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. Kilobyte
_____ generation computers used integrated circuits.
In a peer to peer network - workstations share responsibility for processing - storage - printing - and communications tasks without a ______.
The BIOS (Basic ______________ System) also enables the computer to interpret keyboard commands and display characters on the monitor.
A ________ is a unit of measurement equaling 1024 bytes of data.

2. Digital
___ software is used to design products - maps - structures and civil engineering drawings.
UNIVAC was the first commercially successful _______ computer.
_________ is the process of moving up - down - or sideways through the text or other screen display.
An iteration control structure directs the computer to ______ one or more instructions until a certain condition is met.

3. Database
The information on a ROM chip _____ be altered by the user.
Utility programs are designed to help monitor and configure ________ for the computer - the operating system - or applications.
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).
A ________ is a collection of interrelated files in a computer system.

4. Query
With a relational database - users _____ records to locate and display them.
A bus network has two endpoints and all computers are connected to a single wire or _____.
The most common type of database used on PCs is the relational database in which data is organized into related ______.
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.

5. Binary
_________ authentication devices verify a person's identity using the person's physical characteristics.
A _____ _______ is a program that is disguised as an innocent program to gain control of your computer.
A LAN (______ _____ Network) normally occupies a single building.
A unit of measure equaling one ______ digit is a bit.

6. Byte
_________ systems were first used in second generation computers.
With a relational database - users _____ records to locate and display them.
A unit of measure equaling 8 bits is a ____.
Current versions of Windows support ____ ______ up to 255 characters long.

7. Network
ISPs are connected to the internet backbone via a ___.
_______ is a version of UNIX popular for large websites and e-commerce servers.
Some computers have a ______ chip containing the circuits for two microprocessors; this is called a dual core processor.
The Internet is a worldwide computer _______ that connects hundreds of thousands of smaller networks.

8. Communications
A computer resource is any component required to perform ____.
HTML is a set of special instructions used to create ____ _____.
Personal computers are also called ______________.
TCP/IP is an example of a network ________________ protocol.

9. Divide

10. Random
________ transmission sends data via light waves at a frequency too low for human eyes to see.
This is where the term __________ (a group edited encyclopedia) comes from.
In a ring network - all packets flow in only one __________; there are no data collisions.
A hard drive - on the other hand - is a _______ access device - which allows it to go directly to the requested data.

11. One
In MS Windows - the toolbar is located at the ____ of the window below the menu bar.
If an operating system attaches a special significance to a symbol - you won't be able to use it in a ________.
Like hubs - switches have multiple ______.
Multiple files which have been consolidated into ___ file and compressed to reduce size and download time are said to be zipped.

12. Javascript
__________ is widely supported by web browsers and adds interactive functions to HTML pages.
This is where the term __________ (a group edited encyclopedia) comes from.
Multimedia technology presents information in a format which includes ____ - graphics - video and sound.
____ is a graphics file format used on both PCs and Macs for high quality printable files.

13. Operating
In addition to displaying information in rows and columns - spreadsheet software can perform ______________ on inputted data.
_______ is a version of UNIX popular for large websites and e-commerce servers.
This is where the term __________ (a group edited encyclopedia) comes from.
_________ systems were first used in second generation computers.

14. Modem
Word processing software is used to create - edit - print - format and store ____.
A bus network has two endpoints and all computers are connected to a single wire or _____.
Common platforms include Apple Macintosh - ________ platforms and PC platforms.
A _____ takes digital signals from a computer and converts them to analog signals to transmit over a telephone line.

15. Sequentially
Virtual machine technology allows users to simulate the hardware and software of one computer ____________ on another.
A wiki is one or more ___ documents that can be viewed and changed by users.
With serial processing - instructions are executed ______________ in the order received.
Public domain software is not ___________ and can be copied without fear of prosecution.

16. Widget
With a parallel implementation - the old and new systems are operated side by side until the new system is proven to be ________.
A desktop ______ appears on the computer desktop and is a specialized utility that looks like a control and displays information.
Virtual machine technology allows users to simulate the hardware and software of one computer ____________ on another.
A message which has been encrypted is called __________.

17. Apple I
Improper positioning of your keyboard and mouse can cause ___.
System software helps the computer manage internal and external _________ and enables the computer to run applications.
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 the same year - they released the ________ computer.

18. Network interface
A ___ is the smallest unit of data that a system can handle.
ISPs are connected to the internet backbone via a ___.
A MAC address is a series of numbers assigned by the manufacturer to a _________ ________ card at the factory.
Examples of operating systems include ________ - Linux - Unix - and Macintosh OS.

