COMPLETE QUESTION PRACTICE EXAM
CompTIA A+ Core 1 (220-1101) | A+ Core 2
(220-1102) | Security+ (SY0-701) 2026
Edition | Every Question Includes Answer
& Rationale for All Options
PART 1: CompTIA A+ Core 1 (220-1101) — Questions 1–45
Question 1
A technician is configuring a new smartphone for a user who travels internationally. Which setting
should be enabled to avoid excessive roaming charges while still allowing emergency calls? A) Enable
Data Roaming B) Enable Airplane Mode with Wi-Fi C) Disable Cellular Data but keep Voice/SMS active D)
Enable International Roaming Package ✅ Correct Answer: C rationale
• A) Enables data on foreign networks, causing high charges.
• B) Blocks all cellular radios, often preventing emergency cellular calls in roaming zones.
• C) Prevents data billing while maintaining voice/SMS pathways for emergencies and carrier-
required signaling.
• D) Requires carrier pre-approval and still incurs fees; not a device-side configuration
guaranteeing cost avoidance.
Question 2
Which wireless standard operates exclusively in the 5 GHz band and supports theoretical speeds up to
6.9 Gbps? A) 802.11n B) 802.11ac (Wi-Fi 5) C) 802.11ax (Wi-Fi 6) D) 802.11be (Wi-Fi 7) ✅ Correct
Answer: B rationale
• A) Supports both 2.4/5 GHz; max ~600 Mbps.
• B) 5 GHz-only standard; max ~6.9 Gbps with 160 MHz channels and MU-MIMO.
• C) Dual-band (2.4/5 GHz) or tri-band (Wi-Fi 6E adds 6 GHz); exceeds 5 GHz exclusivity.
• D) Tri-band (2.4/5/6 GHz); speeds >40 Gbps; not exclusive to 5 GHz.
,Question 3
A laptop battery drains rapidly while idle. Power plan is set to "High Performance". What is the MOST
likely cause? A) Faulty battery hardware B) Background applications consuming CPU C) Power plan
preventing CPU throttling and sleep states D) Outdated BIOS firmware ✅ Correct Answer: C rationale
• A) Hardware failure causes inconsistent behavior, not plan-specific idle drain.
• B) Background apps drain regardless of power plan; not the primary correlate here.
• C) High Performance disables C-states, prevents sleep/hibernate, and keeps components at max
voltage, directly causing idle drain.
• D) BIOS updates help power management but are secondary to an explicitly misconfigured
power plan.
Question 4
Which connector type is commonly used for fiber optic connections in enterprise networking and
supports both single-mode and multi-mode fiber? A) RJ-45 B) LC C) BNC D) F-type ✅ Correct Answer:
B rationale
• A) Copper Ethernet connector; not fiber.
• B) Small form-factor fiber connector; standard for SFP/SFP+ modules; supports SMF and MMF.
• C) Coaxial connector; legacy Ethernet/video; not fiber.
• D) Coaxial connector; cable TV/satellite; not fiber.
Question 5
A technician is replacing a failed hard drive in a RAID 5 array. What is the MINIMUM number of drives
required for RAID 5? A) 2 B) 3 C) 4 D) 5 ✅ Correct Answer: B rationale
• A) Minimum for RAID 1 (mirroring), not parity-based RAID 5.
• B) RAID 5 requires 3 drives minimum for striping + distributed parity, tolerating one drive failure.
• C) Valid for larger RAID 5 arrays, but not the minimum.
• D) Exceeds minimum; often used for RAID 6 (dual parity minimum is 4).
Question 6
Which cloud service model provides the customer with control over OS, storage, and deployed
applications, while the provider manages underlying infrastructure? A) SaaS B) PaaS C) IaaS D) DaaS
✅ Correct Answer: C rationale
• A) Provider manages everything; customer only uses software.
• B) Provider manages OS/runtime; customer manages apps/data.
, • C) Customer manages OS, storage, apps; provider manages hardware/virtualization/networking.
