Appendix A
Hardware and Software
True / False Questions
1. Utility software provides additional functionality to the operating system.
True False
2. Disk optimization software helps save information if a computer crashes.
True False
3. A tablet is a pen-based computer that provides the screen capabilities of a PDA with the
functional capabilities of a laptop or desktop computer.
True False
4. Volatility is a protected memory space created by the CPU allowing the computer to create
virtual machines.
True False
5. Complex instruction set computer chips limit the number of instructions the CPU can
execute to increase processing speed.
True False
Multiple Choice Questions
6. What is information technology?
A. Any computer-based tool that people use to work with information and support the
information and information-processing needs of an organization
B. The set of instructions that the hardware executes to carry out specific tasks
C. The physical devices associated with a computer system
D. An electronic device operating under the control of instructions stored in its own memory
that can accept, manipulate, and store data
App A-1
,Appendix A - Hardware and Software
7. What is software?
A. Any computer-based tool that people use to work with information and support the
information and information-processing needs of an organization
B. The set of instructions that the hardware executes to carry out specific tasks
C. The physical devices associated with a computer system
D. An electronic device operating under the control of instructions stored in its own memory
that can accept, manipulate, and store data
8. What is hardware?
A. Any computer-based tool that people use to work with information and support the
information and information-processing needs of an organization
B. The set of instructions that the hardware executes to carry out specific tasks
C. The physical devices associated with a computer system
D. An electronic device operating under the control of instructions stored in its own memory
that can accept, manipulate, and store data
9. What is an input device?
A. The actual hardware that interprets and executes the program (software) instructions and
coordinates how all the other hardware devices work together
B. The computer's main memory, which consists of the random access memory (RAM), cache
memory, and the read-only memory (ROM) that is directly accessible to the central
processing unit (CPU)
C. Equipment designed to store large volumes of data for long-term storage
D. Equipment used to capture information and commands
10. What is a CPU?
A. The actual hardware that interprets and executes the program (software) instructions and
coordinates how all the other hardware devices work together
B. The computer's main memory, which consists of the random access memory (RAM), cache
memory, and the read-only memory (ROM) that is directly accessible to the central
processing unit (CPU)
C. Equipment designed to store large volumes of data for long-term storage
D. Equipment used to capture information and commands
App A-2
, Appendix A - Hardware and Software
11. What is the arithmetic logic unit?
A. The actual hardware that interprets and executes the program (software) instructions and
coordinates how all the other hardware devices work together
B. Equipment that interprets software instructions and literally tells the other hardware
devices what to do, based on the software instructions
C. A type of CPU that can recognize as many as 100 or more instructions, enough to carry out
most computations directly
D. Equipment that performs all arithmetic operations (e.g., addition and subtraction) and all
logic operations (such as sorting and comparing numbers)
12. What is a complex instruction set computer chip?
A. The actual hardware that interprets and executes the program (software) instructions and
coordinates how all the other hardware devices work together
B. Equipment that interprets software instructions and literally tells the other hardware
devices what to do, based on the software instructions
C. A type of CPU that can recognize as many as 100 or more instructions, enough to carry out
most computations directly
D. Equipment that performs all arithmetic operations (e.g., addition and subtraction) and all
logic operations (such as sorting and comparing numbers)
13. Which of the following represents megahertz?
A. The number of millions of CPU cycles per second
B. The number of billions of CPU cycles per second
C. A type of CPU that can recognize as many as 100 or more instructions, enough to carry out
most computations directly
D. A limit on the number of instructions the CPU can execute to increase processing speed
14. What is the number of bits (0s and 1s) that can be processed by the CPU at any one time?
A. Clock speed
B. Word length
C. Bus width
D. Chip line width
App A-3