Question 1

A major advancement in the Apple II was storing the operating system ________.
A) on a cassette tape
B) on a floppy disk
C) in ROM
D) in RAM

Accepted Answer

The major advancement in the Apple II was storing the operating system in ROM (Read-Only Memory), which allowed for faster booting and operation compared to loading the OS from external storage each time.

Question 2

BASIC's main advantage over FORTRAN, COBAL and ALGOL was ________.
A) BASIC used a GUI interface
B) Beginning programming students could easily learn BASIC
C) Earlier programming languages were solely for accounting and statistical applications
D) Bill Gates and Paul Allen used BASIC to program the Altair

Accepted Answer

BASIC was designed to be an easily learnable programming language for beginners, unlike FORTRAN, COBOL, and ALGOL, which were more complex and specialized.

Question 3

Howard Aiken and Grace Hopper designed the Mark series of computers used by the U.S. Navy for ballistic and gunnery calculations.

Accepted Answer

Howard Aiken and Grace Hopper were indeed instrumental in the design and development of the Mark series of computers, which were used by the U.S. Navy for various calculations, including ballistic and gunnery calculations.

Question 4

________ was the first computer with a graphical user interface, developed in 1972.
A) Apple Lisa
B) Xerox Alto
C) Apple Macintosh
D) Microsoft Windows

Accepted Answer

The Xerox Alto, developed in 1972, was the first computer to use a graphical user interface (GUI), a groundbreaking feature that influenced future personal computing developments.

Question 5

Each of the following are examples of Spreadsheet applications, EXCEPT ________.
A) Access
B) VisiCalc
C) Excel
D) Lotus 1-2-3

Accepted Answer

Access is a database management system, not a spreadsheet application. VisiCalc, Excel, and Lotus 1-2-3 are all examples of spreadsheet applications.

Question 6

The ________ was the first portable computer.
A) TRS-80
B) Osborne
C) IBM PC
D) ENIAC

Accepted Answer

The Osborne 1, released in April 1981, is considered the first portable computer. It was a significant innovation because it was portable, albeit bulky by today's standards, and it paved the way for the development of laptop computers.

Question 7

Grace Hopper gets credit for coining a common computing term by ________.
A) removing a bug from a computer
B) creating a program that translates English to machine language
C) creating punch cards to be read by a computer
D) removing fragments from a computer

Accepted Answer

Grace Hopper is credited with coining the term "bug" in computing after an incident where a moth was removed from a computer, causing it to malfunction. This event is often cited as the origin of the term "debugging" in computer science.

Question 8

Virtually All PCs with Intel chipsets ran ________ by the early 80s.
A) TRS-DOS
B) CP/M
C) MS-DOS
D) Unix

Accepted Answer

By the early 1980s, virtually all PCs with Intel chipsets ran MS-DOS, following IBM's decision to use it for their IBM PC, which set a standard for other manufacturers to follow.

Question 9

Which of the following is a program that translates English-language instructions into computer language?
A) compiler
B) assembler
C) composer
D) translator

Accepted Answer

A compiler is a program that translates high-level programming language, which can be similar to English, into machine code that a computer can understand.

Question 10

Which of the following was the first word processing application to become available for personal computers?
A) WordStar
B) Word for MS-DOS
C) WordPerfect
D) Microsoft Word

Accepted Answer

WordStar was the first word processing application to become available for personal computers, released in 1978. It was initially developed for the CP/M operating system before being ported to MS-DOS and other systems.

Question 11

Prior to the IBM PC, IBM primarily made ________.
A) networking equipment
B) software
C) copiers
D) mainframe computers

Accepted Answer

Before the advent of the IBM PC, IBM was best known for its development and production of mainframe computers, which were large, powerful computing systems used primarily by businesses and government institutions for bulk data processing, large-scale transaction processing, and critical applications.

Question 12

What concept introduced in the Turing Machine became the precursor to modern RAM?
A) audio cassettes in an infinite loop
B) Infinite paper tape which could be written to, erased, and changed
C) punch cards arranged in an infinite loop
D) reel to reel tapes

Accepted Answer

The Turing Machine utilized an infinite paper tape which could be written to, erased, and changed, serving as a conceptual precursor to modern Random Access Memory (RAM) by allowing data to be stored and modified dynamically.

