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Karnataka KSEAB SSLC NSQF Information Technology study materials
Karnataka KSEAB SSLC NSQF Information Technology study resources

Karnataka KSEAB SSLC NSQF Information Technology practice questions

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Question 1Information Technology Fundamentals and Computer Systems

In the KSEAB SSLC Information Technology syllabus, which unit of memory is exactly 1024 megabytes?

  1. One terabyte
  2. One nibble
  3. One gigabyte Correct answer.
  4. One kilobyte

Explanation

Digital storage scales in powers of 1024, so 1024 megabytes make one gigabyte. A kilobyte is 1024 bytes and a terabyte is 1024 gigabytes, so the gigabyte sits directly above megabyte.

Question 2Information Technology Fundamentals and Computer Systems

A student wants a storage device that uses laser light to read and write data on a reflective spinning disc. Which device fits this description?

  1. Optical disc drive Correct answer.
  2. Pen drive
  3. Hard disk drive
  4. Magnetic tape drive

Explanation

Optical drives such as CD, DVD and Blu-ray drives use a laser beam to read pits and lands on a reflective disc surface. Hard disks and pen drives store data magnetically or in flash memory instead of using laser reflection.

Question 3Information Technology Fundamentals and Computer Systems

Which of the following is an example of system software in a computer system?

  1. Photo editor
  2. Web browser
  3. Operating system Correct answer.
  4. Spreadsheet application

Explanation

System software manages hardware and provides a platform for other programs; the operating system is the primary example. Spreadsheets, browsers and photo editors are application software meant for specific user tasks.

Question 4Information Technology Fundamentals and Computer Systems

Which number system uses only the digits 0 and 1 and is the natural language of digital circuits?

  1. Decimal
  2. Binary Correct answer.
  3. Octal
  4. Hexadecimal

Explanation

The binary system uses only two symbols, 0 and 1, which map directly to the off and on states of digital circuits. Decimal uses ten digits, octal eight and hexadecimal sixteen, so none of them is the two-state system used by hardware.

Question 5Information Technology Fundamentals and Computer Systems

Which input device is designed mainly to capture a physical document into a digital image file?

  1. Scanner Correct answer.
  2. Microphone
  3. Light pen
  4. Joystick

Explanation

A scanner converts printed pages or photographs into digital image files by sensing light reflected from the paper. Joysticks, microphones and light pens capture movement, sound or screen position rather than flat documents.

Question 6Information Technology Fundamentals and Computer Systems

Which of these is an example of an open-source operating system commonly installed on personal computers?

  1. Linux Correct answer.
  2. macOS
  3. Windows 11
  4. MS-DOS

Explanation

Linux is distributed with source code that anyone may study, modify and redistribute, which defines open-source software. macOS, Windows and MS-DOS are proprietary products released under vendor licences.

Question 7Information Technology Fundamentals and Computer Systems

In a spreadsheet used for a school IT project, what does the formula =SUM(B2:B6) do?

  1. Multiplies the values in cells B2 and B6
  2. Finds the largest value in the range B2 to B6
  3. Adds the values stored in cells B2 through B6 Correct answer.
  4. Counts how many cells in the range are non-empty

Explanation

The SUM function with a range argument adds every numeric value between the first and last cell named. The colon means the whole block from B2 to B6, so all five cells are included in one total.

Question 8Information Technology Fundamentals and Computer Systems

Which of the following best describes an intranet?

  1. A cable standard for connecting monitors
  2. A private network used within one organisation Correct answer.
  3. A protocol for sending email attachments
  4. A public website hosted by a government

Explanation

An intranet is a restricted network built on internet technologies but available only to members of an organisation. It is not open to the general public like the internet, and it is a network rather than a cable standard or mail protocol.

Question 9Information Technology Fundamentals and Computer Systems

A binary number reads 1011. What is its decimal value?

  1. Fifteen
  2. Thirteen
  3. Nine
  4. Eleven Correct answer.

Explanation

In binary each place is a power of two, so 1011 equals 8 + 0 + 2 + 1. Adding those place values gives 11 in decimal.

