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Quizzes > Computers & IT

Computer Science Quiz Questions for CSC 101 Practice

Quick CSC quiz to check your basics. Instant results and explanations.

Editorial: Review CompletedCreated By: Jessie DiluciaUpdated Aug 27, 2025
Difficulty: Moderate
2-5mins
Learning OutcomesCheat Sheet
Paper art showing chip lock, data streams on dark blue backdrop for computer generations cybercrime data processing quiz

This set of computer science quiz questions helps you check CSC 101 basics and spot what to review next. Get instant results and brief explanations as you go. After you finish, build skills with our operating system quiz, explore an intro to programming quiz, or go deeper with an operating system concepts quiz.

What was the primary technology used in first-generation computers?
Integrated circuits
Microprocessors
Vacuum tubes
Transistors
First-generation computers relied on vacuum tubes for computation and memory storage. They were large, consumed significant power, and produced a lot of heat, which impacted reliability. The next generation replaced them with smaller, more efficient transistors. .
Which device is considered the 'brain' of the computer?
RAM
CPU
GPU
Hard Drive
The CPU (Central Processing Unit) executes instructions and processes data, acting as the brain of the computer. It interprets and carries out basic arithmetic, logic, control, and input/output operations. Other components rely on the CPU to function. More on CPU functions.
In data processing, what does 'CPU' stand for?
Control Programming Unit
Central Program Unit
Computational Processing Utility
Central Processing Unit
CPU stands for Central Processing Unit, which performs the main processing in a computer. It fetches, decodes, and executes instructions from programs. Understanding this term is fundamental for computer architecture. .
Which generation of computers introduced transistors?
Third Generation
First Generation
Second Generation
Fourth Generation
Second-generation computers replaced vacuum tubes with transistors, reducing size and power consumption while increasing reliability. This marked a significant leap over the first generation's bulky and heat-prone designs. Transistor technology dominated until integrated circuits appeared. .
What type of memory is typically volatile?
ROM
Hard drive
Flash memory
RAM
RAM (Random Access Memory) is volatile, meaning it loses its data when power is turned off. ROM and flash memory retain data without power. Understanding memory types is key in computer architecture. .
Which of the following describes phishing?
Physical theft of hardware
Installing malware automatically
Denial-of-service attack
Fraudulent emails to steal information
Phishing involves sending deceptive emails or messages to trick users into revealing sensitive data. Attackers often impersonate trusted entities to gain credentials or personal information. It remains one of the most common cybercrimes. .
What does HTTP stand for?
Hypertext Transfer Protocol
High Transfer Text Protocol
Hyperlink Text Transfer Program
Hypermedia Transfer Protocol
HTTP stands for Hypertext Transfer Protocol, which defines how messages are formatted and transmitted on the web. It governs communication between web browsers and servers. HTTPS is the secure version of this protocol. .
Which process handles data in fixed intervals rather than immediately?
Batch processing
Real-time processing
Online processing
Time-sharing,
Batch processing collects and stores data over time, then processes it as a group at scheduled intervals. This is efficient for large volumes but not suited for tasks requiring immediate response. Real-time processing handles data instantly. .
Which generation of computers introduced integrated circuits?
Third Generation
First Generation
Fourth Generation
Second Generation
Third-generation computers used integrated circuits (ICs), embedding multiple transistors on a single chip. This greatly improved performance, reliability, and reduced cost. Integrated circuits paved the way for microprocessors. .
What device is used to connect networks over telephone lines?
Switch
Hub
Router
Modem
A modem (modulator-demodulator) converts digital signals from a computer into analog for transmission over phone lines, and vice versa. Routers and switches operate at different layers of network communication. Modems were central to early internet access. .
Which term describes malicious software designed to replicate itself?
Spyware
Trojan horse
Worm
Adware
A worm is standalone malware that replicates itself to spread across computers and networks. Unlike viruses, worms do not need to attach to host programs. They can consume bandwidth and harm systems. .
Which memory type typically retains data without power?
Cache
Registers
RAM
ROM
ROM (Read-Only Memory) is non-volatile and retains data even when the system is powered off. It stores firmware and bootloader code. RAM and cache are volatile and lose their content without power. .
Which protocol is used to securely browse the web?
SMTP
FTP
HTTPS
SNMP
HTTPS (Hypertext Transfer Protocol Secure) encrypts web traffic using SSL/TLS, ensuring confidentiality and integrity. It is the standard for secure communication on the internet. HTTP alone does not provide encryption. .
What is the role of an operating system?
Compile source code
Manage hardware and software resources
Design application user interfaces
Store user documents
An operating system manages hardware (CPU, memory, I/O) and provides services to applications. It handles scheduling, resource allocation, and security. Without it, software cannot interact with hardware effectively. .
