Computer GK questions

GK by subject Updated 11 Oct 2026

These computer GK questions cover the topics asked in school tests, SSC, bank and railway exams and computer awareness sections. The 50 computer questions and answers are grouped into computer basics, hardware and storage, data units and number systems, software and programming, and internet and networking terms.\n\nEach question has four options and a short explanation of the correct answer, so you learn the full form, the definition or the fact behind it while you practise.

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Computer basics

Q1. Who is known as the father of the computer?
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Answer: A. Charles Babbage
Charles Babbage designed the Analytical Engine in the 1830s, a mechanical computer with the main parts of a modern computer.
Q2. Which part of a computer is called its brain?
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Answer: B. CPU
The Central Processing Unit carries out instructions and controls all other parts of the computer.
Q3. What does ALU stand for?
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Answer: C. Arithmetic Logic Unit
The ALU is the part of the CPU that performs calculations and logical comparisons.
Q4. Who is regarded as the first computer programmer?
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Answer: D. Ada Lovelace
Ada Lovelace wrote an algorithm for Babbage's Analytical Engine in 1843, which is regarded as the first computer program.
Q5. First generation computers used which electronic component?
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Answer: B. Vacuum tubes
First generation computers of the 1940s and 1950s used vacuum tubes, which made them large and produced a lot of heat.
Q6. Transistors replaced vacuum tubes in which generation of computers?
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Answer: D. Second generation
Second generation computers used transistors, which were smaller, faster and more reliable than vacuum tubes.
Q7. Which component is the basis of fourth generation computers?
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Answer: A. Microprocessor
A microprocessor places the whole CPU on a single chip, which made personal computers possible.
Q8. What is the process of starting a computer and loading the operating system called?
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Answer: C. Booting
During booting the computer runs a start-up program that loads the operating system into memory.
Q9. What does GUI stand for?
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Answer: B. Graphical User Interface
A GUI lets users work with icons, menus and a pointer instead of typing commands.
Q10. The main circuit board of a computer, which connects all its parts, is called the:
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Answer: D. Motherboard
The motherboard holds the CPU, memory and expansion slots and connects them to each other.

Input, output and storage

Q11. Which of these is an input device?
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Answer: C. Keyboard
An input device sends data into the computer. The keyboard is used to type text and commands.
Q12. Which of these is an output device?
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Answer: A. Printer
An output device shows or gives results from the computer. A printer produces a paper copy.
Q13. Who invented the computer mouse?
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Answer: D. Douglas Engelbart
Douglas Engelbart developed the first mouse in the 1960s using a wooden shell and two wheels.
Q14. What does RAM stand for?
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Answer: B. Random Access Memory
RAM is the main working memory where programs and data are kept while in use.
Q15. Which type of memory loses its data when the power is switched off?
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Answer: A. RAM
RAM is volatile memory, so its contents are lost when the power goes off. ROM and storage drives keep their data.
Q16. Which memory holds the start-up instructions permanently and cannot normally be changed by the user?
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Answer: C. ROM
Read Only Memory is non-volatile and stores firmware such as the start-up program.
Q17. Which of these is the fastest to access?
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Answer: B. Cache memory
Cache is a small, very fast memory close to the CPU that stores frequently used data.
Q18. A hard disk is an example of which type of storage?
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Answer: D. Secondary storage
Secondary storage keeps data permanently, while primary memory such as RAM is used during processing.
Q19. What does USB stand for?
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Answer: A. Universal Serial Bus
USB is a standard port and cable for connecting devices such as keyboards, printers and pen drives.
Q20. The speed of a computer processor is measured in:
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Answer: C. Hertz
Clock speed is measured in hertz, usually gigahertz (GHz), meaning billions of cycles per second.
Q21. The tiny dots that form an image on a screen are called:
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Answer: D. Pixels
Pixel is short for picture element. Screen resolution is given as the number of pixels across and down.
Q22. What does SMPS stand for?
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Answer: B. Switched Mode Power Supply
The SMPS converts mains AC power into the low DC voltages used by computer parts.

Data units and number systems

Q23. What is the smallest unit of data in a computer?
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Answer: A. Bit
A bit, short for binary digit, can hold a value of either 0 or 1.
Q24. How many bits make one byte?
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Answer: C. 8
A byte has 8 bits and can represent 256 different values.
Q25. A group of 4 bits is called a:
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Answer: B. Nibble
A nibble is half a byte, that is 4 bits.
Q26. 1 kilobyte (KB) is equal to how many bytes in the binary system?
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Answer: D. 1024
In binary units 1 KB = 2¹⁰ = 1024 bytes.
Q27. 1 gigabyte (GB) is equal to how many megabytes in the binary system?
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Answer: A. 1024 MB
Each unit is 1024 times the one before: 1 GB = 1024 MB and 1 MB = 1024 KB.
Q28. What is the binary form of the decimal number 10?
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Answer: C. 1010
10 = 8 + 2 = 2³ + 2¹, so in binary it is 1010.
Q29. What is the decimal value of the binary number 1111?
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Answer: A. 15
1111 = 8 + 4 + 2 + 1 = 15.
Q30. What is the base of the hexadecimal number system?
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Answer: D. 16
Hexadecimal uses 16 symbols: 0 to 9 and A to F, where A stands for 10 and F for 15.
Q31. Which number system uses only the digits 0 and 1?
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Answer: C. Binary
Computers use the binary system because circuits have two states, on and off.

