CompTIA A+
Core 1 (220-1101)
Mobile Devices, Networking, Hardware, Virtualization & Cloud, Hardware
Troubleshooting
Exam Code: 220-1101 | 60 Questions & Verified Answers
Covers All Official Exam Objectives
Domain 1: Mobile Devices
Laptops & Mobile Hardware
Q1. A laptop display only shows an image when an external monitor is connected. The laptop
screen remains black. Which component is MOST likely faulty?
A. RAM modules
B. Laptop display or LCD inverter
C. Hard drive
D. CPU
Answer: B. Laptop display or LCD inverter
If an image appears on an external monitor but not the built-in screen, the issue is with the laptop
screen itself — either the LCD panel, backlight, or inverter.
The CPU and RAM are fine because the system boots and displays on the external monitor.
A hard drive failure would prevent the OS from loading entirely.
Q2. A user reports their laptop battery drains within 30 minutes of being unplugged, even after a
full charge. What is the BEST first step?
A. Replace the motherboard
B. Reinstall the operating system
C. Replace the laptop battery
D. Update the BIOS firmware
Answer: C. Replace the laptop battery
Rapid battery drain after a full charge is the classic symptom of a degraded battery that has lost
capacity.
, Batteries have a limited charge cycle life — typically 300-500 cycles before significant capacity loss.
BIOS update and OS reinstall would not fix a hardware battery issue.
Q3. Which display connector is commonly found on modern laptops and supports both video and
data transfer over a single reversible cable?
A. VGA
B. HDMI
C. USB-C (with DisplayPort Alt Mode)
D. DVI
Answer: C. USB-C (with DisplayPort Alt Mode)
USB-C supports DisplayPort Alternate Mode, allowing video output alongside data and power over
one reversible connector.
VGA and DVI are analog/older digital standards not found on modern thin laptops.
HDMI is found on some laptops but is not reversible and does not carry data.
Q4. A technician needs to upgrade the RAM in a laptop. Which RAM form factor is used in
laptops?
A. DIMM
B. SO-DIMM
C. RIMM
D. MicroDIMM
Answer: B. SO-DIMM
SO-DIMM (Small Outline DIMM) is the standard RAM form factor for laptops — physically smaller
than the full-size DIMM used in desktops.
DIMM is for desktop computers. RIMM was used for older RDRAM (Rambus) memory.
For the CompTIA A+ exam, remember: laptops use SO-DIMM.
Q5. Which of the following wireless standards operates ONLY on the 5 GHz band?
A. 802.11b
B. 802.11g
C. 802.11a
D. 802.11n
Answer: C. 802.11a
802.11a operates exclusively on 5 GHz at up to 54 Mbps.
802.11b and 802.11g operate only on 2.4 GHz.
802.11n is dual-band — it operates on both 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz.
Q6. A user's touchscreen is not responding to touch inputs but the display shows correctly. What
should the technician do FIRST?
A. Replace the display assembly
B. Reinstall the GPU driver
C. Clean the screen and restart the device
, D. Replace the digitizer
Answer: C. Clean the screen and restart the device
Following the troubleshooting methodology: always try the simplest solution first.
A dirty screen or temporary driver glitch can cause touch unresponsiveness.
If cleaning and restarting do not resolve the issue, then investigate driver or hardware replacement.
Q7. Which mobile device feature allows the phone to determine its physical orientation and
automatically rotate the screen?
A. GPS
B. Accelerometer
C. Gyroscope
D. Magnetometer
Answer: B. Accelerometer
The accelerometer measures linear acceleration and detects the device's orientation relative to
gravity — this is what triggers automatic screen rotation.
Gyroscope measures rotational movement (angular velocity).
GPS determines geographic location. Magnetometer acts as a compass.
Q8. A user wants to connect their laptop to a projector that only has a VGA port, but the laptop
only has an HDMI port. What should the technician provide?
A. A USB to VGA adapter
B. An HDMI to VGA adapter
C. A DisplayPort to HDMI cable
D. A KVM switch
Answer: B. An HDMI to VGA adapter
An HDMI to VGA adapter converts the digital HDMI signal to the analog VGA signal required by the
projector.
Note: This is a one-way conversion (HDMI out to VGA in) — VGA to HDMI adapters require active
electronics.
USB to VGA adapters exist but add complexity and are not needed here.
Domain 2: Networking
Network Cables, Ports & Protocols
Q9. Which cable type uses light to transmit data and is immune to electromagnetic interference
(EMI)?
