A+ 1101-01

Front

Which device retains data over the long term?

Back

Storage drive

Answer explanation

Explanation: The storage drive (or hard drive) stores data over the long term. It stores the OS and data in a nonvolatile fashion, meaning the data won’t be erased when the computer is turned

off.

Incorrect answers: The CPU calculates data and sends it to RAM for temporary storage; the RAM (which is volatile) is

cleared when the computer is turned off. The video card stores temporary video data within its onboard memory, but this, like RAM, is volatile and is cleared when the computer is turned off.

Front

To which type of technology would you install a x16 card? A. Thunderbolt, B. PCIe, C. USB, D. DisplayPort

Back

PCIe

Answer explanation

Explanation: PCI Express (PCIe) expansion slots accept x1, x4, and x16 cards (pronounced “by one,” “by four,” and “by sixteen,”

respectively).

Incorrect answers: PCIe is by far the most common expansion slot for video cards (which are usually x16). Thunderbolt is a technology used primarily with Mac computers for displays and

for data transfer. USB stands for Universal Serial Bus; it is a

standard for connecting external equipment to a computer, not an expansion bus for use with cards. DisplayPort is a video

technology that provides connectivity between the video card and the monitor

Front

Which computer process checks all your components during boot?

Back

POST

Answer explanation

Explanation: The POST (power-on self-test) is part of the Basic Input/Output System (BIOS) or Unified Extensible Firmware Interface (UEFI). It runs a self-check of the computer system during boot and stores many of the parameters of the components

within the CMOS.

Incorrect answers: BIOS is known as firmware. The lithium battery powers the CMOS while the computer is off. It remembers settings such as the time and date and passwords. The CMOS, BIOS, and the lithium battery are not processes, but they do work hand in hand with each other.

Front

You are planning to use an older PC for trade shows in several different countries. The PC only needs to work as a basic kiosk with an Internet browser. Which of the following is the most important factor for you to consider? A. Maximum wattage, B. Input voltage, C. Number of SATA connections, D. Thermal design power (TDP), E. Number of network connections

Back

Input voltage

Answer explanation

Explanation: The input voltage is the most important thing to

consider (of the listed answers at least). Different countries have

different standard input voltages. For example, the United States

uses 115 volts alternating current as a standard; countries in

Europe and elsewhere use 230 volts. In this case, you would want

to make sure that the older PC can auto-select voltages or that it at

least has a switch to change from 115 V to 230 V.

Incorrect answers: Because this PC will be used for very basic purposes, the maximum wattage, number of SATA or network connections, and thermal design power (TDP) rating should not make a difference. However, you should make sure that the PC has the correct video connections and appropriate USB connections to work as a kiosk.

Front

Which of the following cloud concepts can allow for scalable services to clients? A. Metered utilization, B. Shared resources, C. Rapid elasticity, D. High availability, E. SaaS

Back

Rapid elasticity

Answer explanation

Explanation: Rapid elasticity means that a service, compute

power, or networking bandwidth can be increased when needed.

This kind of scalability is integral to cloud computing.

Incorrect answers: With metered utilization (or measured

services), a cloud provider or an ISP measures the amount of data

being sent, received, and stored, as well as network usage and

computer usage. Shared resources (or resource pooling) means

that multiple systems (or customers) share the same physical

hardware, servers, and networking connections. With high

availability, a server or service is available with little to no

downtime. SaaS stands for software as a service, and SaaS

examples include services such as browser-based email.

Front

How should you hold RAM when installing it?

Back

By the edges

Answer explanation

Explanation: Hold RAM by the edges to avoid contact with the

pins, chips, and circuitry.

Incorrect answers: Touching the front and back is not advised

because it requires touching the chips on the RAM module. Tools

are not needed, and if they are used, metallic ones could be

damaging to the module. Plastic tweezers are used to remove

screws that fall into tough-to-reach places in the case. A

punchdown tool is used to terminate networking cables to patch

panels or to punch blocks.

Front

How many pins are inside an SATA 3.0 data connector?

Back

7

Answer explanation

Explanation: The SATA version 3.0 data connector has 7 pins.

Front

What is the term for the delay in the RAM’s response to a request from the memory controller?

Back

Latency

Answer explanation

Explanation: Memory latency—or CAS (column address strobe)

latency—happens when a memory controller tries to access data

from a memory module. It is a slight delay (usually measured in

nanoseconds) while the memory module responds to the memory

controller. It is also known as CL. The memory controller (also

known as the northbridge) has a specific speed at which it

operates. If the CPU asks the chip for too much information at once, this might increase latency time while the memory

controller works.

Incorrect answers: The terms standard deviation and fetch

interval deal with CPUs. Lag is similar to latency but is more

commonly associated with network connections.

Front

What is the minimum number of storage drives necessary to implement RAID 5?

Back

Three

Answer explanation

Explanation: Because RAID 5 uses striping with parity, a third

drive (disk) is needed. You can have more than three drives as

well.

Incorrect answers: Two drives are enough for plain RAID 0

striping, so two is the exact number you need for RAID 1

mirroring. RAID 6 and RAID 10 require four disks at a minimum.

Front

A user’s time and date keep resetting to January 1, 2015. Which of the following is the most likely cause? A. The BIOS/UEFI needs to be updated. B. Windows needs to be updated. C. The Windows Date and Time Properties window needs to be modified. D. The lithium battery needs to be replaced.

Back

The lithium battery needs to be replaced.

Answer explanation

Explanation: If the time and date keep resetting—for example, to

a date such as January 1, 2015—chances are that the lithium

battery needs to be replaced. These are usually nickel-sized

batteries; most PCs use a CR2032 lithium battery. You can check

the voltage on such a battery by using a multimeter; to work

properly, such a battery should register above 3 volts.

Incorrect answers: Updating the BIOS/UEFI allows the PC to

“see” new devices and communicate with them better, but it will

not fix the time issue. Updating Windows will not fix this

problem, but it should be done often to keep the computer secure.

Other date and time synchronization problems can be fixed in the

clock settings within the notification area. Windows client

computers should be configured to synchronize to a time server.