Mutliple Choice Questions and Reference Questions

1. What does CPU stand for?

- a) Central Processing Unit

- b) Central Programming Unit 5. Who is known as the ‘father of the computer’ for
his concept of the Analytical Engine?
- c) Computer Personal Unit
- a) Charles Babbage
- d) Centralized Processing Unit
- b) Blaise Pascal
- Answer: a) Central Processing Unit
- c) Alan Turing
2. Which memory is known for its high speed and is
placed between the CPU and primary memory? - d) John Von Neumann

- a) Cache Memory - Answer: a) Charles Babbage

- b) Secondary Memory 6. What significant technology replaced vacuum

tubes in computers?
- c) RAM
- a) Transistors
- d) ROM
- b) Integrated Circuits
- Answer: a) Cache Memory
- c) Microprocessors
3. What is the primary role of the memory
controller? - d) Punch Cards

- a) To manage data flow into and out of the main - Answer: a) Transistors
memory
7. Which type of memory is volatile and used for
- b) To control the CPU speed temporary storage?

- c) To regulate power supply to the computer - a) RAM

- d) To manage external storage devices - b) ROM

- Answer: a) To manage data flow into and out of - c) HDD

the main memory
- d) SSD
4. Which device is considered the first computing
device? - Answer: a) RAM

- a) Abacus 8. Which of the following is a type of secondary

memory?
- b) Pascaline
- a) Hard Disk Drive (HDD)
- c) Analytical Engine
- b) Cache Memory
- d) EDVAC
- c) Registers
- Answer: a) Abacus
- d) Processor

- Answer: a) Hard Disk Drive (HDD)

9. What is the key characteristic of secondary 14. Which generation of microprocessors
memory? introduced the use of integrated circuits (ICs)?

- a) Non-volatile - a) First Generation

- b) High speed - b) Second Generation

- c) Small storage capacity - c) Third Generation

- d) Expensive - d) Fourth Generation

- Answer: a) Non-volatile - Answer: c) Third Generation

10. What is a bus in computer terminology? 15. Which of the following microprocessors belongs
to the fifth generation?
- a) A physical wire used for data transfer
- a) Intel 8080
- b) A type of software
- b) Motorola 6800
- c) A storage device
- c) Intel 80386
- d) A type of processor
- d) Pentium
- Answer: a) A physical wire used for data transfer
- Answer: d) Pentium
11. Which bus is used to transfer data between
different components of a computer? 16. What type of software provides core
functionality to a computer system?
- a) Data Bus
- a) System Software
- b) Address Bus
- b) Application Software
- c) Control Bus
- c) Utility Software
- d) System Bus
- d) Open Source Software
- Answer: a) Data Bus
- Answer: a) System Software
12. Which bus is used to specify memory
addresses? 17. Which software category includes programs like
word processors and spreadsheets?
- a) Address Bus
- a) General Purpose Software
- b) Data Bus
- b) Customised Software
- c) Control Bus
- c) System Software
- d) System Bus
- d) Embedded Software
- Answer: a) Address Bus
- Answer: a) General Purpose Software
13. What is a microprocessor?
18. Which of the following is an example of Free
- a) A CPU on a single microchip and Open Source Software (FOSS)?
- b) A type of secondary memory - a) Adobe Photoshop
- c) An input device - b) Microsoft Word
- d) A high-speed cache memory - c) Mozilla Firefox
- Answer: a) A CPU on a single microchip - d) CorelDRAW

- Answer: c) Mozilla Firefox

19. What is the primary function of an operating 24. Which component manages the flow of data in
system? and out of the computer’s main memory?

- a) To manage computer hardware and software - a) Memory controller

resources
- b) CPU
- b) To develop new software
- c) Cache
- c) To provide internet security
- d) Bus
- d) To create graphics
- Answer: a) Memory controller
- Answer: a) To manage computer hardware and
software resources 25. Which generation of microprocessors had a
word size of 32 bits?
20. Which of the following is not an operating
system? - a) Fourth Generation

- a) Windows - b) First Generation

- b) Linux - c) Second Generation

- c) Android - d) Third Generation

- d) Photoshop - Answer: a) Fourth Generation

- Answer: d) Photoshop 26. What is an example of customised software?

21. What is multitasking in operating systems? - a) School management software

- a) Running multiple applications simultaneously - b) Web browser

- b) Enhancing graphics performance - c) Media player

- c) Installing new software - d) Word processor

- d) None of the above - Answer: a) School management software

- Answer: a) Running multiple applications 27. Which software can a computer not function
simultaneously without?