A. Cat6a
B. Coaxial
C. Fiber optic
D. STP (Shielded Twisted Pair)
Answer: C. Fiber optic
Core 1 (220-1101)
Mobile Devices, Networking, Hardware, Virtualization & Cloud, Hardware
Troubleshooting
Exam Code: 220-1101 | 60 Questions & Verified Answers
Covers All Official Exam Objectives
Domain 1: Mobile Devices
Laptops & Mobile Hardware
Q1. A laptop display only shows an image when an external monitor is connected. The laptop
screen remains black. Which component is MOST likely faulty?
A. RAM modules
B. Laptop display or LCD inverter
C. Hard drive
D. CPU
Answer: B. Laptop display or LCD inverter
If an image appears on an external monitor but not the built-in screen, the issue is with the laptop
screen itself — either the LCD panel, backlight, or inverter.
The CPU and RAM are fine because the system boots and displays on the external monitor.
A hard drive failure would prevent the OS from loading entirely.
Q2. A user reports their laptop battery drains within 30 minutes of being unplugged, even after a
full charge. What is the BEST first step?
A. Replace the motherboard
B. Reinstall the operating system
C. Replace the laptop battery
D. Update the BIOS firmware
Answer: C. Replace the laptop battery
Rapid battery drain after a full charge is the classic symptom of a degraded battery that has lost
capacity.
, Batteries have a limited charge cycle life — typically 300-500 cycles before significant capacity loss.
BIOS update and OS reinstall would not fix a hardware battery issue.
Q3. Which display connector is commonly found on modern laptops and supports both video and
data transfer over a single reversible cable?
A. VGA
B. HDMI
C. USB-C (with DisplayPort Alt Mode)
D. DVI
Answer: C. USB-C (with DisplayPort Alt Mode)
USB-C supports DisplayPort Alternate Mode, allowing video output alongside data and power over
one reversible connector.
VGA and DVI are analog/older digital standards not found on modern thin laptops.
HDMI is found on some laptops but is not reversible and does not carry data.
Q4. A technician needs to upgrade the RAM in a laptop. Which RAM form factor is used in
laptops?
A. DIMM
B. SO-DIMM
C. RIMM
D. MicroDIMM
Answer: B. SO-DIMM
SO-DIMM (Small Outline DIMM) is the standard RAM form factor for laptops — physically smaller
than the full-size DIMM used in desktops.
DIMM is for desktop computers. RIMM was used for older RDRAM (Rambus) memory.
For the CompTIA A+ exam, remember: laptops use SO-DIMM.
Q5. Which of the following wireless standards operates ONLY on the 5 GHz band?
A. 802.11b
B. 802.11g
C. 802.11a
D. 802.11n
Answer: C. 802.11a
802.11a operates exclusively on 5 GHz at up to 54 Mbps.
802.11b and 802.11g operate only on 2.4 GHz.
802.11n is dual-band — it operates on both 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz.
Q6. A user's touchscreen is not responding to touch inputs but the display shows correctly. What
should the technician do FIRST?
A. Replace the display assembly
B. Reinstall the GPU driver
C. Clean the screen and restart the device
, D. Replace the digitizer
Answer: C. Clean the screen and restart the device
Following the troubleshooting methodology: always try the simplest solution first.
A dirty screen or temporary driver glitch can cause touch unresponsiveness.
If cleaning and restarting do not resolve the issue, then investigate driver or hardware replacement.
Q7. Which mobile device feature allows the phone to determine its physical orientation and
automatically rotate the screen?
A. GPS
B. Accelerometer
C. Gyroscope
D. Magnetometer
Answer: B. Accelerometer
The accelerometer measures linear acceleration and detects the device's orientation relative to
gravity — this is what triggers automatic screen rotation.
Gyroscope measures rotational movement (angular velocity).
GPS determines geographic location. Magnetometer acts as a compass.
Q8. A user wants to connect their laptop to a projector that only has a VGA port, but the laptop
only has an HDMI port. What should the technician provide?
A. A USB to VGA adapter
B. An HDMI to VGA adapter
C. A DisplayPort to HDMI cable
D. A KVM switch
Answer: B. An HDMI to VGA adapter
An HDMI to VGA adapter converts the digital HDMI signal to the analog VGA signal required by the
projector.
Note: This is a one-way conversion (HDMI out to VGA in) — VGA to HDMI adapters require active
electronics.
USB to VGA adapters exist but add complexity and are not needed here.
Domain 2: Networking
Network Cables, Ports & Protocols
Q9. Which cable type uses light to transmit data and is immune to electromagnetic interference
(EMI)?
A. Cat6a
B. Coaxial
C. Fiber optic
D. STP (Shielded Twisted Pair)
Answer: C. Fiber optic