Question 13

Who invented the first accurate mechanical calculator?
A) Katherine Johnson
B) Blaise Pascal
C) Charles Babbage
D) Herman Hollerith

Accepted Answer

Blaise Pascal invented the first accurate mechanical calculator, known as the Pascaline, in 1642. This device was capable of performing addition and subtraction directly and multiplication and division through repeated addition or subtraction.

Question 14

The first personal computer to come to the market in 1975 was the ________.
A) Apple I
B) Altair 8800
C) TRS-80
D) IBM PC Jr.

Accepted Answer

The Altair 8800, released in 1975, is considered the first personal computer to come to the market, marking the beginning of the PC era.

Question 15

Who translated an Italian description of Babbage's Engine to English and added extensive notes, creating the best description of the machine?
A) Joseph Jacquard
B) Herman Hollerith
C) Ada Lovelace
D) Blaise Pascal

Accepted Answer

Ada Lovelace translated Luigi Federico Menabrea's article on Charles Babbage's Analytical Engine from Italian to English. In her translation, she added extensive notes of her own, which included what many consider to be the first computer program, thereby creating the most detailed and comprehensive description of the Analytical Engine.

Question 16

Which invention replaced vacuum tubes in computers?
A) Integrated circuits
B) Magnetic tape
C) Micro controllers
D) Transistors

Accepted Answer

Transistors replaced vacuum tubes in computers, marking a significant advancement in technology. They were smaller, more reliable, and consumed less power, leading to the development of more compact and efficient computers.

Question 17

The UNIVAC identified Dwight D. Eisenhower as the winner of the 1952 US Presidential race.

Accepted Answer

The UNIVAC, one of the earliest commercial computers, correctly predicted that Dwight D. Eisenhower would win the 1952 US Presidential race, showcasing the potential of computer technology in data analysis and prediction.

Question 18

Which web browser was the first introduced?
A) Mosaic
B) Internet Explorer
C) Netscape Navigator
D) Chrome

Accepted Answer

Mosaic is recognized as the first web browser introduced in 1993, paving the way for the future development of web browsers like Netscape Navigator and Internet Explorer.

Question 19

The 5.25 floppy disk was a significant advancement because ________.
A) it had a hard protective case
B) they were readily available
C) it facilitated saving programs and development of operating systems
D) they were on every personal computer

Accepted Answer

The 5.25 floppy disk significantly advanced computing by facilitating the saving of programs and the development of operating systems, allowing for easier distribution, storage, and loading of software.

Question 20

Babbage's engine was used for years as a mechanical calculator in odometers.

Accepted Answer

Babbage's engine, known as the Difference Engine, was never completed during his lifetime and thus was not used in odometers or any other practical application.

Quiz 14: Technology In Action Complete: Appendix A

A major advancement in the Apple II was storing the operating system ________.

BASIC's main advantage over FORTRAN, COBAL and ALGOL was ________.

Howard Aiken and Grace Hopper designed the Mark series of computers used by the U.S. Navy for ballistic and gunnery calculations.

________ was the first computer with a graphical user interface, developed in 1972.

Each of the following are examples of Spreadsheet applications, EXCEPT ________.

The ________ was the first portable computer.

Grace Hopper gets credit for coining a common computing term by ________.

Virtually All PCs with Intel chipsets ran ________ by the early 80s.

Which of the following is a program that translates English-language instructions into computer language?

Which of the following was the first word processing application to become available for personal computers?

Prior to the IBM PC, IBM primarily made ________.

What concept introduced in the Turing Machine became the precursor to modern RAM?

Who invented the first accurate mechanical calculator?

The first personal computer to come to the market in 1975 was the ________.

Who translated an Italian description of Babbage's Engine to English and added extensive notes, creating the best description of the machine?

Which invention replaced vacuum tubes in computers?

The UNIVAC identified Dwight D. Eisenhower as the winner of the 1952 US Presidential race.

Which web browser was the first introduced?

The 5.25 floppy disk was a significant advancement because ________.

Babbage's engine was used for years as a mechanical calculator in odometers.