D386: Hardware and Operating System Essentials –
Fundamentals Exam QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
(VERIFIED ANSWERS) Q&A 2026|INSTANT
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1. Which of the following are considered input devices?
A. Monitor
B. Keyboard
C. Mouse
D. Printer
Correct Answer: B, C
Rationale: Input devices allow users to send data into a
computer system. Keyboards and mice are input devices, while
monitors and printers are output devices.
2. What are the primary functions of an operating system?
A. Managing hardware resources
B. Providing a user interface
C. Running applications
D. Designing network protocols
Correct Answer: A, B, C
Rationale: An operating system manages hardware, provides a
,user interface, and runs applications. Designing network
protocols is handled by network software.
3. Which types of memory are volatile?
A. ROM
B. RAM
C. Cache
D. Hard disk
Correct Answer: B, C
Rationale: Volatile memory loses data when power is off. RAM
and CPU cache are volatile; ROM and hard disk are non-volatile.
4. Which of the following are examples of secondary storage?
A. SSD
B. RAM
C. Hard Disk Drive (HDD)
D. CPU registers
Correct Answer: A, C
Rationale: Secondary storage retains data long-term. SSDs and
HDDs are secondary storage; RAM and CPU registers are
primary storage.
5. Which CPU components are involved in instruction
execution?
,A. ALU
B. Control Unit
C. Registers
D. GPU
Correct Answer: A, B, C
Rationale: The ALU performs calculations, the control unit
manages execution, and registers temporarily store data. GPU
handles graphics, not general instruction execution.
6. Which of the following operating systems are examples of
Unix-based systems?
A. Linux
B. macOS
C. Windows 10
D. Android
Correct Answer: A, B, D
Rationale: Linux, macOS, and Android are Unix-based.
Windows is not.
7. Common types of buses in a computer include:
A. Data bus
B. Address bus
C. Control bus
D. Ethernet bus
, Correct Answer: A, B, C
Rationale: Data, address, and control buses are core computer
buses for communication. Ethernet is a network protocol, not a
computer bus.
8. Which of the following are input/output (I/O) interfaces?
A. USB
B. HDMI
C. PCIe
D. SATA
Correct Answer: A, B, D
Rationale: USB, HDMI, and SATA are I/O interfaces connecting
devices. PCIe is primarily an internal expansion interface.
9. Which of the following are characteristics of solid-state
drives (SSD)?
A. No moving parts
B. High speed
C. Magnetic storage
D. Non-volatile
Correct Answer: A, B, D
Rationale: SSDs are fast, non-volatile, and have no moving
parts. Magnetic storage applies to HDDs.
Fundamentals Exam QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
(VERIFIED ANSWERS) Q&A 2026|INSTANT
DOWNLOAD PDF
1. Which of the following are considered input devices?
A. Monitor
B. Keyboard
C. Mouse
D. Printer
Correct Answer: B, C
Rationale: Input devices allow users to send data into a
computer system. Keyboards and mice are input devices, while
monitors and printers are output devices.
2. What are the primary functions of an operating system?
A. Managing hardware resources
B. Providing a user interface
C. Running applications
D. Designing network protocols
Correct Answer: A, B, C
Rationale: An operating system manages hardware, provides a
,user interface, and runs applications. Designing network
protocols is handled by network software.
3. Which types of memory are volatile?
A. ROM
B. RAM
C. Cache
D. Hard disk
Correct Answer: B, C
Rationale: Volatile memory loses data when power is off. RAM
and CPU cache are volatile; ROM and hard disk are non-volatile.
4. Which of the following are examples of secondary storage?
A. SSD
B. RAM
C. Hard Disk Drive (HDD)
D. CPU registers
Correct Answer: A, C
Rationale: Secondary storage retains data long-term. SSDs and
HDDs are secondary storage; RAM and CPU registers are
primary storage.
5. Which CPU components are involved in instruction
execution?
,A. ALU
B. Control Unit
C. Registers
D. GPU
Correct Answer: A, B, C
Rationale: The ALU performs calculations, the control unit
manages execution, and registers temporarily store data. GPU
handles graphics, not general instruction execution.
6. Which of the following operating systems are examples of
Unix-based systems?
A. Linux
B. macOS
C. Windows 10
D. Android
Correct Answer: A, B, D
Rationale: Linux, macOS, and Android are Unix-based.
Windows is not.
7. Common types of buses in a computer include:
A. Data bus
B. Address bus
C. Control bus
D. Ethernet bus
, Correct Answer: A, B, C
Rationale: Data, address, and control buses are core computer
buses for communication. Ethernet is a network protocol, not a
computer bus.
8. Which of the following are input/output (I/O) interfaces?
A. USB
B. HDMI
C. PCIe
D. SATA
Correct Answer: A, B, D
Rationale: USB, HDMI, and SATA are I/O interfaces connecting
devices. PCIe is primarily an internal expansion interface.
9. Which of the following are characteristics of solid-state
drives (SSD)?
A. No moving parts
B. High speed
C. Magnetic storage
D. Non-volatile
Correct Answer: A, B, D
Rationale: SSDs are fast, non-volatile, and have no moving
parts. Magnetic storage applies to HDDs.
