Computer Science/IT MCQs
Topic Notes: Computer Science/IT
MCQs and preparation resources for competitive exams, covering important concepts, past papers, and detailed explanations.
Plato
- Biography: Ancient Greek philosopher (427–347 BCE), student of Socrates and teacher of Aristotle, founder of the Academy in Athens.
- Important Ideas:
- Theory of Forms
- Philosopher-King
- Ideal State
151
The creation of ARPA (later DARPA), the agency that funded the development of the Internet's predecessor, was a direct response to:
Answer:
The launch of the Sputnik satellite by the Soviet Union
The 1957 launch of Sputnik shocked the American political and scientific establishment. In response, the U.S. government formed the Advanced Research Projects Agency (ARPA) to ensure the nation would not be surprised by technological advancements again.
152
Which specific technological advancements, crucial for business operations, were significantly popularized by the IBM 1401, a prominent second-generation computer?
Answer:
Efficient high-speed printing and punched card data processing.
The IBM 1401, introduced in 1959, was a revolutionary second-generation computer that utilized transistors. Its widespread adoption in the business world was primarily due to its exceptional capabilities in data handling and output. It was famous for the IBM 1402 Card Read-Punch, which could process 800 punched cards per minute, and especially for the IBM 1403 Line Printer. The 1403 was renowned for its unprecedented speed (up to 1,100 lines per minute) and print quality, making it a staple for generating reports, invoices, and other business documents. These features collectively made it a 'workhorse' for business data processing, significantly popularizing efficient high-speed printing and punched card data processing in the commercial sector. Options B, C, and D refer to technologies that either emerged much later (GUIs, personal computing) or were not the primary popularizing feature of the 1401 (real-time processing, though possible, was not its main defining contribution to its popularity).
153
The concept of an operating system that could manage multiple jobs at once (multiprogramming) was a feature of which generation?
Answer:
Third Generation
Third-generation computers were the first to use operating systems that supported multiprogramming. This allowed the computer to work on several jobs simultaneously, which significantly increased CPU utilization and overall efficiency.
154
The first laser printer was introduced to the market by which company in 1977?
Answer:
Xerox
The Xerox 9700 was the first commercial laser printer. It was based on the technology their researchers had developed, combining a laser with the xerography process to produce high-quality printouts at high speed.
155
The TCP/IP protocols, which form the foundational communication standard for the Internet, were developed by:
Answer:
Vint Cerf and Robert Kahn
Vinton Cerf and Robert Kahn are known as the "Fathers of the Internet" for their pioneering work in the 1970s on designing the TCP/IP protocol suite, which defines how data is transmitted across networks.
156
Which language, created by Bjarne Stroustrup, added object-oriented features to the C programming language?
Answer:
C++
Bjarne Stroustrup began developing "C with Classes" in 1979 at Bell Labs, which later evolved into C++. It was designed to be a superset of C, adding powerful features like classes and objects while retaining C's efficiency.
157
In 1964, IBM launched a family of computers that dominated the mainframe market for nearly two decades. What was this influential series called?
Answer:
System/360
The IBM System/360 was a groundbreaking family of mainframe computers. It was the first to offer a range of compatible models with different price points and performance levels, allowing companies to upgrade as their needs grew without rewriting their software.
158
What language is most commonly used for writing the core software (firmware) for embedded systems and microcontrollers?
Answer:
C
The C programming language is widely used for embedded systems because it provides low-level access to memory, has a small runtime footprint, and is extremely efficient, which are critical requirements for resource-constrained devices.
159
What language, created by Netscape, quickly became the standard for adding interactivity to web pages in browsers?
Answer:
JavaScript
JavaScript was created by Brendan Eich at Netscape in 1995. Despite its similar name, it is distinct from Java. It was designed to be a lightweight scripting language for client-side web development.
160
The first commercially produced microprocessor, which effectively put an entire CPU onto a single chip, was the:
Answer:
Intel 4004
Released by Intel in 1971, the 4004 was the first microprocessor. It was originally designed for a Japanese calculator company, Busicom, and its invention paved the way for the microcomputer revolution.