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. Third
_____ generation computers used integrated circuits.
Examples of random access storage include computer hard disk drives - RAM - ____ _____ - floppy drives and CD-ROM drives.
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
Public domain software is not ___________ and can be copied without fear of prosecution.

2. Function
A spreadsheet ________ is a built-in formula which performs common calculations.
_______ storage is temporary and holds data waiting to be processed.
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.
Micropayments are __________ payments for internet transactions as small as 25 cents.

3. Collisions
IP addresses can be changed by the network _______________.
Databases use structured files to _________ data.
CSMA/CD is the Ethernet protocol that handles __________.
The public key encryption software used to encrypt documents such as _____ is called PGP.

4. Network
______ generation languages are typically used for database applications.
In a relational database - a ___ field is used to sort data.
The hub prevents packet collisions - but if the hub goes down the _____ stops.
Private networks that are connected to remote sites via the internet are called ____.

5. Lost
This data is _____ when the computer is turned off.
Read-Only Memory chips contain fixed computer start up instructions - are loaded at the factory - and are ___________.
Computer _____ temporarily stores instructions and data that the processor is likely to use frequently.
Multimedia authoring software combines video - text - animation - graphics and sound to create __________ multimedia applications.

6. Motherboard
The main circuit board of the computer is called the ___________.
The ________ ________ is the computer software that manages the basic operation of the computer.
Common syntax errors include incorrect or missing punctuation - _________ errors - and omitting keywords.
A ___ ________ is software that enables a user to find and access the various parts of the Internet.

7. Directly
In addition to displaying information in rows and columns - spreadsheet software can perform ______________ on inputted data.
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.
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.
Random access storage devices are able to go _____ to the requested data

8. Decompression
A ________ is a collection of interrelated files in a computer system.
_______ is the operating system installed on more than 80% of the world's personal computers.
_______________ is used to restore the file to its original condition by replacing the repeated patterns that were removed during file compression.
The BIOS (Basic ______________ System) also enables the computer to interpret keyboard commands and display characters on the monitor.

9. Formats
Messages are divided into equal size packets and shipped over the network on a first come first _______ basis.
An IP address is a series of numbers used to identify a network ______.
Lettered ______ headings appear across the top frame of the spreadsheet.
Examples of graphics file _______ include BMP - GIF - JPEG - TIFF - and PNG.

10. Office
Values are the actual numbers or dates entered into ______.
DHCP stands for Dynamic Host _______________ Protocol.
Access (included with Microsoft _______) is an example of a popular Windows-based relational database application.
An _________ slot is a slot on the motherboard where the user can plug in an expansion card.

11. Analog
The Internet is a worldwide computer _______ that connects hundreds of thousands of smaller networks.
Microsoft Windows is the world's best selling ________ __________.
Telephone lines have traditionally been _______.
Dreamweaver - Macromedia Flash and MS FrontPage are all examples of ___ _____ design software.

12. Operating system
Plaintext is also called __________.
____ is used by copyright holders to prevent piracy of their products but can be inconvenient to legitimate users.
A cryptographic key is a number - word - or phrase that must be used to ________ a message.
The ________ ________ is the computer software that manages the basic operation of the computer.

13. Recalculation
______ data can be represented as a wave.
_____________ is the process of recomputing values in a spreadsheet.
With a relational database - users _____ records to locate and display them.
In a peer to peer network - workstations share responsibility for processing - storage - printing - and communications tasks without a ______.

14. Employment
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.
A gigabyte is a unit of measurement roughly equaling one _______ bytes.
Private _________ that connect internal personnel and selected vendors are called extranets.
Lettered ______ headings appear across the top frame of the spreadsheet.

15. Peripheral
Companies do this to keep _______ low.
A browser ________ is spyware that changes browser settings without your knowledge.
In 1976 - Steve Jobs and Steve _______ founded Apple Computer Corporation.
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.

16. Mimic
A computer's ____ size is the number of bits that the processor may process at any one time.
Virtual memory uses the hard disk to _____ primary storage (RAM).
Examples of information managed by ____ software include addresses - phone numbers - appointments - and to-do lists.
Personal Information Management software helps users organize and manage daily ________ activities.

17. Single
For a computer to be able to take advantage of dual core or quad core technology - the installed ________ __________ has to support it.
The hub prevents packet collisions - but if the hub goes down the _____ stops.
A field contains the smallest unit of meaningful data and can therefore be called the basic ________ block for a structured file or database.
Some computers have a ______ chip containing the circuits for two microprocessors; this is called a dual core processor.

