JAMB Computer Studies 2019
Questions & Answers

A student might mistakenly think option A is correct because data transfer is a fundamental role of bus architectures generally. However, looking at how instructions operate, the correct selection is B because it carries memory addresses from the CPU to memory or other devices, specifying where data should be read from or written to. Common mistake: confusing the address bus's specific role in pinpointing memory locations with the data bus's role in moving the actual content.

Students could erroneously choose Stack or Array if they assume standard linear processing is sufficient for task management. Option B is right because a priority queue allows tasks to be processed based on their priority, with efficient insertion and removal, making it ideal for a task scheduler. Common mistake: assuming a standard queue handles ordered urgency without requiring priority-based adjustments.

A student might select option B or C by misinterpreting technical abbreviations like Variable or Runtime. Option A is correct because NVRAM stands for Non-Volatile Random Access Memory, retaining data without power, often used for firmware settings. Common mistake: forgetting that NVRAM stands for Non-Volatile Random Access Memory rather than variable runtime access.

Learners might choose COBOL or Perl if they confuse modern analytical tools with older legacy scripting systems. Python is the correct answer here because it is widely used for machine learning due to its extensive libraries like TensorFlow, scikit-learn, and Pandas. Common mistake: mixing up languages built for data science with traditional systems engineering tools.

A student might pick option A by miscalculating the hex conversion or misinterpreting the value of the letters. The correct option is B because binary 101011 evaluates to 32 + 8 + 2 + 1, which equals 43 in decimal, and converting 43 to hexadecimal gives 2*16 + 11, resulting in 2B where B represents 11. Common mistake: miscalculating the decimal sum or the hex digit representation for 11.

A student could mistakenly choose SQLite or PostgreSQL assuming any SQL database fits distributed paradigms. Option B is correct because Couchbase is a distributed NoSQL database, supporting scalable, high-performance data storage, unlike SQLite, PostgreSQL, or Oracle. Common mistake: confusing relational databases with distributed NoSQL systems.

Students might incorrectly pick option B or C thinking system services or structural syntax define web presentation. Option A is right because CSS stands for Cascading Style Sheets, used for styling and formatting web pages. Common mistake: confusing style sheet language with structural markup.

A student might guess Breadth-First Search if they confuse graph traversal with pathfinding computations. Option A is correct because the Bellman-Ford Algorithm finds the shortest path in a weighted graph, handling negative edge weights, unlike BFS or others. Common mistake: applying standard shortest path algorithms that fail when negative edge weights are present.

Learners might choose O(n) if they mistakenly picture a worst-case linear traversal in an unoptimized list. The correct choice is B because searching in a balanced binary search tree takes O(log n) time due to its logarithmic height, ensuring efficient lookups. Common mistake: assuming tree search performance degrades to linear complexity regardless of structural balance.

A student might select Printer or Monitor by confusing output peripherals with input devices. Option B is the right choice because a smartwatch is a wearable input device, accepting user inputs via touch or voice, unlike printers, monitors, or speakers. Common mistake: mixing up output displays with wearable technology that accepts user interactions.

A student might choose option A or C by confusing the shell with compilers or hardware management tools. Option B is correct because a shell provides a user interface (command-line or graphical) to interact with the operating system’s services. Common mistake: confusing the user-facing command shell with kernel-level hardware control.

Learners might mistakenly pick FTP or HTTP assuming all remote protocols handle file transfer or web browsing. SNMP is correct because SNMP (Simple Network Management Protocol) is used for monitoring and managing network devices remotely. Common mistake: confusing file transfer and web protocols with specialized network management protocols.

A student might select option A or C by attributing CPU or storage functions to the base board. Option B is the right answer because the motherboard is the main circuit board, connecting and supporting components like the CPU, RAM, and storage. Common mistake: confusing the central processing unit's computing role with the motherboard's interconnectivity role.

A student could choose Python or Java assuming general-purpose languages cover logical paradigms automatically. Option B is correct because Prolog is a logic programming language used for AI and rule-based systems, unlike Python, Java, or C#. Common mistake: failing to distinguish declarative logic programming from imperative object-oriented languages.

A student might select option B or D by guessing based on generic computing terms like register or runtime. Option A is correct because OCR stands for Optical Character Recognition, a technology for converting images of text into machine-readable data. Common mistake: confusing text recognition acronyms with hardware registers.

Learners might choose Quick Sort thinking fast average performance applies universally. Option B is the correct choice because Insertion Sort is efficient for small datasets due to its simplicity and low overhead, with O(n^2) complexity but good performance for small n. Common mistake: overlooking overhead differences that make simpler algorithms faster for tiny inputs.

A student might select option A if they confuse IP configuration with DNS domain resolution. Option B is right because a DHCP server dynamically assigns IP addresses to devices on a network, simplifying configuration. Common mistake: confusing dynamic address allocation with domain name resolution services.

Learners might pick RAM or Cache if they confuse temporary workspace memory with permanent storage. Option B is correct because an SSD (Solid State Drive) is non-volatile, retaining data without power, unlike RAM, cache, or registers, which are volatile. Common mistake: confusing volatile working memory with non-volatile persistent storage drives.

A student might choose option B or D by misinterpreting the markup nature of data files. Option A is correct because XML stands for eXtensible Markup Language, used for structuring and storing data in a platform-independent format. Common mistake: mistaking markup language definitions for executable machine code.

A student might select Google Docs or Zoom by confusing software-as-a-service end-user applications with infrastructure platforms. Heroku is correct because Heroku is a PaaS provider, offering a platform for deploying and managing applications, unlike Google Docs, Amazon S3, or Zoom. Common mistake: confusing developer deployment platforms with end-user productivity applications.