ISTM 210 Exam 1 [2026/2027] | UPDATED ACTUAL
Exam Question and Answer | Frequently Tested
Questions
• why is it important to be able to identify system and application software and know
what they do? -✓✓ like how on an island it is imperative to know the native language, it
is important to know basically what IT is to talk to experts
• there is a lot of data, but what is the useful part called? -✓✓ information
• what is constantly happening to the world around us? -✓✓ it is constantly changing
and improving, like transportation, medicine, and technology
• why is it important for businesses to pay attention to tech updates? -✓✓ IT is firmly
based in business, so businesses must stay adaptable and up-to-date to ensure they
won't go under (have to make smart, strategic decisions)
• what fields of business are affected by IT? -✓✓ all of them!
• what was the first IT created? -✓✓ telegram/telegraphs
• what is the carrier pigeon story? -✓✓ Paul Reuter used carrier pigeons in the 1800s in
Berlin, but by staying adaptable and changing with the tech industry, Reuter's news
service for business info has stayed relevant to this day (stay adaptable and grow)
• what is business information technology? -✓✓ the study, design, implementation,
support, and management of a computer-based information system, particularly
software and hardware
• what is the study part of the business IT definition? -✓✓ what do we need?
• what is the design part of the business IT definition? -✓✓ how do we get it? build vs
buy?
• what is the implementation part of the business IT definition? -✓✓ how do we set it up
to use it?
• what is the support part of the business IT definition? -✓✓ how do we keep it working?
• what is the management part of the business IT definition? -✓✓ managing parts and
people
,• what are the five aspects of business IT? -✓✓ - people (tools = useless if no one can
use them)
- competency (you know how to do something)
- attitude (wiling to try/learn)
- critical thinking (look at all outcomes and arrive at a decision; ROI = return on
investment)
- best practice (best way businesses have figured out how to do something)
• what is the most important aspect of business IT? -✓✓ people
• what are people who use computers called? -✓✓ end-users
• what makes computers smart? -✓✓ smart people
• why is IT a core competency in business? -✓✓ IT can be taken advantage of by those
who can operate a system better than competitors
• why is critical thinking important? -✓✓ that way you don't just complete a task, but you
complete it better than competitors, gaining an advantage
• what is the best resource when trying to learn a computer system? -✓✓ learning from
people
• when does learning end for business computing? -✓✓ never! it's always changing
• what is Moore's Law? -✓✓ said by Gordon Moore (cofounder of Intel) in 1965:
computer processing power will double every eighteen months or so (includes Internet
size)
like a car doubling milage every eighteen months
• what is IoT? -✓✓ internet of things
• why is the internet always growing? -✓✓ the number of users allows it to constantly
grow and double
• why is Moore's Law important in business computing? -✓✓ businesses have to spend
real money, so you have to be smart and decide whether to be a leader or a follower
• what is a leader? -✓✓ aka early adopter, they buy the newest technology and maybe
get an edge (more risky)
Ex. FedEx was 1st to track shipping, so they gained a short advantage
, • what is a follower? -✓✓ wait to see what works and lose the edge (not necessarily a
good or bad strategy, just different)
• how do you know whether or not tech will provide an advantage? -✓✓ stay up-to-date
on IT news
Ex. Gizmodo.com, SI.com, ZDNet.com, Wired.com
• what allows you to adapt? -✓✓ staying up-to-date and having an open mind
• what is hardware? -✓✓ the tangible and physical parts of a computer
• does hardware change? -✓✓ rarely changes during life of the computer, but parts can
be added to enhance it
• what are the four types of hardware (biggest to smallest)? -✓✓ - super computers/high
performance research computing (A&M has some, they come in clusters)
- mainframe (A&M got rid of last one Aug 2023; huge, room-sized, used by large
organizations doing tons of data tracking, i.e. credit card companies)
- midrange (server, minicomputers, do much of the same things as a mainframe but on
a smaller scale)
- microcomputers (each have Moore's chip, typically just called computers)
• what did Gordon Moor create with Intel? -✓✓ the tiny chip that goes in microcomputers
• what are four types of microcomputers? -✓✓ - laptops (essentially a portable desktop)
- desktop
- handheld (also called Personal Digital Assistants or PDA's, used in business to
organize info)
- mobile devices
• what is system software? -✓✓ it is a collection of computer programs that
accomplishes a specific task (this makes hardware work) without human intervention
• what is a business transaction? -✓✓ any business activity you record
• what is an operating system? -✓✓ also called a platform, it is a collection of computer
programs that work together to manage hardware and software and makes sure the
computer is working correctly, controls and allocates memory, administers input/output,
and manages the filing system
groundwork for all system software
• what does application software not work without? -✓✓ system software/operating
system
Exam Question and Answer | Frequently Tested
Questions
• why is it important to be able to identify system and application software and know
what they do? -✓✓ like how on an island it is imperative to know the native language, it
is important to know basically what IT is to talk to experts
• there is a lot of data, but what is the useful part called? -✓✓ information
• what is constantly happening to the world around us? -✓✓ it is constantly changing
and improving, like transportation, medicine, and technology
• why is it important for businesses to pay attention to tech updates? -✓✓ IT is firmly
based in business, so businesses must stay adaptable and up-to-date to ensure they
won't go under (have to make smart, strategic decisions)
• what fields of business are affected by IT? -✓✓ all of them!
