DSST Introduction to Computing 4 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which of the following is NOT an example of system software?
- Device drivers
- Operating system
- Web browser (Correct answer)
- BIOS/UEFI
Correct answer: Web browser
A web browser is application software; operating systems, device drivers, and BIOS/UEFI are all system software.
Question 2: In networking, what does a router do?
- Converts digital signals to analog
- Forwards data packets between different networks (Correct answer)
- Amplifies wireless signals within a LAN
- Assigns domain names to IP addresses
Correct answer: Forwards data packets between different networks
A router directs data packets between networks, determining the best path for data to travel.
Question 3: The hexadecimal number system uses a base of:
- 2
- 8
- 10
- 16 (Correct answer)
Correct answer: 16
Hexadecimal is base-16, using digits 0–9 and letters A–F to represent values.
Question 4: Which of the following best describes open-source software?
- Software sold at a reduced price to students
- Software whose source code is freely available for anyone to view and modify (Correct answer)
- Software that requires no installation
- Software licensed only for non-commercial use
Correct answer: Software whose source code is freely available for anyone to view and modify
Open-source software makes its source code publicly available, allowing users to inspect, modify, and distribute it.
Question 5: What is phishing in the context of cybersecurity?
- Scanning a network for open ports
- A denial-of-service attack using packet flooding
- Deceiving users into revealing sensitive information via fake communications (Correct answer)
- Encrypting files and demanding ransom
Correct answer: Deceiving users into revealing sensitive information via fake communications
Phishing is a social engineering attack where attackers impersonate legitimate entities to steal credentials or personal data.
Question 6: In object-oriented programming, what is 'inheritance'?
- Hiding internal data from external access
- A class acquiring properties and methods from a parent class (Correct answer)
- Executing the same operation on different data types
- Breaking a program into independent modules
Correct answer: A class acquiring properties and methods from a parent class
Inheritance allows a child class to adopt attributes and behaviors from a parent class, promoting code reuse.
Question 7: Which component of a computer is responsible for permanently storing the operating system and is not erased when power is off?
- RAM
- Cache memory
- ROM (Correct answer)
- CPU registers
Correct answer: ROM
ROM (Read-Only Memory) is non-volatile and typically stores firmware such as the BIOS that persists without power.
DSST Introduction to Computing 4
Which of the following is NOT an example of system software?