Practice for the CompTIA A+ Core 1 (220-1201) exam with 17 exam-style practice questions, instant answer reveals, and concise explanations of every correct answer. Topics include: A network technician is troubleshooting connectivity issues in an office. Several users report that their computers do n. Follow @CertPunch and visit certpunch.com for more certification practice exams and study content.
Prefer hands-on? Take this round as an interactive practice test — answer every question, get instant feedback, and see your score: Start the CompTIA A+ Core 1 (220-1201) practice test →
What you will practice
- A network technician is troubleshooting connectivity issues in an office. Several users report that their com…
- A user notices small black spots on their new LCD monitor that do not display any image or color. What does t…
- A user wants to upgrade their computer with the latest high-end graphics card. Which type of motherboard slot…
- A user is upgrading their gaming PC and wants to install a high-performance graphics card. Which expansion sl…
- In a network, which protocol is responsible for dynamically assigning IP addresses to devices and providing n…
- A user cannot connect to the internet via an Ethernet cable, but others in the same office can. What is the f…
Answers and explanations
Tap a question to expand the answer and the exam reasoning. Try to commit to your own pick first.
Q1. A network technician is troubleshooting connectivity issues in an office. Several users report that their computers do not have network access. The technician discovers that the computers are not being assigned IP addresses. Which service…
Answer: B. DHCP
The Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol automatically assigns IP addresses to clients on a network. If clients power up but cannot communicate, suspect the DHCP server is unreachable or exhausted. Remember that DNS only resolves names and does not lease addresses.
Q2. A user notices small black spots on their new LCD monitor that do not display any image or color. What does this indicate?
Answer: A. The monitor has dead pixels
Small unchanging black spots on an LCD panel indicate dead pixels, which are defective transistors that fail to light the subpixel. This is strictly a physical display defect, so adjusting brightness or contrast will not revive the unresponsive pixels.
Q3. A user wants to upgrade their computer with the latest high-end graphics card. Which type of motherboard slot is required for this upgrade?
Answer: B. PCIe
PCI Express slots provide the high bandwidth necessary for modern expansion cards like high-end graphics cards. Older legacy PCI slots or SATA storage interfaces lack the required data transfer speeds to support demanding graphics rendering tasks.
Q4. A user is upgrading their gaming PC and wants to install a high-performance graphics card. Which expansion slot should they use for the best graphics card performance?
Answer: A. PCIe
PCIe slots provide the high bandwidth necessary for optimal graphics processing performance. USB and SATA lack the required speed, while HDMI is strictly an output interface and cannot host an expansion card.
Q5. In a network, which protocol is responsible for dynamically assigning IP addresses to devices and providing network configuration information?
Answer: C. DHCP
Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol dynamically assigns IP addresses and configuration details to network devices. Think of DHCP as the automatic address assigner, contrasting with DNS which translates domain names.
Q6. A user cannot connect to the internet via an Ethernet cable, but others in the same office can. What is the first thing the technician should check?
Answer: B. The Ethernet cable connecting the user's computer to the outlet
Checking the physical cabling is the fastest first step when one user loses Ethernet connectivity while others work fine. Exam strategy always dictates verifying the physical layer before diving into adapter settings or firewall rules, which are less likely to suddenly fail.
Q7. A user can connect to the Wi-Fi network but cannot access the internet or any network resources. The network icon shows "Limited Connectivity." What is the likely cause?
Answer: B. There is an issue with the DHCP server or IP address configuration
Limited connectivity means the device associated with the access point but failed to obtain a valid IP address from the DHCP server. On the exam, equate limited connectivity directly with an APIPA address or a DHCP outage rather than a weak radio signal.
Q8. A printer is not picking up paper from the tray, resulting in a 'no paper' error, despite the tray being full. What is the most likely cause?
Answer: B. The paper feed rollers are dirty or worn out
Dirty or worn pickup rollers lose traction and fail to pull paper from a full tray, triggering false empty errors. Cleaning or replacing the separation pad and rollers is the standard fix, whereas network or firmware issues rarely cause mechanical pickup failures.
Q9. A user reports that their laser printer is producing pages with vertical lines down the length of the paper. What should be checked first to resolve this issue?
Answer: B. The toner cartridge for damage or low toner
Vertical lines running down a laser printed page typically indicate a scratched drum or low toner within the cartridge assembly. Reseating or replacing the toner cartridge is the fastest first check, as network or driver issues usually cause blank pages rather than linear artifacts.
Q10. A user is unable to get any image on their monitor after setting up a new computer. They have confirmed that the monitor and computer are powered on. What should be checked first?
Answer: C. If the monitor is set to the correct input or data source
Monitors with multiple video inputs must be manually switched to the active port, such as HDMI or DisplayPort. Always verify the selected input source before investigating cable damage or resolution settings, as modern displays often default to the wrong port.
Q11. In a RAID 1 array, a technician finds that one of the drives has failed. What should be the immediate course of action?
Answer: A. Replace the failed drive and rebuild the RAID array
Replacing the failed drive and initiating a rebuild restores the array's redundancy. While backing up data is always a good practice, rebuilding the array is the required technical action to fix the fault tolerance.
Q12. A user reports a persistent clicking sound from their computer, especially when trying to access files. What is the most probable cause of this sound?
Answer: B. Hard drive failure
A clicking sound during file access is the classic click of death, indicating imminent mechanical hard drive failure. While fans can click if obstructed by a wire, the correlation with file access points directly to the hard drive.
Q13. An IT administrator is setting up a wireless network in a large office. They need to ensure both good coverage and high data throughput. Which TWO of the following wireless standards should they consider for the best performance?
Answer: B,D. 802.11ac || 802.11n
Wireless AC and N provide the necessary bandwidth and coverage for a large office environment. The older A, B, and G standards offer significantly lower throughput and are considered obsolete for high performance networks.
Q14. A company needs to securely erase data from a hard drive before disposing of it. Which method ensures the data cannot be recovered?
Answer: C. Full format with data overwrite
A full format with a data overwrite securely destroys the information by replacing existing data with zeros or random patterns. Basic formatting or deleting files only removes the file table references, leaving the actual data recoverable.
Q15. A company wants to enhance the security of its online systems. Which method adds an additional layer of security beyond just a username and password?
Answer: B. Two-factor authentication
Two-factor authentication adds a second verification factor, such as a mobile authenticator app or biometric scan. Single sign-on simplifies logins but does not inherently add another security layer to the primary authentication process.
Q16. A graphic designer is in the process of selecting a new monitor for their workstation. What should be the designer's main consideration when choosing a monitor?
Answer: C. Color Accuracy
Color accuracy is the top priority for a graphic designer to ensure professional prints and digital designs match perfectly. Refresh rates and response times are gaming metrics, while screen size is secondary to visual fidelity.
Q17. A user's computer is running slowly. They want to check which applications are consuming the most system resources. Which tool should they use?
Answer: C. Task Manager
Task Manager is the correct tool because it displays real-time system metrics like CPU and memory usage per application. The other utilities manage disk space, hardware drivers, or global system settings, rather than live resource consumption.
More CompTIA A+ Core 1 (220-1201) drills and other practice exams are on @CertPunch. New rounds drop every few days at certpunch.com.