Practice Questions
Chapter 1: The Information Age in Which You Live
XLM/A: Computer Hardware and Software
1. Which of the following systems deals with planning for, development, management, and use
of information technology tools for management?
A) Strategic Support Systems
B) Operational Systems
C) Administrative Systems
*D) Management Information Systems
2. Which of the following terms is used to describe the computer-based tools used by people in
an organization to support their information processing needs?
*A) Information Technology
B) User Systems
C) Artifacts
D) Computer Tools
3. Which terms refers to the extent of detail provided in information; for instance, some
information may provide summary information while others may provide a great amount of
detail?
A) Information Depth
B) Aggregate Data
*C) Information Granularity
D) Data Detail
4. Which type of technology allows you to enter information and commands into a computer?
A) Data entry
*B) Input
C) Processing
D) Telecommunication
5. Which type of technology allows you to send information from one computer to another?
A) Output
*B) Telecommunication
C) Connecting
D) CPU
6. Which of the following are raw facts that describe a particular phenomenon and are stored in
the computer for an organization's processing needs?
A) Information
*B) Data
C) Records
D) Business Intelligence (BI)
7. Which of the following is collective information about customers, competitors, business
partners, competitive environments, and internal operations?
A) Aggregate Data
B) External Knowledge
*C) Business Intelligence (BI)
D) Information Granularity
8. What term is used to describe information coming into a computer that is in bad form, or is
incorrect, and will improperly affect the decision-making process?
*A) GIGO
B) Tainted data
C) Dirty information
D) Scrubbed data
9. Which type of worker knows how and when to apply technology?
A) Computer scientist
*B) Technology-literate knowledge worker
C) Technology analyst
D) Computer savvy
10. Which type of software coordinates the interaction of technology devices?
A) Application software
B) Utility software
C) RAM
*D) Systems software
11. Which of the following is the overarching function of management information systems?
A) To support the technological needs of management.
B) To supply management with needed information.
C) To ensure the compatibility of executive applications within an organization.
*D) To create and sustain a competitive advantage.
12. Having an audio file that describes current environmental factors that you can listen to while
walking to a meeting is an example of the quality attribute _____.
*A) Form
B) Validity
C) Relevance
D) Mode
13. What is the term associated with buyers and the number of choices they have regarding
from whom they can buy?
A) Buyer independence
B) Buyer dependence
*C) Supplier power
D) Supplier dependence
14. When is rivalry among existing competitors high in the Five Forces Model?
A) When there are a large number of competitors in a market.
B) When there are a small number of competitors in a market.
*C) When the competition in a market is fierce.
D) When the competition in a market is more complacent allowing some businesses to excel.
15. What is a loss leader?
A) A failing business leader in a competitive market.
B) A "first mover" in a emerging market
C) A Competitor who is able to differentiate themselves from opposition
*D) A product that is sold at or below cost to entice customers into a store.
16. When you extend a transaction processing system so that customers can access the Web
and place orders without customer assistance, you are creating a(n) _____ system.
A) emerging
B) operational
*C) customer self-service
D) management information system
17. What is a value chain?
*A) The series of business processes, each of which adds value to products or services for
your customers.
B) A set of products and services that have proved valuable and profitable for your business.
C) The information or feedback from customers that is then used to improve the quality of your
products or services.
D) The series of business partners and team members that are directly responsible for
producing and processing a set of products or services for your customers.
18. Which of the following deals with the planning for, development, management, and use of
information technology?
A) E-commerce
*B) Management information systems
C) Administration technologies
D) Strategic systems
19. What category of technology does a keyboard fall into?
A) Output device
B) Telecommunications device
C) Connecting device
*D) Input device
20. The grade you earn for a specific course is an example of _____.
*A) Data
B) Information
C) Knowledge
D) Business intelligence
21. What type of computer tool allows you to save data, information, and programs into a
computer?
A) Output device
B) Input device
*C) Storage device
D) Telecommunications device
22. What type of software is anti-virus software?
A) Systems software
*B) Utility software
C) Applications software
D) Operating systems
23. What type of computer tool allows you use to store information for use at a later time?
A) Input device
B) Output device
*C) Storage device
D) Telecommunications device
24. What type of computer supports hundreds of people at any given time?
A) Desktop computer
B) Super computer
C) Minicomputer
*D) Mainframe computer
25. What type of application software is developed specifically for a particular industry?
A) Personal productivity software
B) Applications software
C) Decision support systems
*D) Vertical market software
26. When you are working with a variety of computer tools at the same time, what are you
doing?
A) Working efficiently
B) Using open-source systems
C) Working in a UNIX environment
*D) Multitasking
27. Which type of software provides the public with its source code free of charge?
*A) Open-source software
B) Multitasking systems
C) UNIX
D) Systems software
28. What is the smallest unit of computer information?
A) Byte
*B) Bit
C) Pixel
D) Binary dot
29. What is a terabyte?
A) An optical storage medium capable of storing vast amounts of information
B) A multifunctional operating environment
C) Flash memory
*D) Roughly a trillion bytes
30. What part of the computer interprets and executes instructions that are posed to it?
A) RAM
*B) CPU
C) ROM
D) Cache
31. What computer device, such as a USB port, allows you to connect to and from a printer?
A) Input device
B) Output device
C) Storage device
*D) Connecting
32. Which computer is the most popular choice for personal computing needs?
A) PDA
B) Notebook computer
*C) Desktop computer
D) Touch-sensitive computer
33. Which of the following is a type of system software?
A) Microsoft Word
B) Microsoft Excel
C) Microsoft Access
*D) Microsoft Windows XP
34. What are two basic categories of monitors?
A) OMR and Flat-panel
*B) CRT and Flat-panel
C) CRT and Flat-CRT
D) Flat-panel and liquid crystal display
35. What part of the CPU performs all arithmetic operations and all logic operations?
A) Control unit
B) RAM
C) Cache
*D) Arithmetic logic unit
36. Which utility software can remove unwanted software that can track your Web activity?
A) Uninstaller software
B) Spam blocker software
C) Anti-virus software
*D) Anti-spyware software
37. Which of the following tasks can be handled by a PDA?
A) Calendaring
B) Surfing the Web
C) Note taking
*D) All of the above
38. Which type of software is used to create and edit electronic slides?
A) Personal finance
B) Graphics
*C) Presentation
D) Web authoring
39. Which type of software helps you design and develop Web pages?
A) Personal productivity
*B) Web authoring
C) Presentation
D) Personal information management
40. What type of computer are keyboards are most commonly used with?
A) PDAs and tablets
*B) PCs and laptops
C) PCs and slates
D) Slates, tablets, PDAs, and PCs