JAMB Computer Studies 2014
Questions & Answers

Students might think the cycle manages peripheral devices or stores data in memory due to general hardware familiarity. The central processing unit retrieves an instruction from memory, decodes it, and executes it through the fetch-decode-execute cycle, thereby enabling program execution. Common mistake: Confusing general storage operations with instruction processing.

Students could guess a Stack or Queue because they are fundamental linear data structures. A trie is ideal for a spell checker as it efficiently stores and retrieves strings, enabling fast prefix-based word lookups. Common mistake: Using basic linear collections instead of specialized tree structures for string retrieval.

Students might select Central Memory Operating System because it sounds like a core computer component. CMOS stands for Complementary Metal-Oxide Semiconductor, a technology used in chips like those storing BIOS settings. Common mistake: Confusing semiconductor hardware terminology with operating system software.

Students could pick PHP, JavaScript, or COBOL, which are well-known programming languages. MATLAB is the correct choice since it is widely used in scientific computing for numerical analysis, simulations, and data visualization. Common mistake: Confusing web development or business data languages with mathematical computing tools.

Students might mistakenly calculate values like 45 or 51 through arithmetic errors. Hexadecimal 2F is 2 times 16 plus 15, resulting in 32 plus 15, which equals 47 in decimal. Common mistake: Forgetting to convert the letter F to its decimal value of 15 during base conversion.

Students might select MySQL, which is a popular database system. CouchDB is a document-oriented NoSQL database, storing data as JSON documents, unlike Cassandra, HBase, or relational systems like MySQL. Common mistake: Confusing relational database management systems with document-store NoSQL solutions.

Students could choose options involving High-Level Text or Hyperlink Terminal because they use similar tech terminology. HTTP stands for HyperText Transfer Protocol, used for transferring web content between clients and servers. Common mistake: Mixing up web protocol expansions with general text formatting terms.

Students might pick the A* Algorithm or Bellman-Ford, which are also prominent graph traversal methods. Breadth-First Search finds the shortest path in an unweighted graph by exploring nodes level by level. Common mistake: Applying weighted-graph algorithms to unweighted network problems.

Students might guess O(n log n) or O(n) assuming quick sort always performs efficiently. Quick sort’s worst-case time complexity is O(n^2), occurring when the pivot selection results in highly unbalanced partitions. Common mistake: Confusing average-case sorting performance with worst-case performance bounds.

Students might choose a scanner, mouse, or keyboard, which are input peripherals. A monitor is an output device, displaying data to the user, unlike scanners, mice, or keyboards. Common mistake: Confusing input peripherals with visual output hardware.

Students could select user interface design or program compilation as primary OS duties. The kernel is the core of an operating system, managing hardware, memory, and processes. Common mistake: Attributing application-level software tasks to the low-level system kernel.

Students might pick DHCP or FTP, which are common networking protocols. DNS resolves domain names like www.example.com to IP addresses for network communication. Common mistake: Confusing dynamic address allocation protocols with domain name resolution services.

Students might think a surge protector increases processing speed or stores backup data. A surge protector safeguards a computer system from voltage spikes, preventing hardware damage. Common mistake: Confusing power management accessories with internal performance components.

Students might select Java or Haskell, which are prominent object-oriented or functional languages. C is a procedural programming language, focusing on step-by-step instructions. Common mistake: Misclassifying object-oriented languages as procedural.

Students could guess Random Access Integrated Device due to familiar RAM terminology. RAID stands for Redundant Array of Independent Disks, used for data redundancy and performance. Common mistake: Confusing memory module acronyms with disk array storage systems.

Students might choose Bubble Sort or Insertion Sort, which sort items through iterative comparisons. Quick Sort selects a pivot and partitions the array into elements smaller and larger than the pivot for sorting. Common mistake: Confusing exchange-based sorting techniques with partition-based strategies.

1) Distractor check: Students might mistakenly select choices like A, C, or D thinking they represent primary networking tasks, but assigning MAC addresses, compressing data, or authenticating users are handled by other specific protocols and services. 2) Reasoning to the answer: External networks need a designated exit point from the local network to receive forwarded data packets, which is typically fulfilled by a router’s IP address. 3) Common mistake: Confusing the packet-forwarding function of the gateway with device-level tasks like address assignment.

1) Distractor check: Options like Hard Disk Drives, USB Flash Drives, or Optical Disks might seem plausible since they store data, but they belong to a different category of storage entirely. 2) Reasoning to the answer: Active processes require fast, volatile memory to run efficiently, which is the exact function provided by RAM, setting it apart from secondary storage devices. 3) Common mistake: Mixing up volatile internal memory components with non-volatile secondary storage media.

1) Distractor check: Students might be tempted by options involving remote backups, rapid memory systems, or reusable data blocks because they share similar technical-sounding vocabulary. 2) Reasoning to the answer: Databases that organize information into structured tables are known by the full title Relational Database Management System, abbreviated as RDBMS. 3) Common mistake: Forgetting the exact terms represented by database acronyms and guessing based on generic technology words.

1) Distractor check: Options like Ansible, Terraform, and Puppet could easily trick a student because they are all widely used infrastructure tools, but they serve a different phase of deployment. 2) Reasoning to the answer: Packaging applications into isolated environments is the specific capability of Docker, distinguishing it from automation tools. 3) Common mistake: Assuming all infrastructure and deployment utilities belong to the containerization category.