Matches exactly.
• D) Virtual desktop delivery; provider manages most layers; limited OS control.
Question 7
A user cannot connect to corporate Wi-Fi. SSID visible, password accepted, but device shows
"Obtaining IP address..." indefinitely. What should be checked NEXT? A) DHCP server availability B)
Wireless adapter driver version C) Router firmware update D) MAC address filtering settings ✅ Correct
Answer: A rationale
• A) "Obtaining IP" indicates DHCP handshake failure; verifying DHCP server status/leases is the
direct next step.
• B) Driver issues prevent AP association, not DHCP negotiation.
• C) Firmware issues are possible but less likely than a service outage; checked later.
• D) MAC filtering blocks association at Layer 2, not DHCP negotiation after association.
Question 8
Which type of RAM is commonly used in modern laptops and features a 260-pin SO-DIMM form
factor? A) DDR3 B) DDR4 C) DDR5 D) Both B and C ✅ Correct Answer: D rationale
• A) DDR3 SO-DIMMs use 204 pins; obsolete in modern laptops.
• B) DDR4 uses 260-pin SO-DIMM but excludes DDR5 which also uses 260 pins.
• C) DDR5 uses 260-pin SO-DIMM but excludes DDR4.
• D) Both DDR4 and DDR5 laptop memory use 260-pin SO-DIMMs (different notch positions).
Question 9
A laser printer prints blank pages. Which component is MOST likely faulty? A) Fuser assembly B) Toner
cartridge C) Transfer roller D) Imaging drum ✅ Correct Answer: B rationale
• A) Fuser failure causes smudging/rubbing off, not completely blank pages.
• B) Empty/defective toner cartridge provides no imaging material, resulting in blank output.
• C) Transfer roller failure causes faint/partial prints, rarely completely blank.
• D) Drum failure causes streaks/repeating marks; complete blank output is less common than
toner issues.
Question 10
Which protocol automatically assigns IP addresses to devices on a network? A) DNS B) DHCP C) ARP D)
ICMP ✅ Correct Answer: B rationale
• A) Resolves domain names to IPs; does not assign addresses.
, • B) Dynamically configures IP, subnet, gateway, DNS for network clients.
• C) Maps IP to MAC addresses on local segment; no assignment function.
• D) Diagnostic/error messaging protocol (ping, traceroute); not for addressing.
Question 11
Which tool verifies physical layer connectivity of an Ethernet cable? A) Multimeter B) Cable tester C)
Loopback plug D) Tone generator ✅ Correct Answer: B rationale
• A) Checks continuity/voltage; not designed for structured cabling pinout verification.
• B) Specifically tests wire mapping, continuity, opens/shorts for Ethernet standards.
• C) Tests port functionality by looping TX/RX; does not test cable integrity.
• D) Traces cable paths; does not verify electrical connectivity or performance.
Question 12
Smartphone screen displays content normally but is unresponsive to touch. MOST likely cause? A)
Failed LCD panel B) Damaged digitizer C) Corrupted operating system D) Depleted battery ✅ Correct
Answer: B rationale
• A) LCD failure affects display, not touch responsiveness.
• B) Digitizer handles touch input; failure allows display to work while touch is dead.
• C) OS corruption causes broader system instability, not isolated touch loss.
• D) Depleted battery powers device off; display wouldn't function normally.
Question 13
Default port number for HTTPS traffic? A) 80 B) 443 C) 22 D) 3389 ✅ Correct Answer: B rationale
• A) HTTP (unencrypted web).
• B) HTTPS (encrypted web over TLS/SSL).
• C) SSH (secure remote CLI).
• D) RDP (Windows remote desktop).
Question 14
Which substance should be applied between CPU and heatsink for proper thermal transfer? A)
Electrical tape B) Thermal paste C) Silicone adhesive D) Isopropyl alcohol ✅ Correct Answer: B
rationale
• A) Insulator; traps heat, causes overheating.
• B) Fills microscopic gaps, maximizes heat conduction from CPU to cooler.