Question 10Information Technology Fundamentals and Computer Systems

A student needs to store a single character such as the letter 'A' in memory. Which coding scheme is designed exactly for this purpose?

  1. JPEG
  2. ASCII Correct answer.
  3. MP3
  4. HTTP

Explanation

ASCII assigns a numeric code to each character so text can be stored and exchanged between systems. JPEG and MP3 are compression formats for images and audio, while HTTP is a protocol for transferring web pages.

Question 11Information Technology Fundamentals and Computer Systems

Which memory is volatile, meaning its contents are lost when the computer is switched off, yet is directly used by the CPU for running programs?

  1. RAM Correct answer.
  2. ROM
  3. Hard disk
  4. Flash drive

Explanation

RAM holds programs and data currently in use and loses its contents when power is removed, which is what volatile means. ROM and flash storage keep data without power, and a hard disk is non-volatile secondary storage.

Question 12Information Technology Fundamentals and Computer Systems

In the fetch-decode-execute cycle, what happens during the decode step?

  1. The result of the operation is written back to memory
  2. The next instruction is copied from RAM into the CPU
  3. The program counter is reset to zero
  4. The control unit interprets the instruction to determine the operation to perform Correct answer.

Explanation

Decoding means the control unit examines the fetched instruction's opcode and works out which operation and operands are involved. Fetching brings the instruction into the CPU, and execution plus write-back happen in later steps.

Question 13Information Technology Fundamentals and Computer Systems

Which topology connects every device to a single central switch or hub, so that a failure of one cable affects only that device?

  1. Mesh topology
  2. Bus topology
  3. Star topology Correct answer.
  4. Ring topology

Explanation

In a star topology each node has its own link to a central device, so one broken cable isolates only that node. On a bus, a single backbone failure can bring down the whole network, and a ring depends on an unbroken loop.

Question 14Information Technology Fundamentals and Computer Systems

A shop wants software to record daily sales, calculate totals and print bills. Which category of software is most appropriate?

  1. Firmware
  2. Application software Correct answer.
  3. Utility software
  4. Device driver

Explanation

Application software is written to perform specific user tasks such as billing, accounting or stock records. Utilities maintain the system, drivers control hardware and firmware is fixed code embedded in devices.

Question 15Information Technology Fundamentals and Computer Systems

Which of these is a valid IPv4 address for a device on a network?

  1. 192.168.1.25 Correct answer.
  2. 192-168-1-25
  3. 192.168.1
  4. 192.168.1.256

Explanation

An IPv4 address has four decimal numbers separated by dots, and each number must lie between 0 and 255. Only 192.168.1.25 satisfies both the four-part structure and the allowed range.

Question 16Information Technology Fundamentals and Computer Systems

Which key combination is generally used to copy selected content and then paste it elsewhere in most desktop applications?

  1. Ctrl + P then Ctrl + S
  2. Ctrl + C then Ctrl + V Correct answer.
  3. Ctrl + Z then Ctrl + Y
  4. Ctrl + X then Ctrl + V

Explanation

Ctrl + C copies the selection to the clipboard and Ctrl + V pastes it at the new location. The cut shortcut is Ctrl + X, and Ctrl + Z with Ctrl + Y controls undo and redo.

Question 17Information Technology Fundamentals and Computer Systems

In a spreadsheet, a cell shows the error #DIV/0!. What is the most likely cause?

  1. A column is too narrow to display the result
  2. A text value was entered where a number was needed
  3. A formula refers to a cell that has been deleted
  4. A formula divides by a cell that is empty or contains zero Correct answer.

Explanation

Spreadsheet software raises #DIV/0! when a formula attempts division by zero, and an empty referenced cell is treated as zero. Text mismatch normally gives #VALUE!, deleted references give #REF! and narrow columns show hashes.

Question 18Information Technology Fundamentals and Computer Systems

Which statement correctly distinguishes a compiler from an interpreter?

