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 user wants to run multiple operating systems simultaneously on their Windows 10 computer. Which software would allow t. Follow @CertPunch and visit certpunch.com for more certification practice exams and study content.
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What you will practice
- A user wants to run multiple operating systems simultaneously on their Windows 10 computer. Which software wo…
- A user needs to charge their Android phone and transfer data between their phone and computer. Which type of…
- A homeowner is setting up a home internet connection using their telephone line. Which type of modem is requi…
- An organization needs to interconnect its office network with the internet and also provide IP addresses to e…
- A company is setting up a network and requires a device that connects multiple networks and directs network t…
- A network engineer is setting up a file sharing service on a local network for Windows computers. Which port…
Answers and explanations
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Q1. A user wants to run multiple operating systems simultaneously on their Windows 10 computer. Which software would allow them to create and manage virtual machines?
Answer: A. VMware Workstation
VMware Workstation is a hypervisor designed to allocate system resources so you can create and run multiple virtual machines simultaneously. The other options are dedicated to security or document viewing and completely lack virtualization capabilities.
Q2. A user needs to charge their Android phone and transfer data between their phone and computer. Which type of connector is used for this purpose in current generation Android phones?
Answer: C. USB-C
USB-C is the current industry standard connector for modern Android phones, supporting both fast charging and high-speed data transfer. Older standards like micro-USB and mini-USB are obsolete, and Lightning is proprietary to Apple devices.
Q3. A homeowner is setting up a home internet connection using their telephone line. Which type of modem is required for this kind of internet service?
Answer: B. DSL modem
A DSL modem is required because it connects a local network to the internet using standard telephone lines. Cable modems use coaxial TV cables, while an ONT is used for fiber optic connections.
Q4. An organization needs to interconnect its office network with the internet and also provide IP addresses to each of its devices. Which network device should they use?
Answer: B. Router with DHCP capability
A router with DHCP capability is correct because it connects the local network to the internet and dynamically assigns IP addresses to internal devices. A switch only connects local devices and does not provide routing or DHCP.
Q5. A company is setting up a network and requires a device that connects multiple networks and directs network traffic between them. Which device should they use?
Answer: B. Router
A router is used because it connects multiple distinct networks and directs traffic between them using IP addresses. A switch is incorrect because it only connects devices within the same local network.
Q6. A network engineer is setting up a file sharing service on a local network for Windows computers. Which port is commonly used by Server Message Block (SMB)/Common Internet File System (CIFS) for file sharing in Windows networks?
Answer: A. 445
Port 445 is correct because it is the standard port for modern SMB over IP used in Windows file sharing. Port 139 is a distractor for legacy NetBIOS sessions over TCP, while port 80 is unsecured web traffic.
Q7. An organization's email client is configured to download messages from the server and then delete them from the server. Which port does this service, known as POP3, use?
Answer: D. 110
Port 110 is correct because it is the default unencrypted port for POP3, which downloads emails locally and typically deletes them from the server. Port 25 is for SMTP, which sends mail between servers.
Q8. A system administrator needs to securely access and manage servers remotely. Which port is typically used for secure connections using Secure Shell (SSH)?
Answer: A. 22
Port 22 is correct because it is the default network port assigned for Secure Shell, enabling encrypted remote administration of servers. Port 23 is the insecure Telnet alternative.
Q9. An executive assistant needs to manage their employer's schedule. They have access to their employer's Microsoft 365 account. To ensure they receive real-time updates to the calendar on their mobile device, what should they configure?
Answer: A. The device's built-in calendar app for Microsoft 365
Using the native built-in calendar app ensures direct integration and push synchronization for real-time Microsoft 365 calendar updates. However, a properly configured supported third-party app is equally functional, making the original wording slightly ambiguous.
Q10. An IT administrator is configuring the default email client on company smartphones. Which configuration setting is crucial to protect sensitive corporate information?
Answer: B. SSL/TLS for email transmission
Enabling SSL or TLS for mail transmission is crucial because it encrypts corporate email data over the network, preventing interception. Push email simply controls delivery speed without providing any security.
Q11. A delivery driver uses a GPS app on their smartphone for route navigation. However, they notice that the app often shows an incorrect location. What should they check first to resolve this issue?
Answer: A. The app's permissions to access GPS services
Checking location permissions is correct because modern operating systems block GPS access by default, causing incorrect locations if denied. Data connection strength affects map loading but not raw GPS accuracy.
Q12. A company is using an older wireless standard that operates exclusively in the 5GHz frequency. Which IEEE 802.11 standard fits this description?
Answer: A. 802.11a
The 802.11a standard is correct because it operates exclusively in the 5GHz frequency band. Both 802.11b and 802.11g operate solely in the 2.4GHz band, while 802.11n uses both.
Q13. A user is trying to connect their new wireless headphones to their smartphone but is unable to find the device in the Bluetooth settings. What is the first action they should take?
Answer: B. Check if the headphones are in pairing mode
Peripherals must be placed into pairing mode to broadcast their Bluetooth signal and become discoverable. Jumping straight to a smartphone restart or a network reset is inefficient before confirming the basic discovery state of the headphones.
Q14. A company is implementing a new security system to control access to its secure data center. The system will use biometric authentication to enhance security. Which of the following biometric methods would provide the highest level of secu…
Answer: B. Retinal scanning
Retinal scanning provides an exceptionally high level of security because the blood vessel patterns in the eye are highly unique and nearly impossible to forge. Fingerprint sensors and facial recognition are more commonly spoofed by photographs or lifted prints.
Q15. A company needs to run an essential application that only works on an outdated operating system. What is a secure and feasible way to achieve this?
Answer: C. Running a legacy software/OS on a virtual machine
Running a legacy operating system on a virtual machine securely isolates the outdated software from the host network and hardware. This sandbox-like approach prevents legacy vulnerabilities from compromising the primary system while maintaining application availability.
Q16. A small business wants to set up their servers with a focus on redundancy to prevent data loss in the event of a drive failure. Which RAID configuration should they use to mirror data across multiple drives?
Answer: B. RAID 1
RAID 1 creates an exact mirror of data across two drives, providing the pure redundancy described. While RAID 10 and RAID 5 also offer redundancy, the specific wording asking to simply mirror data across multiple drives makes RAID 1 the primary intended answer.
Q17. A user wants to optimize the memory performance of their computer by installing two RAM modules. Which configuration should they use to maximize memory throughput?
Answer: B. Dual-channel
Installing two RAM modules in paired slots enables dual-channel mode, which effectively doubles memory throughput compared to a single stick. While quad-channel offers more bandwidth, it requires a specialized workstation or server motherboard with four matching modules, making dual-channel the correct standard choice here.
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