18. Bits per second
To convert seconds to milliseconds - _________ by 1000 (i.e. 5 seconds is equal to 5 -000 milliseconds).
The bandwidth of a channel which carries digital data is typically measured in ____ ____ _________ (bps).
A ___ is the smallest unit of data that a system can handle.
The instruction cycle is also often referred to as the ________ cycle.

19. Data
One use of an intranet is to allow employees to access and exchange company _____ needed to do their jobs.
The instruction cycle is also often referred to as the ________ cycle.
DHCP is a protocol designed to automatically distribute IP _________.
File compression is a method of removing __________ elements of a file causing the file to require less storage space and less time to transmit.

20. Multimedia
Web page design software allows users to create sophisticated web pages with ___________ features.
With virtual memory - free _____ ____ space is used to extend the capacity of RAM.
_____ ______ cable transmits pulsating beams of light rather than electricity.
Floppy disk - external hard drive - CD-RW - tape - and USB flash drive are all examples of ______ media.

21. Memory
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 location on a spreadsheet where a row and a column intersect is called a ____.
While the computer is running - it remains in main ______ and manages nonresident programs.
With a parallel implementation - the old and new systems are operated side by side until the new system is proven to be ________.

22. Purchases
_____ ___ is a collection of photos and drawings designed to be inserted in documents.
Harvard Graphics and MS __________ are examples of presentation graphics software.
Adware is spyware that tracks surfing and online _________.
____ is a popular graphics file format used in applications such as web pages where flexibility in file size is important.

23. Forum
In a relational database - a ___ field is used to sort data.
A newsgroup is also known as a ______ and there are thousands of them on the Internet.
A _________ ________ card (NIC) is used by a computer to transmit and receive data over a network.
Current versions of Windows support ____ ______ up to 255 characters long.

24. Bulletin board
A _____ takes digital signals from a computer and converts them to analog signals to transmit over a telephone line.
An electronic ______ ________ on the Internet where users conduct written discussions about a specific topic is called a newsgroup.
RSI (Repetitive _______ Injury) affects tendons - muscles and nerves in the hands - wrists - arms and shoulders.
For every software _____________ - the CPU control unit carries out four basic operations known as the machine cycle.

25. Organize
In MS PowerPoint - the outline view helps you ________ the content of your material.
Word processing software is used to create - edit - print - format and store ____.
Backups are used to ________ files lost by operator error - viruses - or hardware failures.
CSMA/CD manages collisions on the network by deleting colliding signals and __________ the network.

26. Viruses
Settings automatically used by a program unless changed by the user are called _______ settings.
CSMA/CD is the Ethernet protocol that handles __________.
A ___ is a string of characters that points to a specific piece of information anywhere on the web.
Trojan horses can also carry ________ and destructive instructions.

27. Wikipedia
Cache speeds up _________.
Alpha testing involves desk checking and _________.
Common platforms include Apple Macintosh - ________ platforms and PC platforms.
This is where the term __________ (a group edited encyclopedia) comes from.

28. Encryption
System software include device ________ - operating systems - and compilers.
__________ uses mathematical formulas to create coded messages.
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.
A single hard drive could be partitioned and labeled with multiple drive ________.

29. Internet
Cyberspace is the world of communications in general; it includes wired and wireless communications - as well as the _________.
By using a _______________ utility - files on a disk are rearranged so that they are stored in contiguous clusters.
Reading through a program to make sure it is logical and free of errors is called _____ ________.
Word processing software is used to create - edit - print - format and store ____.

30. 64
Examples of an event include a key press or a mouse ______.
A _________ is a graphical representation of a series of steps needed to solve a problem.
An example of importing data would be taking a column of numbers from a spreadsheet and importing it into a ______ __________.
A computer with a __ bit word size will transfer data within the microprocessor at 8 bytes at a time.

31. Data
A megabyte is a unit of measurement roughly equaling one _______ bytes.
Early computers stored ____ for calculations and programs on punched cards.
The cursor is often a blinking rectangle and its location is called the __________ point.
System software includes device drivers - utility programs - and the __________ system.

32. Administrators
Output is the result of ___________.
With serial processing - instructions are executed ______________ in the order received.
Database ______________ create - maintain - and supervise the day to day operation of databases.
Financial software allows users to track income and expenses - manage __________ - create reports - and record tax information.

33. Volatile
_________ is the process of moving up - down - or sideways through the text or other screen display.
The contents of ________ memory - which includes RAM - are lost when the power is turned off.
_____________ is the process of recomputing values in a spreadsheet.
Virtual reality is a computer generated artificial reality which projects a person into a sensation of _____ ____________ space.