In batch processing, data is:
Handled only in real time
Processed immediately upon input
Used exclusively by mainframes
Collected and processed periodically
Batch processing collects data over a period and processes it together at scheduled times. It is efficient for large volumes where immediate processing is not critical. Real-time systems process data instantly. .
What is normalization in database design primarily used for?
Speeding up network access
Reducing data redundancy
Encrypting sensitive fields
Improving user permissions
Normalization organizes database tables to minimize redundancy and dependency. It breaks data into related tables and defines relationships. This reduces anomalies during insert, update, and delete. .
Which cybercrime involves exploiting software vulnerabilities without disclosure?
Spam
Zero-day attack
Brute force
Phishing
A zero-day attack exploits an unpatched vulnerability before the vendor can issue a fix. The name refers to developers having 'zero days' to address the flaw. These are highly valuable to attackers. .
What component schedules and dispatches processes in an operating system?
Memory manager
CPU scheduler
File system
I/O handler
The CPU scheduler selects which process in the ready queue gets CPU time next, optimizing utilization and throughput. It uses algorithms like Round Robin or Priority Scheduling. Other components manage memory and I/O. .
Which protocol is used to securely transfer files over SSH?
SCP
TFTP
FTPS
SFTP
SFTP (SSH File Transfer Protocol) provides secure file transfer over a secure shell (SSH) connection. Unlike FTPS, it uses a single port and encrypts both commands and data. SCP is simpler but less feature-rich. .
What is a primary advantage of virtual memory?
Allows processes to exceed physical RAM
Avoids fragmentation entirely
Ensures all data stays in cache
Eliminates the need for swap space
Virtual memory uses disk space to extend available memory beyond physical RAM, enabling larger or more simultaneous processes. It transparently swaps pages in and out of physical memory. However, excessive swapping can degrade performance. .
Which technique ensures data integrity during transmission?
Checksum
Routing
Multiplexing
Encryption
A checksum computes a small-sized datum from a block of digital data to detect errors in transmission or storage. If data is altered, the checksum won't match, signaling corruption. Encryption secures data but does not verify integrity alone. .
What is the function of an index in a database?
Enforce referential integrity
Speed up data retrieval
Encrypt records
Compress tables
An index is a database structure that improves query performance by providing quick lookup of rows. It works like an index in a book, pointing to the location of data. However, too many indexes can slow writes. .
Which layer of the OSI model handles end-to-end communication?
Data link layer
Session layer
Network layer
Transport layer
The transport layer (Layer 4) ensures reliable end-to-end communication, flow control, and error checking. Protocols like TCP and UDP operate at this layer. The network layer routes packets between networks. .
What is the primary goal of encryption in data processing?
Improve data compression
Ensure data ordering
Enhance processing speed
Protect confidentiality of data
Encryption transforms plaintext into ciphertext to prevent unauthorized access, ensuring confidentiality. It can also provide integrity and authentication when combined with other techniques. It does not inherently speed up processing. .
Which cybercrime involves overwhelming a system with traffic?
SQL injection
Man-in-the-middle attack
Denial-of-service attack
Phishing
A Denial-of-Service (DoS) attack floods a service or network with excessive traffic to make it unavailable to legitimate users. Distributed DoS (DDoS) uses multiple systems to amplify impact. It targets capacity rather than data theft. .
What is data mining primarily used for?
Backing up databases
Discovering patterns in large datasets
Encrypting sensitive data
Archiving old records
Data mining uses statistical and machine learning techniques to identify patterns, correlations, and anomalies in large datasets. It supports decision-making in business, science, and healthcare. It is not used for encryption or backup. .
Which programming concept allows treating data and methods as a single unit?
Polymorphism
Encapsulation
Inheritance
Recursion
Encapsulation bundles data and methods into a single unit called an object, restricting direct access to some of its components. It enhances modularity and security. Other principles include inheritance and polymorphism. .
Which scheduling algorithm may cause starvation of low-priority processes?
Priority scheduling
First-Come, First-Served
Round-robin
Shortest Job Next
Priority scheduling executes processes based on priority, which can starve low-priority tasks if high-priority ones dominate. Round-robin and FCFS are fairer in terms of wait time. Shortest Job Next can also lead to starvation for long jobs. .
What is the main purpose of RAID technology in data storage?
Compress files on disk
Provide network file sharing
Improve performance and fault tolerance
Encrypt data at rest
RAID (Redundant Array of Independent Disks) combines multiple physical disks to improve performance, reliability, or both. Different RAID levels trade-off speed, redundancy, and capacity. It does not inherently encrypt or compress data. .
In encryption, what does AES stand for?
Advanced Encryption Standard
Advanced Encoding System