19. Web page
Multimedia technology presents information in a format which includes ____ - graphics - video and sound.
For every software _____________ - the CPU control unit carries out four basic operations known as the machine cycle.
_______ errors can be found with a debugger.
Dreamweaver - Macromedia Flash and MS FrontPage are all examples of ___ _____ design software.

20. 1971
The first microprocessor was developed in _____.
A _________ is a limited working system - developed to test design concepts.
The public key encryption software used to encrypt documents such as _____ is called PGP.
When data is ________ in one cell - data in other cells is automatically recalculated.

21. ISP
System software helps the computer manage internal and external _________ and enables the computer to run applications.
Floppy disk - external hard drive - CD-RW - tape - and USB flash drive are all examples of ______ media.
An organization that provides internet access is called an ___.
________ ________ plan and implement new or improved computer services.

22. Serial
With ______ processing - the CPU must complete all steps in the instruction cycle before it begins to execute the next instruction.
The main circuit board of the computer is called the ___________.
Site licenses allow software to be used on all computers at a specific ________.
The ____ is a set of instructions contained in ROM that tell the computer how to find the operating system and load it into RAM.

23. Queues
The prefix '_____' means a thousand.
Data and programs waiting to be processed wait in ______ in temporary storage.
Desktop publishing software has reduced the time needed to create professional looking _______ projects.
First generation computers used _______ _____ to store individual bits of data.

24. Hypertext
HTML (__________ Markup Language) tags are used to structure and format web pages and links to other documents.
The internet is an example of a WAN (______ ____ Network).
A megabyte is often abbreviated as ___.
A _________ ________ card (NIC) is used by a computer to transmit and receive data over a network.

25. CPU
Microsoft Windows is the world's best selling ________ __________.
Any electronic system that uses a ___ but is not a general purpose computer is called an embedded system.
The TCP/IP protocol breaks data up into packets - which are fixed-length blocks of data - for transmission over the network. This permits the message to be broken up into small parts which are then transmitted over separate _______ and yet all end up
_______________ is used to restore the file to its original condition by replacing the repeated patterns that were removed during file compression.

26. Competitor
Proprietary information about a company concerns information a __________ might find valuable.
Dreamweaver - Macromedia Flash and MS FrontPage are all examples of ___ _____ design software.
Transferring data from a ______ computer to a local computer is called downloading.
What part of the URL http://instantcert.com/landing.html is the top level domain? ___

27. Sequential
MAC addresses are set from the factory and cannot be ________ by the network admin.
Random access is much faster than ___________ access storage (tape).
A megabyte is a unit of measurement roughly equaling one _______ bytes.
A firewall is designed to protect a computer or network from _________.

28. Fourth
Harvard Graphics and MS __________ are examples of presentation graphics software.
Virtual memory uses the hard disk to _____ primary storage (RAM).
______ generation languages are typically used for database applications.
The prefix '_____' means a thousand.

29. Kilo

30. Expert system
An ______ _______ is an interactive computer program that helps users solve problems.
A macro - or keyboard _________ - is useful when a user has to type the same pattern of keystrokes over and over.
Products which are announced but are never ________ are called vaporware.
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.

31. Before
The ______ is a marker on the monitor which indicates where the next character will appear.
Using a technology called pipelining - the processor can start executing an instruction ______ the previous instruction completes.
Second generation computers used ___________ instead of vacuum tubes.
Examples of random access storage include computer hard disk drives - RAM - ____ _____ - floppy drives and CD-ROM drives.

32. Quickly
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 ________.
With a relational database - users _____ records to locate and display them.
With serial processing - instructions are executed ______________ in the order received.
The web protocol HTTP (__________ __________ Protocol) is a set of rules for exchanging information over the web.

33. Action
Integrated circuits were able to do the work of thousands of _____________ or vacuum tubes on a single miniature chip.
To convert seconds to milliseconds - _________ by 1000 (i.e. 5 seconds is equal to 5 -000 milliseconds).
CSMA/CD is the Ethernet protocol that handles __________.
In programming - an event is defined as an ______.

34. Radiation
______ data is data that has been converted into discrete digits such as 0s and 1s.
The Windows registry is a database that maintains a record of installed ________ and peripheral devices - preferences - and settings.
A message that has not been _________ is called plaintext.
The easiest way to reduce exposure to cellphone _________ is to use a headset.

