Practice for the CompTIA A+ Core 2 exam with 17 exam-style practice questions, instant answer reveals, and concise explanations of every correct answer. Topics include: Which of the following best describes a benefit of cloud-based word processing tools?. 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 2 practice test →
What you will practice
- Which of the following best describes a benefit of cloud-based word processing tools?
- Gina installed a 4 TB HDD into her Windows 10 computer and wants to mount it as a single partition with drive…
- Which command would a Linux user need to enter to change their password?
- A user cannot open some files on a file server and contacts the help desk for support. The help desk technici…
- Which of the following commands is used on a Linux system to terminate an unresponsive system process?
- Which of the following macOS features is used to manage passwords cached by the OS and is the equivalent of t…
Answers and explanations
Tap a question to expand the answer and the exam reasoning. Try to commit to your own pick first.
Q1. Which of the following best describes a benefit of cloud-based word processing tools?
Answer: D. Multiple users can edit documents at the same time.
Cloud-based word processing tools enable real-time collaboration, allowing multiple users to edit the exact same document simultaneously from different locations. Local applications traditionally restrict live editing and often require downloading files before making any changes.
Q2. Gina installed a 4 TB HDD into her Windows 10 computer and wants to mount it as a single partition with drive letter M. Which partition type should she use?
Answer: A. GPT
The GUID Partition Table scheme supports massive partition sizes far exceeding the older 2 TB limit imposed by Master Boot Record. When formatting large modern drives in Windows, always choose GPT over MBR to ensure the full capacity is accessible.
Q3. Which command would a Linux user need to enter to change their password?
Answer: A. passwd
The passwd command is used in Linux and macOS environments to update a user account password securely. The pwd command simply displays the current working directory, while chown modifies file ownership permissions.
Q4. A user cannot open some files on a file server and contacts the help desk for support. The help desk technician troubleshoots the server and notices that all of the server's data backups are operational, but large portions of time are miss…
Answer: D. Install a new battery backup
An uninterruptible power supply provides reliable battery backup to keep critical servers running safely during unexpected power outages. A standard surge protector only blocks voltage spikes and will not prevent data loss caused by sudden thunderstorm power failures.
Q5. Which of the following commands is used on a Linux system to terminate an unresponsive system process?
Answer: C. kill
The kill command sends termination signals to active processes. For the exam, remember that ps lists running processes, while grep searches text output and ls lists directory contents.
Q6. Which of the following macOS features is used to manage passwords cached by the OS and is the equivalent of the Credential Manager in Windows?
Answer: C. Keychain
Keychain is the macOS credential manager that stores passwords and certificates securely. Mission Control manages virtual desktops, while Spotlight handles system searches and an Apple ID handles cloud account access.
Q7. Which of the following should you use to configure a network adapter's duplex setting manually in Windows 10?
Answer: A. Device Manager
Device Manager provides direct access to a network adapter's advanced properties, including speed and duplex settings. Internet Options manages browser connections, while the System window only displays installed hardware specifications.
Q8. Which of the following commands is used on a Linux system to perform installations of new software packages?
Answer: C. apt-get
The apt-get command uses the Advanced Packaging Tool to install and manage software on Debian-based distributions. Remember that chown modifies file ownership, while pwd displays the current directory path.
Q9. In which conditions is ESD the highest threat?
Answer: D. When humidity is low
Low humidity allows static electricity to build up easily, making electrostatic discharge a major threat to computer components. High humidity helps dissipate those charges, while temperature changes are secondary factors.
Q10. Which of the following is a primary advantage of Apple File System (APFS) over older macOS file systems like HFS+?
Answer: D. Improved security with native encryption support
Apple File System provides native encryption support, enhancing data security over older file systems like HFS+. APFS is optimized for SSDs and does not natively support Windows compatibility, making the other options incorrect.
Q11. Which of the following types of mobile device screen locks uses biometrics to securely unlock the device?
Answer: A,D. FaceID || TouchID
FaceID and TouchID use unique physical characteristics to authenticate users securely. Passcodes and swipe patterns are knowledge-based or gesture-based methods, which do not rely on biological traits for device access.
Q12. Sarah is installing Windows 10 (64-bit) in a virtual machine. The installation is continually failing and producing an error. She has configured the virtual machine with a dual-core 950 MHz processor, 4 GB of memory, a 64 GB hard drive, an…
Answer: B. The processor is insufficient
The processor must be increased to at least 1 GHz to meet the minimum requirements for a 64-bit Windows installation. While memory and storage are important, watch for specific hardware thresholds in the question stem that fall just below official operating system minimums.
Q13. Your network administrator has handed you some documentation showing you which switch ports on a patch panel you need to connect with a CAT 5e patch cable for an upcoming network upgrade. What document are you MOST likely holding?
Answer: A. Physical network diagram
A physical network diagram details the actual hardware locations and cable connections, such as patch panel ports. A logical network diagram is incorrect because it maps data flow and IP subnets rather than physical wiring.
Q14. Tim connects his Windows 10 laptop to his office's wireless network to print out a report for his boss. Which type of network should he select to discover the printer on the office's wireless network?
Answer: A. Private
Selecting the Private network profile enables network discovery and allows access to shared devices like printers. The Public profile is wrong because it intentionally hides the computer and blocks file and printer sharing for security.
Q15. A team is working on a shared spreadsheet to track inventory. Some employees report seeing different data than their coworkers. What is the most likely reason?
Answer: D. Cached data is being displayed instead of live updates.
Viewing cached data instead of live updates causes users to see outdated information in shared files. Refreshing the application or clearing the cache typically resolves this synchronization discrepancy without needing a reboot.
Q16. Dion Training installed a new update to all of its Windows 10 workstations last night. The update includes an updated driver for the workstations' storage controller. Since the update, the storage controller is only operating at 3 Gbps ins…
Answer: C. Device manager
Device Manager lets you select the problematic hardware and use the Driver tab to roll back to the previously working driver version. System Information only displays configuration data, while Performance Monitor just tracks resource usage over time.
Q17. Which of the following backup rotation schemes overwrites the oldest media with the current backup being performed?
Answer: C. FIFO Backup
A First In, First Out backup scheme inherently overwrites the oldest media with the newest backup being performed. The Grandfather-Father-Son rotation keeps historical archives, so it intentionally protects older media from immediate overwriting.
More CompTIA A+ Core 2 drills and other practice exams are on @CertPunch. New rounds drop every few days at certpunch.com.