22. What was the primary function of the - a) System Software

Analytical Engine?
- b) Application Software
- a) Perform arithmetic calculations
- c) Utility Software
- b) Store data on punched cards
- d) None of the above
- c) Control industrial machines
- Answer: a) System Software
- d) None of the above
28. Who invented the tabulating machine?
- Answer: a) Perform arithmetic calculations
- a) Herman Hollerith
23. Which device is used for data transfer between
a USB port and a hard disk? - b) Charles Babbage

- a) Bus - c) Blaise Pascal

- b) Processor - d) Alan Turing

- c) Memory controller - Answer: a) Herman Hollerith

- d) Cache

- Answer: a) Bus
29. What does ROM stand for? 34. Which generation of microprocessors
introduced multicore processors?
- a) Read Only Memory
- a) Fifth Generation
- b) Random Access Memory
- b) First Generation
- c) Run-time Operating Memory
- c) Third Generation
- d) Remote Operations Manager
- d) Second Generation
- Answer: a) Read Only Memory
- Answer: a) Fifth Generation
30. What is the primary function of application
software? 35. What type of software is used to develop new
software applications?
- a) To perform tasks specific to the user’s needs
- a) System Software
- b) To manage hardware resources
- b) Application Software
- c) To provide core system functionality
- c) Utility Software
- d) To enhance security
- d) Programming Software
- Answer: a) To perform tasks specific to the user’s
needs - Answer: d) Programming Software

31. Which operating system is known for its open- 36. Who is credited with inventing the first
source nature? mechanical computer?

- a) Linux - a) Charles Babbage

- b) Windows - b) Blaise Pascal

- c) macOS - c) Alan Turing

- d) iOS - d) John Von Neumann

- Answer: a) Linux - Answer: a) Charles Babbage

32. Which type of memory is used for permanent 37. Which of the following is an example of
storage of data and instructions? embedded software?

- a) Secondary Memory - a) Software in a washing machine

- b) Cache Memory - b) Office suite

- c) Primary Memory - c) Web browser

- d) Virtual Memory - d) Media player

- Answer: a) Secondary Memory - Answer: a) Software in a washing machine

33. What is the function of the control bus in a 38. What is the primary purpose of an operating
computer system? system’s kernel?

- a) Communicate control signals between different - a) Manage system resources and hardware
components
- b) Provide graphical user interface
- b) Transfer data between memory and CPU
- c) Facilitate user authentication
- c) Specify memory addresses
- d) Manage network connections
- d) None of the above
- Answer: a) Manage system resources and
- Answer: a) Communicate control signals between hardware
different components
39. What kind of software is an antivirus program? 44. Which type of software is used for managing
computer hardware and software resources?
- a) Utility Software
- a) System Software
- b) System Software
- b) Application Software
- c) Application Software
- c) Utility Software
- d) Development Software
- d) Programming Software
- Answer: a) Utility Software
- Answer: a) System Software
40. Which of the following is an example of first-
generation computers? 45. What is the main function of cache memory?

- a) ENIAC - a) To store frequently accessed data and

instructions
- b) UNIVAC
- b) To store data permanently
- c) IBM 701
- c) To execute arithmetic operations
- d) Apple II
- d) To control peripheral devices
- Answer: a) ENIAC
- Answer: a) To store frequently accessed data and
41. What is the primary characteristic of volatile instructions
memory?
46. What is the role of an operating system in a
- a) Data is lost when power is turned off computer?
- b) Data is permanently stored - a) Manage hardware resources and provide
common services for application software
- c) It is very slow
- b) Develop new software
- d) It is used for long-term storage
- c) Protect the computer from viruses
- Answer: a) Data is lost when power is turned off
- d) Design graphics
42. Which bus system component is used to specify
memory addresses? - Answer: a) Manage hardware resources and
provide common services for application software
- a) Address Bus
47. Which of the following is a non-volatile
- b) Data Bus memory?
- c) Control Bus - a) ROM
- d) System Bus - b) RAM
- Answer: a) Address Bus - c) Cache Memory
43. Which of the following is a characteristic of - d) Register
fourth-generation computers?
- Answer: a) ROM
- a) Use of microprocessors

- b) Use of vacuum tubes

- c) Use of transistors

- d) Use of integrated circuits

- Answer: a) Use of microprocessors

48. What does GUI stand for in computer Reference Questions
terminology?
1. Draw neatly the block diagram of a computer
- a) Graphical User Interface system. Explain the functions of each component.

- b) General User Interface 2. What is input device? Mention the names of

commonly used input devices.
- c) Graphical Unified Interface
3. What is output device? Mention the names of
- d) General Unified Interface commonly used output devices.
- Answer: a) Graphical User Interface 4. Explain the significance of Cache memory?
49. Which component is referred to as the ‘brain’ 5. Distinguish between RAM and ROM.
of the computer?
6. Distinguish between Primary Memory and
- a) CPU Secondary Memory.
- b) RAM 7. Explain the data transfer between Memory and
CPU.
- c) Hard Disk
8. What is Bus? Briefly explain the function of each
- d) Motherboard type of Bus.
- Answer: a) CPU 9. What are factors based on which
Microprocessors are classified.
50. Which type of software typically includes
operating systems, device drivers, and utilities? 10. What is Microcontroller? How is it different
from a Microprocessor?
- a) System Software
11. What is data? Explain various types of data
- b) Application Software
with suitable examples.
- c) Customised Software
12. Mention the different types of software. Give
- d) General Purpose Software example for each type of software.

- Answer: a) System Software 13. What is Language translator? Explain various

types of Language translators.

14. Distinguish between Proprietary Software and

Free and open-source software. Name two
software for each type.
15. Briefly explain various types of User interfaces.

16. What is Operating System? Explain the

functions of Operating System.

17. Write down the two primary services of a

System Software.

18. What is the primary role of system bus? Why is

data bus is bidirectional while address bus is
unidirectional?

19. Differentiate between proprietary software and

freeware software. Name two software for each
type.