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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. Wikipedia
The easiest way to reduce exposure to cellphone _________ is to use a headset.
A data communications network that connects personal computers within a limited geographical area is called a ___.
This can also be called a command-_____ interface.
This is where the term __________ (a group edited encyclopedia) comes from.

2. HTTP
Alpha testing involves desk checking and _________.
____ and RPG-I are examples of fourth generation languages.
A gigabyte is a unit of measurement roughly equaling one _______ bytes.
____ is the communications protocol used by your browser to connect with web servers and display web pages on your computer.

3. Lost
A ___ is a string of characters that points to a specific piece of information anywhere on the web.
Analytical graphics are also called _________ graphics and make sales figures and economic trends easier to understand.
Cache is ____ when the computer power is turned off.
The motherboard contains the CPU and _______ chips as well as connections for the keyboard - mouse - and printer.

4. Sequentially
_____________ is the process of recomputing values in a spreadsheet.
With serial processing - instructions are executed ______________ in the order received.
In a ring network - all packets flow in only one __________; there are no data collisions.
Like hubs - switches have multiple ______.

5. Cyphertext
Software designed to solve a specific problem is called ___________ software.
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 message which has been encrypted is called __________.
An ______ _______ is an interactive computer program that helps users solve problems.

6. Parallel
Tests run by laboratories to compare the overall speed of microprocessors are called __________.
When a computer performs several tasks simultaneously - this is called ________ processing.
To convert seconds to milliseconds - _________ by 1000 (i.e. 5 seconds is equal to 5 -000 milliseconds).
In recent years - antivirus software has been one of the most popular categories of _______ software.

7. Windows
A ___ is a string of characters that points to a specific piece of information anywhere on the web.
When a computer performs several tasks simultaneously - this is called ________ processing.
__________ includes the Web - chat rooms - blogs - member based services - conference calls and automatic teller machines (ATMs).
By holding down the ctrl - alt - and del keys - ________ OS will open the task manager which displays a list of active processes.

8. Numbered
A technique for increasing the speed of computer components such as motherboards - memory - processors - and graphics cards is called ____________.
ENIAC was the first ____________ electronic computer in the United States.
Random access is much faster than ___________ access storage (tape).
________ row headings appear down the left frame of the spreadsheet.

9. Produced
________ transmission sends data via light waves at a frequency too low for human eyes to see.
Many common viruses attach themselves to an existing executable program - and when that program is copied to and ____ on other computers - the virus infects those computers.
A data communications network that connects personal computers within a limited geographical area is called a ___.
Products which are announced but are never ________ are called vaporware.

10. Storage
____ is the communications protocol used by your browser to connect with web servers and display web pages on your computer.
_______ are small text files left on your hard drive by websites you visit.
A typical computer includes the system and a variety of input - output and ______ devices.
__________ appear as colored or underlined words on a webpag

11. Keystroke
Virtual machine technology allows users to simulate the hardware and software of one computer ____________ on another.
The web protocol HTTP (__________ __________ Protocol) is a set of rules for exchanging information over the web.
An example of parallel processing is when several ___________ work together sharing memory on the same task.
A _________ logger is a type of spyware that records each character you type.

12. Application
Software designed to solve a specific problem is called ___________ software.
UNIX was first developed by _____ Laboratories in 1969.
A modem is a device that sends and receives data over __________ lines to and from computers.
A keystroke logger can be used to steal __________.

13. Finland
Linux was created in 1991 by Linus Torvalds - a programmer from ________.
By using a _______________ utility - files on a disk are rearranged so that they are stored in contiguous clusters.
Computer processing is the ____________ of data which transforms data into information.
In computer programming - ______ errors refer to typographical errors and incorrect use of the programming language.

14. Flight
Virtual reality is used in arcade games and in training simulators (example: _______ simulators).
Lettered ______ headings appear across the top frame of the spreadsheet.
To convert seconds to milliseconds - _________ by 1000 (i.e. 5 seconds is equal to 5 -000 milliseconds).
System software includes device drivers - utility programs - and the __________ system.

15. Project management
Many common viruses attach themselves to an existing executable program - and when that program is copied to and ____ on other computers - the virus infects those computers.
______ ____________ software allows scheduling of events - management of costs and allocation of resources associated with a project.
Financial software allows users to track income and expenses - manage __________ - create reports - and record tax information.
A database index can be used to _________ data in alphabetical or numerical order.

16. SQL
____ and RPG-I are examples of fourth generation languages.
E-waste includes discarded obsolete _________ - televisions - printers - cell phones - and other electronic devices.
Examples of personal finance manager software include ________ and Microsoft Money.
Virtual reality is used in arcade games and in training simulators (example: _______ simulators).

