Sample Paper 1

16. The three types of operations used to construct algorithms are sequential, ___________________, and iterative.
ANSWER: conditional

17. One of the most fundamentally important virtues of a(n) ____________________ is that if we can specify one to
solve a problem, then we can automate the solution.
ANSWER: algorithm

18. Unlike the _______________, Leibniz’s Wheel could carry out addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division.
ANSWER: Pascaline

19. Charles Babbage gave up on his second ____________________ because the current technology could not support
his project.
ANSWER: Difference Engine

20. Ultra-large-scale integrated circuits are ____________________-generation innovation in computing.

ANSWER: fifth

21. In ____ computer science, researchers study the logical and mathematical properties of problems and their solutions.
a. theoretical
b. scientific
c. practical
d. logical
ANSWER: a

22. In computer science, it is not simply the construction of a high-quality __________ that is important but also the
methods it embodies.
a. processor
b. program
c. memory module
d. storage device
ANSWER: b

23. Designing programming languages and translating algorithms into these languages is known as ____ realization.
a. programming language
b. compiler
c. linguistic
d. interpreter
ANSWER: c

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24. ______ operations are the “looping” instructions of an algorithm.
a. Sequential
b. Looping
c. Iterative
d. Hierarchal
ANSWER: b

25. In computer science terminology, the machine, robot, person, or thing carrying out the steps of the algorithm is called
a(n) ____.
a. computing agent
b. algorithmic agent
c. computing representative
d. algorithmic representative
ANSWER: a

26. An algorithm may be too ____ to be of any use.

a. difficult to read
b. inefficient
c. difficult to create
d. offensive
ANSWER: b

27. An algorithm is a ____ collection of unambiguous and effectively computable operations that, when executed,
produces a result and halts in a finite amount of time.
a. sequential
b. computing agent
c. mechanical calculator
d. well-ordered
ANSWER: d

28. An operation that is ____ is called a primitive operation of the computing agent carrying out the algorithm.
a. primary
b. complementary
c. basic
d. unambiguous
ANSWER: d

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29. What is wrong with the following algorithm?

1. Set X to be 1
2. Increment X
3. Print X
4. If X > 0, repeat from 2
a. It does not produce a result.
b. It is ambiguous.
c. It does not halt in a finite amount of time.
d. It is not well ordered.
ANSWER: c

30. The ____ revolution enabled us to implement algorithms that automated the drudgery of repetitive mental tasks.
a. industrial
b. technological
c. computer
d. designer
ANSWER: c

31. The history of ____ begins 3,000 years ago.

a. computer science
b. logarithms
c. the Pascaline
d. mathematics
ANSWER: d
POINTS: 1

32. In 1672, a French philosopher and mathematician designed and built one of the first mechanical calculators named the
____ that could do addition and subtraction.
a. Pascaline
b. Leibniz Wheel
c. Abacus
d. TI-85
ANSWER: a

33. The first slide rule appeared around ____.

a. 1183
b. 1622
c. 1882
d. 1945
ANSWER: b

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34. In 1614, John Napier invented ____ as a way to simplify difficult mathematical computations.
a. algorithms
b. logarithms
c. electronic computers
d. mechanical calculators
ANSWER: b

35. Jacquard’s Loom was considered the first “computing device” because it was ____ and had memory where
information was stored in a machine-readable form.
a. compact
b. electric
c. mathematically efficient
d. programmable
ANSWER: d

36. In Babbage’s Analytical Engine, a mill was most like the ____ of modern-day computers.
a. RAM
b. processor
c. logic unit
d. input/output
ANSWER: c

37. The ____ was the first fully electronic, general-purpose, programmable computer.
a. EDVAC
b. EDSAC
c. ENIAC
d. Mark I
ANSWER: c

38. John Von Neumann’s stored program computer lay the groundwork for modern-day computing by allowing the
computer to store instructions in ____ alongside the data.
a. binary values
b. external displays
c. vacuum tubes
d. data cylinders
ANSWER: a

