COMPTIA A+® CERTIFICATION
STUDY GUIDE WITH UPDATED
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
2026/2627
32-bit - Answer-In reference to the Windows operating systems, one that can utilize up to 4 GB of
address space.
64-bit - Answer-In reference to the Windows operating systems, one that can utilize more than 4 GB of
address space. Depending on the version, 64-bit Windows can address a maximum of from 8 to 192 GB.
802.11a - Answer-A wireless network standard that uses the 5 GHz band.
802.11b - Answer-A wireless network standard that uses the 2.4 GHz band at a speed of up to 10 Mbps.
802.11g - Answer-A wireless network standard that uses the 2.4 GHz band at a speed of up to 54 Mbps.
It is downward-compatible with 802.11b.
802.11n - Answer-A wireless network standard that defines speeds of up to 600 Mbps. It is downward-
compatible with 802.11a, 802.11b, and 802.11g.
8-bit high color - Answer-Describes the VGA mode color setting that, although it can produce around 16
million different colors, can only display up to 256 different colors at a time.
AC adapter - Answer-A type of power supply that converts AC power to voltages needed for a device. AC
adapters are generally used for portable PC systems and other devices.
,accelerated graphics port - Answer-A local bus designed for video only, it provides a direct link between
the processor and the video card, giving the video card direct access to main memory.
access control - Answer-Managing access to resources. _______ to computers and network resources
involves authentication and authorization.
access control entry - Answer-In an access control list, a record containing just one user or group
account name and the permissions assigned to that account.
access control list - Answer-A table on each file and folder in the NTFS file system that contains one or
more access control entries.
accessory bay - Answer-In a laptop, a compartment that holds a single media device that is switchable
with another.
ACT - Answer-The "activity" status light on a NIC that indicates data is being transmitted.
activation - Answer-A method used by several software manufacturers to combat software piracy.
active communication - Answer-A set of behaviors including active listening and active speaking that
shows you are fully engaged in the conversation and encourages the other person to also communicate
in a positive manner.
active listening - Answer-A set of skills, behaviors, and attitudes to use when listening to another person.
active matrix display - Answer-An LCD technology based on thin-film transistor (TFT) technology. It has a
transistor at every pixel, which enables much quicker display changes
,active partition - Answer-A primary partition that is marked for use by the system during startup.
Windows operating systems can only be booted from this
active speaking - Answer-The appropriate responses that you make during a conversation.
ad hoc mode - Answer-In a Wi-Fi network, the networking mode that allows peer-to-peer
communications without the use of a centralized wireless hub, called a wireless access point (WAP).
adapter card - Answer-A printed circuit card that you add to the motherboard to enhance functionality.
Also called an expansion card. Video adapters and network interface cards (NICs) are examples of this
address bus - Answer-A group of wires used to identify addresses in main system memory in a
computer. The number of wires in an address bus is called the width of the bus and determines the
number of unique memory locations that can be addressed using binary math with the two raised to the
power of the number of wires in the bus. A 32-bit bus can address up to 4 GB of memory, whereas a 36-
bit address bus can address up to 64 GB of memory.
Address Resolution Protocol - Answer-A protocol used to resolve an IP address to a MAC address.
Advanced Communications Riser - Answer-A riser card standard that AMD, 3Com, and others introduced
in 2000 to supersede AMR. It uses one PCI slot, provides accelerated audio and modem functions as well
as networking, and supports multiple Ethernet NICs.
Advanced Configuration and Power Interface - Answer-A power management standard that includes all
the power states of APM, plus two more. It also supports soft power.
Advanced Micro Devices - Answer-AMD manufactures CPUs and other products, and its chief rival is
Intel Corporation.
, Advanced Power Management - Answer-A power management standard, introduced by Intel in 1992,
that defines four power-usage operating levels.
Advanced Technology - Answer-A type of motherboard used in older PC systems; also refers to the 1984
IBM PC AT model.
Advanced Technology Attachment - Answer-The former name of the Parallel AT Attachment (PATA)
interface standard.
Advanced Technology eXtended - Answer-A type of motherboard and its variants most commonly used
in recent PC systems.
adware - Answer-Software installed on a computer without permission that collects information about a
user in order to display targeted advertisements, in the form of either inline banners or pop-ups. Inline
banners are advertisements that run within the context of the current page, taking up screen real
estate.
alternating current - Answer-The delivery of electricity (as from a wall outlet) in which the flow of
electrons reverses periodically and has alternating positive and negative values.
amperes (amps) - Answer-A measurement of the volume of electrons, also called current. It is calculated
with the formula amps = watts / volts.
analog LCD display - Answer-An LCD display that uses a DB-15 connector, which means that it accepts
analog signals that it converts to digital.
analog modem - Answer-A modulator/demodulator device that allows computers to communicate with
one another over existing phone lines.
