CSC 101 Introduction to Computers Spring 2005 Final Exam May 12 or 16, 2005

Course Home Page Syllabus Assignments - Tuesday Class Assignments - Mon-Wed Class Lecture Overviews

This is a Make-Your-Own Final Exam Follow the directions below - All questions are worth 5 points each. Please answer all questions in complete sentences! Cut and paste all of the questions from both Section A and Section B and the Extra Credit questions into a Word document Add a header with your name, the date, and CSC 101 Final Exam to the document Save the document Select five(5) questions from Section A that you wish to answer and delete the rest Select fifteen(15) questions from Section B that you wish to answer and delete the rest Answer all of the selected questions immediately after the question Answer the extra credit questions Check spelling and grammar and print-out the final and turn it in

Section A

1. How does a Supercomputer differ from a Mainframe?
2. What are the three background technologies for the three major generation of computers? What was the main trend for each of these generations?
3. Who was Herman Hollerinth and what was his contribution to computer technology?
4. Give an example of a wearable computer. Who might use one?
5. What is a motherboard?
6. How is data represented within a computer, what is this system called?
7. How is data represented within RAM? How is data represented on an optical disc?
8. What are the three types of information that can be stored in a byte?
9. Name two encoding systems; what is the purpose of an encoding system?
10. What is a bus and what job does it perform?
11. We say that memory is volatile - what do we mean by that?
12. Name and describe two different types of memory beside RAM.
13. What is Moore's Law?
14. What is a CISC chip and how does it differ from a RISC chip?
15. What is another name for PROM? Is PROM volatile?
16. Name and describe two parts of a CPU.
17. What is a register? What does it do and where would you find one?
18. What is the purpose of pipelining and why do we use it?
20. What is the Instruction Cycle? - Name the four steps of the Instruction Cycle.
21. What is Word Size and how does Word Size affect processor speed?
22. What is the purpose of the expansion slot? Name two cards that could go into an expansion slot.
23. What is a USB port? What is the advantage of having one?
24. In what type of computer would you find a PCMCIA and why would we want to use one?
25. What is a firewire card used for? What is another name for firewire?
26. What is Grid Computing?
27. What is the advantage of parallel processors?
28. Compare and contrast primary storage and secondary storage.
29. What is the difference between fixed magnetic storage and interchangeable magnetic storage? Give one example of each.
30. Define the following: track, sector, and cluster.
31. What is a VFAT and what is its purpose?
32. What is the advantage of having large clusters; what is the disadvantage?
33. How does virtual memory work?
34. How is data stored on a CD-ROM?
35. Name and briefly describe three input devices.
36. What is the purpose of input and output devices?
37. Why do we use point and draw input devices? Name two.
38. Name and describe two aspects of a computer monitor's resolution.
39. What are the two types of computer monitors? Briefly describe how each displays output.
40. What does DPI stand for. What type of output devices is describe by DPI?
41. What does an all-in-one peripheral device do and what other peripherals does it replace?

Section B

1. Compare and contrast raster graphics and vector graphics?
2. What does the TCP part of TCP/IP stand for? How does TCP work.
3. What was the name of the network which evolved into the Internet? What was this network's purpose?
4. What is a protocol?
5. What is a podcast?
6. What is a blog?
7. What is a FAQ and where would you find one?
8. What is an IP address, give an example of what an IP address might look like?
9. Compare and contrast a mailing list and a newsgroup.
10. What is a packet and what protocol is used to route one?
11. Who governs the Internet?
12. What is a file? Describe two types of files and the extension used to denote each type of file.
13. What is the difference between narrowband and broadband?
14. What is a domain name? How is a domain name related to an IP number?
15. What is an intranet? What technology would an intranet use?
16. How is an extranet similar to an intranet? How are they different?
17. What is a VPN and how does a VPN work?
18. What does a server computer do? What is a computer that connects to a server called?
19. What hardware is needed to connect two computers over a phone line? What is needed to connect a computer to a LAN?
20. Name and briefly describe two types of modems.
21. What is "twisted pair" and what is it used for?
22. What is the limitation of microwave signals and what is used to overcome this limitation?
23. How many satellites are needed to create a communications network? Why do you need that number?
24. What is Wi-Fi and how does it work?
25. What is the purpose of Bluetooth technology?
26. What is a network topology? Name and briefly describe two topologies.
27. Name and briefly describe two of the three types of servers one might find on a LAN?
28. What do the following stand for: LAN, MAN, WAN. Briefly describe each.
29. What is a front-end application ? What is a back-end application?
30. Name four places that may store personal data. What kind of data would each place store?
31. How does a hacker differ from a cracker?
32. Name and briefly describe two types of malware?
33. What is the name of the institution that keeps track of network security holes?
34. What is software piracy? Briefly describe. What countries are the biggest software pirates?
35. Who commits the most cybercrime? Why is most cybercrime unreported?
36. What consumes the most bandwidth on the Internet?
37. How does a worm work? How does a trojan horse work?

Extra Credit Questions - 5 points each

1. What is phishing ?
2. What is the name of the former MTV VJ who is now involved with podcasting?