CompTIA A+ Core 1 (220-1101) | A+ Core 2
(220-1102) | Security+ (SY0-701) 2026
Edition | Every Question Includes Answer
& Rationale for All Options
PART 1: CompTIA A+ Core 1 (220-1101) — Questions 1–45
Question 1
A technician is configuring a new smartphone for a user who travels internationally. Which setting
should be enabled to avoid excessive roaming charges while still allowing emergency calls? A) Enable
Data Roaming B) Enable Airplane Mode with Wi-Fi C) Disable Cellular Data but keep Voice/SMS active D)
Enable International Roaming Package ✅ Correct Answer: C rationale
• A) Enables data on foreign networks, causing high charges.
• B) Blocks all cellular radios, often preventing emergency cellular calls in roaming zones.
• C) Prevents data billing while maintaining voice/SMS pathways for emergencies and carrier-
required signaling.
• D) Requires carrier pre-approval and still incurs fees; not a device-side configuration
guaranteeing cost avoidance.
Question 2
Which wireless standard operates exclusively in the 5 GHz band and supports theoretical speeds up to
6.9 Gbps? A) 802.11n B) 802.11ac (Wi-Fi 5) C) 802.11ax (Wi-Fi 6) D) 802.11be (Wi-Fi 7) ✅ Correct
Answer: B rationale
• A) Supports both 2.4/5 GHz; max ~600 Mbps.
• B) 5 GHz-only standard; max ~6.9 Gbps with 160 MHz channels and MU-MIMO.
• C) Dual-band (2.4/5 GHz) or tri-band (Wi-Fi 6E adds 6 GHz); exceeds 5 GHz exclusivity.
• D) Tri-band (2.4/5/6 GHz); speeds >40 Gbps; not exclusive to 5 GHz.
,Question 3
A laptop battery drains rapidly while idle. Power plan is set to "High Performance". What is the MOST
likely cause? A) Faulty battery hardware B) Background applications consuming CPU C) Power plan
preventing CPU throttling and sleep states D) Outdated BIOS firmware ✅ Correct Answer: C rationale
• A) Hardware failure causes inconsistent behavior, not plan-specific idle drain.
• B) Background apps drain regardless of power plan; not the primary correlate here.
• C) High Performance disables C-states, prevents sleep/hibernate, and keeps components at max
voltage, directly causing idle drain.
• D) BIOS updates help power management but are secondary to an explicitly misconfigured
power plan.
Question 4
Which connector type is commonly used for fiber optic connections in enterprise networking and
supports both single-mode and multi-mode fiber? A) RJ-45 B) LC C) BNC D) F-type ✅ Correct Answer:
B rationale
• A) Copper Ethernet connector; not fiber.
• B) Small form-factor fiber connector; standard for SFP/SFP+ modules; supports SMF and MMF.
• C) Coaxial connector; legacy Ethernet/video; not fiber.
• D) Coaxial connector; cable TV/satellite; not fiber.
Question 5
A technician is replacing a failed hard drive in a RAID 5 array. What is the MINIMUM number of drives
required for RAID 5? A) 2 B) 3 C) 4 D) 5 ✅ Correct Answer: B rationale
• A) Minimum for RAID 1 (mirroring), not parity-based RAID 5.
• B) RAID 5 requires 3 drives minimum for striping + distributed parity, tolerating one drive failure.
• C) Valid for larger RAID 5 arrays, but not the minimum.
• D) Exceeds minimum; often used for RAID 6 (dual parity minimum is 4).
Question 6
Which cloud service model provides the customer with control over OS, storage, and deployed
applications, while the provider manages underlying infrastructure? A) SaaS B) PaaS C) IaaS D) DaaS
✅ Correct Answer: C rationale
• A) Provider manages everything; customer only uses software.
• B) Provider manages OS/runtime; customer manages apps/data.
, • C) Customer manages OS, storage, apps; provider manages hardware/virtualization/networking.
Matches exactly.
