIO
Proprietary information about a company concerns information a __________ might find valuable.
One survey indicated that 75 to 80% of computer crimes are committed by current or _______ employees.
A job search agent is an automated program that searches one or more __________ databases and notifies you when it finds leads that match your search criteria.
Most Information Systems departments are managed by a ___.

10. RSI
Improper positioning of your keyboard and mouse can cause ___.
The process of converting cyphertext to plaintext is ___________
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.
Virtual reality is a computer generated artificial reality which projects a person into a sensation of _____ ____________ space.

11. Quicken
___ allows a block of program code to be reused in other programs.
Personal Information Management software helps users organize and manage daily ________ activities.
Primary storage - also known as RAM or _______ - is temporary data held in computer circuitry.
Examples of personal finance manager software include ________ and Microsoft Money.

12. MYCIN
___________ and security are MS Windows' two major weaknesses.
______ - PROSPECTOR - CARES - CLUES and CLIPS are all examples of expert systems.
Groupware is software that allows several people to collaborate on projects over a _______.
A macro - or keyboard _________ - is useful when a user has to type the same pattern of keystrokes over and over.

13. Binary
In the same year - they released the ________ computer.
Random access storage devices are able to go _____ to the requested data
A unit of measure equaling one ______ digit is a bit.
POS (______ __ _______) terminals are computer-based devices or systems that allow the merchant to process credit cards - track customer purchase habits - and manage inventory.

14. Manipulation
One survey indicated that 75 to 80% of computer crimes are committed by current or _______ employees.
A floppy disk - hard disk - and USB drive are all examples of _________ storage.
Early computers stored ____ for calculations and programs on punched cards.
Computer processing is the ____________ of data which transforms data into information.

15. Proprietary
HTML is a set of special instructions used to create ____ _____.
Linux is a non-___________ version of UNIX and is maintained by thousands of volunteer programmers around the world.
RAM usually consists of several _____ ______(chips) that plug directly into the computer's system board.
Output is the result of ___________.

16. Solaris
MIDI stands for Musicial ___________ Digital Interface.
_______ is a version of UNIX popular for large websites and e-commerce servers.
Overclocking is popular with computer gamers but can be dangerous as components may _________ and be damaged or catch fire.
____ ________ software detects and corrects certain types of common problems on hard disks - floppies - and CDs.

17. Flowchart
A _________ is a graphical representation of a series of steps needed to solve a problem.
ENIAC was the first ____________ electronic computer in the United States.
_____ _____ languages are based on human languages and include C - C++ and FORTRAN.
A computer's ____ size is the number of bits that the processor may process at any one time.

18. Hard
A wizard is an interactive computer utility that asks a user questions to _____ the user through a task.
The primary key could be a unique series of numbers or characters; it doesn't have to be meaningful--just _______.
The prefix '_____' means a thousand.
One reason a tape drive takes longer to access data than a ____ drive is that tape drives use sequential access.

19. Secondary
UNIX is a proprietary multitasking operating system with built-in __________ capabilities that supports multiple users.
A floppy disk - hard disk - and USB drive are all examples of _________ storage.
A LAN (______ _____ Network) normally occupies a single building.
This can also be called a _____ key - index - or keyword. Most database applications allow for multiple keys so that users can sort records in different ways.

20. Socket
Virtual memory uses the hard disk to _____ primary storage (RAM).
SSL (Secure _______ Layer) and TLS are protocols used to create a secure connection between a computer and a website.
The software that controls the search of the expert system's knowledge base and produces a conclusion is called the _________ engine.
A file extension is an optional file identifier that is separated from the main file name by a ______.

21. Access
First generation computers used _______ _____ to store individual bits of data.
______ times for PC storage devices are measured in milliseconds.
____ is a graphics file format used on both PCs and Macs for high quality printable files.
PGP (_______ ______ Privacy) encryption software is available for free download on the web.

22. Monitors
E-waste includes discarded obsolete _________ - televisions - printers - cell phones - and other electronic devices.
In recent years - antivirus software has been one of the most popular categories of _______ software.
The cursor is often a blinking rectangle and its location is called the __________ point.
A ___ is a string of characters that points to a specific piece of information anywhere on the web.

