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ACSM 110

Introduction to Microcomputers

EXAM I

Multiple Choice (2 points each) Choose the one best answer.

  1. System performance can be measured in a number of ways, but usually is gauged by the user in terms of ___________.
    1. response time
    2. swap files
    3. time slices
    4. fault-tolerance
  2. The central processing unit (CPU) contains a control unit that __________.
    1. temporarily stores data and program instructions when they are being processed
    2. executes the program instructions
    3. stores instructions and data when they are not being used by the system unit
    4. performs math and logic operations
  3. Popular desktop publishing packages include __________.
    1. Microsoft Word
    2. QuarkXPress
    3. Lotus 1-2-3
    4. all of the above
  4. A common secondary storage device on personal computers stores data as magnetic areas on a small, removable plastic platter called __________.
    1. a diskette
    2. RAM (Random Access Memory)
    3. a hard disk
    4. main memory
  5. Spreadsheet packages have all of the following formatting features except the ability to __________.
    1. add borders and lines
    2. change typefaces, sizes, and styles
    3. create clip art collections
    4. use shading and colors to highlight data
  6. __________ is the key to productive use of computers.
    1. Computer hardware
    2. Input
    3. Computer software
    4. Storage
  7. Which of the following is not a popular database software package?
    1. Quattro Pro
    2. FoxPro
    3. Microsoft Access
    4. Paradox
  8. Some motherboards contain empty sockets, called __________ sockets, that can be used to install more powerful CPUs or additional memory.
    1. expansion
    2. power
    3. upgrade
    4. control
  9. __________ software is used to access online services for news, weather, financial, and travel information.
    1. Database
    2. Electronic mail
    3. Communications
    4. Personal information management
  10. __________ is used almost exclusively by the banking industry for processing checks.
    1. Magnetic ink character recognition (MICR)
    2. Universal product code (UPC)
    3. Digital signal processing (DSP)
    4. Optical mark recognition (OMR)
  11. __________ is the most widely used graphical user interface for personal computers.
    1. Microsoft Windows
    2. MS-DOS
    3. Apple Macintosh
    4. UNIX
  12. Both the control unit and the ALU contain __________, which are temporary storage locations for specific types of data.
    1. buses
    2. slots
    3. registers
    4. bays
  13. __________, which are used in applications where information about an item must travel with the item, can be read or updated using a pen-like probe.
    1. Memory buttons
    2. Smart cards
    3. Optical cards
    4. CD-ROMs
  14. __________, one of the capabilities of personal information management (PIM) software, allow the user to record comments and assign them to one or more categories that can be used to retrieve the comments.
    1. Appointment calendars
    2. Outliners
    3. Electronic notepads
    4. Data managers
  15. Intelligent terminals are also known as programmable terminals or smart terminals because they __________.
    1. have no independent processing capability or secondary storage and cannot function as a stand-alone device
    2. perform specific jobs and contain features uniquely designed for use in a particular industry
    3. make automatic calculations and perform other activities critical to running a business
    4. can be programmed by the user to perform many basic tasks, including arithmetic and logic operations
  16. Magnetic tape is considered a sequential storage media because the computer __________.
    1. must write and read tape records one after another
    2. can go directly to a specific record
    3. must copy all records to disk before transferring the data to memory
    4. can access records in any sequence
  17. ROM memory is described as nonvolatile because __________.
    1. it can be read and used but it cannot be altered
    2. data and programs can be transferred into and out of ROM
    3. the programs and data stored in ROM are erased when the power to the computer is turned off
    4. it retains its contents even when the power is turned off
  18. The primary advantage of a mouse is that __________.
    1. it is the fastest method of entering numeric data
    2. it requires very little desk space
    3. it is not necessary to remove a hand from the keyboard to use it
    4. it is easy to use
  19. The speed of memory is measured in __________, which is one billionth of a second.
    1. nanoseconds
    2. milliseconds
    3. megaseconds
    4. billiseconds
  20. Most computers contain one CPU that processes a single instruction at a time, beginning execution of the next instruction when the current instruction is finished. This method is known as __________ processing.
    1. logical
    2. massive
    3. parallel
    4. serial

True/False (2 points each)

T F
  1. Data refers to information that has been processed into a form that has meaning and is useful.
T F
  1. Flat panel displays most often are used in portable computers.
T F
  1. Narrative reports may contain some text, but primarily are graphic or number-based reports.
T F
  1. A parity bit cannot detect if one of the bits in a byte has been accidentally changed.
T F
  1. The data or programs that are stored in ROM can be altered.
T F
  1. Two popular integrated software packages are Microsoft Office and Lotus SmartSuite.
T F
  1. Because of their complexity, the electronic components in modern computers are not very reliable and often fail.
T F
  1. Touch screens are used to enter large amounts of data.
T F
  1. The speed, reliability, and storage capabilities of the computer make it a powerful tool for information processing.
T F
  1. Data compression increases data storage requirements by substituting codes for repeating patterns of data.
T F
  1. The computer executes all of the program instructions simultaneously (at the same time).
T F
  1. Optical memory cards can store up to 4.1 MB of digitized text or images on a device the size of a credit card.
T F
  1. As data is entered on the keyboard, it is permanently stored in the computer’s control unit and displayed on the screen of the monitor.
T F
  1. To make the sending of messages efficient, electronic mail (E-mail) software allows the user to send a single message to a distribution list consisting of two or more individuals.
T F
  1. The system unit includes the central processing unit, main memory, and other electronic components.

Fill-in the blanks (2 points each)

information literacy desk top publishing computer literacy
word processing spreadsheet database
information data system unit
query expansion slot upgrade socket
keyboard mouse trackball
eye tracker ASCII EBCDIC
universal product code optical scanner smart
dumb point-of-sale system clock

1.__________ is defined as knowing how to find, analyze, and use information.

2.__________ software allows users to design and produce professional looking documents that contain both text and graphics.

3.__________ refers to raw facts that have been processed into a meaningful and useful form.

4.__________ software allows you to organize numeric data in a worksheet or table format.

5. The __________ of a computer contains the electronic circuits that actually cause the processing of data to occur.

6. The _______________________ is the most commonly used input device. 7. The __________ is the most widely used coding system to represent data.

8. Of the several different types of bar codes, the most familiar is the __________, which is used for grocery and retail items.

9. A(n) __________ terminal has no independent processing capability or secondary storage and cannot function as a stand-alone device.

10. The control unit utilizes the __________ to synchronize, or control, the timing of all computer operations.

Short Answer (5 points each)

1. Identify the main components of a keyboard.

2. Identify and explain the differences between RAM and ROM.

Extra Credit

1. What country is the largest user of industrial robots? (2 points)

2. How many bytes are in a gigabyte? (2 points)

3. What is bubble memory? (4 points)

4. What is the first thing you need to do to start the booting process? (2 points)