35. Analog
This UNIX-based kernel also contributes to stronger _________.
Telephone lines have traditionally been _______.
Data and programs waiting to be processed wait in ______ in temporary storage.
A keystroke logger can be used to steal __________.

36. Decryption
FTP can be used on any _______ network such as a LAN or the Internet and is compatible with any operating system.
The process of converting cyphertext to plaintext is ___________
With a relational database - users _____ records to locate and display them.
____ is the communications protocol used by your browser to connect with web servers and display web pages on your computer.

37. Meta
The 1s and 0s used to represent digital data are known as _______ digits.
A ___ ________ is software that enables a user to find and access the various parts of the Internet.
Embedded computers are also called microcontrollers and are small - specialized microprocessors installed in ____ and smart appliances.
Search agents and _____ search tools allow you to automate your search process across many sites.

38. Input/Output
The BIOS (Basic ______________ System) also enables the computer to interpret keyboard commands and display characters on the monitor.
A ______ is a small unit of data transmitted over a network.
What part of the URL http://instantcert.com/landing.html is the top level domain? ___
Unlike a hub - a ______ sends packets only to the computer that is the intended recipient.

39. Type
Early personal computers featured command-driven interfaces which required the user to ____ complicated instructions to operate the computer.
All the physical equipment in a computer system is called ________.
In recent years - antivirus software has been one of the most popular categories of _______ software.
Meeting ___________ software is an example of groupware.

40. VPNs
The kernel is also known as the ___________.
A _________ is a limited working system - developed to test design concepts.
A ___ ________ is software that enables a user to find and access the various parts of the Internet.
Private networks that are connected to remote sites via the internet are called ____.

41. Service Provider
EarthLink - AT&T - and Road Runner are all examples of ISPs (Internet __________________).
___ allows a block of program code to be reused in other programs.
Read-Only Memory chips contain fixed computer start up instructions - are loaded at the factory - and are ___________.
Using components or labor from outside suppliers is called ___________.

42. Routes
Drawings created with CAD (Computer Aided _______) software are 3D and can be rotated to view all sides.
The TCP/IP protocol breaks data up into packets - which are fixed-length blocks of data - for transmission over the network. This permits the message to be broken up into small parts which are then transmitted over separate _______ and yet all end up
Backups are used to ________ files lost by operator error - viruses - or hardware failures.
The primary key could be a unique series of numbers or characters; it doesn't have to be meaningful--just _______.

43. Flash

44. Reproduces
Servers can store files or provide services (i.e. printing) to ________ on the network.
A virus is a program that __________ itself - either by making copies of itself or by attaching to another program.
A computer with a __ bit word size will transfer data within the microprocessor at 8 bytes at a time.
In Windows - to see a list of active _________ - you must open the task manager.

45. Two
Usually - project management software allows the user to break a project down into a series of goals or events which are organized as a _________.
UNIX was first developed by _____ Laboratories in 1969.
Public key encryption uses ___ keys.
A wizard is an interactive computer utility that asks a user questions to _____ the user through a task.

46. ENIAC
Built in 1951 - UNIVAC was considerably smaller and more powerful than ______.
Open source software projects promote user modification - peer review - _____ distribution - and copying.
A device ______ is system software used by the computer to control peripheral devices.
Read-Only Memory chips contain fixed computer start up instructions - are loaded at the factory - and are ___________.

47. WAN
Built in 1951 - UNIVAC was considerably smaller and more powerful than ______.
A communications network that covers a large geographic area such as a country is called a ___.
A ________ is a set of rules governing the exchange of data between hardware and software on a communications network.
A desktop ______ appears on the computer desktop and is a specialized utility that looks like a control and displays information.

48. Bulletin board
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.
Syntax refers to the _______ in which computer programming commands must be entered.
An electronic ______ ________ on the Internet where users conduct written discussions about a specific topic is called a newsgroup.
Transferring data from a ______ computer to a local computer is called downloading.

49. Unzipped
In a peer to peer network - workstations share responsibility for processing - storage - printing - and communications tasks without a ______.
_______ are notes included in the program code by the programmer.
Zipped files are _________ as part of the installation process.
Database ______________ create - maintain - and supervise the day to day operation of databases.

50. GUI
Overclocking is popular with computer gamers but can be dangerous as components may _________ and be damaged or catch fire.
A typical computer includes the system and a variety of input - output and ______ devices.
A ________ is a set of rules governing the exchange of data between hardware and software on a communications network.
The desktop is a feature of the ____ (graphic user interface) and is found in OS software like MAC OS and MS Windows.