Computer Systems and Organisation Quiz 1

✅ Answer: (a) Processing data

A computer system exists primarily to process data — taking raw input, performing operations on it, and turning it into meaningful output. Storing, displaying, and transmitting are all supporting functions that revolve around this core purpose.

✅ Answer: (c) Monitor

Hardware refers to the physical, touchable parts of a computer. A monitor is a physical output device, while the operating system, spreadsheet software, and word processor are all software — sets of instructions, not physical parts.

✅ Answer: (c) Keyboard

The keyboard is a primary input device used to type data and commands into the computer. Printers, monitors, and projectors are all output devices — they display or produce results, not accept input.

✅ Answer: (b) Printer

A printer takes data from the computer and produces a physical result (a printout) — that makes it an output device. Mouse, scanner, and microphone are all used to feed data into the system, so they’re input devices.

✅ Answer: (a) Central Processing Unit

CPU stands for Central Processing Unit — often called the “brain” of the computer, since it carries out instructions from programs.

✅ Answer: (b) Executing instructions

The CPU’s core job is executing instructions — fetching, decoding, and running the steps of a program. Storage, display, and transmission are handled by other components (memory, monitor, network hardware).

✅ Answer: (c) Cache memory

Cache memory sits closest to the CPU (often built directly into the chip) and is the fastest type of memory, used to store frequently accessed data for quick retrieval.

✅ Answer: (d) RAM

RAM (Random Access Memory) is primary memory — it’s directly accessible by the CPU and holds data temporarily while programs run. The other three are all secondary storage devices.

✅ Answer: (a) Bit

A bit (binary digit — a single 0 or 1) is the smallest unit of memory. 8 bits make a byte, and kilobytes/megabytes are built up from bytes.

✅ Answer: (d) EB

Among these, an Exabyte (EB) is the largest — the storage hierarchy runs GB < TB (1024 GB) < PB (1024 TB) < EB (1024 PB).

✅ Answer: (c) CD-ROM

A CD-ROM is secondary (auxiliary) storage — non-volatile and used to hold data permanently, separate from the CPU’s fast, temporary working memory (RAM and cache).

✅ Answer: (c) Secondary memory

Secondary memory (like hard disks and SSDs) is non-volatile — it retains data even when the power is switched off, which is why it’s used for long-term storage. RAM and cache lose their contents when power is off.

✅ Answer: (c) Windows operating system

The Windows operating system is a set of programs and instructions — software. Keyboard, mouse, and printer are all physical hardware devices.

✅ Answer: (b) Monitor

A monitor visually displays the computer’s output on screen. A printer gives physical output, a scanner is an input device, and a speaker outputs sound rather than visuals.

✅ Answer: (a) Kilobyte (KB)

In the binary system, 1 Kilobyte (KB) = 1024 bytes. Each higher unit is 1024 times the one before it (1 MB = 1024 KB, and so on).

✅ Answer: (c) Managing computer resources

The operating system’s core role is managing computer resources — memory, storage, processes, and hardware devices — and acting as the bridge between the user, application software, and hardware.

✅ Answer: (c) Device drivers

Device drivers are system software — programs that let the operating system communicate with hardware. Word processors, spreadsheets, and photo editors are all application software, built for end-user tasks.

✅ Answer: (d) Web browser

A web browser is application software — it’s built for a specific end-user task (browsing the internet). Operating systems, antivirus software, and device drivers are all classified as system software.

✅ Answer: (b) Scanner

A scanner captures data (images/documents) and feeds it into the computer, making it an input device. Printer and speaker are output devices, and a USB flash drive is secondary storage.

✅ Answer: (a) CPU

The CPU is responsible for executing instructions and performing all arithmetic and logical calculations. RAM only holds data temporarily, the hard disk stores it permanently, and the monitor just displays output.