A Quick Guide to ICT Fundamentals
Breaking down key concepts from an ICT exam
Key Concepts: Multiple Choice
1. Which of the following represents the division operator in Excel?
Answer: /
2. In Microsoft Word, which view mode prevents typing or editing?
Answer: Read mode
3. What component of your desktop displays currently running applications?
Answer: Taskbar
4. What does the acronym WWW stand for?
Answer: World Wide Web
5. What manages network resources and provides a centralized storage area for data?
Answer: server
6. Which device converts machine-readable data to human-understandable information?
Answer: Output device
7. In computing, what represents raw facts, and what represents processed data?
Answer: Data, Information
8. What is NOT a part of a standard keyboard?
Answer: standard keypad
9. Which device is used to record sound as input?
Answer: Microphone
10. Which of these is NOT an example of system software?
Answer: Microsoft Access
11. Which of the following is NOT a productivity software?
Answer: operating system
12. What legal right do creators have over their work?
Answer: Copyright
13. Which of these is NOT a way to avoid plagiarism?
Answer: Eliminate quotations in your work
14. Digital media allows teachers to appeal to an array of what?
Answer: learning styles
15. Which is NOT a category for sourcing information?
Answer: Pre-primary
16. Which of these is the best example of management software?
Answer: System
17. All of the following are unguided transmission media EXCEPT...
Answer: WLAN
18. Which can be said to be a software that runs over the internet?
Answer: WWW
19. The location of a resource on the internet is given by its...
Answer: URL
20. What manages network resources and provides a centralized storage area for data?
Answer: server
21. Which file type is opened with spreadsheet software?
Answer: Results.xlsx
22. Which company created programs like Word and PowerPoint?
Answer: Microsoft
23. What does WYSIWYG mean?
Answer: What you see is what you get
24. A Personal Computer uses a number of chips mounted on a circuit board called...
Answer: Mother Board
In-Depth Explanations
Question 1: Hardware Basics
i. What is an input device? An input device is a piece of hardware used to provide data and control signals to a computer, like a keyboard or mouse.
ii. Five input devices: Keyboard, Mouse, Microphone, Scanner, Webcam.
iii. Three computer components: Central Processing Unit (CPU), Memory (RAM), Motherboard.
iv. Five output devices: Monitor, Printer, Speaker, Projector, Headphones.
Question 2: Understanding Malware
i. What is malware? Malware is any software intentionally designed to cause damage to a computer, server, client, or network.
ii. Five types of malware:
- Virus: A program that attaches itself to other files and replicates.
- Worm: A standalone program that replicates itself to spread to other computers.
- Trojan Horse: Malware disguised as legitimate software to gain access to a system.
- Ransomware: Malicious software that locks a victim's data and demands a ransom.
- Spyware: Software that secretly gathers a user's information.
iii. Differences between a virus and a worm:
- A virus needs a host program to spread, while a worm is a standalone program.
- Viruses require human action to execute (like opening a file), while worms can spread automatically.
- Viruses often corrupt files, but worms mainly consume network bandwidth.
Question 3: Web Basics
i. Differences between a web browser and a search engine:
- A **web browser** is the application you use to view websites. A **search engine** is a website you use to find other websites.
- Browsers are installed on your device; search engines are accessed through a browser.
- Browsers render web content; search engines index web content to find what you're looking for.
ii. Five search engine examples: Google, Bing, Yahoo, DuckDuckGo, Baidu.
iii. Five web browser examples: Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, Microsoft Edge, Safari, Opera.
iv. Two generations of the web: Web 1.0 (the static web) and Web 2.0 (the social, interactive web).
Question 4: The Machine Cycle
i. The machine cycle explained: The machine cycle is the process a CPU follows to execute an instruction. It has four main steps: Fetch, Decode, Execute, and Store.
ii. Key terms:
- a. Memory: A hardware device used to store data and instructions.
- b. Control unit: The part of the CPU that directs the processor's operations.
- c. ALU: The Arithmetic Logic Unit, which performs calculations and logical operations.
- d. Register: Small, fast storage locations within the CPU.
- e. Processor: The Central Processing Unit (CPU), which is the "brain" of the computer.
Question 5: RAM vs. ROM and System Components
i. Five differences between RAM and ROM:
- RAM is volatile (loses data without power); ROM is non-volatile.
- RAM is used for temporary storage of active programs; ROM is for permanent boot-up instructions.
- RAM is much faster than ROM.
- Data in RAM can be easily changed; data in ROM is typically read-only.
- RAM generally has a larger capacity than ROM.
ii. Five components housed by the system unit: Motherboard, CPU, RAM, Hard Drive, Power Supply Unit (PSU).
iii. What is a special purpose computer? It's a computer designed for a single, specific task, with limited functionality.
iv. Three examples: GPS devices, ATM machines, washing machine controllers.