  1. A compiler only checks spelling, while an interpreter only checks arithmetic
  2. A compiler converts machine code back into source code, while an interpreter does the reverse
  3. A compiler runs the program line by line, while an interpreter produces an executable file
  4. A compiler translates the whole program before execution, while an interpreter translates and runs it line by line Correct answer.

Explanation

A compiler processes the entire source program and produces object or executable code before the program runs. An interpreter translates and executes statements one at a time, which makes debugging easier but execution slower.

Question 19Information Technology Fundamentals and Computer Systems

A user wants to send a formal letter to many different companies, each addressed by its own name, using one document. Which word-processor feature is designed for this?

  1. Page border
  2. Track changes
  3. Mail merge Correct answer.
  4. Spell check

Explanation

Mail merge combines a single main document with a data source so each copy is personalised with names and addresses. Track changes records edits, spell check corrects spelling and page borders only change appearance.

Question 20Information Technology Fundamentals and Computer Systems

Which protocol is responsible for reliably transferring web pages between a web server and a browser?

  1. FTP
  2. SMTP
  3. HTTP Correct answer.
  4. DNS

Explanation

HTTP defines how browsers request web resources and how servers respond with pages, images and other content. FTP moves files between hosts, SMTP sends mail and DNS resolves names to addresses.

Question 21Information Technology Fundamentals and Computer Systems

A file is 3 GB in size. Approximately how many megabytes is that, using the standard 1024-based conversion?

  1. 3072 MB Correct answer.
  2. 300 MB
  3. 30 720 MB
  4. 1024 MB

Explanation

Each gigabyte contains 1024 megabytes, so 3 GB equals 3 × 1024, which is 3072 MB. Multiplying by 100 or 10 240 would misapply the conversion factor.

Question 22Information Technology Fundamentals and Computer Systems

A student writes the hexadecimal value 2F. What is its decimal equivalent?

  1. Thirty-one
  2. Fifteen
  3. Forty-seven Correct answer.
  4. Twenty-nine

Explanation

In hexadecimal the left digit has place value 16 and the letter F stands for 15. So 2F equals 2 × 16 + 15, which is 32 + 15 = 47.

Question 23Information Technology Fundamentals and Computer Systems

A computer has 4 GB of RAM and a user opens many large applications at once. The system slows down sharply and the disk activity light stays on. Which explanation fits best?

  1. The CPU clock speed has permanently increased
  2. The monitor resolution has been reduced
  3. The keyboard buffer has overflowed
  4. RAM is exhausted, so the operating system uses disk space as virtual memory Correct answer.

Explanation

When physical RAM is full, the operating system moves pages to disk in a swap or page file, and frequent disk access is far slower than RAM. This thrashing explains both the slowdown and the constant disk activity.

Question 24Information Technology Fundamentals and Computer Systems

A school network has 20 computers sharing one 100 Mbps internet link, and each machine needs a unique address. Which addressing approach allows all machines to communicate on the internet through one public address?

  1. Assigning each computer a public IPv4 address from the ISP
  2. Disabling the router and connecting all cables to one hub
  3. Giving every computer the same IP address
  4. Using private IP addresses with NAT on the router Correct answer.

Explanation

Private addresses are used inside the local network, and NAT on the router rewrites them to the single public address for outside traffic. This conserves public IPv4 addresses while keeping every internal host uniquely identified.

Question 25Information Technology Fundamentals and Computer Systems

A user reports that a web page fails to open by its domain name, but entering the server's IP address directly in the browser works. Which service is most likely failing?

  1. File compression
  2. DNS resolution Correct answer.
  3. DHCP lease renewal
  4. SMTP delivery

Explanation

DNS converts a domain name into an IP address, so failure at this step breaks name-based access while direct IP access still works. If the IP address loads the page, routing and the web server itself are functioning.

Question 26Information Technology Fundamentals and Computer Systems

A student wants to keep a project report, photographs and a video together in one folder on a Windows computer. Which type of software is used mainly to organise files into folders and to copy or delete them?

  1. A web browser for viewing websites
  2. An image editor for retouching photographs
  3. A file manager such as File Explorer Correct answer.
  4. A word processor such as a document editor

Explanation

A file manager is the utility that displays the storage hierarchy of drives, folders and files, and lets the user create folders, copy, move, rename and delete items. Word processors, image editors and browsers work on content, not on organising the file system.