23. Network
In a relational database - the _______ key holds a unique value for each record.
Read-Only Memory chips contain fixed computer start up instructions - are loaded at the factory - and are ___________.
A print server manages one or more printers and stores printed ______.
Groupware is software that allows several people to collaborate on projects over a _______.

24. Three dimensional
Random access storage allows access to any location in any _____.
Virtual reality is a computer generated artificial reality which projects a person into a sensation of _____ ____________ space.
Handheld computers and ____s are examples of embedded systems because the operating system resides on a single chip.
CSMA/CD manages collisions on the network by deleting colliding signals and __________ the network.

25. Hardware
A newsgroup is also known as a ______ and there are thousands of them on the Internet.
A firewall can be _________ or software-based or a combination of the two.
Unlike a hub - a ______ sends packets only to the computer that is the intended recipient.
Virtual machine technology allows users to simulate the hardware and software of one computer ____________ on another.

26. Viruses
A _________ is a graphical representation of a series of steps needed to solve a problem.
A virus is a program that __________ itself - either by making copies of itself or by attaching to another program.
Trojan horses can also carry ________ and destructive instructions.
Servers can store files or provide services (i.e. printing) to ________ on the network.

27. Outsourcing
Examples of keywords include READ - ______ - IF - and THEN
Using components or labor from outside suppliers is called ___________.
Fiber optic cable consists of dozens or hundreds of thin strands of ______ or plastic; it is more secure and can carry much more data than normal copper telephone wire.
A ________ is a collection of interrelated files in a computer system.

28. Services

Warning: Invalid argument supplied for foreach() in /var/www/html/basicversity.com/show_quiz.php on line 183

29. Registers
Paint - photo _______ - and drawing software are all examples of graphics software.
The CPU consists of the control unit - the arithmetic/logic unit (ALU) and the _________ (high speed storage areas).
A _______ __________ plan is used to restore information technology functions after operations have been interrupted by an event such as a hurricane.
Databases use structured files to _________ data.

30. Free
By holding down the ctrl - alt - and del keys - ________ OS will open the task manager which displays a list of active processes.
The motherboard contains the CPU and _______ chips as well as connections for the keyboard - mouse - and printer.
Freeware is software that is copyrighted but is available for ____.
On the job choices that reflect a person's values are called ____________ ethics.

31. Data
Random access is much faster than ___________ access storage (tape).
When plugged into a USB port - flash memory drives show up as an external drive and are a convenient way to transport and transfer _____.
A keyword has a predefined meaning for the ________ which translates each line of programming code into the machine language that the computer can understand.
The bandwidth of a channel which carries digital data is typically measured in ____ ____ _________ (bps).

32. Digital
______ data is data that has been converted into discrete digits such as 0s and 1s.
A service pack is a collection of Microsoft files for ________ improvements - bug fixes - and software updates.
To convert seconds to milliseconds - _________ by 1000 (i.e. 5 seconds is equal to 5 -000 milliseconds).
A communications network that covers a large geographic area such as a country is called a ___.

33. Processes
Output is the result of ___________.
EarthLink - AT&T - and Road Runner are all examples of ISPs (Internet __________________).
Relocating business _________ to lower cost locations in foreign countries is called offshoring.
The motherboard contains the CPU and _______ chips as well as connections for the keyboard - mouse - and printer.

34. Bus
One reason a tape drive takes longer to access data than a ____ drive is that tape drives use sequential access.
Word processing software is used to create - edit - print - format and store ____.
Virtual reality is a computer generated artificial reality which projects a person into a sensation of _____ ____________ space.
___ - ring - and star are the three basic network topologies.

35. Passwords
When troubleshooting a computer program - ________ software is used to help identify and solve problems.
A keystroke logger can be used to steal __________.
The most common user interface for UNIX systems is the ________ ____ interface.
Overloading a computer system or network by making repeated requests to it and thereby denying access to legitimate users is called a _______ __ ________ attack.

36. Repeat
A hash function uses an algorithm to transform a given string of letters into a string that represents the original string (known as a _____).
Examples of keywords include READ - ______ - IF - and THEN
An iteration control structure directs the computer to ______ one or more instructions until a certain condition is met.
Examples include _____________ identification and retina scanners.

