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. Illegally
Common platforms include Apple Macintosh - ________ platforms and PC platforms.
VPN stands for ________ Private Network.
Data consists of ___ facts and figures that is processed to produce information.
Software obtained _________ is said to be pirated.

2. Hypertext
HTML (__________ Markup Language) tags are used to structure and format web pages and links to other documents.
Word processing software is used to create - edit - print - format and store ____.
______________ are the most expensive and fastest computers available.
_______ is a version of UNIX popular for large websites and e-commerce servers.

3. Systems analysts
________ ________ plan and implement new or improved computer services.
Cache speeds up _________.
Analytical graphics are graphical forms that make _______ data easier to analyze.
In a star network - all computers are connected to a _______ computer.

4. Access
Transistors were smaller - cheaper - and more _________ than vacuum tubes.
Screening job applicants and limiting employee ______ to only information needed to do a specific job are examples of people controls.
A ____ network has no endpoints and all computers are connected in a continuous loop.
A _________ is a graphical representation of a series of steps needed to solve a problem.

5. Numbered
A megabyte is often abbreviated as ___.
The public key encryption software used to encrypt documents such as _____ is called PGP.
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.
________ row headings appear down the left frame of the spreadsheet.

6. Musical
A program that ______ itself repeatedly on to the computer's hard disk or into the computer's memory is called a worm.
A modem is a device that sends and receives data over __________ lines to and from computers.
Virtual machine technology allows users to simulate the hardware and software of one computer ____________ on another.
MIDI is a protocol used to communicate between electronic _______ instruments and the devices that control and manage them.

7. Algorithm
POS (______ __ _______) terminals are computer-based devices or systems that allow the merchant to process credit cards - track customer purchase habits - and manage inventory.
A megabyte is often abbreviated as ___.
Messages are encrypted using a cryptographic _________ and a key.
The hub prevents packet collisions - but if the hub goes down the _____ stops.

8. TIFF
__________ is the study of safe and efficient work environments.
Examples of an event include a key press or a mouse ______.
Examples of keywords include READ - ______ - IF - and THEN
____ is a graphics file format used on both PCs and Macs for high quality printable files.

9. Location
A _____ of adjacent cells on a spreadsheet is called a range.
Examples of information managed by ____ software include addresses - phone numbers - appointments - and to-do lists.
When plugged into a USB port - flash memory drives show up as an external drive and are a convenient way to transport and transfer _____.
Site licenses allow software to be used on all computers at a specific ________.

10. Stress
___ software is used to design products - maps - structures and civil engineering drawings.
The motherboard contains the CPU and _______ chips as well as connections for the keyboard - mouse - and printer.
A template is a ____________ document often provided with word processing software.
RSI (Repetitive _______ Injury) affects tendons - muscles and nerves in the hands - wrists - arms and shoulders.

11. Numeric
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 ____.
Analytical graphics are graphical forms that make _______ data easier to analyze.
Public domain software is not ___________ and can be copied without fear of prosecution.
Settings automatically used by a program unless changed by the user are called _______ settings.

12. TCP/IP
A virus is a program that __________ itself - either by making copies of itself or by attaching to another program.
FTP can be used on any _______ network such as a LAN or the Internet and is compatible with any operating system.
An organization's internal _______ network is called an intranet.
A newsgroup is also known as a ______ and there are thousands of them on the Internet.

13. Office
Access (included with Microsoft _______) is an example of a popular Windows-based relational database application.
A compiler converts ______ code (the original code written by the programmer) into object code (an executable file).
If an operating system attaches a special significance to a symbol - you won't be able to use it in a ________.
_____ _____ languages are based on human languages and include C - C++ and FORTRAN.

14. Free
Freeware is software that is copyrighted but is available for ____.
They are for ______ use only and are ignored by the compiler when it processes the code.
The _______ ______ would be 'instantcert.com'; the top level domain just refers to the part after the period.
This data is _____ when the computer is turned off.

15. Operating system
The Windows registry is a database that maintains a record of installed ________ and peripheral devices - preferences - and settings.
Examples of graphics file _______ include BMP - GIF - JPEG - TIFF - and PNG.
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.
For a computer to be able to take advantage of dual core or quad core technology - the installed ________ __________ has to support it.

16. Hard
One reason a tape drive takes longer to access data than a ____ drive is that tape drives use sequential access.
The web protocol HTTP (__________ __________ Protocol) is a set of rules for exchanging information over the web.
Some computers have a ______ chip containing the circuits for two microprocessors; this is called a dual core processor.
The kernel is also known as the ___________.