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39. Integrated circuits, built on silicon chips, were introduced during the ____ generation of computing.
a. first
b. second
c. third
d. fourth
ANSWER: c

40. During the ____ generation of computing, the desktop machine shrunk to the size of a typewriter.
a. second
b. third
c. fourth
d. fifth
ANSWER: c

16. ____ is the algorithmic equivalence of miles per gallon or use of space in cars.
a. Efficiency
b. Elegance
c. Aesthetics
d. Complexity
ANSWER: a

17. ____ involves the fixing of errors that are uncovered through repeated usage with different input values.
a. Program maintenance
b. Recycling
c. Data cleanup
d. Garbage collection
ANSWER: a

18. ____ are useful for rating one machine against another and for rating how sensitive a particular algorithm is with
respect to variations in input on one particular machine.
a. Time trials
b. Benchmarks
c. Comparison times
d. Intensive tests
ANSWER: b

19. The study of the _______ of algorithms is called the analysis of algorithms.
a. design
b. efficiency
c. implementation
d. complexity

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ANSWER: b

20. In the sequential search algorithm, the minimum amount of work is done if the value being searched for is the ____
value in the list.
a. first
b. second
c. middle
d. last
ANSWER: a

21. The ____ case of an algorithm requires the least work.

a. best
b. worst
c. smallest
d. largest
ANSWER: a

22. In the _______ search algorithm, the worst case occurs when the value being searched for is the last value in the list.
a. binary
b. bubble
c. shuffle
d. sequential
ANSWER: d

23. Placing a list of items into alphabetical or numerical order is called ____.
a. simplifying
b. searching
c. sorting
d. pattern matching
ANSWER: c

24. The selection sort algorithm performs the task of sorting a list by growing a sorted subsection of the list from the
_____ to the _____.
a. front / back
b. top / bottom
c. back / front
d. lowest / highest
ANSWER: c

25. _______ sort is an Θ(n2) algorithm in all cases.

a. Selection
b. Shuffle
c. Sequential
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d. Shuffle-left
ANSWER: a

26. Sequential search is an ____ algorithm in the worst case.

a. Θ(1)
b. Θ(n)
c. Θ(2n)
d. Θ(n2)
ANSWER: b

27. Part of the job of program ____ is to make clear any assumptions or restrictions about the input size the program was
designed to handle.
a. design
b. implementation
c. documentation
d. maintenance
ANSWER: c

28. The shuffle-left algorithm is an ____ algorithm in the worst case.

a. Θ(1)
b. Θ(n)
c. Θ(2n)
d. Θ(n2)
ANSWER: d

29. The copy-over algorithm is ____ in time efficiency in the worst case.
a. Θ(1)
b. Θ(n)
c. Θ(2n)
d. Θ(n2)
ANSWER: b

30. The worst case in binary search occurs ____.

a. when the object to be searched is in the middle of the list
b. when the object to be searched is at the end of the list
c. when the object to be searched is at the beginning of the list
d. when the object to be searched is not in the list
ANSWER: d

31. Binary search does ____ comparisons in the worst case.

a. Θ(1)
b. Θ(lg n)
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c. Θ(n)
d. Θ(n2)
ANSWER: b

32. Θ(lg n), Θ(n), and Θ(n2) are ____ in the amount of work they do as n increases.
a. restricted
b. useful
c. polynomially bounded
d. exponential
ANSWER: c

33. An ____ algorithm is called an exponential algorithm.

a. Θ(lg n)
b. Θ(n)
c. Θ(n2)
d. Θ(2n)
ANSWER: d

34. Problems for which no known polynomial solution algorithm exists are sometimes approached via ____ algorithms.
a. alternative
b. intractable
c. polynomial
d. approximation
ANSWER: d

35. A surprising number of problems fall into the “____” category.

a. suspected intractable
b. approximation algorithm
c. bin-packing
d. declared intractable
ANSWER: a

36. ____________________ is the term used to describe an algorithm’s careful use of resources.
ANSWER: Efficiency

