Computer Quiz

Which part of a computer is often called its "brain"?

• Monitor
• CPU
• RAM
• Hard disk

Answer: CPU. The Central Processing Unit carries out instructions and controls the other parts, which is why it is called the brain of the computer.

Which of these is NOT an input device?

• Keyboard
• Scanner
• Mouse
• Printer

Answer: Printer. A printer takes data out of the computer onto paper, so it is an output device. Keyboards, scanners and mice send data in.

What is the full form of URL?

• Uniform Resource Locator
• Universal Routing Link
• Unified Resource Link
• Uniform Region Locator

Answer: Uniform Resource Locator. A Uniform Resource Locator is the address of a resource on the web, such as https://www.example.com/page.

Who is known as the "Father of the Computer"?

• Alan Turing
• John von Neumann
• Charles Babbage
• Blaise Pascal

Answer: Charles Babbage. Charles Babbage designed the Analytical Engine in the 1830s, a mechanical machine with the basic parts of a modern computer.

In computing, 1 kilobyte (KB) is traditionally equal to how many bytes?

• 1000
• 1024
• 512
• 2048

Answer: 1024. Memory sizes follow powers of 2, and 2 to the power 10 is 1024, so 1 KB is traditionally 1024 bytes.

Which type of memory loses its contents when the power is switched off?

• ROM
• Hard disk
• Flash drive
• RAM

Answer: RAM. RAM is volatile memory: it holds data only while powered. ROM, hard disks and flash drives are non-volatile.

What is the binary form of the decimal number 10?

• 1010
• 1100
• 1001
• 0110

Answer: 1010. 10 = 8 + 2, so the bits for 8 and 2 are on: 1010. (1100 is 12 and 1001 is 9.)

In Windows, which keyboard shortcut undoes your last action?

• Ctrl + Y
• Ctrl + U
• Ctrl + Z
• Ctrl + X

Answer: Ctrl + Z. Ctrl + Z is Undo. Ctrl + Y usually redoes, Ctrl + X cuts and Ctrl + U underlines text.

Which generation of computers was built using vacuum tubes?

• Second
• First
• Third
• Fourth

Answer: First. First-generation computers (1940s-1950s) used vacuum tubes. Transistors came in the second, integrated circuits in the third and microprocessors in the fourth.

Which of these is system software rather than application software?

• A word processor
• A spreadsheet
• A photo editor
• An operating system

Answer: An operating system. An operating system manages the hardware and runs other programs, so it is system software. The others are applications used for specific tasks.

The hexadecimal number system has which base?

• 16
• 2
• 8
• 10

Answer: 16. Hexadecimal uses 16 symbols, 0-9 and A-F. Binary is base 2, octal base 8 and decimal base 10.

Which small, very fast memory sits between the CPU and main memory to speed up access to frequently used data?

• Virtual memory
• Secondary memory
• Cache memory
• Flash memory

Answer: Cache memory. Cache memory keeps copies of data the CPU uses often, so it does not have to wait for the slower main memory (RAM).

Which protocol is mainly used to send email across the internet?

• FTP
• SMTP
• HTTP
• DHCP

Answer: SMTP. SMTP (Simple Mail Transfer Protocol) sends and relays email. FTP transfers files, HTTP loads web pages and DHCP hands out IP addresses.

A fake email that pretends to be from your bank and asks for your password is an example of what?

• Spooling
• Debugging
• Caching
• Phishing

Answer: Phishing. Phishing tricks people into revealing passwords or card details through messages that look genuine. Banks never ask for your password by email.

Which data structure works on the LIFO (Last In, First Out) principle?

• Stack
• Queue
• Array
• Linked list

Answer: Stack. In a stack the last item pushed is the first popped, like a pile of plates. A queue is FIFO (First In, First Out).