17. Input/Output
Backups are used to ________ files lost by operator error - viruses - or hardware failures.
The BIOS (Basic ______________ System) also enables the computer to interpret keyboard commands and display characters on the monitor.
A message which has been encrypted is called __________.
Commands written for a specific CPU or microprocessor are ____ _____ languages.

18. Calculations
A ___________ allows users to enter data in rows and columns to create financial schedules and tables arranged as a grid on a display.
Transistors were smaller - cheaper - and more _________ than vacuum tubes.
In addition to displaying information in rows and columns - spreadsheet software can perform ______________ on inputted data.
A firewall is designed to protect a computer or network from _________.

19. ENIAC
Relocating business _________ to lower cost locations in foreign countries is called offshoring.
An algorithm is a _______ or set of steps for solving a particular problem.
POS (______ __ _______) terminals are computer-based devices or systems that allow the merchant to process credit cards - track customer purchase habits - and manage inventory.
Built in 1951 - UNIVAC was considerably smaller and more powerful than ______.

20. 64
Tests run by laboratories to compare the overall speed of microprocessors are called __________.
______ - PROSPECTOR - CARES - CLUES and CLIPS are all examples of expert systems.
A computer with a __ bit word size will transfer data within the microprocessor at 8 bytes at a time.
FTP is a protocol used to copy _____ from one computer to another over the Internet.

21. Commands
Public key encryption is used to transmit credit card data in secure e-commerce transactions and it is also used for secure ______.
Applications no longer had to include code to control low level hardware operations but instead called on operating system routines through simple standardized _________.
The Sarbanes-Oxley act requires full disclosure in accounting systems and protects corporate ______________.
Virtual memory uses the hard disk to _____ primary storage (RAM).

22. Finland
___ software is used to design products - maps - structures and civil engineering drawings.
CSMA/CD is the Ethernet protocol that handles __________.
Linux was created in 1991 by Linus Torvalds - a programmer from ________.
A program that ______ itself repeatedly on to the computer's hard disk or into the computer's memory is called a worm.

23. GUI
Column headings are used to select an entire _______ with a mouse click.
____ is a popular graphics file format used in applications such as web pages where flexibility in file size is important.
The desktop is a feature of the ____ (graphic user interface) and is found in OS software like MAC OS and MS Windows.
An algorithm is a _______ or set of steps for solving a particular problem.

24. Gateways
In addition to displaying information in rows and columns - spreadsheet software can perform ______________ on inputted data.
________ are used to transmit data between LANs of different network topologies or network operating systems.
The ______ is a marker on the monitor which indicates where the next character will appear.
Alpha testing involves desk checking and _________.

25. Processing
System software helps the computer manage internal and external _________ and enables the computer to run applications.
Cache speeds up _________.
________ transmission sends data via light waves at a frequency too low for human eyes to see.
File compression is a method of removing __________ elements of a file causing the file to require less storage space and less time to transmit.

26. Permanently
The 1s and 0s used to represent digital data are known as _______ digits.
Backups are used to ________ files lost by operator error - viruses - or hardware failures.
A _____ _____ is an example of a sequential access device; it retrieves data by starting at the beginning of the tape and reading each record until the required data is found.
Secondary storage refers to devices and media that store data _____________.

27. Open source
Bandwidth is an expression of how much data can be sent through a communications channel in a given amount of ____.
Analytical graphics are also called _________ graphics and make sales figures and economic trends easier to understand.
A _______ computer that holds a collection of data and/or applications for providing services to workstations or PCs is called a server.
Linux is an ____ _______ operating system that can be modified and freely distributed.

28. Backup
The CPU consists of the control unit - the arithmetic/logic unit (ALU) and the _________ (high speed storage areas).
Linux is an ____ _______ operating system that can be modified and freely distributed.
Floppy disk - external hard drive - CD-RW - tape - and USB flash drive are all examples of ______ media.
Packet _________ technology divides a message into packets that can be independently routed to their destination and then reassembled.

29. Files
A program that ______ itself repeatedly on to the computer's hard disk or into the computer's memory is called a worm.
The central computer is called a ____.
Packet _________ technology divides a message into packets that can be independently routed to their destination and then reassembled.
FTP is a protocol used to copy _____ from one computer to another over the Internet.

30. Flash drives
Private networks that are connected to remote sites via the internet are called ____.
A LAN (______ _____ Network) normally occupies a single building.
The CPU consists of the control unit - the arithmetic/logic unit (ALU) and the _________ (high speed storage areas).
Examples of random access storage include computer hard disk drives - RAM - ____ _____ - floppy drives and CD-ROM drives.

