thinQmaster — free preview
A+ Core 1 (220-1201). Set it up and run it.
This is not a sample sheet — it is the application, running. Pick
your mode, your length, your domain, the same way you would inside the full title.
Study mode marks each answer and tells you why the right one is right and why each
wrong one is wrong; Simulation puts a clock on it and chooses each question from
whatever you are weakest in. No account, no e-mail address, no card.
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The five questions
1. Refer to the exhibit. A technician reviews a firewall rule list and must identify which line permits secure, encrypted web browsing to the public server. Which port is it?
- A. Port 80
- B. Port 25
- C. Port 443
- D. Port 23
Correct answer: C.
Port 443 carries HTTPS, which encrypts web traffic with TLS, so rule B is the line permitting secure, encrypted browsing to the public web server as required.
Why the others are wrong. Port 80 is plain HTTP with no encryption, exposing traffic. Port 25 is SMTP for email relay between servers, not web browsing. Port 23 is Telnet, an insecure clear-text terminal protocol that has nothing to do with reaching a web server securely.
2. Which two components in a modern laptop are most commonly replaced as field-serviceable parts without removing the motherboard? (Choose two.)
- A. The M.2 storage drive
- B. SO-DIMM memory
- C. The soldered wireless module
- D. The integrated CPU
- E. The southbridge chipset
Correct answer: A.
SO-DIMM memory and M.2 drives sit in accessible slots under a service panel or the bottom cover, and both are designed to be swapped by a technician in the field.
Why the others are wrong. D: Laptop CPUs are almost universally soldered (BGA) in current designs and are not field-replaceable. E: The chipset is soldered to the board and is a board-level repair. C: The word soldered in the option is the giveaway - a soldered module cannot be swapped without rework.
3. A user reports that their laptop screen is very dim even at maximum brightness, though the image is still faintly visible when a flashlight is held close to the panel. Which component has most likely failed?
- A. The video cable to the motherboard
- B. The integrated GPU
- C. The LCD panel itself
- D. The inverter or LED backlight
Correct answer: D.
A faint but correct image that becomes visible under a flashlight proves the panel and video signal are working - only the illumination is gone. That is the backlight, or on older CCFL displays the inverter that drives it.
Why the others are wrong. C: A failed LCD panel produces artifacts, lines or a blank area, not a correctly rendered image that is merely unlit. A: A bad video cable causes flicker, colour distortion or no image at all, and often changes when the lid moves. B: A failed GPU produces artifacts or no output, and would affect an external monitor too.
4. A technician is opening firewall rules so staff can upload files to a legacy server using plain FTP. Which pair of TCP ports must be permitted?
- A. 80 and 443
- B. 22 and 23
- C. 67 and 68
- D. 20 and 21
Correct answer: D.
Classic FTP uses TCP 21 for the control connection that carries commands and TCP 20 for the data channel that carries the actual file contents.
Why the others are wrong. B: 22 is SSH and 23 is Telnet, both remote terminal protocols. C: 67 and 68 are the DHCP server and client ports. A: 80 and 443 carry web traffic, not FTP.
5. A customer brings in a motherboard whose specification sheet lists four 288-pin DDR5 slots. They have a box of spare DDR4 modules they want to reuse. What should the technician tell them?
- A. The DDR4 modules are keyed differently and will not fit the DDR5 slots
- B. The DDR4 modules will work only if all four slots are filled
- C. The DDR4 modules will fit but run at a reduced speed
- D. The DDR4 modules will work once the BIOS is updated
Correct answer: A.
DDR generations use a different notch position so a module can only enter a slot of its own generation. DDR4 and DDR5 are electrically and physically incompatible even though both are 288-pin desktop DIMMs.
Why the others are wrong. B: Slot population has nothing to do with generation compatibility. D: No firmware update can change the physical keying or the voltage regulation, which moved onto the DDR5 module itself. C: The notch blocks insertion entirely, so there is no reduced-speed fallback.
6. A technician is replacing a laptop keyboard. After removing the visible screws on the bottom of the chassis, the keyboard still will not lift free. What should the technician do next?
- A. Heat the chassis with a hot air station to soften the adhesive
- B. Apply firmer upward pressure until the retaining clips release
- C. Remove the display assembly to reach the keyboard from above
- D. Consult the manufacturer's service manual for this model
Correct answer: D.
Laptop disassembly order varies by model, and the service manual is the only authoritative source for which fasteners and clips hold a given part. Checking it prevents breaking plastic that is not designed to flex.
Why the others are wrong. B: Forcing a part that is still fastened is how ribbon connectors and clips get broken. C: Removing the display is a large, unnecessary teardown on most models and is not indicated without checking the manual. A: Heat is used for adhesive-mounted screens and batteries, not for a keyboard held by screws and clips.
7. A network administrator needs an encrypted command line session to a managed switch. Which port should be open on the switch?
- A. 23
- B. 25
- C. 22
- D. 3389
Correct answer: C.
SSH listens on TCP 22 and encrypts the entire session, including the credentials used to log in.
Why the others are wrong. A: 23 is Telnet, which sends everything including passwords in clear text. B: 25 is SMTP, used to relay outbound mail. D: 3389 is RDP, a graphical remote desktop protocol rather than a switch CLI.
8. A technician is ordering memory for a business laptop that has one free memory slot. Which module form factor should be ordered?
- A. SO-DIMM
- B. Full-size DIMM
- C. RIMM
- D. MicroDIMM
Correct answer: A.
Laptops and most small-form-factor systems use SO-DIMM modules, which are physically shorter than desktop DIMMs so they fit the thinner chassis.
Why the others are wrong. C: RIMM is obsolete RDRAM packaging not used in modern laptops. D: MicroDIMM was used in a few ultraportables years ago and is not the current standard. B: A full-size DIMM is roughly twice as long and will not physically fit a notebook board.
