Unit 1: Computer Fundamentals - Practice Quiz

1 Which characteristic enables a computer to perform millions of calculations in a short time?

2 Which characteristic means that a computer can perform repeated tasks without becoming tired?

3 Which electronic component was mainly used in first-generation computers?

4 Which technology was mainly used in second-generation computers?

5 Which component is associated with fourth-generation computers?

6 Which unit accepts data and instructions from the user?

7 Which part of the CPU performs arithmetic calculations and logical comparisons?

8 Which unit directs and coordinates the operations of a computer?

9 What is the smallest unit of data in a computer?

10 How many bits make one byte?

11 Which digits are used in the binary number system?

12 What is the base of the binary number system?

13 Which of the following is a valid binary number?

14 What is the base of the octal number system?

15 Which digit is not used in the octal number system?

16 What is the base of the hexadecimal number system?

17 What decimal value does the hexadecimal digit represent?

18 What is the decimal equivalent of the binary number ?

19 What is the decimal equivalent of the octal number ?

20 What is the hexadecimal equivalent of the decimal number ?

21 A computer performs the same payroll calculation for thousands of employees without becoming tired or losing concentration. Which characteristic does this best illustrate?

22 A billing program produces incorrect totals because the tax rates entered into it are wrong. Which conclusion best explains this result?

23 A computer is described as smaller and more reliable than vacuum-tube machines because it uses transistors as its main electronic component. To which generation does it belong?

24 A computer uses integrated circuits but does not yet use a microprocessor as its CPU. Which generation best matches this design?

25 Which path best represents how keyboard-entered numbers are processed and their sum is displayed?

26 During execution, a processor must add two values and compare the result with zero. Which CPU component mainly performs these operations?

27 Which function is primarily performed by the control unit of a computer?

28 A coding system must represent at least distinct symbols. What is the minimum number of bits required for each symbol?

29 What range of integers can be represented using an -bit two's complement format?

30 The ASCII code for uppercase Z is decimal . What is its -bit binary representation?

31 What is the result of the binary addition ?

32 An unsigned binary number is shifted left by two positions without overflow. What is the resulting value?

33 What is the sum ?

34 What is the result of the octal multiplication ?

35 What is the result of the hexadecimal addition ?

36 What is the result of the hexadecimal subtraction ?

37 Convert the binary number to hexadecimal.

38 What is the binary equivalent of decimal ?

39 Convert the octal number to hexadecimal.

40 Convert the hexadecimal number to octal.

41 A tax-processing program performs millions of calculations consistently but produces incorrect results because an outdated tax formula was programmed. Which conclusion best explains this outcome?

42 A computer repeats a logically defective operation ten million times without fatigue and produces the same defective result each time. Which combination of characteristics is most directly demonstrated?

43 A historical computer uses discrete transistors for processing, magnetic-core memory, punched-card input, and primarily assembly-language programming. To which generation does it most appropriately belong?

44 A computer's CPU, originally constructed from multiple integrated-circuit packages, is redesigned as a general-purpose CPU on a single chip. Which defining generational transition does this represent?

45 During execution of a LOAD instruction, which sequence most accurately describes the movement of an operand from main memory into a CPU register?

46 Which data-flow description is most consistent with the functional block diagram of a stored-program computer when it evaluates an entered arithmetic expression?

47 Two 8-bit two's-complement values, and , are added. Which statement correctly describes the 8-bit result?

48 For an 8-bit word, how many distinct bit patterns represent zero in sign-magnitude, one's-complement, and two's-complement representation, respectively?

49 The decimal values and are stored and added using packed BCD. After proper BCD correction, which two-byte hexadecimal pattern represents the sum?

50 What is the result of applying an arithmetic right shift by two positions to the 8-bit pattern ?

51 The binary fraction must be rounded to four fractional bits using round-to-nearest, ties-to-even. What is the rounded value?

52 Evaluate the octal subtraction without converting the final result to decimal.

53 If XOR denotes bitwise exclusive OR, what is ?

54 Evaluate the hexadecimal sum .

55 Which binary value is exactly equivalent to the hexadecimal fraction ?

56 In an unknown base , the numeral is equal to decimal . What is ?

57 Which pair gives the correct octal and hexadecimal equivalents of ?

58 Decimal is converted to binary and rounded to eight fractional bits using round-to-nearest, ties-to-even. Which result is obtained?

59 The 8-bit pattern is interpreted successively as unsigned, sign-magnitude, one's-complement, and two's-complement data. Which ordered tuple of decimal values is correct?

60 Evaluate and express the result in binary.