WGU IT and Tech Fundamentals (CTIAT) OA 2026–2027 |
140 Practice Questions & Answers with Rationales + 2 Full
Mock Exams.
Domain 1: IT Infrastructure
1. Which component temporarily holds data and instructions currently being
used by the CPU?
A. SSD
B. RAM
C. Power supply
D. Network interface card
Answer: B. RAM
Rationale: RAM provides fast, temporary storage for active programs and data. Its contents are
lost when power is removed.
2. A computer must retain files after it is shut down. Which component provides
this capability?
A. Cache
B. RAM
C. SSD
D. CPU register
Answer: C. SSD
Rationale: An SSD is nonvolatile storage, meaning it retains information without power. Cache,
RAM, and CPU registers are volatile.
3. What is the primary responsibility of a computer’s power supply unit?
A. Convert electrical power into voltages the components can use
B. Store the operating system
,C. Process program instructions
D. Connect the computer to a wireless network
Answer: A. Convert electrical power into voltages the components can use
Rationale: The power supply converts incoming AC electricity into regulated DC voltages
required by internal components.
4. Which component is primarily responsible for rendering graphics?
A. NIC
B. PSU
C. GPU
D. HDD
Answer: C. GPU
Rationale: A graphics processing unit performs the calculations required to render images,
video, and graphical interfaces.
5. An employee needs to connect a laptop to a modern monitor while
transmitting both digital video and audio. Which connection is appropriate?
A. PS/2
B. HDMI
C. RJ-11
D. Serial
Answer: B. HDMI
Rationale: HDMI carries digital video and audio over a single cable. PS/2 connects older input
devices, while RJ-11 is associated with telephone lines.
6. Which TWO devices are output devices? Select two.
A. Microphone
B. Monitor
C. Scanner
D. Printer
,Answers: B and D
Rationale: A monitor and printer present information produced by a computer. A microphone
and scanner send information into the computer.
7. Which computer component connects the processor, memory, storage devices,
and expansion cards?
A. Motherboard
B. Heat sink
C. Monitor
D. Keyboard
Answer: A. Motherboard
Rationale: The motherboard is the main circuit board that provides communication pathways
and physical connections for internal components.
8. A technician hears repeated clicking from an older computer immediately
before files become inaccessible. Which component is most likely failing?
A. CPU
B. Mechanical hard disk drive
C. RAM module
D. Graphics card
Answer: B. Mechanical hard disk drive
Rationale: Clicking can indicate a mechanical HDD failure involving its read/write heads or
platters. Important data should be backed up immediately.
9. Which operating system is commonly used on smartphones and is based on the
Linux kernel?
A. Android
B. macOS
C. Windows Server
D. Chrome browser
, Answer: A. Android
Rationale: Android is a mobile operating system built on the Linux kernel. A browser is an
application rather than an operating system.
10. What is the principal role of an operating system?
A. Manufacture computer components
B. Manage hardware resources and provide services to applications
C. Replace every installed application
D. Supply internet service
Answer: B. Manage hardware resources and provide services to applications
Rationale: The operating system manages processors, memory, files, storage, devices, security,
and application execution.
11. A user opens a word processor twice. How will the operating system generally
represent the two running instances?
A. As device drivers
B. As separate processes
C. As disk partitions
D. As firmware updates
Answer: B. As separate processes
Rationale: A process is a running instance of a program. Multiple instances can run as separate
processes with their own execution states.
12. What is the function of a device driver?
A. Provide communication between the operating system and hardware
B. Provide emergency electrical power
C. Create relational database tables
D. Assign IP addresses
Answer: A. Provide communication between the operating system and hardware
140 Practice Questions & Answers with Rationales + 2 Full
Mock Exams.
Domain 1: IT Infrastructure
1. Which component temporarily holds data and instructions currently being
used by the CPU?
A. SSD
B. RAM
C. Power supply
D. Network interface card
Answer: B. RAM
Rationale: RAM provides fast, temporary storage for active programs and data. Its contents are
lost when power is removed.
2. A computer must retain files after it is shut down. Which component provides
this capability?
A. Cache
B. RAM
C. SSD
D. CPU register
Answer: C. SSD
Rationale: An SSD is nonvolatile storage, meaning it retains information without power. Cache,
RAM, and CPU registers are volatile.
3. What is the primary responsibility of a computer’s power supply unit?
A. Convert electrical power into voltages the components can use
B. Store the operating system
,C. Process program instructions
D. Connect the computer to a wireless network
Answer: A. Convert electrical power into voltages the components can use
Rationale: The power supply converts incoming AC electricity into regulated DC voltages
required by internal components.
4. Which component is primarily responsible for rendering graphics?
A. NIC
B. PSU
C. GPU
D. HDD
Answer: C. GPU
Rationale: A graphics processing unit performs the calculations required to render images,
video, and graphical interfaces.
5. An employee needs to connect a laptop to a modern monitor while
transmitting both digital video and audio. Which connection is appropriate?
A. PS/2
B. HDMI
C. RJ-11
D. Serial
Answer: B. HDMI
Rationale: HDMI carries digital video and audio over a single cable. PS/2 connects older input
devices, while RJ-11 is associated with telephone lines.
6. Which TWO devices are output devices? Select two.
A. Microphone
B. Monitor
C. Scanner
D. Printer
,Answers: B and D
Rationale: A monitor and printer present information produced by a computer. A microphone
and scanner send information into the computer.
7. Which computer component connects the processor, memory, storage devices,
and expansion cards?
A. Motherboard
B. Heat sink
C. Monitor
D. Keyboard
Answer: A. Motherboard
Rationale: The motherboard is the main circuit board that provides communication pathways
and physical connections for internal components.
8. A technician hears repeated clicking from an older computer immediately
before files become inaccessible. Which component is most likely failing?
A. CPU
B. Mechanical hard disk drive
C. RAM module
D. Graphics card
Answer: B. Mechanical hard disk drive
Rationale: Clicking can indicate a mechanical HDD failure involving its read/write heads or
platters. Important data should be backed up immediately.
9. Which operating system is commonly used on smartphones and is based on the
Linux kernel?
A. Android
B. macOS
C. Windows Server
D. Chrome browser
, Answer: A. Android
Rationale: Android is a mobile operating system built on the Linux kernel. A browser is an
application rather than an operating system.
10. What is the principal role of an operating system?
A. Manufacture computer components
B. Manage hardware resources and provide services to applications
C. Replace every installed application
D. Supply internet service
Answer: B. Manage hardware resources and provide services to applications
Rationale: The operating system manages processors, memory, files, storage, devices, security,
and application execution.
11. A user opens a word processor twice. How will the operating system generally
represent the two running instances?
A. As device drivers
B. As separate processes
C. As disk partitions
D. As firmware updates
Answer: B. As separate processes
Rationale: A process is a running instance of a program. Multiple instances can run as separate
processes with their own execution states.
12. What is the function of a device driver?
A. Provide communication between the operating system and hardware
B. Provide emergency electrical power
C. Create relational database tables
D. Assign IP addresses
Answer: A. Provide communication between the operating system and hardware