STUDY GUIDE WITH UPDATED
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
2026/2627
32-bit - Answer-In reference to the Windows operating systems, one that can utilize up to 4 GB of
address space.
64-bit - Answer-In reference to the Windows operating systems, one that can utilize more than 4 GB of
address space. Depending on the version, 64-bit Windows can address a maximum of from 8 to 192 GB.
802.11a - Answer-A wireless network standard that uses the 5 GHz band.
802.11b - Answer-A wireless network standard that uses the 2.4 GHz band at a speed of up to 10 Mbps.
802.11g - Answer-A wireless network standard that uses the 2.4 GHz band at a speed of up to 54 Mbps.
It is downward-compatible with 802.11b.
802.11n - Answer-A wireless network standard that defines speeds of up to 600 Mbps. It is downward-
compatible with 802.11a, 802.11b, and 802.11g.
8-bit high color - Answer-Describes the VGA mode color setting that, although it can produce around 16
million different colors, can only display up to 256 different colors at a time.
AC adapter - Answer-A type of power supply that converts AC power to voltages needed for a device. AC
adapters are generally used for portable PC systems and other devices.
,accelerated graphics port - Answer-A local bus designed for video only, it provides a direct link between
the processor and the video card, giving the video card direct access to main memory.
access control - Answer-Managing access to resources. _______ to computers and network resources
involves authentication and authorization.
access control entry - Answer-In an access control list, a record containing just one user or group
account name and the permissions assigned to that account.
access control list - Answer-A table on each file and folder in the NTFS file system that contains one or
more access control entries.
accessory bay - Answer-In a laptop, a compartment that holds a single media device that is switchable
with another.
ACT - Answer-The "activity" status light on a NIC that indicates data is being transmitted.
activation - Answer-A method used by several software manufacturers to combat software piracy.
active communication - Answer-A set of behaviors including active listening and active speaking that
shows you are fully engaged in the conversation and encourages the other person to also communicate
in a positive manner.
active listening - Answer-A set of skills, behaviors, and attitudes to use when listening to another person.
active matrix display - Answer-An LCD technology based on thin-film transistor (TFT) technology. It has a
transistor at every pixel, which enables much quicker display changes
,active partition - Answer-A primary partition that is marked for use by the system during startup.
Windows operating systems can only be booted from this
active speaking - Answer-The appropriate responses that you make during a conversation.
ad hoc mode - Answer-In a Wi-Fi network, the networking mode that allows peer-to-peer
communications without the use of a centralized wireless hub, called a wireless access point (WAP).
adapter card - Answer-A printed circuit card that you add to the motherboard to enhance functionality.
Also called an expansion card. Video adapters and network interface cards (NICs) are examples of this
address bus - Answer-A group of wires used to identify addresses in main system memory in a
computer. The number of wires in an address bus is called the width of the bus and determines the
number of unique memory locations that can be addressed using binary math with the two raised to the
power of the number of wires in the bus. A 32-bit bus can address up to 4 GB of memory, whereas a 36-
bit address bus can address up to 64 GB of memory.
Address Resolution Protocol - Answer-A protocol used to resolve an IP address to a MAC address.
Advanced Communications Riser - Answer-A riser card standard that AMD, 3Com, and others introduced
in 2000 to supersede AMR. It uses one PCI slot, provides accelerated audio and modem functions as well
as networking, and supports multiple Ethernet NICs.
Advanced Configuration and Power Interface - Answer-A power management standard that includes all
the power states of APM, plus two more. It also supports soft power.
Advanced Micro Devices - Answer-AMD manufactures CPUs and other products, and its chief rival is
Intel Corporation.
, Advanced Power Management - Answer-A power management standard, introduced by Intel in 1992,
that defines four power-usage operating levels.
Advanced Technology - Answer-A type of motherboard used in older PC systems; also refers to the 1984
IBM PC AT model.
Advanced Technology Attachment - Answer-The former name of the Parallel AT Attachment (PATA)
interface standard.
Advanced Technology eXtended - Answer-A type of motherboard and its variants most commonly used
in recent PC systems.
adware - Answer-Software installed on a computer without permission that collects information about a
user in order to display targeted advertisements, in the form of either inline banners or pop-ups. Inline
banners are advertisements that run within the context of the current page, taking up screen real
estate.
alternating current - Answer-The delivery of electricity (as from a wall outlet) in which the flow of
electrons reverses periodically and has alternating positive and negative values.
amperes (amps) - Answer-A measurement of the volume of electrons, also called current. It is calculated
with the formula amps = watts / volts.
analog LCD display - Answer-An LCD display that uses a DB-15 connector, which means that it accepts
analog signals that it converts to digital.
analog modem - Answer-A modulator/demodulator device that allows computers to communicate with
one another over existing phone lines.