• what was the first IT created? -✓✓ telegram/telegraphs
• what is the carrier pigeon story? -✓✓ Paul Reuter used carrier pigeons in the 1800s in
Berlin, but by staying adaptable and changing with the tech industry, Reuter's news
service for business info has stayed relevant to this day (stay adaptable and grow)
• what is business information technology? -✓✓ the study, design, implementation,
support, and management of a computer-based information system, particularly
software and hardware
• what is the study part of the business IT definition? -✓✓ what do we need?
• what is the design part of the business IT definition? -✓✓ how do we get it? build vs
buy?
• what is the implementation part of the business IT definition? -✓✓ how do we set it up
to use it?
• what is the support part of the business IT definition? -✓✓ how do we keep it working?
• what is the management part of the business IT definition? -✓✓ managing parts and
people
,• what are the five aspects of business IT? -✓✓ - people (tools = useless if no one can
use them)
- competency (you know how to do something)
- attitude (wiling to try/learn)
- critical thinking (look at all outcomes and arrive at a decision; ROI = return on
investment)
- best practice (best way businesses have figured out how to do something)
• what is the most important aspect of business IT? -✓✓ people
• what are people who use computers called? -✓✓ end-users
• what makes computers smart? -✓✓ smart people
• why is IT a core competency in business? -✓✓ IT can be taken advantage of by those
who can operate a system better than competitors
• why is critical thinking important? -✓✓ that way you don't just complete a task, but you
complete it better than competitors, gaining an advantage
• what is the best resource when trying to learn a computer system? -✓✓ learning from
people
• when does learning end for business computing? -✓✓ never! it's always changing
• what is Moore's Law? -✓✓ said by Gordon Moore (cofounder of Intel) in 1965:
computer processing power will double every eighteen months or so (includes Internet
size)
like a car doubling milage every eighteen months
• what is IoT? -✓✓ internet of things
• why is the internet always growing? -✓✓ the number of users allows it to constantly
grow and double
• why is Moore's Law important in business computing? -✓✓ businesses have to spend
real money, so you have to be smart and decide whether to be a leader or a follower
• what is a leader? -✓✓ aka early adopter, they buy the newest technology and maybe
get an edge (more risky)
Ex. FedEx was 1st to track shipping, so they gained a short advantage
, • what is a follower? -✓✓ wait to see what works and lose the edge (not necessarily a
good or bad strategy, just different)
• how do you know whether or not tech will provide an advantage? -✓✓ stay up-to-date
on IT news
Ex. Gizmodo.com, SI.com, ZDNet.com, Wired.com
• what allows you to adapt? -✓✓ staying up-to-date and having an open mind
• what is hardware? -✓✓ the tangible and physical parts of a computer
• does hardware change? -✓✓ rarely changes during life of the computer, but parts can
be added to enhance it
• what are the four types of hardware (biggest to smallest)? -✓✓ - super computers/high
performance research computing (A&M has some, they come in clusters)
- mainframe (A&M got rid of last one Aug 2023; huge, room-sized, used by large
organizations doing tons of data tracking, i.e. credit card companies)
- midrange (server, minicomputers, do much of the same things as a mainframe but on
a smaller scale)
- microcomputers (each have Moore's chip, typically just called computers)
• what did Gordon Moor create with Intel? -✓✓ the tiny chip that goes in microcomputers
• what are four types of microcomputers? -✓✓ - laptops (essentially a portable desktop)
- desktop
- handheld (also called Personal Digital Assistants or PDA's, used in business to
organize info)
- mobile devices
• what is system software? -✓✓ it is a collection of computer programs that
accomplishes a specific task (this makes hardware work) without human intervention
• what is a business transaction? -✓✓ any business activity you record
• what is an operating system? -✓✓ also called a platform, it is a collection of computer
programs that work together to manage hardware and software and makes sure the
computer is working correctly, controls and allocates memory, administers input/output,
and manages the filing system
groundwork for all system software
• what does application software not work without? -✓✓ system software/operating
system