Asymmetric Encryption System
Authenticated Encryption Scheme
AES (Advanced Encryption Standard) is a symmetric encryption algorithm adopted by NIST in 2001. It is widely used for secure data encryption in applications and protocols. It supports key sizes of 128, 192, and 256 bits. .
Which database property ensures transactions are fully completed or fully rolled back?
Isolation
Durability
Atomicity
Consistency
Atomicity ensures that a transaction is treated as a single unit: either all of its operations succeed or none do. This prevents partial updates to the database. It is the 'A' in the ACID model. .
What is a honeypot in cybersecurity?
Encryption algorithm
Decoy system to detect attackers
Backup server
Malware removal tool
A honeypot is a decoy system deployed to attract and monitor attackers, gathering information about their methods. It helps defenders understand threats and improve security. It is not a removal tool or backup. .
Which memory management technique divides physical memory into fixed-size blocks?
Garbage collection
Segmentation
Paging
Swapping
Paging splits memory into fixed-size frames and maps them to pages in a process's address space, eliminating external fragmentation. Segmentation uses variable-sized segments. Swapping moves entire processes in and out of memory. .
Which principle ensures that a user can only access resources they're permitted to?
Separation of Duties
Principle of Least Privilege
Fail-safe defaults
Defense in Depth
The Principle of Least Privilege grants users only the access necessary to perform their jobs, reducing attack surfaces. Separation of Duties divides tasks to prevent fraud. Defense in Depth layers security controls. .
In distributed computing, what problem does consensus solve?
Agreeing on a single value among nodes
Detecting hardware failure
Balancing network load
Encrypting inter-node communication
Consensus algorithms, like Paxos or Raft, ensure distributed nodes agree on a single data value despite failures. This is essential for fault-tolerant distributed systems. It is not about load balancing or encryption. .
What is the purpose of a cryptographic hash function?
Produce fixed-size digest from input
Generate random numbers
Encrypt data for confidentiality
Compress data without loss
Cryptographic hash functions take input data and produce a fixed-size, deterministic digest. They are collision-resistant and one-way, important for integrity checks and digital signatures. They do not provide confidentiality. Hash functions overview.
Which cyber law focuses on privacy and personal data protection in the EU?
SOX
HIPAA
GDPR
DMCA
The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) is a comprehensive EU law that protects personal data and privacy. It imposes strict rules on data processing and hefty fines for non-compliance. DMCA covers copyright, HIPAA covers health data in the US. .
What data structure is best for implementing LRU cache?
Single linked list
Doubly linked list with hash map
Priority queue
Binary search tree
An LRU cache uses a doubly linked list to track usage order and a hash map for O(1) access. Removing and adding nodes in a doubly linked list is constant time. BSTs and priority queues do not guarantee O(1) operations for both access and update. .
In GPU computing, what is SIMD?
Single Instruction, Multiple Data
Simultaneous Input, Multiple Data
Symmetric Inter-process Multi Data
Single Input, Multiple Devices
SIMD (Single Instruction, Multiple Data) allows one instruction to process multiple data points simultaneously, ideal for GPU parallelism. It accelerates tasks like graphics rendering and scientific computations. Other paradigms include MIMD. .
Which consensus algorithm tolerates Byzantine faults?
Practical Byzantine Fault Tolerance
Two-Phase Commit
Raft
Paxos
Practical Byzantine Fault Tolerance (PBFT) is designed to tolerate Byzantine faults where nodes may act arbitrarily or maliciously. Paxos and Raft assume non-Byzantine failures. Two-Phase Commit is not fault-tolerant to Byzantine behavior. .
What is tail call optimization in compilers?
Loop unrolling
Register allocation
Reusing stack frame for recursive call
Inlining function calls
Tail call optimization replaces a function's last call with a jump to avoid adding a new stack frame, preventing stack overflow. This optimization is common in functional languages. It is distinct from inlining or loop unrolling. .
Which distributed storage system uses erasure coding for fault tolerance?
FAT32
NFS
SMB
Ceph
Ceph uses erasure coding to split data into fragments, encode it with redundant pieces, and distribute it across nodes. This improves storage efficiency compared to replication. NFS and SMB do not natively support erasure coding. .
What is the CAP theorem in distributed systems?
Caching, Authorization, Performance
Concurrency, Atomicity, Privacy
Compression, Accessibility, Protectability
Consistency, Availability, Partition tolerance
The CAP theorem states that a distributed system can guarantee at most two of Consistency, Availability, and Partition Tolerance at the same time. This guides trade-offs in system design. It does not address caching or privacy. .
In data streaming, what is backpressure?
Encrypting streaming data
Prioritizing certain packets
Caching data in buffer
Signaling sender to slow data flow
Backpressure is a mechanism to control the flow of data between producer and consumer so the consumer is not overwhelmed. It signals the sender to slow or pause data transmission. It is different from buffering or encryption. .
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Study Outcomes