31. Copies

32. Background
Virtual machine technology allows users to simulate the hardware and software of one computer ____________ on another.
RAM - which stands for Random Access Memory - stores __________ data which is waiting to be stored - processed - or output - and this data is lost if the computer is turned off.
The web protocol HTTP (__________ __________ Protocol) is a set of rules for exchanging information over the web.
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.

33. Storage
Individual computers (PCs - workstations) are called ________ and the centralized computer is called a server.
The prefix '_____' means a thousand.
A typical computer includes the system and a variety of input - output and ______ devices.
Data consists of ___ facts and figures that is processed to produce information.

34. Controlling
Commands written for a specific CPU or microprocessor are ____ _____ languages.
________ ________ plan and implement new or improved computer services.
_____________ people is one important way to protect software and data.
With a parallel implementation - the old and new systems are operated side by side until the new system is proven to be ________.

35. Temporary
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.
Floppy disk - external hard drive - CD-RW - tape - and USB flash drive are all examples of ______ media.
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.
RAM - which stands for Random Access Memory - stores __________ data which is waiting to be stored - processed - or output - and this data is lost if the computer is turned off.

36. Dashboard
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.
Examples of information managed by ____ software include addresses - phone numbers - appointments - and to-do lists.
A _____ _____ is an example of a sequential access device; it retrieves data by starting at the beginning of the tape and reading each record until the required data is found.
The GUI (Graphic User Interface) is sometimes called a computer __________ and Microsoft Windows is an example of an operating system that uses a GUI.

37. Word

38. Whistleblowers
A technique for increasing the speed of computer components such as motherboards - memory - processors - and graphics cards is called ____________.
The Sarbanes-Oxley act requires full disclosure in accounting systems and protects corporate ______________.
Common expansion cards include ________ cards - graphic cards - and memory cards.
Web page design software allows users to create sophisticated web pages with ___________ features.

39. Processes
In a relational database - the _______ key holds a unique value for each record.
Groupware is software that allows several people to collaborate on projects over a _______.
In Windows - to see a list of active _________ - you must open the task manager.
Common expansion cards include ________ cards - graphic cards - and memory cards.

40. Changed
MAC addresses are set from the factory and cannot be ________ by the network admin.
Graphics software is designed to help users manipulate and ______ graphics.
EarthLink - AT&T - and Road Runner are all examples of ISPs (Internet __________________).
____ testing involves checking a program by running it with real world data.

41. Windows
On the job choices that reflect a person's values are called ____________ ethics.
Early personal computers featured command-driven interfaces which required the user to ____ complicated instructions to operate the computer.
Common platforms include Apple Macintosh - ________ platforms and PC platforms.
Paint - photo _______ - and drawing software are all examples of graphics software.

42. Biometric

43. Compiler
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 particular operating system and _________ model on which a computer system is based is called the platform.
In recent years - antivirus software has been one of the most popular categories of _______ software.
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.

44. Inference

45. Analog
______ data can be represented as a wave.
FTP is a protocol used to copy _____ from one computer to another over the Internet.
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 ____.
A data communications network that connects personal computers within a limited geographical area is called a ___.

46. Scheduling
Meeting ___________ software is an example of groupware.
______ ____________ software allows scheduling of events - management of costs and allocation of resources associated with a project.
NAP stands for ________________ Point.
The columns are called _______.

47. Programmable
Early computers stored ____ for calculations and programs on punched cards.
A _____ is a single keystroke or command used to automatically issue a longer - predefined series of keystrokes or commands.
By using a _______________ utility - files on a disk are rearranged so that they are stored in contiguous clusters.
ENIAC was the first ____________ electronic computer in the United States.

48. Analog
The columns are called _______.
The opposite of a variable is a _________ - which is a factor that remains the same throughout the program.
In a peer to peer network - workstations share responsibility for processing - storage - printing - and communications tasks without a ______.
Telephone lines have traditionally been _______.

49. Hard disk
Random access is much faster than ___________ access storage (tape).
The more _____ in a word - the faster the computer.
With a relational database - users _____ records to locate and display them.
With virtual memory - free _____ ____ space is used to extend the capacity of RAM.

50. Networking
In recent years - antivirus software has been one of the most popular categories of _______ software.
________ ________ plan and implement new or improved computer services.
Messages are encrypted using a cryptographic _________ and a key.
UNIX is a proprietary multitasking operating system with built-in __________ capabilities that supports multiple users.