Software and programming

Q32. Software that manages the hardware of a computer and provides a platform for other programs is called:
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Answer: B. Operating system
The operating system is system software; it manages memory, files and devices so that application programs can run.
Q33. Which program translates an entire high-level program into machine code at once?
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Answer: B. Compiler
A compiler translates the whole program before running it, while an interpreter translates and runs one line at a time.
Q34. Which program converts assembly language into machine code?
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Answer: D. Assembler
An assembler converts mnemonic instructions such as ADD and MOV into binary machine code.
Q35. Which language can a computer understand directly without translation?
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Answer: C. Machine language
Machine language is written in binary 0s and 1s, which the CPU executes directly.
Q36. The process of finding and removing errors from a program is called:
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Answer: A. Debugging
Errors in programs are called bugs, so correcting them is called debugging.
Q37. In a spreadsheet, the box formed where a row and a column meet is called a:
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Answer: B. Cell
Each cell has an address made of its column letter and row number, such as B3.
Q38. Which keyboard shortcut is commonly used to undo the last action?
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Answer: A. Ctrl + Z
Ctrl + Z undoes the last action in most programs, while Ctrl + X cuts the selected item.

Internet and networking terms

Q39. Who invented the World Wide Web?
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Answer: C. Tim Berners-Lee
Tim Berners-Lee proposed the World Wide Web in 1989 while working at CERN.
Q40. What does URL stand for?
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Answer: D. Uniform Resource Locator
A URL is the address of a web page or file on the internet.
Q41. What does HTTP stand for?
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Answer: C. HyperText Transfer Protocol
HTTP is the set of rules used to transfer web pages between a web server and a browser.
Q42. What does HTML stand for?
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Answer: A. HyperText Markup Language
HTML is the standard language used to structure web pages with headings, paragraphs and links.
Q43. Which system translates domain names into IP addresses?
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Answer: B. DNS
The Domain Name System works like a phone book of the internet, matching names to numeric IP addresses.
Q44. A network that connects computers within a single building or campus is called a:
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Answer: D. LAN
LAN stands for Local Area Network and covers a small area such as an office or school.
Q45. What does the word modem come from?
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Answer: A. Modulator-demodulator
A modem converts digital signals into analogue signals for transmission and back again.
Q46. In which network topology are all devices connected to a central hub?
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Answer: B. Star
In a star topology every device has its own link to the central hub or switch.
Q47. In an email, what does CC stand for?
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Answer: D. Carbon Copy
CC sends a copy to other people, and their addresses are visible to all recipients, unlike BCC.
Q48. Unwanted bulk email sent to many people is called:
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Answer: C. Spam
Spam is unsolicited email, often sent for advertising or scams.
Q49. A fake message that tries to trick people into revealing passwords or bank details is called:
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Answer: B. Phishing
Phishing messages pretend to come from trusted sources to steal personal information.
Q50. Which security system monitors and controls network traffic to block unauthorised access?
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Answer: A. Firewall
A firewall checks incoming and outgoing traffic against security rules.
Q51. Which domain extension is meant for educational institutions?
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Answer: D. .edu
The .edu domain is used by educational institutions, while .gov is for government bodies.

How to prepare

Start with the basics and hardware sections, because questions on full forms, input and output devices and types of memory are the most common in exams. Then move to data units and number systems, where you should practise converting small numbers between binary and decimal by hand.\n\nRead every explanation even when your answer was right, since many explanations add a second fact, such as the difference between a compiler and an interpreter or between CC and BCC. Keep a list of full forms from this page and revise it regularly, as computer awareness sections often ask several of them in a row.

Study tips

Make flashcards of full forms such as CPU, ALU, RAM, URL and DNS and revise them daily.
Practise binary to decimal conversion using place values 1, 2, 4, 8, 16 and so on.
Learn the differences between similar terms, such as RAM and ROM or LAN and WAN, because exams often test them together.

Questions people ask

What are the most important computer GK questions for exams?

Questions on full forms, computer generations, input and output devices, memory types, data units and internet terms are asked most often. This page covers all of these topics.

How should I prepare computer GK for SSC and bank exams?

Learn computer fundamentals, common abbreviations, keyboard shortcuts and basic networking and security terms. Practise MCQs regularly and revise full forms before the exam.

Are these computer questions suitable for school students?

Yes. The basics, hardware and data unit sections suit school students, while the software and networking sections help senior students and exam aspirants.

Is there a computer GK quiz in Hindi?

This page is in English. Hindi readers can find Hindi GK quizzes on the site, and the computer terms here use the same English abbreviations that appear in Hindi medium exams.

Every question on this page is written and fact-checked by the GK Quizzes team. Spotted a mistake? Tell us and we will fix it. How we make our questions.