Question 27Information Technology Fundamentals and Computer Systems

A student types the decimal number 45 into a calculator that displays only 8-bit binary. Which 8-bit pattern is shown?

  1. 01000101
  2. 00101100
  3. 00110101
  4. 00101101 Correct answer.

Explanation

Convert 45 by taking place values: 32 + 8 + 4 + 1 = 45, so bits 5, 3, 2 and 0 are set, giving 00101101 in eight bits. The other patterns represent 53, 69 and 44 respectively.

Question 28Information Technology Fundamentals and Computer Systems

In a spreadsheet, cell C3 contains the formula =B3*$D$1 and the formula is copied down to C4. What will C4 contain?

  1. =B4*$D$1 Correct answer.
  2. =B4*$D$2
  3. =B3*$D$1
  4. =B3*$D$2

Explanation

A relative reference such as B3 shifts by the same number of rows and columns the formula moves, so it becomes B4. An absolute reference written with dollar signs, $D$1, stays fixed wherever the formula is copied, so C4 holds =B4*$D$1.

Question 29Information Technology Fundamentals and Computer Systems

A technician must choose between a solid state drive and a hard disk drive for a computer that will be carried between classrooms every day. Which pair of properties correctly justifies choosing the solid state drive?

  1. Requires no power connector and stores data permanently without electricity
  2. Higher storage capacity per rupee and lower cost per gigabyte
  3. Uses magnetic platters that are lighter than flash memory chips
  4. No moving parts, so it resists shock, and it gives faster data access Correct answer.

Explanation

A solid state drive stores data in flash memory with no spinning platters or moving heads, so it tolerates the shocks of daily transport and has much lower access latency than a hard disk. Hard disks still win on cost per gigabyte, which is why the capacity argument favours them, not the SSD.

Question 30Information Technology Fundamentals and Computer Systems

A school lab has 30 computers and one server. The lab needs each computer to reach the server directly without passing through any other computer, and a single cable fault must not disconnect the rest of the lab. Which network design meets both requirements?

  1. A bus topology with one backbone cable and terminators at both ends
  2. A ring topology in which each computer connects to its two neighbours
  3. A mesh topology in which every computer connects to every other computer
  4. A star topology using a central switch, with each computer on its own cable to the switch Correct answer.

Explanation

In a star topology every device has a dedicated link to a central switch, so traffic to the server passes through the switch only and one broken cable isolates just that one computer. A bus shares a single backbone, a ring depends on every node passing traffic on, and a full mesh among 30 computers would need 435 links, which is impractical here.

Question 31Operating Systems and File Management

In an operating system, which component is responsible for deciding which process gets the CPU next?

  1. The command interpreter
  2. The file system
  3. The scheduler Correct answer.
  4. The device driver

Explanation

The scheduler is the part of the kernel that chooses among ready processes and assigns the processor to one of them. Device drivers translate requests into hardware commands, the file system organises stored data, and the command interpreter reads user commands, so none of them performs CPU allocation.

Question 32Operating Systems and File Management

A student saves a document as report.txt inside the folder C:\School\IT. Which of these is the correct path of the file?

  1. C:\School\IT\report.txt Correct answer.
  2. C:\report.txt\School\IT
  3. report.txt\C:\School\IT
  4. School\C:\IT\report.txt

Explanation

A path lists the folders from the drive down to the file, separated by the directory separator. The drive letter comes first, then each nested folder, and the file name comes last, giving C:\School\IT\report.txt.

Question 33Operating Systems and File Management

Which file name is valid on a typical Windows system?

  1. project?final.docx
  2. project:final.docx
  3. project_final.docx Correct answer.
  4. project*final.docx

Explanation

Windows forbids the characters \ / : * ? " < > | in file names because they have reserved meanings. The underscore is an ordinary character, so project_final.docx is accepted, while the other options contain a colon, question mark or asterisk.

