Q1. Which component of Charles Babbage's "Analytical Engine" served the same purpose as the modern CPU's ALU (Arithmetic Logic Unit)?

A) The Store

B) The Mill

C) The Input Punc

D) The Printer

E) The Reader

Answer: B (The Mill was the processing unit; The Store was memory).

 

Q2. Arrange the following computing speeds from slowest to fastest:

 

Millisecond

 

Nanosecond

 

Picosecond

 

Microsecond

A) 1 < 4 < 2 < 3

B) 3 < 2 < 4 < 1

C) 1 < 2 < 4 < 3

D) 4 < 1 < 2 < 3

E) 1 < 4 < 3 < 2

Answer: A

 

Q3. The first computer to use the concept of "Stored Program" architecture (storing instructions in memory alongside data) was:

A) ENIAC

B) UNIVAC

C) EDSAC

D) Analytical Engine

E) Cray-1

Answer: C (EDSAC ran the first stored program; ENIAC was initially hard-wired).

 

Q4. Which of the following best describes "Moore's Law"?

A) The speed of computers doubles every year.

B) The number of transistors on a microchip doubles about every two years, while the cost of computers is halved.

C) Storage capacity doubles every 6 months.

D) Internet speed doubles every decade.

E) AI will surpass human intelligence by 2030.

Answer: B

 

Q5. In which generation of computers was the concept of "Time-Sharing" Operating Systems introduced?

A) First

B) Second

C) Third

D) Fourth

E) Fifth

Answer: C

 

Q6. "Petaflops" is a unit used to measure the performance of:

A) Hard Drives

B) Network Bandwidth

C) Supercomputers

D) Printers

E) Cloud Storage

Answer: C (Floating Point Operations Per Second).

 

Q7. Which Indian Supercomputer recently ranked in the Top 500 list of the world's fastest supercomputers (as of 2024 context)?

A) PARAM 8000

B) AIRAWAT

C) Pratyush

D) Mihir

E) SAGA-220

Answer: B (AIRAWAT - AI Supercomputer).

 

Q8. The transition from Second Generation to Third Generation was marked by the shift from:

A) Vacuum Tubes to Transistors

B) Transistors to Integrated Circuits (ICs)

C) ICs to Microprocessors

D) Machine Language to Assembly

E) Batch Processing to AI

Answer: B

 

Q9. Match the Inventor with the Invention:

| Inventor | Invention |


| 1. Jack Kilby | A. Computer Mouse |

| 2. Douglas Engelbart | B. Integrated Circuit (IC) |

| 3. Seymour Cray | C. Supercomputer |

A) 1-B, 2-A, 3-C

B) 1-A, 2-B, 3-C

C) 1-C, 2-A, 3-B

D) 1-B, 2-C, 3-A

E) 1-A, 2-C, 3-B

Answer: A

 

Q10. Which of the following statements about the "UNIVAC I" is correct?

A) It was the first commercial computer produced in the US.

B) It was a mechanical computer.

C) It used transistors.

D) It was invented by Bill Gates.

E) It was a laptop.

Answer: A

 

Q11. The "Tabulating Machine" used in the 1890 US Census was invented by:

A) Charles Babbage

B) Herman Hollerith

C) Alan Turing

D) Blaise Pascal

E) Steve Jobs

Answer: B (This company later became IBM).

 

Q12. Which generation of computers introduced "High-Level Languages" like FORTRAN and COBOL?

A) First

B) Second (Late) to Third

C) Fourth

D) Fifth

E) None of the above

Answer: B (Usually associated with late 2nd and standardized in 3rd).

 

Q13. Identify the "Odd One Out" based on classification by Data Handling:

A) Analog Computer

B) Digital Computer

C) Hybrid Computer

D) Laptop

E) None of these

Answer: D (Laptop is classified by Size; A, B, C are by Data Handling).

 

Q14. The "Harvard Mark I" was essentially a:

A) Fully Electronic Computer

B) Electro-mechanical Computer

C) Biological Computer

D) Quantum Computer

E) Pocket Calculator

Answer: B

 

Q15. In computing history, "Lady Ada Lovelace" is famous for:

A) Designing the hardware of the Analytical Engine.

B) Being the first computer programmer.

C) Inventing the mouse.

D) Creating the binary system.

E) Founding Microsoft.

Answer: B

 

Q16. What was the primary input mechanism for First Generation computers?

A) Keyboard and Mouse

B) Punch Cards and Paper Tape

C) Touchscreen

D) Voice Command

E) Scanner

Answer: B

 

Q17. Which specific technology enabled the development of the "Microcomputer" (PC)?

A) The Vacuum Tube

B) The Transistor

C) The Microprocessor (CPU on a single chip)

D) The Monitor

E) The Internet

Answer: C

 

Q18. "LSI" and "VLSI" chips are associated with which generation?