37. The number of comparisons done by the selection sort algorithm does not grow at the same rate as the problem size n,
instead it grows at approximately the ____________________ of that rate.
ANSWER: square

38. The converging-pointers algorithm is Θ(n) in the ____________________ case.

ANSWER: worst

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39. A Hamiltonian circuit is a path through a graph that begins and ends at the same node and goes through all other
nodes exactly ________.
ANSWER: once

40. ____________________ problems are solvable, but the solution algorithms all require so much work as to be
virtually useless.
ANSWER: Intractable

21. To understand how computers process information, we must study computers as collections of ____ that perform
tasks such as instruction processing, information storage, computation, and data transfer.
a. data types
b. functional units
c. hardware
d. memory units
ANSWER: b

22. The acronym ____ is frequently used to refer to the memory unit of a computer.
a. ROM
b. CD
c. MDR
d. RAM
ANSWER: d

23. There are 230 bytes in a _______.

a. kilobyte
b. petabyte
c. gigabyte
d. terabyte
ANSWER: c

24. In a ____, the original contents of the memory cell are unchanged.
a. nondestructive fetch
b. destructive store
c. random access memory
d. volatile storage
ANSWER: a

25. To solve the difficulty of scaling memory organization, memories are physically organized into a ____-dimensional
organization.
a. one
b. two
c. three
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d. multi
ANSWER: b

26. A cache is typically ____ times faster than RAM but possesses less storage capacity.
a. 5 to 10
b. 15 to 20
c. 20 to 30
d. 25 to 30
ANSWER: a

27. The ____ are the devices that allow a computer system to communicate and interact with the outside world as well as
store information.
a. registers
b. arithmetic/logic units
c. control units
d. input/output units
ANSWER: d

28. The ____ of a disk is the time needed to position the read/write head over the correct track.
a. latency
b. frequency
c. transfer speed
d. seek time
ANSWER: d

29. The ____ of a disk is the time for the beginning of the desired sector to rotate under the read/write head.
a. latency
b. transfer time
c. frequency
d. seek time
ANSWER: a

30. A(n) ____ handles the details of input/output and compensates for any speed differences between I/O devices and
other parts of the computer.
a. cache
b. I/O register
c. decoder circuit
d. I/O controller
ANSWER: d

31. To alert the computer that an input/output operation is done, a(n) ____ is transmitted to the processor.
a. condition code
b. interrupt signal
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c. broadcast
d. execution instruction
ANSWER: b

32. A(n) ____ is a storage cell that holds the operands of an arithmetic operation and that, when the operation is complete,
holds its result.
a. decoder
b. register
c. I/O controller
d. cache
ANSWER: b

33. If a computer has a maximum of 2N memory cells, then each address field in a machine language instruction must be
____ bits wide to enable us to address every cell.
a. N
b. 2N
c. N2
d. 2N
ANSWER: a

34. ____ machines are designed to directly provide a wide range of powerful features so that finished programs for these
processors are shorter.
a. MISC
b. SICC
c. SISC
d. CISC
ANSWER: d

35. The ____ operation in Von Neumann machines uses a special set of bits known as condition codes.
a. compare
b. addition
c. control
d. looping
ANSWER: a

36. The branch machine language instructions alter the normal _______ flow of control.
a. binary
b. bi-directional
c. sequential
d. MIMD
ANSWER: c

37. It is the task of the ____ to fetch and execute instructions.

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a. arithmetic/logic unit (ALU)
b. I/O controllers
c. memory
d. control unit
ANSWER: d

38. The ____ holds the address of the next instruction to be executed.
a. status register
b. program counter
c. condition register
d. instruction register
ANSWER: b

39. During the ____ phase, the control unit circuitry generates the necessary sequence of control signals and data transfer
signals to the other units of the computer to carry out the instruction.
a. fetch
b. execution
c. store
d. decode
ANSWER: b

40. Cluster computing is an example of _________ parallel computing.

a. MIMD
b. quantum
c. SIMD
d. mainframe
ANSWER: a

11. Assemblers, __________, and interpreters are all examples of language services.
ANSWER: compilers

12. ____________________ addresses increase the maintainability of a program.