Question 34Operating Systems and File Management

What does the file extension in a name such as notes.pdf tell the operating system?

  1. The folder in which the file is stored
  2. The type of content and the program that can open it Correct answer.
  3. The date on which the file was last changed
  4. The size of the file in bytes

Explanation

The extension is the part after the final dot and is used to associate the file with an application and a content type. Size, modification date and location are stored as separate file attributes or in the path, not in the extension.

Question 35Operating Systems and File Management

Which keyboard shortcut is commonly used to rename a selected file in Windows File Explorer?

  1. Ctrl + C
  2. F5
  3. Alt + F4
  4. F2 Correct answer.

Explanation

F2 puts the selected item's name into edit mode so it can be typed over. F5 refreshes the view, Ctrl + C copies the selection and Alt + F4 closes the active window, so none of those renames a file.

Question 36Operating Systems and File Management

A folder named Photos contains 40 images. What happens to those images if the folder is deleted?

  1. They are moved automatically to the Desktop
  2. They are deleted along with the folder Correct answer.
  3. They remain because only empty folders can be deleted
  4. They are converted into shortcuts

Explanation

A folder is a container, so deleting it removes the folder together with everything inside it. The contents are not relocated, converted, or protected by the folder being non-empty.

Question 37Operating Systems and File Management

A user wants to keep a copy of an important file on a separate drive while leaving the original in place. Which operation should be used?

  1. Cut
  2. Copy Correct answer.
  3. Delete
  4. Move

Explanation

Copy duplicates the selected data to the destination and leaves the source untouched, which is what creating a backup requires. Move and cut transfer the item so the original disappears, and delete removes it without creating any copy.

Question 38Operating Systems and File Management

Which statement best describes the difference between the Recycle Bin and permanent deletion in Windows?

  1. Items in the Recycle Bin cannot be restored at all
  2. Permanent deletion sends items to the Recycle Bin first
  3. Items in the Recycle Bin can usually be restored to their original location Correct answer.
  4. The Recycle Bin only stores files larger than one megabyte

Explanation

The Recycle Bin is a holding area from which deleted items can normally be restored to where they came from. Permanent deletion bypasses this stage, and the bin does not filter items by size.

Question 39Operating Systems and File Management

A file called data.csv is stored in D:\Lab. The user copies it into D:\Lab\Backup. How many copies of the file now exist?

  1. Two, one in each folder Correct answer.
  2. Three, because a backup creates an extra hidden copy
  3. One, because copy overwrites the original
  4. One, because the file is moved instead

Explanation

Copy leaves the source file in place and creates a second identical file at the destination, so both D:\Lab and D:\Lab\Backup hold a copy. A move would leave only one, and no hidden extra copy is created.

Question 40Operating Systems and File Management

Which of these is an example of an absolute path?

  1. .\unit1.txt
  2. ..\notes\unit1.txt
  3. C:\Users\Asha\notes\unit1.txt Correct answer.
  4. notes\unit1.txt

Explanation

An absolute path starts from the root of a drive and fully identifies the location without any reference to the current folder. The other options begin with a relative marker or a plain folder name and depend on the working directory.

Question 41Operating Systems and File Management

A folder holds files named img1.jpg, img2.jpg, img3.jpg and notes.txt. Which wildcard search pattern selects only the image files?

  1. img?.jpg Correct answer.
  2. notes.*
  3. *.*
  4. *.txt

Explanation

The question mark stands for exactly one character, so img?.jpg matches img1.jpg, img2.jpg and img3.jpg but not notes.txt. The asterisk stands for any number of characters, which is why the other patterns either miss the images or match everything.

Question 42Operating Systems and File Management

Which action correctly creates a new empty folder inside the currently open folder in File Explorer?

  1. Press Ctrl + V in the empty area
  2. Drag the address bar onto the desktop
  3. Right-click the empty area, choose New, then Folder Correct answer.
  4. Double-click the address bar

Explanation

The New submenu of the context menu offers Folder, which creates an empty folder in the current location and immediately allows naming. Pasting requires something already copied, and the address bar actions do not create folders.

