Question 1

The language translator program which translates an entire 3GL or 4GL program into machine language before any of the program is executed is called a(an):

Accepted Answer

A program that translates an entire 3GL or 4GL program into machine language before execution is called a compiler. A compiler converts the source code written in high-level language into executable machine code. This process takes place once, and the output program can run multiple times without being compiled again.

Question 2

What microcomputer vendor is not producing an IBM-compatible PC?

Accepted Answer

Apple is known for producing its own line of computers (Macintosh/Mac) that do not follow the IBM-compatible PC architecture, instead using its own operating system and hardware design.

Question 3

Assembly language programs are converted to machine language using an assembler.The resulting machine language program is called a(n)________ program.

Accepted Answer

Assembly language programs are converted into machine language programs using an assembler. The resulting program is called an object program. Therefore, the correct choice is D, i.e., "object."

Question 4

Which of the following is not an example of applications software?

Accepted Answer

Operating systems software is not considered applications software. It is system software that allows other software to run on a computer system. The other options (inventory record-keeping programs, spreadsheet packages, and word-processing software) are all examples of applications software.

Question 5

Machine language is the form of a computer program that the control unit of the computer has been built to understand.In general,a machine language instruction consists of two parts,which are:

Accepted Answer

Machine language instructions typically consist of an operation code (the instruction to be executed) and one or more addresses (the location of the data to be operated upon). Bits and bytes are the building blocks of machine language, but do not necessarily make up a complete instruction. Sequential and direct access files as well as RISC and data channel are not directly related to machine language.

Question 6

What are the two major categories of computer software?

Accepted Answer

The two major categories of computer software are applications software and support software. Applications software includes programs designed for specific tasks such as word processing, spreadsheet management or database management. Support software includes programs that help maintain and operate a computer system, such as operating systems, utilities, and device drivers. Therefore, choice A is the best answer.

Question 7

Which of the following computer storage devices is not an example of a direct access storage device?

Accepted Answer

Magnetic tape drives are sequential access storage devices, not direct access. Data is stored linearly, so to access specific data, you must go through other data sequentially. Direct access devices like hard drives, CD/DVD drives, and flash drives allow the read/write head to move directly to the part of the device where the data is stored without having to sequentially go through other data.

Question 8

DASD refers to:

Accepted Answer

DASD stands for "direct access storage device," which is a type of storage device that provides direct access to data on a disk or other media, as opposed to sequential access.

Question 9

In the 2000s,a new way of handling multiple servers in a computing center became popular,in which multiple server modules are housed in a single chassis,saving space in the computing center,reducing the required cabling,and improving system management.What are these servers called?

Accepted Answer

Blade servers are the type of servers that are housed in a single chassis with multiple server modules, saving space and improving system management. The other options, shared servers and mini servers, do not accurately describe this specific type of server. Razor servers are not a commonly used term in the industry.

Question 10

Which method of input can recognize characters from typed,printed,or handwritten material?

Accepted Answer

OCR (Optical Character Recognition) is a technology that can recognize characters from typed, printed, or even handwritten material by scanning and analyzing the text. Micr (Magnetic Ink Character Recognition) is mainly used to recognize characters printed with magnetic ink, such as those found on checks. Mouse and COM are input methods, but they are not capable of recognizing characters from text.

Question 11

Which of the following is not an advantage of 4GL programs over 3GL programs?

Accepted Answer

3GL programs can often be more efficient in execution than 4GL programs since they are closer to machine language and can optimize code for specific hardware. The other three options (A, B, and D) are all advantages of 4GL programs over 3GL programs.

Question 12

All computers,including desktop and notebook microcomputers,midrange systems,mainframes,and supercomputers,are made up of the same six basic components.Which of the following lists is entirely made up of some of these basic components?

Accepted Answer

The six basic components of computers are input, output, memory, control unit, arithmetic/logic unit, and secondary storage. Choice C includes three of these components: control unit, memory, and output. Therefore, it is the best choice. The other choices either contain components that are not part of the six basic components (such as bytes and bits in choice A and speakers in choice D) or only include one or two basic components (such as memory and output in choice B).

Question 13

Which of the following is not an example of a computer output device?

Accepted Answer

MICR (Magnetic Ink Character Recognition) reader is an input device used to read characters printed with magnetic ink, commonly used for checking processing in banks. The other options (printer, voice response unit, and COM recorder) are output devices, as they output information from the computer.

Question 14

Which type of computer is often used for numerically intensive scientific calculations or to act as an extremely large Web server?

Accepted Answer

Supercomputers are specifically designed for performing complex calculations and are used in fields such as scientific research, weather forecasting, and aerospace engineering. They are also used for extremely large web servers that require high processing power and quick response times. Microcomputers, midrange systems, and mainframes are not designed to handle the same level of computational power as supercomputers.

Question 15

Which type of computer serves as the heart of the computing systems for many,perhaps most,major corporations and government agencies? This type of computer system also can act as a large Web server,as a server in a client/server application,and has the widest range of available applications.

Accepted Answer

Mainframes serve as the heart of the computing systems for many major corporations and government agencies. They can act as a large Web server and server in a client/server application, and have a wide range of available applications. Microcomputers are small personal computers, midrange systems are larger than microcomputers but smaller than mainframes, and supercomputers are designed for high-performance computing and scientific applications, not for general business use.

Question 16

Evaluating how well various computers will handle an organization's workload by running a representative set of real jobs on the different machines is called:

Accepted Answer

Benchmarking is the process of evaluating performance by comparing actual test results against expected performance metrics. In this case, running a representative set of real jobs on different machines is a form of benchmarking to determine which machine can handle the organization's workload better. Virtualizing refers to the creation of a virtual version of something, such as a computer or network, while compiling is the process of converting source code into executable code. Testing is a general term that could refer to a range of activities, including benchmarking.

Question 17

Which of the following is not an advantage of secondary storage devices compared to main memory?

Accepted Answer

Secondary storage devices are typically slower than main memory.

Question 18

What is a commonly used rating of a computer's speed that is based on the number of instructions per second executed by the computer's control unit?

Accepted Answer

MIPS (Millions of Instructions Per Second) is a commonly used rating of a computer's speed based on the number of instructions per second executed by the computer's control unit. A higher MIPS rating indicates a faster computer. The other options listed do not relate specifically to measuring a computer's speed in terms of instructions executed per second.

Question 19

In computer memory,a cell that can store two or more characters of data is called a:

Accepted Answer

A word is typically defined as the number of bits that can be processed at one time by the CPU. It is usually made up of two or more bytes and is capable of holding two or more characters of data. Therefore, a word is the best choice for a cell that can store two or more characters of data.

Question 20

Which of the following is a computer programming language developed in the 1960s that is still commonly used for older ("legacy")business applications?

Accepted Answer

COBOL (Common Business Oriented Language) was developed in the 1960s specifically for business applications and is still commonly used today, particularly in legacy systems. C, FORTRAN, and FOCUS are also programming languages, but they are not as commonly used for business applications as COBOL.

Quiz 2: Computer Systems

The language translator program which translates an entire 3GL or 4GL program into machine language before any of the program is executed is called a(an) :