JAMB Computer Studies 2015
Questions & Answers

A student might incorrectly think this register handles general arithmetic or memory allocation. The instruction register holds the current instruction fetched from memory during the CPU’s fetch-decode-execute cycle, enabling the processor to decode and execute it. Common mistake: confusing the instruction register with data registers or the ALU.

Options like Queue, Stack, or Linked List might look tempting for data storage, but they lack prefix-matching efficiency. A trie stores strings in a tree-like structure, allowing efficient prefix-based searches, making it ideal for autocomplete features in search engines. Common mistake: picking standard linear structures instead of a tree-based structure designed for prefixes.

Students might guess acronyms mentioning embedded modules or external processing if they confuse the specific memory type. EEPROM stands for Electrically Erasable Programmable Read-Only Memory, a non-volatile memory that can be erased and reprogrammed using electrical signals. Common mistake: confusing the terms 'Electrically' and 'Erasable' with generic electronic processing words.

Python, Ruby, or Perl might seem like versatile programming languages, but they lack native integration with this engine. C# is the primary language for Unity, providing robust scripting capabilities and seamless integration with the game engine. Common mistake: selecting Python due to its general popularity instead of C# for Unity.

A student might miscalculate the hexadecimal conversion by swapping binary nibbles or misreading the letter C. Hexadecimal 3C is converted to binary by mapping each digit: 3 = 0011, C (12) = 1100. Thus, 3C = 00111100. Common mistake: incorrectly converting the hex value C to a binary nibble other than 1100.

MongoDB, Couchbase, or PostgreSQL might be chosen by students mixing up document stores, key-value stores, and relational databases. HBase is a columnar NoSQL database, designed for large-scale data with real-time read/write access, unlike MongoDB (document-based), Couchbase (key-value), or PostgreSQL (relational). Common mistake: confusing document databases with columnar architectures.

Learners could confuse XHTML with external links or executable logic formats. XHTML stands for eXtensible HyperText Markup Language, a stricter, XML-compliant version of HTML used for web development. Common mistake: mistaking the 'eXtensible' prefix for external or executable terms.

Dijkstra's Algorithm, Bubble Sort, or Binary Search might be familiar options that students mistakenly apply to graphs. Kahn’s Algorithm determines the topological order of a directed acyclic graph by processing nodes with no incoming edges, useful in scheduling tasks. Common mistake: applying shortest-path or sorting algorithms instead of Kahn's Algorithm for topological sorting.

Students might guess logarithmic or linear time complexities if they confuse hash tables with tree structures or unsorted lists. A hash table offers average-case O(1) time complexity for accessing elements due to its key-based lookup, assuming minimal collisions. Common mistake: assuming hash table lookups scale with the number of elements like linear searches.

Monitors, printers, and speakers are frequently grouped with computers, tricking students who don't distinguish input hardware. A mouse is a pointing device used to navigate graphical interfaces, unlike monitors (output), printers (output), or speakers (audio output). Common mistake: confusing output peripherals with input pointing devices.

Compiling programs or managing networks might sound like early startup tasks to an unprepared student. A bootloader initializes hardware and loads the operating system into memory during system startup, enabling the computer to function. Common mistake: confusing the bootloader's system startup role with a software compiler.

FTP, HTTP, or SMTP handle files, web pages, and email respectively, but are unsuited for continuous streaming. RTP (Real-time Transport Protocol) supports real-time audio and video transmission in VoIP, unlike FTP (file transfer), HTTP (web), or SMTP (email). Common mistake: picking standard web or file protocols instead of RTP for real-time media.

A student might incorrectly imagine that cooling fans directly boost processor speeds. A cooling fan dissipates heat from components like the CPU and GPU, preventing overheating and maintaining system performance. Common mistake: believing cooling hardware actively enhances processing speed rather than managing thermal output.

Fortran, C, or Assembly might be recognized as programming languages, but they lack native event-driven paradigms. JavaScript is event-driven, responding to user interactions like clicks or keypresses, widely used in web applications. Common mistake: choosing procedural or older languages instead of JavaScript for event handling.

Options mentioning binary systems or internal services sound technically plausible to someone guessing the acronym. BIOS (Basic Input/Output System) is firmware that initializes hardware and provides essential system services during startup. Common mistake: replacing 'Input/Output' with 'Integrated Operating' in the acronym expansion.

Quick Sort or Selection Sort might come to mind for general sorting, but they lack stability or linked list efficiency. Merge Sort is stable, preserving the relative order of equal elements, and is efficient for linked lists with O(n log n) complexity. Common mistake: picking Quick Sort, which is not naturally stable or optimal for linked lists.

A student might mistakenly focus on choices like A, C, or D if they confuse addressing with encryption or hardware features. To determine the right choice, recall that local networks require a mechanism to reach the internet. By mapping private IP addresses to public ones, Network Address Translation solves this exact problem. Common mistake: Confusing NAT with routing protocols or assigning physical hardware identifiers.

Options like RAM, cache, or ROM might seem plausible to a student who confuses volatile system memory with permanent storage. By examining the structural traits of these components, we know RAM is volatile, cache is temporary, and ROM is read-only. NAND stands apart as a non-volatile flash memory type utilized heavily in USB drives and SSDs. Common mistake: Mistaking short-term working memory modules for long-term solid-state flash memory.

Students could easily guess alternative acronym expansions such as B, C, or D if they mix up general design terminology with communication protocols. Looking closely at web services, the mechanism built for reliable communication and structured data exchange is precisely defined by this name. Common mistake: Assuming the acronym refers to application processes or general software design procedures.

Choices like MySQL, Hadoop, or Docker Swarm might be selected by a student confusing database engines, big data frameworks, or container orchestration with execution infrastructure. In contrast, AWS Lambda executes code directly without requiring any server management. Common mistake: Assuming a database management system or container tool is the same as a serverless execution environment.