CSC 110 Exam 1

Study Guide

Computer Basics and Operating System Usage

This exam focuses on basic computer terminology and operating system usage. The questions on the exam will be selected from this study sheet.

1. What makes a computer a special type of machine?

2. What’s the purpose of a computer’s memory system?

3. What’s the difference between main memory and cache memory?

4. What is a microprocessor?

5. List and describe the four basic phases of the processor execution cycle. You can draw a picture to explain your answer.

6. What does it mean to say that a computer runs at 2.6 Gigahertz?

7. Why might a computer that runs at 3.2 Gigahertz be better than one that runs at 2.6 Gigahertz?

8. What’s the difference between Read-Only Memory (ROM) and Random Access Memory (RAM)?

9. List at least two differences between Static RAM and Dynamic RAM.

10. Why is a computer’s main memory built mostly from Dynamic RAM?

11. Why is Dynamic RAM slower than Static RAM?

12. List at least seven components that might be found in a modern desktop computer system. Explain the purpose of each component.

13. Explain what happens when you double-click an icon to launch a program. Assume the application resides on the computer’s internal hard drive.

14. Draw a diagram of the memory hierarchy and label its parts.

15. Why might a computer lock up when it’s running a program?

16. What’s the primary purpose of a network?

17. What networking protocols power the Internet?

18. What’s the purpose of the Transmission Control Protocol (TCP)?

19. What’s the purpose of the Internet Protocol (IP)?

20. What does the term routable packet mean?

21. List at least five examples of networked applications that you use every day either directly or indirectly.

22. What is the purpose of an operating system?

23. List at least five examples of ethical uses for computers.

24. List at least five examples of unethical uses for computers.

25. What does the term path mean as it applies to locating a file on a computer?

26. What does the term file extension mean?

27. List at least 10 file extensions and explain what types of documents they denote.

28. What does the term directory mean?

29. What does the term root directory mean?

30. What’s the difference between a folder and a directory?

31. Name at least two types of executable file extensions.

32. What’s the purpose of a batch file?

33. What type of file extension does a batch file have?