17. Disk drive
A file server is a centralized computer that acts like a __________ - storing programs and data shared by users on the LAN.
The computer's main ______ typically consists of high speed RAM which stores instructions and data.
_____________ is the process of recomputing values in a spreadsheet.
In a relational database - information is organized in rows and columns. Rows are called _______.

18. Radiation
One reason a tape drive takes longer to access data than a ____ drive is that tape drives use sequential access.
The easiest way to reduce exposure to cellphone _________ is to use a headset.
The bandwidth of a channel which carries digital data is typically measured in ____ ____ _________ (bps).
The ________ ________ is the computer software that manages the basic operation of the computer.

19. Filename

20. Letters
_________ data is defined as converting data from one format to a format compatible with the program you are currently using.
DHCP stands for Dynamic Host _______________ Protocol.
A ________ is a unit of measurement equaling 1024 bytes of data.
A single hard drive could be partitioned and labeled with multiple drive ________.

21. Debugging
A kilobyte is generally abbreviated as __.
Freeware is software that is copyrighted but is available for ____.
The more _____ in a word - the faster the computer.
Alpha testing involves desk checking and _________.

22. Connection
The compiled program is saved as object code for later __________.
To convert seconds to milliseconds - _________ by 1000 (i.e. 5 seconds is equal to 5 -000 milliseconds).
If a ___________ on the bus is broken (i.e. one of the computers in the chain crashes) - the network may go down.
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.

23. Registers
A _________ ________ card (NIC) is used by a computer to transmit and receive data over a network.
The ______ is a marker on the monitor which indicates where the next character will appear.
___________ programming rules are called syntax.
The CPU consists of the control unit - the arithmetic/logic unit (ALU) and the _________ (high speed storage areas).

24. Lost
The location on a spreadsheet where a row and a column intersect is called a ____.
RAM usually consists of several _____ ______(chips) that plug directly into the computer's system board.
Messages are divided into equal size packets and shipped over the network on a first come first _______ basis.
This data is _____ when the computer is turned off.

25. Difference
A _______ __________ plan is used to restore information technology functions after operations have been interrupted by an event such as a hurricane.
Memory - a programmable processor - an output device - and user-defined input were all concepts Babbage conceived for a calculating device he called a ___________ Engine in 1834.
A programming language is a set of keywords and grammar rules used to create ____________ for a computer.
Open source software projects promote user modification - peer review - _____ distribution - and copying.

26. Biometric

27. Disk drive
Defragmentation can improve _____ ______ performance by helping the computer operate more efficiently.
Public domain software is not ___________ and can be copied without fear of prosecution.
DHCP is a protocol designed to automatically distribute IP _________.
On a hard disk - this waiting area is called a _______.

28. Billion
Passwords are often encrypted using a hash function - which is a function that takes a string of characters of any length and converts it into a string of a ________ length.
A gigabyte is a unit of measurement roughly equaling one _______ bytes.
A template is a ____________ document often provided with word processing software.
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.

29. Artificial intelligence
__________ uses mathematical formulas to create coded messages.
LISP is a programming language used primarily for creating __________ _____________ programs.
The 1s and 0s used to represent digital data are known as _______ digits.
A service pack is a collection of Microsoft files for ________ improvements - bug fixes - and software updates.

30. One
Input - output - and storage equipment that can be added to a computer to enhance its functionality are called __________ devices.
ISPs are connected to the internet backbone via a ___.
Multiple files which have been consolidated into ___ file and compressed to reduce size and download time are said to be zipped.
________ are used to transmit data between LANs of different network topologies or network operating systems.

31. BIOS
Databases use structured files to _________ data.
The ____ is a set of instructions contained in ROM that tell the computer how to find the operating system and load it into RAM.
The instruction cycle is also often referred to as the ________ cycle.
Each connection _____ on a network is called a node.

32. PowerPoint
Harvard Graphics and MS __________ are examples of presentation graphics software.
Each connection _____ on a network is called a node.
A system of interconnected telephones - computers - or other communication devices that can communicate and share data is called a _______.
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.

33. Digital
______ data is data that has been converted into discrete digits such as 0s and 1s.
A print server manages one or more printers and stores printed ______.
In programming - a _________ is a prewritten module designed for a specific task.
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 ____.

34. Access
______ times for PC storage devices are measured in milliseconds.
Rule-based detection software is used by merchants for online transactions to detect and prevent _____ by establishing criteria each transaction must meet.
White hat hackers are computer professionals who break into computer systems with the owner's __________ to identify security flaws.
A programming language is a set of keywords and grammar rules used to create ____________ for a computer.

35. URL
A ___ is a string of characters that points to a specific piece of information anywhere on the web.
A unit of measure equaling one ______ digit is a bit.
Personal computers are also called ______________.
The particular operating system and _________ model on which a computer system is based is called the platform.