A) 3rd (LSI) and 4th (VLSI)

B) 1st and 2nd

C) 2nd and 3rd

D) 5th Only

E) 1st Only

Answer: A (Large Scale Integration marked the transition to 4th).

 

Q19. Which of the following refers to a computer that monitors physical quantities like temperature or pressure continuously?

A) Digital Computer

B) Analog Computer

C) Mainframe

D) Supercomputer

E) Workstation

Answer: B

 

Q20. "Parallel Processing" (executing multiple instructions simultaneously) is a key feature of:

A) 1st Gen Computers

B) 2nd Gen Computers

C) 5th Gen / Advanced Supercomputers

D) Mechanical Calculators

E) Abacus

Answer: C

 

Q21. The first supercomputer developed in India was:

A) PARAM 8000

B) Cray-1

C) Siddhartha

D) Pratyush

E) Flowsolver

Answer: A

 

Q22. "Napier's Bones" was a calculating device used for:

A) Addition only

B) Subtraction only

C) Multiplication and Division

D) Sorting data

E) Printing

Answer: C

 

Q23. Which of the following is NOT a characteristic of a Mainframe Computer?

A) High Reliability (RAS - Reliability, Availability, Serviceability).

B) Ability to handle thousands of users.

C) Portable and battery-operated.

D) Used for bulk data processing.

E) Huge storage capacity.

Answer: C

 

Q24. Consider the following statements about "Supercomputers":

(I) They are measured in MIPS.

(II) They use parallel processing.

(III) They are used for crypto-analysis and weather forecasting.

Which are correct?

A) I only

B) I and II

C) II and III

D) All I, II, III

E) None

Answer: C (Supercomputers are measured in FLOPS, not MIPS).

 

Q25. "Siddhartha" was the name of:

A) The first Supercomputer in India.

B) The first Computer developed/manufactured in India.

C) A computer virus.

D) An Operating System.

E) A programming language.

Answer: B

 

Q26. Who invented the "Mouse" in 1964?

A) Tim Berners-Lee

B) Douglas Engelbart

C) Christopher Sholes

D) Jack Kilby

E) Vint Cerf

Answer: B

 

Q27. The first commercially successful minicomputer was:

A) PDP-8

B) ENIAC

C) IBM PC

D) Macintosh

E) Cray-1

Answer: A

 

Q28. "GIGO" in computer science relates to:

A) Speed

B) Accuracy/Reliability of Output based on Input

C) Storage

D) Networking

E) Printing

Answer: B (Garbage In, Garbage Out).

 

Q29. Which generation of computers required the extensive use of Air Conditioning due to heat generation?

A) First Generation

B) Fourth Generation

C) Fifth Generation

D) Laptop Generation

E) Tablet Generation

Answer: A

 

Q30. "Quantum Computers" rely on the principles of:

A) Classical Physics

B) Quantum Mechanics (Superposition and Entanglement)

C) Thermodynamics

D) Fluid Dynamics

E) Newtonian Physics

Answer: B

 

Q31. Identify the computer: It combines features of both analog and digital computers.

A) Mainframe

B) Hybrid Computer

C) Supercomputer

D) Minicomputer

E) Server

Answer: B

 

Q32. "Pace-Maker" implanted in a human heart is an example of:

A) Mainframe Computer

B) Hybrid Computer

C) Analog Computer

D) Workstation

E) Supercomputer

Answer: B (Measures heartbeat [Analog], Controls pulses [Digital]).

 

Q33. Which company introduced the first microprocessor (Intel 4004)?

A) IBM

B) Apple

C) Intel

D) Microsoft

E) AMD

Answer: C

 

Q34. The "Leibniz Wheel" or "Step Reckoner" was an improvement on:

A) The Abacus

B) Pascaline

C) Analytical Engine

D) Tabulating Machine

E) ENIAC

Answer: B

 

Q35. Fifth Generation computers are based on:

A) Artificial Intelligence

B) Programming Intelligence

C) System Knowledge

D) VVLSI

E) Vacuum Tubes

Answer: A

 

Q36. Which of the following is correct regarding "Workstations"?

A) They are weaker than laptops.

B) They are powerful desktop computers designed for specialized tasks like 3D animation or engineering (CAD).

C) They are servers.

D) They are mobile phones.

E) They use vacuum tubes.

Answer: B

 

Q37. The "ABC" (Atanasoff-Berry Computer) was:

A) The first mechanical computer.

B) The first automatic electronic digital computer.

C) The first laptop.

D) A calculator.

E) A virus.

Answer: B

 

Q38. "SMPS" is used in modern PC power supplies. Why?

A) It is cheaper.