ANSWER: Symbolic

13. A(n) ____________________ character is displayed on screen to indicate that command language operating system is
waiting for input.
ANSWER: prompt

14. It is the responsibility of the ____________________ to safeguard the password file that stores all valid user
name/password combinations.
ANSWER: OS
operating system
OS (operating system)
operating system (OS)
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15. Typically, all requests to a(n) ____________________ operating system are prioritized.
ANSWER: real time
real-time

21. A Von Neumann computer without any helpful user-oriented features is called a(n) ____ machine.
a. distributed
b. virtual
c. assembler
d. naked
ANSWER: d

22. The ____ hides from the user the messy details of the underlying hardware.
a. interface
b. operating system
c. system software
d. machine code
ANSWER: a

23. System software acts as a(n) ____ between the users and the hardware.
a. translator
b. intermediary
c. tester
d. security agent
ANSWER: b

24. The set of services and resources created by the system software and seen by the user is called a(n) ____ machine.
a. naked
b. virtual
c. assembler
d. Von Neumann
ANSWER: b

25. ____, such as text editors, are sometimes organized into collections called program libraries.
a. Programming tools
b. Office tools
c. Packages
d. Utilities
ANSWER: d

26. In ____, a single instruction provides multiple instructions in _______.

a. assembly language, high-level programing
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b. machine language, low-level programing
c. low-level programming, assembly language
d. high-level programming, machine language
ANSWER: d

27. C++ and Java are examples of ____ languages.

a. low-level programming
b. high-level programming
c. machine
d. assembly
ANSWER: b

28. A program written in assembly language is called the ____ program.

a. virtual
b. object
c. data
d. source
ANSWER: d

29. A machine language program is called the ____ program.

a. source
b. object
c. data
d. virtual
ANSWER: b

30. Translators for ____ are called compilers.

a. assembly language
b. machine language
c. low-level languages
d. high-level languages
ANSWER: d

31. In assembly language, a(n) ____ is a name, followed by a colon, placed at the beginning of an instruction.
a. op code mnemonic
b. comment
c. address field
d. label
ANSWER: d

32. A(n) ____ invokes a service of the assembler.

a. compiler
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b. pseudo-op
c. loader
d. operation
ANSWER: b

33. A(n) ____ operation involves the comparison of values and the subsequent use of the outcome to decide what to do
next.
a. iterative
b. conditional
c. sequential
d. transformer
ANSWER: b

34. The ____ problem-solving cycle involves inputting code to an assembler, translating it to machine language, loading
it into a Von Neumann computer, and executing to produce answers to the problem.
a. Von Neumann
b. modern
c. algorithmic
d. conditional
ANSWER: c

35. The conversion of symbolic op codes such as LOAD, ADD, and SUBTRACT to binary makes use of a structure
called the ____.
a. op code table
b. assembler
c. loader
d. library
ANSWER: a

36. If the op code table is sorted alphabetically, the ____ search algorithm is used to find an op code.
a. sequential
b. binary
c. op code
d. table
ANSWER: b

37. After all the fields of an assembly language instruction have been translated into binary, the newly built machine
language instruction and the address of where it is to be loaded are written out to a file called the ____ file.
a. table
b. source
c. data
d. object
ANSWER: d
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38. Icons displayed on the screen are selected with a mouse and a button using a technique called ____.
a. windows interface
b. point-and-click
c. panel interface
d. command line
ANSWER: b

39. ____ operation codes are restricted to be used in the operating system or other system software.
a. Privileged
b. User
c. Specialized
d. System
ANSWER: a

40. A ____-generation operating system will typically be a parallel processing operating system that can efficiently
manage computer systems containing tens, hundreds, or even thousands of processors.
a. second
b. third
c. fourth
d. fifth
ANSWER: d