36. Restore
When a file is saved to disk - it isn't always saved in adjacent sectors; in other words - the data making up the file is spread out over the hard drive. This is called fragmentation. Fragmentation _____ ______ file retrieval.
SSL and TLS are protocols used to ________ transmit credit card data over the Internet.
A firewall is designed to protect a computer or network from _________.
Backups are used to ________ files lost by operator error - viruses - or hardware failures.

37. Formatting
VoIP stands for ______ over Internet Protocol.
FTP is a protocol used to copy _____ from one computer to another over the Internet.
The bandwidth of a channel which carries digital data is typically measured in ____ ____ _________ (bps).
In word processing - the __________ for a document refers to the way text - graphics - headings - and page numbers appear on a page.

38. Forum
The more _____ in a word - the faster the computer.
Personal computers are also called ______________.
A newsgroup is also known as a ______ and there are thousands of them on the Internet.
For a computer to be able to take advantage of dual core or quad core technology - the installed ________ __________ has to support it.

39. Three dimensional
Virtual reality is a computer generated artificial reality which projects a person into a sensation of _____ ____________ space.
Examples of DTP software include MS __________ and PageMaker.
Personal Information Management software helps users organize and manage daily ________ activities.
____ is the communications protocol used by your browser to connect with web servers and display web pages on your computer.

40. Passwords
This is where the term __________ (a group edited encyclopedia) comes from.
An _________ slot is a slot on the motherboard where the user can plug in an expansion card.
A keystroke logger can be used to steal __________.
On a hard disk - this waiting area is called a _______.

41. Slide show
In PowerPoint - the _____ _____ view presents the slides in the order in which the audience will view them.
A collection of fields make up a _______.
Multimedia technology presents information in a format which includes ____ - graphics - video and sound.
By holding down the ctrl - alt - and del keys - ________ OS will open the task manager which displays a list of active processes.

42. Fourth
______ generation languages are typically used for database applications.
Spreadsheet instructions for ____________ are called formulas.
_____________ is the process of recomputing values in a spreadsheet.
Alpha testing involves desk checking and _________.

43. Spelling
When a file is saved to disk - it isn't always saved in adjacent sectors; in other words - the data making up the file is spread out over the hard drive. This is called fragmentation. Fragmentation _____ ______ file retrieval.
The contents of ________ memory - which includes RAM - are lost when the power is turned off.
Second generation computers used ___________ instead of vacuum tubes.
Common syntax errors include incorrect or missing punctuation - _________ errors - and omitting keywords.

44. Squiggly
A hash function uses an algorithm to transform a given string of letters into a string that represents the original string (known as a _____).
RSI (Repetitive _______ Injury) affects tendons - muscles and nerves in the hands - wrists - arms and shoulders.
Spelling and grammar checkers flag unrecognized words - misspelled words - and incorrect grammar with different color ________ lines.
LISP is a programming language used primarily for creating __________ _____________ programs.

45. 64
A computer with a __ bit word size will transfer data within the microprocessor at 8 bytes at a time.
A _____ takes digital signals from a computer and converts them to analog signals to transmit over a telephone line.
DHCP stands for Dynamic Host _______________ Protocol.
An example of importing data would be taking a column of numbers from a spreadsheet and importing it into a ______ __________.

46. Bulletin board
The JPEG graphics format has built-in _____________ that can be adjusted by the user.
An electronic ______ ________ on the Internet where users conduct written discussions about a specific topic is called a newsgroup.
An IP address is a series of numbers used to identify a network ______.
Dreamweaver - Macromedia Flash and MS FrontPage are all examples of ___ _____ design software.

47. Buffer
Virtual reality is used in arcade games and in training simulators (example: _______ simulators).
Sending out __________ looking emails which attempt to solicit passwords or financial information is known as phishing.
On a hard disk - this waiting area is called a _______.
HTML (__________ Markup Language) tags are used to structure and format web pages and links to other documents.

48. Bell
System software include device ________ - operating systems - and compilers.
UNIX was first developed by _____ Laboratories in 1969.
The ____ is a set of instructions contained in ROM that tell the computer how to find the operating system and load it into RAM.
__________ uses mathematical formulas to create coded messages.

49. Benchmarks
A disk _________ is a section of a hard drive that is treated as a separate storage unit.
Tests run by laboratories to compare the overall speed of microprocessors are called __________.
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.
One survey indicated that 75 to 80% of computer crimes are committed by current or _______ employees.

50. Switch
A firewall is designed to protect a computer or network from _________.
Unlike a hub - a ______ sends packets only to the computer that is the intended recipient.
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).
_______ ________ was the first to define concepts that were to be later used in modern computers.