B) It is more efficient at converting power and generates less heat than linear supplies.

C) It is wireless.

D) It stores data.

E) It increases RAM.

Answer: B

 

Q39. Which famous law states "The value of a telecommunications network is proportional to the square of the number of connected users"?

A) Moore's Law

B) Metcalfe's Law

C) Murphy's Law

D) Amdahl's Law

E) Newton's Law

Answer: B

 

Q40. "Cray-1" is famous for being:

A) The first laptop.

B) The first virus.

C) The first commercially successful Supercomputer.

D) The first mouse.

E) The first internet router.

Answer: C

 

Q41. A "Dumb Terminal" consists of:

A) A microprocessor and memory.

B) A monitor and keyboard but no processing power of its own.

C) A full CPU.

D) A hard drive only.

E) A printer.

Answer: B (It relies on a mainframe for processing).

 

Q42. "Intelligent Terminal" differs from a "Dumb Terminal" because:

A) It has a bigger screen.

B) It has its own processor and memory to perform some processing locally.

C) It speaks.

D) It uses AI.

E) It is wireless.

Answer: B

 

Q43. Which computer generation saw the development of the "Mouse" and "GUI"?

A) First

B) Second

C) Fourth

D) Fifth

E) Third (Late) to Fourth

Answer: E (Often categorized under 4th Gen commercialization).

 

Q44. The "Binary System" was formally introduced to computing logic by:

A) Charles Babbage

B) George Boole and Claude Shannon

C) Bill Gates

D) Steve Jobs

E) Tim Berners-Lee

Answer: B

 

Q45. "Assembly Language" uses mnemonics. Mnemonics are:

A) 0s and 1s.

B) Short abbreviations like ADD, SUB, MOV.

C) English paragraphs.

D) Graphics.

E) Cables.

Answer: B

 

Q46. The speed of First Generation computers was measured in:

A) Nanoseconds

B) Microseconds

C) Milliseconds

D) Seconds

E) Hours

Answer: C

 

Q47. Which computer was used to crack the German Enigma code during WWII?

A) ENIAC

B) Colossus

C) UNIVAC

D) IBM PC

E) Macintosh

Answer: B

 

Q48. "EDVAC" used which number system?

A) Decimal

B) Binary

C) Octal

D) Hexadecimal

E) Roman

Answer: B (A key improvement over ENIAC).

 

Q49. "Handheld Computer" is another name for:

A) Minicomputer

B) PDA (Personal Digital Assistant)

C) Mainframe

D) Tower PC

E) Workstation

Answer: B

 

Q50. The term "Silicon Chip" is synonymous with:

A) Transistor

B) Integrated Circuit (IC)

C) Vacuum Tube

D) Resistor

E) Capacitor

Answer: B

 

Q51. Which is the fastest type of computer in the hierarchy?

A) Microcomputer

B) Mini Computer

C) Mainframe

D) Supercomputer

E) Server

Answer: D

 

Q52. "Wearable Computers" like Apple Watch belong to which category?

A) Mainframe

B) Microcomputer

C) Supercomputer

D) Analog

E) Hybrid

Answer: B (They use microprocessors).

 

Q53. A "Client-Server" architecture is typical of:

A) Standalone computing.

B) Networked computing.

C) Calculator use.

D) Typewriting.

E) Gaming consoles.

Answer: B

 

Q54. "Palmtop" computers are also known as:

A) Handheld computers

B) Laptops

C) Desktops

D) Mainframes

E) Servers

Answer: A

 

Q55. In the context of computer history, "Bug" was first coined when:

A) A virus attacked a computer.

B) A real moth was found trapped in a relay of the Mark II computer.

C) A mouse bit the wire.

D) The screen flickered.

E) The internet crashed.

Answer: B (Grace Hopper found it).

 

Q56. The "Difference Engine" was powered by:

A) Electricity

B) Steam

C) Solar Power

D) Nuclear Energy

E) Batteries

Answer: B

 

Q57. Which component is responsible for the "Accuracy" characteristic of a computer?

A) The user input.

B) The electronic circuits (Reliable logic design).

C) The monitor resolution.

D) The printer.

E) The internet speed.

Answer: B

 

Q58. "Versatility" in computers means:

A) High speed.

B) Ability to perform completely different types of work.

C) Large storage.

D) Low cost.

E) Portability.

Answer: B

 

Q59. The first "Smartphone" (Simon Personal Communicator) was introduced by:

A) Apple

B) IBM

C) Samsung

D) Nokia

E) Motorola

Answer: B

 

Q60. Which of the following is NOT a characteristic of 4th Generation Computers?

A) Use of VLSI.

B) Portable.

C) Cheap and easily available.

D) Use of Vacuum Tubes.

E) Use of GUI OS.

Answer: D