AGRI 85 TEST-OUT EXAM
48-hour take home exam
Please answer all questions on a separate word-processed paper.
Name:______________________________________
Date/time begun:
Due:
1. In the last one hundred years, the word “computer” has changed its meaning at least once.
Describe how and why the definition of the word has changed (10 points).
2. Write two brief paragraphs about the contributions of Alan Turing to the science of
computing during and after World War II. (10 points)
3. List four operating systems. Include a description of when they were created, and by whom.
(10 points)
4. Explain why computers use base-2 or binary numbers instead of the base-10 that we humans
use. List the first 20 binary numbers in order. (10 points)
5. List at least five different types of cables, wires, or wireless media that transport Internet
packets. For each cable or media, list the approximate speed in bits per second. (10 points)
6. Describe in detail how modems work. Include in your discussion what they do, why we need
them, and whether this technology will be used much in the next 20 years. (10 points)
7. List at least four different kinds of software license agreements. Include for each how they
work, and what restrictions they place on software use. (10 points)
8. Describe the difference between a programming language and a software application.
Include examples of each, and what each is used for. (10 points)
9. Describe, in two or three brief paragraphs, methods that are commonly used to crack
computer systems (Suggested reading: How Hackers Break In And How They Are Caught,
Scientific American October 1998, available on the web: user your zoo login name and
password, http://uvmlibs.uvm.edu/e-res/bailey/agri/meinel085.pdf) . (10 points).
10. Briefly list each of the following computer systems in order of computing power, and
include a short sentence or two describing what these computer systems are used for and how
they are different from the others on the list: PDA, Unix Workstation, Supercomputer,
Minicomputer, Desktop PC, Web Server, Mainframe Host. (10 points)
Screen Check Preparation
You will be asked to demonstrate how to do the following in a computer lab on
Campus:
1. Use a word processor where you have two lists that are fully justified such as:
This is the first Address:
106 Morrill Hall
University of Vermont
Burlington, VT 05405
This is the second Address:
123 Patterson Hall
University of Vermont
Burlington, VT 05405
2. Create a text file in Notepad, upload it to your zoo account, and e-mail it to
jleonard@zoo.uvm.edu
3. Create an X-Y Scatterplot in a spreadsheet program and draw a best-fit line
between the points. The data will be given to you when you do your screen
check.
4. Create and publish a web page with text, background, link, table and picture.