Question 43Operating Systems and File Management

A user needs to select several non-adjacent files in a folder. Which method works?

  1. Double-click each required file
  2. Press Ctrl + A once
  3. Click the first file, then hold Shift and click the last file
  4. Hold Ctrl and click each required file Correct answer.

Explanation

Holding Ctrl while clicking adds or removes individual items from the selection, which allows scattered files to be chosen. Shift-clicking selects a continuous range, Ctrl + A selects everything, and double-clicking opens a file.

Question 44Operating Systems and File Management

Why does an operating system store file attributes such as read-only, hidden and date modified?

  1. To encrypt the file automatically
  2. To control access and behaviour and to help users identify files Correct answer.
  3. To reduce the physical size of the file on disk
  4. To convert the file into a different format

Explanation

Attributes are metadata that describe a file and influence how it is treated, for example preventing edits when read-only is set or hiding it from normal listings. They do not compress, convert or encrypt the file's contents.

Question 45Operating Systems and File Management

Which statement about the difference between a file and a folder is correct?

  1. A file stores data content, while a folder groups files and other folders Correct answer.
  2. A folder can only contain files, never other folders
  3. A file and a folder are the same thing with different icons
  4. A folder stores data content, while a file stores other items

Explanation

A file is the basic unit that holds data such as text, images or programs, whereas a folder is a container used to organise files and subfolders. Folders do not hold data content themselves, and they can be nested.

Question 46Operating Systems and File Management

A student renames notes.txt to notes.doc without changing the content. What is the most likely result when the file is opened by double-clicking?

  1. The file becomes permanently corrupted and unreadable
  2. The text content is automatically converted to a Word document
  3. The operating system refuses the rename and restores the old name
  4. A word processor opens the file and may show garbled or plain text Correct answer.

Explanation

Changing an extension only changes the association the operating system uses to choose a program; it does not convert the data inside. A word processor may therefore open the plain text but display it without the intended formatting, or warn about the mismatch.

Question 47Operating Systems and File Management

A user moves a file from a folder on drive C: to a folder on drive D:. What actually happens during the operation?

  1. The file is copied to D: and then removed from C: Correct answer.
  2. The file is compressed and then expanded on D:
  3. The file stays on C: and a shortcut is placed on D:
  4. Only the file name is changed to point to the new drive

Explanation

A move across different drives cannot simply relink a directory entry, so the system copies the data to the destination and deletes the source once the copy succeeds. Within one drive a move is usually just a change of the directory entry, which is why cross-drive moves take longer.

Question 48Operating Systems and File Management

Two files named report.txt exist, one in D:\Term1 and one in D:\Term2. Which statement is true?

  1. The files are merged into a single file
  2. One of the files is automatically renamed by the system
  3. Both files can exist because their full paths differ Correct answer.
  4. The second file cannot be created because the name is already used

Explanation

Uniqueness of a file name is enforced within a single directory, not across the whole disk. Since the two files sit in different folders, their full paths are different and both can coexist without conflict.

Question 49Operating Systems and File Management

An operating system must manage both processes and files. Which pairing correctly matches each function to its resource?

  1. Process management allocates CPU time; file management allocates storage space Correct answer.
  2. Both process and file management allocate only storage space
  3. Process management allocates storage space; file management allocates CPU time
  4. Both process and file management allocate only CPU time

Explanation

Process management deals with running programs, so it decides which process receives processor time and memory. File management deals with stored data, so it handles allocation of disk space, directory structures and access permissions.

Question 50Operating Systems and File Management

A user deletes a file by pressing Shift + Delete in Windows. Why can the file usually not be recovered from the Recycle Bin afterwards?

  1. Shift + Delete encrypts the file so it cannot be read
  2. Shift + Delete moves the file to a hidden system folder
  3. Shift + Delete only works on folders, not on files
  4. Shift + Delete bypasses the Recycle Bin and removes the file directly Correct answer.

Explanation

The Shift modifier tells Windows to skip the Recycle Bin and delete the item immediately, so no restorable copy is kept there. Recovery then depends on specialised tools, not on the bin.