Below is a complete set of 100 broad multiple‐choice questions for a COS 101 course—with the answer

key listed at the end. You can copy the text into your favorite word processor or Markdown editor and
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COS 101 Multiple Choice Questions

1. Introduction & Computer Basics

1. Which of the following is considered the fundamental unit of data in computing?

A. Bit

B. Byte

C. Nibble

D. Word

2. What does CPU stand for?

A. Central Processing Unit

B. Central Programming Unit

C. Computer Processing Unit

D. Computer Program Unit

3. Which type of memory is volatile?

B. SSD

C. RAM

D. HDD

4. What is an algorithm?

A. A step-by-step procedure for solving a problem

B. A type of computer virus

C. A programming language

D. A computer hardware component

5. Which of the following is a high-level programming language?

A. Assembly

B. Python

C. Machine Code

D. Binary

6. What distinguishes hardware from software?

A. Hardware is intangible, software is tangible

B. Hardware refers to physical components, while software refers to programs

C. Hardware is written in code, software is built from circuits

D. There is no difference
7. What does debugging mean in programming?

A. Adding new features

B. Removing errors from code

C. Designing hardware

D. Compiling code

8. What is the primary function of an operating system?

A. To manage hardware and software resources

B. To design computer circuits

C. To compile code

D. To act as an antivirus

9. What is a computer network?

A. A system of interconnected computers

B. A single computer

C. A type of programming language

D. A hardware component

10. What is the Internet?

A. A global system of interconnected networks

C. A type of hardware

D. A computer virus

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2. Programming Fundamentals

11. Which language is primarily used for client-side web development?

A. JavaScript

B. C++

C. Python

D. Java

12. What is a variable in programming?

A. A constant value

B. A storage location paired with an associated symbolic name

C. A type of loop

D. A programming error
13. What is a loop in programming?

A. A control structure that repeats a block of code

B. A type of function

C. A data structure

D. An error in code

14. Which loop is guaranteed to execute at least once?

A. for loop

B. while loop

C. do-while loop

D. foreach loop

15. What is recursion?

A. A function calling itself

B. A loop that never ends

C. A conditional statement

D. A data structure

16. What is a function in programming?

A. A reusable block of code that performs a specific task

B. A variable

C. A loop
D. An error

17. What is a parameter in a function?

A. A fixed value returned by a function

B. An input variable for a function

C. A type of loop

D. A syntax error

18. What is an array?

A. A collection of elements of the same type stored in contiguous memory

B. A type of function

C. A control structure

D. A programming error

19. What is the purpose of a conditional statement?

A. To repeat a block of code

B. To execute code based on a condition

C. To store multiple values

D. To define a variable

20. What is an Integrated Development Environment (IDE)?

B. A hardware component

C. A type of programming language

D. A network protocol

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3. Data Structures

21. Which data structure operates on a FIFO (First In, First Out) basis?

A. Stack

B. Queue

C. Tree

D. Graph

22. Which data structure uses a LIFO (Last In, First Out) principle?

A. Queue

B. Linked List

C. Stack

D. Array
23. What is a linked list?

A. A collection of elements connected by pointers

B. A type of array

C. A database structure

D. A sorting algorithm

24. What is the primary characteristic of a stack?

A. Elements are added at the end and removed from the beginning

B. Elements are added and removed from the same end

C. Elements are sorted

D. Elements are stored in a tree-like structure

25. What defines a queue data structure?

A. LIFO ordering

B. Hierarchical ordering

C. FIFO ordering

D. Random access ordering

26. What is a tree in data structures?

A. A linear data structure

B. A hierarchical data structure

D. A cyclic data structure

27. What is a binary tree?

A. A tree with only one child per node

B. A tree in which each node has at most two children

C. A tree with binary numbers

D. A linked list variant

28. What is a graph in data structures?

A. A collection of nodes and edges

B. A type of array

C. A sequential data structure

D. A programming language

29. Which data structure is most suitable for representing hierarchical relationships?

A. Array

B. Graph

C. Tree

D. Stack
30. What is a hash table used for?

A. Sorting data

B. Searching data using key–value pairs

C. Storing data sequentially

D. Representing hierarchical data

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4. Algorithms & Complexity

31. Which algorithm is known for its divide and conquer approach to sorting?

A. Bubble sort

B. Insertion sort

C. Merge sort

D. Selection sort

32. What is the time complexity of binary search in a sorted array?

A. O(n)

B. O(log n)

C. O(n²)

D. O(1)
33. Which of the following best describes recursion?

A. A function that calls itself

B. A function that never terminates

C. A loop that iterates infinitely

D. A method of memory allocation

34. What is a divide and conquer algorithm?

A. An algorithm that divides the problem into subproblems, solves them, and combines the results

B. An algorithm that uses loops

C. An algorithm that ignores subproblems

D. A recursive function without termination

35. Which algorithm is often used as an example of a greedy algorithm?

A. Dijkstra's algorithm

B. Binary search

C. Merge sort

D. Depth-first search

36. What does dynamic programming involve?

A. Solving problems by breaking them down into overlapping subproblems and storing their solutions
B. Programming without loops