  1. Understand Computer Generations -

    Gain a clear grasp of the major computer generations, their defining features, and how each era advanced hardware and software capabilities.

  2. Identify Cybercrime Techniques -

    Recognize common cybercrime methods covered in the quiz, from phishing to malware, and learn strategies to mitigate security threats.

  3. Demonstrate Data Processing Concepts -

    Explain key data processing stages, including input, storage, processing, and output, as tested in the data processing quiz section.

  4. Apply Test-Taking Strategies -

    Use proven techniques for time management, question analysis, and answer elimination to boost performance on this csc 101 quiz and other computer science practice tests.

  5. Analyze Knowledge Gaps -

    Pinpoint areas of strength and weakness through immediate quiz feedback, enabling targeted review and more efficient study sessions.

  6. Evaluate Exam Readiness -

    Assess your overall preparedness for formal exams by comparing your quiz results to key learning objectives in computer science fundamentals.

Cheat Sheet

  1. Computer Generations & Key Innovations -

    Since the 1940s, computer technology has progressed from vacuum tubes to AI-powered microprocessors, each generation marked by breakthroughs in speed and efficiency. Mnemonic "VTIM" (Vacuum tubes, Transistors, Integrated Circuits, Microprocessors) helps solidify this timeline (source: University of Cambridge).

  2. Cybercrime Classifications & Trends -

    When tackling csc practice questions on cybercrime quiz questions, categorize threats by impact on the CIA triad - confidentiality, integrity, and availability. Common examples include phishing, ransomware, and distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attacks; note that ransomware incidents spiked 62% in 2021 (FBI Internet Crime Report). Learning these classes boosts your defense strategy.

  3. Data Processing Models: Batch vs. Real-Time -

    Understanding batch and real-time processing is essential for a computer science practice test or data processing quiz. In ETL (Extract, Transform, Load) batch jobs, data is processed in scheduled chunks, whereas real-time systems use streaming pipelines for instant insights (source: IBM Research). Choose the right model based on latency and volume requirements.

  4. Memory Hierarchy & Access Time Formula -

    Review the memory hierarchy - from registers and cache to RAM and disk - to optimize performance. Use the formula Tavg = h×Th + (1−h)×Tm, where h is cache hit ratio, Th is hit time, and Tm is miss penalty (source: MIT OpenCourseWare). High cache hit ratios dramatically reduce average access times.

  5. Algorithm Complexity & Big O Notation -

    Master Big O fundamentals for your csc 101 quiz by mapping common algorithms: O(n) for linear search, O(n log n) for merge sort, and O(n²) for bubble sort. Remember "NLM" as a quick mnemonic - N ≈ linear, L ≈ log, M ≈ squared (source: CLRS Introduction to Algorithms). Comparing growth rates ensures efficient algorithm selection.

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