A+ certification (CompTIA Guide to managing and maintaining your PC)

ND160 – Configuration and Troubleshooting
Assignment 1


True/False
Indicate whether the statement is true or false.

1. A serial port transmits data in parallel and is most often used by an older printer.
FALSE

2. When data and instructions are not being used, they must be kept in permanent storage, sometimes called primary storage.
FALSE

3. Parallel ATA, sometimes called the EIDE (Enhanced IDE) standard or the IDE standard, is slower than SATA.
TRUE

4. A motherboard can have more than one bus, each using a different protocol, speed, data path size, and so on.
TRUE

5. Some very basic instructions are stored on the motherboard—just enough to start the computer, use some simple hardware devices such as a monitor and keyboard, and search for an operating system stored on a storage device such as a hard drive or CD.
TRUE

Multiple Choice
Identify the choice that best completes the statement or answers the question.

6. In the world of computers, the term ____ refers to the computer’s physical components, such as the monitor, keyboard, motherboard, and hard drive.
a. software
b. middleware
c. architecture
d. hardware

7. The term ____ refers to the set of instructions that directs the hardware to accomplish a task.
a. software
b. hardware
c. middleware
d. stack

8. To perform a computing task, software uses hardware for four basic functions: ____.
a. input, storage, retrieval, and display
b. input, processing, storage, and output
c. input, storage, alteration, and output
d. output, input, analysis, and viewing

9. A 1 or 0 in this system is called a ____.
a. byte
b. word
c. datum
d. bit

10. The printer produces output on paper, often called ____ copy.
a. real
b. soft
c. hard
d. virtual

11. A ____ bus port can be used by many different input/output devices, such as keyboards, printers, scanners, and digital cameras.
a. unified serial
b. universal static
c. universal serial
d. universal standards

12. The ____ is a group of microchips on the motherboard that control the flow of data and instructions to and from the processor.
a. chipset
b. block
c. bridge
d. gate

13. Most ____ drives consist of a sealed case containing platters or disks that rotate at a high speed.
a. optical
b. hard
c. flash
d. solid state

14. A(n) ____ drive is considered standard equipment on most computer systems today because most software is distributed on CDs or DVDs.
a. floppy
b. flash
c. optical
d. hard

15. USB ____ drives are compact, easy to use, and currently hold up to 64 GB of data.
a. worm
b. optical
c. hard
d. flash

16. A(n) ____ is a set of rule and standards that any two entities use for communication.
a. protocol
b. language
c. interface
d. interaction


17. The ____ card, also called a graphics card, provides one or more ports for a monitor.
a. video
b. interface
c. input
d. output


18. The ____ card provides a port for a network cable to connect the PC to a network.
a. video
b. interface
c. modem
d. network


19. Data and instructions are stored on special ROM (read-only memory) chips on the board and are called the ____.
a. flash
b. microcode
c. BIOS
d. Symbols


20. Motherboard settings are stored in a small amount of RAM located on the firmware chip and are called ____.
a. CMOS ROM
b. CMOS RAM
c. DMOS ROM
d. HMAC RAM