C. Only using recursive functions

D. Hardcoding solutions

37. What does Big O notation represent?

A. The exact number of operations

B. The worst-case time complexity

C. The average-case time complexity

D. The best-case time complexity

38. What is the worst-case time complexity of quicksort?

A. O(n log n)

B. O(n²)

C. O(n)

D. O(log n)

39. Which algorithm is commonly used for finding the shortest path in a weighted graph?

A. Depth-first search

B. Breadth-first search

C. Dijkstra's algorithm

D. Bubble sort
40. Which sorting algorithm is most efficient for nearly sorted data?

A. Insertion sort

B. Quicksort

C. Merge sort

D. Selection sort

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5. Computer Architecture

41. What does ALU stand for?

A. Arithmetic Logic Unit

B. Automatic Logic Unit

C. Analog Logic Unit

D. Advanced Logic Unit

42. What is the primary role of the ALU in a computer?

A. To store data

B. To perform arithmetic and logical operations

C. To display graphics
D. To manage network connections

43. What is the main purpose of RAM in a computer system?

A. Permanent storage

B. Temporary storage for active processes

C. Power supply

D. Cooling the system

44. Which component is often referred to as the “brain” of the computer?

A. Hard Drive

B. CPU

C. GPU

D. RAM

45. What is a motherboard?

A. A printed circuit board that houses major components

B. A type of storage device

C. A power supply unit

D. A cooling system

46. What does BIOS stand for?

B. Binary Input/Output System

C. Basic Integrated Operating System

D. Binary Integrated Operating System

47. What is the purpose of cache memory in a computer?

A. To permanently store data

B. To provide faster access to frequently used data

C. To cool down the CPU

D. To display graphics

48. What is the binary number system based on?

A. Base 10

B. Base 2

C. Base 16

D. Base 8

49. Which logic gate outputs true only if all inputs are true?

A. OR gate

B. AND gate

C. NOT gate

D. XOR gate
50. What does GPU stand for?

A. General Processing Unit

B. Graphics Processing Unit

C. Global Processing Unit

D. Graphical Performance Unit

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6. Operating Systems

51. Which of the following is an example of an operating system?

A. Microsoft Word

B. Linux

C. Google Chrome

D. Adobe Photoshop

52. What is multitasking in the context of operating systems?

A. Running multiple processes simultaneously

B. Running a single process at a time

D. Managing hardware components

53. In operating systems, what is a process?

A. A hardware component

B. An instance of a running program

C. A type of software license

D. A computer virus

54. What is the role of memory management in an operating system?

A. To manage the CPU

B. To allocate and deallocate memory space

C. To control peripheral devices

D. To display graphics

55. What is a file system?

A. A method for storing and organizing computer files

B. A type of software application

C. A programming language

D. A network protocol
56. What is virtual memory?

A. Memory stored in the CPU

B. Disk space used to simulate additional RAM

C. A type of hardware

D. A networking protocol

57. What is the purpose of a device driver?

A. To manage power supply

B. To facilitate communication between the OS and hardware devices

C. To control network traffic

D. To manage user accounts

58. What is the kernel in an operating system?

A. The user interface

B. The central component that manages system resources

C. A type of software application

D. A security protocol

59. What does time-sharing in operating systems refer to?

A. Sharing time between different users on a computer

B. Scheduling multiple processes to share CPU time

C. Splitting the hard drive

60. Which of the following is an example of a real-time operating system?

A. Windows 10

B. Linux Ubuntu

C. QNX

D. macOS

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7. Networking

61. What does LAN stand for?

A. Local Area Network

B. Large Area Network

C. Linear Access Network

D. Long-range Area Network

62. What is the primary function of a router in a network?

A. To store data
B. To forward data packets between networks

C. To compile code

D. To secure the network

63. Which protocol is used for secure web browsing?

A. HTTP

B. FTP

C. HTTPS

D. SMTP

64. What does IP address stand for?

A. Internet Protocol Address

B. Internal Process Address

C. Integrated Program Address

D. Internet Program Access

65. What is the purpose of DNS in networking?

A. To translate domain names to IP addresses

B. To store emails

C. To secure web traffic

D. To manage network hardware

A. HyperText Transfer Protocol

B. HighText Transfer Protocol

C. HyperText Transmission Protocol

D. HighText Transmission Protocol

67. What is a firewall?

A. A device that accelerates network traffic

B. A security system that monitors and controls incoming and outgoing network traffic

C. A type of database

D. A programming language

68. What is a VPN?

A. Virtual Private Network

B. Virtual Public Network

C. Verified Private Network

D. Virtual Protected Network

69. What does OSI in OSI model stand for?

A. Open Systems Interconnection

B. Operating Systems Integration

D. Operating Systems Intercommunication

70. Which layer of the OSI model is responsible for physical data transmission?

A. Application layer

B. Transport layer

C. Network layer

D. Physical layer

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8. Databases

71. What does SQL stand for?

A. Structured Query Language

B. Simple Query Language

C. Standard Query List

D. Sequential Query Language

72. What is a relational database?