16. The individual computers on the network are referred to as ____________________.

ANSWER: nodes
node
hosts
host

17. In the ____________________ topology all nodes are connected to a single, shared communication line.
ANSWER: bus

18. A(n) ____________________ is a “smarter” device that has knowledge about the nodes located on each separate
network.
ANSWER: bridge

19. A(n) ____________________ is an information block with a fixed maximum size that is transmitted through the
network as a single unit.
ANSWER: packet

20. ____________________ has been the single most popular application of networks for the last 35 years.
ANSWER: Electronic mail
E-mail
Email
Electronic mail (e-mail)
E-mail (electronic mail)
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21. A(n) ____ is a set of independent computer systems connected by telecommunication links for the purpose of sharing
information and resources.
a. computer group
b. computer network
c. internetwork
d. router
ANSWER: b

22. In the early days of networking, the most common way to transmit data was via ____, dial-up telephone lines.
a. directly-connected
b. shared
c. linked
d. switched
ANSWER: d

23. The voice-oriented dial-up telephone network was originally a(n) ____ medium.
a. digital
b. electrical
c. analog
d. mechanical
ANSWER: c

24. A modem modulates a standard analog signal called a ____ wave so that it encodes binary information.
a. carrier
b. baseband
c. broadband
d. barrier
ANSWER: a

25. A ____ uses the same wires that carry regular telephone signals into your home.
a. digital subscriber line
b. digital subscription link
c. digital standard line
d. digital standard link
ANSWER: a

26. In the commercial and office environment, the most widely used broadband technology is ____.
a. ATM
b. token-ring
c. Ethernet
d. SONET

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ANSWER: c

27. One of the most widely used standards for wireless local access is called ____.
a. Hi-Fi
b. 802.1x
c. 802.11ax
d. Wi-Fi
ANSWER: d

28. ____ is a low-power wireless standard used to communicate between devices located quite close to each other.
a. Bluetooth
b. Wi-Fi
c. Bluenote
d. Redtooth
ANSWER: a

29. A ____ connects hardware devices such as computers, printers, and storage devices that are all in close proximity.
a. metro area network
b. local area network
c. wide area network
d. proximity network
ANSWER: b

30. TCP requires that the two programs at the source and destination node initially establish a(n) ____.
a. link
b. connection
c. interface
d. duplex
ANSWER: b

31. Bulletin board systems evolved into modern-day _______.

a. internet forums
b. topology layers
c. communication standards
d. websites
ANSWER: a

32. ____ are systems that create communities of users who share common interests and activities and which provide
multiple methods of online interaction.
a. Bulletin boards
b. Newsgroups
c. Chat rooms

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d. Social networks
ANSWER: d

33. ____ is the ability to share physical resources, such as a printer or storage device, as well as logical resources, such as
software and information.
a. Access sharing
b. Resource sharing
c. Resource planning
d. Access planning
ANSWER: b

34. A ____ contains massive amounts of information that can be electronically searched for specific facts or documents.
a. data warehouse
b. data cube
c. data plant
d. data wholesaler
ANSWER: a

35. ____ is a general term applied to any use of computers and networking to support the paperless exchange of goods,
information, and services in the commercial sector.
a. Electronic exchange
b. Commerce exchange
c. Electronic commerce
d. Commercial networking
ANSWER: c

36. A ____ makes internetwork connections and provides routing between different WANs.
a. gateway
b. switch
c. bridge
d. repeater
ANSWER: a

37. ____ is the term for the separation of a service from the entity (or entities) providing that service.
a. Visualization
b. Distributed computing
c. Virtualization
d. Topological change
ANSWER: c

38. ____ behaves much like the client/server model, except that the servers no longer need to be local to the client
population.
a. Cloud computing
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b. The network layer
c. TCP/IP
d. SSH
ANSWER: a

39. ____ is a collection of documents interconnected by pointers.

a. Hyperpage
b. Hypertext
c. HyperURL
d. Hypercard
ANSWER: b

40. A(n) ____ is the worldwide identification of a webpage located on a specific host computer on the Internet.
a. NRL
b. IRL
c. IRI
d. URL
ANSWER: d

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