34. Scheduling
Using a technology called pipelining - the processor can start executing an instruction ______ the previous instruction completes.
MIDI is a protocol used to communicate between electronic _______ instruments and the devices that control and manage them.
Meeting ___________ software is an example of groupware.
A _____ of adjacent cells on a spreadsheet is called a range.

35. Beta
____ testing involves checking a program by running it with real world data.
Software designed to solve a specific problem is called ___________ software.
The 1s and 0s used to represent digital data are known as _______ digits.
Virtual memory uses the hard disk to _____ primary storage (RAM).

36. Cyberterrorists
The internet backbone consists of high speed - high capacity transmission lines that use the newest communications technology to ________ data across the internet.
_______________ are politically motivated hackers who attack computer systems intending to cause large scale physical or financial harm.
Groupware is software that allows several people to collaborate on projects over a _______.
_____________ is the process of recomputing values in a spreadsheet.

37. Free
When data is ________ in one cell - data in other cells is automatically recalculated.
CSMA/CD is the Ethernet protocol that handles __________.
Freeware is software that is copyrighted but is available for ____.
A computer's ____ size is the number of bits that the processor may process at any one time.

38. Icons
Each connection _____ on a network is called a node.
Small pictures on the desktop that represent documents - procedures and programs are called _____.
A computer resource is any component required to perform ____.
Examples of information managed by ____ software include addresses - phone numbers - appointments - and to-do lists.

39. Calculations
_______ errors can be found with a debugger.
Early personal computers featured command-driven interfaces which required the user to ____ complicated instructions to operate the computer.
In addition to displaying information in rows and columns - spreadsheet software can perform ______________ on inputted data.
A ___ ________ is software that enables a user to find and access the various parts of the Internet.

40. Passwords
A field contains the smallest unit of meaningful data and can therefore be called the basic ________ block for a structured file or database.
A keystroke logger can be used to steal __________.
Virtual memory uses the hard disk to _____ primary storage (RAM).
Examples of an event include a key press or a mouse ______.

41. Punctuation
Lettered ______ headings appear across the top frame of the spreadsheet.
One use of an intranet is to allow employees to access and exchange company _____ needed to do their jobs.
___________ programming rules are called syntax.
One reason a tape drive takes longer to access data than a ____ drive is that tape drives use sequential access.

42. Processor
Cache speeds up _________.
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.
The particular operating system and _________ model on which a computer system is based is called the platform.
SSL (Secure _______ Layer) and TLS are protocols used to create a secure connection between a computer and a website.

43. Parallel
A programming language is a set of keywords and grammar rules used to create ____________ for a computer.
When a computer performs several tasks simultaneously - this is called ________ processing.
Cyberspace is the world of communications in general; it includes wired and wireless communications - as well as the _________.
One reason a tape drive takes longer to access data than a ____ drive is that tape drives use sequential access.

44. Software
______________ are the most expensive and fastest computers available.
TCP/IP is an example of a network ________________ protocol.
Examples of personal finance manager software include ________ and Microsoft Money.
The Windows registry is a database that maintains a record of installed ________ and peripheral devices - preferences - and settings.

45. Design
Access (included with Microsoft _______) is an example of a popular Windows-based relational database application.
Drawings created with CAD (Computer Aided _______) software are 3D and can be rotated to view all sides.
____ and RPG-I are examples of fourth generation languages.
Freeware is software that is copyrighted but is available for ____.

46. Expert system
An ______ _______ is an interactive computer program that helps users solve problems.
Graphics software is designed to help users manipulate and ______ graphics.
The prefix '____' means a million.
Applications no longer had to include code to control low level hardware operations but instead called on operating system routines through simple standardized _________.

47. Operating
A unit of measure equaling one ______ digit is a bit.
_________ systems were first used in second generation computers.
System software includes device drivers - utility programs - and the __________ system.
The particular operating system and _________ model on which a computer system is based is called the platform.

48. Binary
A template is a ____________ document often provided with word processing software.
A newsgroup is also known as a ______ and there are thousands of them on the Internet.
The computer's main ______ typically consists of high speed RAM which stores instructions and data.
The 1s and 0s used to represent digital data are known as _______ digits.

49. Web pages
A firewall can be _________ or software-based or a combination of the two.
HTML is a set of special instructions used to create ____ _____.
_____ ____ is a special feature that automatically continues text on the next line when the user reaches the right margin.
Adware is spyware that tracks surfing and online _________.

50. Multiply
______________ are the most expensive and fastest computers available.
To convert seconds to milliseconds - _________ by 1000 (i.e. 5 seconds is equal to 5 -000 milliseconds).
VPN stands for ________ Private Network.
PGP (_______ ______ Privacy) encryption software is available for free download on the web.