IT111 Review Questions
Chapter 1 - Hardware Needs Software to Work
Post your answers for these review questions into our wiki library for this course. I’ve provided a Word document version so that you may type your answers here first. Since this is our first set of review questions for this course and textbook, let’s consider a few things:
What to do:
Since there are thirty (30) questions for chapter 1, each of you will choose five questions to answer. Two points are available for each of your thorough, quality answers.
Do yourself a favor – pick questions for which you did NOT know the answer when we started the chapter (or that, maybe, you’re still not sure), so that you can assess (or show) your gained knowledge. I’d suggest you type your answers into a Word document, and paste them into the wiki so that all the answers are available to everyone in the course by the due date.
When it’s due:
Your answers must be posted or available in the wiki before our class time the day (even weekends) BEFORE the test (which includes this chapter). After that time (in the 24 hours before our test), anyone may answer any remaining unanswered questions and/or comment on- or contribute to- answers to other questions already answered.
(For this “extra” part of the work, I will offer up to TWO bonus points for this chapter.)
How many points:
A total of ten points is available (plus two bonus points). Your answers must be complete and accurate.
This assignment contributes to the “Homework” category of your grade for this course.
The rest is up to all of you:
Will you all use a system of “dibs” to determine who will answer which questions? (Remember, only one person can edit any one wiki page at any one time.)
Might you choose to link to a page where you’ve each provided your answers (instead of typing them all on one long page)?
REVIEWING THE BASICS – Questions from pages 29-30 in your textbook:
| 1. Why is all data stored in a computer in binary form? |
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| 2. What are the four primary functions of hardware? |
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| 3. What are the two main input devices and two main output devices? |
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| 4. What three things do electronic hardware devices need in order to function? |
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| 5. How many bits are in a byte? |
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| 6. What is the purpose of an expansion slot on a motherboard? |
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| 7. Which component on the motherboard is used primarily for processing? |
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| 8. Name three CPU manufacturers. |
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| 9. What technology is most often used today to manufacture microchips? |
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| 10. What are two other names for the system bus? |
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| 11. What are two other names for the motherboard? |
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| 12. What are the two basic types of cables found inside a computer case and what are their basic functions? |
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| 13. List three types of ports that are often found coming directly off the motherboard to be used by external devices. |
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| 14. What is the purpose of the S/PDIF port? |
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| 15. List three kinds of memory modules. |
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| 16. What is the difference between volatile and nonvolatile memory? |
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| 17. Of the two types of storage in a system, which type is generally faster and holds data and instructions while the data is being processed? Which type of storage is generally slower, but more permanent? |
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| 18. What technology standard provides for up to four devices on a system, including the hard drive as one of those devices? What are two common industry names loosely used to describe this standard? |
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| 19. What is the size of the data path on most system buses today? |
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| 20. What is the measurement of frequency of a system bus and CPU? Which is faster, the system bus or the CPU? |
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| 21. Name four types of buses that are likely to be on a motherboard today. |
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| 22. A power supply receives 120 volts of ___ power from a wall outlet and converts it to 3.3, 5, and 12 volts of ____ power. |
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| 23. ROM BIOS or firmware chips that can be upgraded without replacing the chips are called ________. |
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| 24. CMOS setup allows a technician to change configuration settings on a motherboard stored in ______. |
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| 25. Name three examples of secondary storage devices. |
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| 26. A hertz is ________ cycle per second; a megahertz is ________ cycles per second; and a gigahertz is ________ cycles per second. |
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| 27. An AGP slot is normally used for a(n) _______ expansion card. |
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| 28. How many sizes of PCI Express slots are currently manufactured for personal computers? |
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| 29. Name the three purposes the motherboard ROM BIOS serves? |
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| 30. From where does CMOS RAM receive its power? |
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