• D) Virtual desktop delivery; provider manages most layers; limited OS control.
Question 7
A user cannot connect to corporate Wi-Fi. SSID visible, password accepted, but device shows
"Obtaining IP address..." indefinitely. What should be checked NEXT? A) DHCP server availability B)
Wireless adapter driver version C) Router firmware update D) MAC address filtering settings ✅ Correct
Answer: A rationale
• A) "Obtaining IP" indicates DHCP handshake failure; verifying DHCP server status/leases is the
direct next step.
• B) Driver issues prevent AP association, not DHCP negotiation.
• C) Firmware issues are possible but less likely than a service outage; checked later.
• D) MAC filtering blocks association at Layer 2, not DHCP negotiation after association.
Question 8
Which type of RAM is commonly used in modern laptops and features a 260-pin SO-DIMM form
factor? A) DDR3 B) DDR4 C) DDR5 D) Both B and C ✅ Correct Answer: D rationale
• A) DDR3 SO-DIMMs use 204 pins; obsolete in modern laptops.
• B) DDR4 uses 260-pin SO-DIMM but excludes DDR5 which also uses 260 pins.
• C) DDR5 uses 260-pin SO-DIMM but excludes DDR4.
• D) Both DDR4 and DDR5 laptop memory use 260-pin SO-DIMMs (different notch positions).
Question 9
A laser printer prints blank pages. Which component is MOST likely faulty? A) Fuser assembly B) Toner
cartridge C) Transfer roller D) Imaging drum ✅ Correct Answer: B rationale
• A) Fuser failure causes smudging/rubbing off, not completely blank pages.
• B) Empty/defective toner cartridge provides no imaging material, resulting in blank output.
• C) Transfer roller failure causes faint/partial prints, rarely completely blank.
• D) Drum failure causes streaks/repeating marks; complete blank output is less common than
toner issues.
Question 10
Which protocol automatically assigns IP addresses to devices on a network? A) DNS B) DHCP C) ARP D)
ICMP ✅ Correct Answer: B rationale
• A) Resolves domain names to IPs; does not assign addresses.
, • B) Dynamically configures IP, subnet, gateway, DNS for network clients.
• C) Maps IP to MAC addresses on local segment; no assignment function.
• D) Diagnostic/error messaging protocol (ping, traceroute); not for addressing.
Question 11
Which tool verifies physical layer connectivity of an Ethernet cable? A) Multimeter B) Cable tester C)
Loopback plug D) Tone generator ✅ Correct Answer: B rationale
• A) Checks continuity/voltage; not designed for structured cabling pinout verification.
• B) Specifically tests wire mapping, continuity, opens/shorts for Ethernet standards.
• C) Tests port functionality by looping TX/RX; does not test cable integrity.
• D) Traces cable paths; does not verify electrical connectivity or performance.
Question 12
Smartphone screen displays content normally but is unresponsive to touch. MOST likely cause? A)
Failed LCD panel B) Damaged digitizer C) Corrupted operating system D) Depleted battery ✅ Correct
Answer: B rationale
• A) LCD failure affects display, not touch responsiveness.
• B) Digitizer handles touch input; failure allows display to work while touch is dead.
• C) OS corruption causes broader system instability, not isolated touch loss.
• D) Depleted battery powers device off; display wouldn't function normally.
Question 13
Default port number for HTTPS traffic? A) 80 B) 443 C) 22 D) 3389 ✅ Correct Answer: B rationale
• A) HTTP (unencrypted web).
• B) HTTPS (encrypted web over TLS/SSL).
• C) SSH (secure remote CLI).
• D) RDP (Windows remote desktop).
Question 14
Which substance should be applied between CPU and heatsink for proper thermal transfer? A)
Electrical tape B) Thermal paste C) Silicone adhesive D) Isopropyl alcohol ✅ Correct Answer: B
rationale
• A) Insulator; traps heat, causes overheating.
• B) Fills microscopic gaps, maximizes heat conduction from CPU to cooler.