37. Kilobyte
A ________ is a unit of measurement equaling 1024 bytes of data.
Private networks that are connected to remote sites via the internet are called ____.
____ ________ software detects and corrects certain types of common problems on hard disks - floppies - and CDs.
Packet _________ technology divides a message into packets that can be independently routed to their destination and then reassembled.

38. PowerPoint
Harvard Graphics and MS __________ are examples of presentation graphics software.
Web page design software allows users to create sophisticated web pages with ___________ features.
Virtual machine technology allows users to simulate the hardware and software of one computer ____________ on another.
The GUI (Graphic User Interface) is sometimes called a computer __________ and Microsoft Windows is an example of an operating system that uses a GUI.

39. Infrared
Many employers view IT _____________ with some degree of skepticism.
Linux was created in 1991 by Linus Torvalds - a programmer from ________.
________ transmission sends data via light waves at a frequency too low for human eyes to see.
The central computer is called a ____.

40. NAP
Computer processing is the ____________ of data which transforms data into information.
A computer's ____ size is the number of bits that the processor may process at any one time.
ISPs are connected to the internet backbone via a ___.
Linux was created in 1991 by Linus Torvalds - a programmer from ________.

41. Defragmentation
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.
The web protocol HTTP (__________ __________ Protocol) is a set of rules for exchanging information over the web.
By using a _______________ utility - files on a disk are rearranged so that they are stored in contiguous clusters.
_____________ is the process of recomputing values in a spreadsheet.

42. Key
Hubs have multiple ports. When a packet arrives at one port it is _______ to all other ports on the hub.
_____ ____ is a special feature that automatically continues text on the next line when the user reaches the right margin.
This can also be called a _____ key - index - or keyword. Most database applications allow for multiple keys so that users can sort records in different ways.
In a relational database - a ___ field is used to sort data.

43. Keystroke
Logic bombs are _______ that are set to go off at a certain time.
The compiled program is saved as object code for later __________.
Most Information Systems departments are managed by a ___.
A _________ logger is a type of spyware that records each character you type.

44. Supercomputers
__________ includes the Web - chat rooms - blogs - member based services - conference calls and automatic teller machines (ATMs).
______ ____________ software allows scheduling of events - management of costs and allocation of resources associated with a project.
______________ are the most expensive and fastest computers available.
A named collection of data that exists on a storage medium such as a hard disk - floppy disk - or CD is called a ____.

45. Cells
A data communications network that connects personal computers within a limited geographical area is called a ___.
Values are the actual numbers or dates entered into ______.
______ data can be represented as a wave.
A ___ is a string of characters that points to a specific piece of information anywhere on the web.

46. Numeric
VoIP stands for ______ over Internet Protocol.
When data is ________ in one cell - data in other cells is automatically recalculated.
Analytical graphics are graphical forms that make _______ data easier to analyze.
A job search agent is an automated program that searches one or more __________ databases and notifies you when it finds leads that match your search criteria.

47. Primary
System software helps the computer manage internal and external _________ and enables the computer to run applications.
_______ storage is temporary and holds data waiting to be processed.
______ - PROSPECTOR - CARES - CLUES and CLIPS are all examples of expert systems.
____ ________ software detects and corrects certain types of common problems on hard disks - floppies - and CDs.

48. Commands
The toolbar displays menus and icons of commonly used ________ and options.
File compression is a method of removing __________ elements of a file causing the file to require less storage space and less time to transmit.
A ___________ allows users to enter data in rows and columns to create financial schedules and tables arranged as a grid on a display.
A file extension is an optional file identifier that is separated from the main file name by a ______.

49. Commands
Mac OS X was rewritten for _____ architecture in 2006 and has a reputation for being an easy to use - reliable - and secure operating system.
Applications no longer had to include code to control low level hardware operations but instead called on operating system routines through simple standardized _________.
Virtual reality is used in arcade games and in training simulators (example: _______ simulators).
Hubs have multiple ports. When a packet arrives at one port it is _______ to all other ports on the hub.

50. Hash
Built in 1951 - UNIVAC was considerably smaller and more powerful than ______.
A ___ is the smallest unit of data that a system can handle.
Lettered ______ headings appear across the top frame of the spreadsheet.
A hash function uses an algorithm to transform a given string of letters into a string that represents the original string (known as a _____).