B. A database that uses files

C. A non-structured database

D. A database without keys

73. What is a primary key in a database?

A. A field that uniquely identifies each record

B. A field that can have duplicate values

C. A field used for encryption

D. A field that stores images

74. What is a foreign key?

A. A key that uniquely identifies a record

B. A field in one table that refers to the primary key in another table

C. A key used for sorting

D. A key that is not used

75. What does normalization in databases refer to?

A. Organizing data to reduce redundancy

B. Encrypting data

C. Compressing data

D. Backing up data
76. Which SQL command is used to retrieve data from a database?

A. INSERT

B. UPDATE

C. DELETE

D. SELECT

77. Which of the following is an example of a NoSQL database?

A. MySQL

B. PostgreSQL

C. MongoDB

D. Oracle

78. What is a transaction in database systems?

A. A sequence of operations performed as a single logical unit

B. A type of query

C. A backup process

D. A network protocol

79. What is indexing in a database?

A. Creating a searchable data structure for faster retrieval

C. Compressing data

D. Encrypting data

80. What is the purpose of a Database Management System (DBMS)?

A. To manage and organize databases

B. To design web pages

C. To manage operating systems

D. To compile code

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9. Software Engineering

81. What does SDLC stand for in software engineering?

A. Software Development Life Cycle

B. System Development Life Cycle

C. Software Design Life Cycle

D. System Design Life Cycle

A. A linear sequential approach

B. An iterative and incremental approach to software development

C. A method for designing hardware

D. A type of database

83. What is a use case in software engineering?

A. A description of system behavior in response to an external request

B. A type of database

C. A programming language

D. A computer virus

84. What is version control?

A. Managing changes to source code over time

B. A method of encryption

C. A way to control hardware

D. A system for compiling code

85. Which of the following is a commonly used version control system?

A. Git

B. HTTP

C. SQL
D. XML

86. What is unit testing?

A. Testing individual components or units of code

B. Testing the entire application at once

C. Testing hardware components

D. Testing network connections

87. What is integration testing?

A. Testing the interaction between integrated units/modules

B. Testing individual units

C. Testing the user interface only

D. Testing database performance

88. What does UML stand for?

A. Unified Modeling Language

B. User Management Language

C. Universal Markup Language

D. Unstructured Modeling Language

89. What is a design pattern in software engineering?

B. A specific programming language syntax

C. A type of hardware design

D. A security protocol

90. What is the purpose of requirements analysis?

A. To identify and document system requirements

B. To design the system architecture

C. To test the system

D. To deploy the system

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10. Miscellaneous Topics

91. What is cybersecurity?

A. The practice of protecting systems and networks from digital attacks

B. The study of computer hardware

C. The process of writing code

D. The design of user interfaces

A. The process of converting data into a secure format

B. The process of compressing data

C. The process of deleting data

D. The process of backing up data

93. What does SSL stand for?

A. Secure Sockets Layer

B. Simple Secure Layer

C. System Security Login

D. Secure System Layer

94. What is the primary purpose of a firewall?

A. To monitor and control incoming and outgoing network traffic

B. To increase network speed

C. To compile code

D. To store data

95. What is phishing?

A. A method of online fraud attempting to acquire sensitive information

B. A type of encryption
C. A network protocol

D. A programming technique

96. What is two-factor authentication?

A. A security process requiring two methods of verification

B. A method of data encryption

C. A programming language

D. A type of database

97. Which of the following is an example of biometric authentication?

A. Password

B. Fingerprint recognition

C. Security questions

D. CAPTCHA

98. What is cloud computing?

A. Delivering computing services over the Internet

B. A type of local storage

C. A programming paradigm

D. A hardware component
99. What is machine learning?

A. A branch of artificial intelligence that focuses on algorithms that learn from data

B. A hardware component

C. A method of data encryption

D. A software testing technique

100. What is the Turing Test designed to evaluate?

A. The performance of computer hardware

B. The intelligence of a machine

C. The efficiency of an algorithm

D. The security of a network

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Answer Key

1. A

2. A
3. C

4. A

5. B

6. B

7. B

8. A

9. A

10. A
11. A

12. B

13. A

14. C

15. A

16. A

17. B

18. A

19. B
20. A

21. B

22. C

23. A

24. B

25. C

26. B

27. B
28. A

29. C

30. B

31. C

32. B

33. A

34. A

35. A
36. A

37. B

38. B

39. C

40. A

41. A

42. B

43. B

44. B
45. A

46. A

47. B

48. B

49. B

50. B

51. B

52. A
53. B

54. B

55. A

56. B

57. B

58. B

59. B

60. C
61. A

62. B

63. C

64. A

65. A

66. A

67. B

68. A

69. A
70. D

71. A

72. A

73. A

74. B

75. A

76. D

77. C
78. A

79. A

80. A

81. A

82. B

83. A

84. A

85. A
86. A

87. A

88. A

89. A

90. A

91. A

92. A

93. A

94. A
95. A

96. A

97. B

98. A

99. A

100. B

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