PPSC Past Papers & Solved MCQs

Correct answer: Workbook. In Excel, a workbook is a file that contains one or more worksheets and charts.

• File: “File” is a general term and not the Excel-specific one.
• Document: “Document” is the term used in word processors.
• None of these: “None of these” is incorrect because workbook is correct.

Correct answer: Direct collection through a field survey. Data collected first-hand by the researcher, as in a field survey, is primary data.

• Published research articles: Published research articles are secondary sources.
• Census publication: A published census report is a secondary source.
• Government reports: Government reports are secondary sources.

Correct answer: Temporary and Permanent. Memory (RAM) holds data temporarily while the computer is on, whereas storage keeps data permanently.

• Fast and Slow: Speed differs, but it is a result of the difference, not the basic distinction.
• Big and Small: Size is not the defining difference.
• Input and output: Input and output describe devices, not memory and storage.

Correct answer: Browser. A web browser (such as Chrome or Edge) retrieves and displays website content.

• Hyperlink: A hyperlink is a clickable link to another page.
• Search Engine: A search engine finds web pages but is not what displays them.
• Server: A server stores and delivers website data.

Correct answer: To create documents. A word processor is mainly used to create, edit, format, and save documents.

• Make presentations: Presentations are made with presentation software such as PowerPoint.
• To print data: Printing is only one function of a word processor.
• Modify typewritten: Modifying typewritten text is not the primary purpose of a word processor.

Correct answer: Vacuum Tube. First-generation computers (1940s–50s) used vacuum tubes.

• Transistor: Transistors were used in the second generation.
• IC: Integrated circuits were used in the third generation.
• Microprocessor: Microprocessors were used in the fourth generation.

Correct answer: Sum from cell A1 to A10. =SUM(A1:A10) adds all the values from A1 through A10.

• Average of A1 to A10: The AVERAGE function finds the average.
• Count of A1 to A10: The COUNT function counts numeric cells.
• Maximum of A1 to A10: The MAX function finds the maximum.

Correct answer: Fill Handle. The fill handle (the small square at the corner of the selected cell) is dragged to fill a range with a series or copied values.

• Formula Bar: The formula bar displays and edits a cell’s contents.
• Name Box: The name box shows the active cell’s address.
• Status Bar: The status bar shows information such as average and sum.

Correct answer: System Bus. The system bus links the CPU to main memory and peripherals, and consists of the data, address, and control buses.

• Control Bus: The control bus carries only control signals.
• Address Bus: The address bus carries only memory and device addresses.
• None of these: “None of these” is incorrect because the system bus is correct.

Correct answer: Compiler. A compiler translates the entire source program into machine code in one go.

• Interpreter: An interpreter translates and executes one line at a time.
• Assembler: An assembler converts assembly language to machine code.
• Debugger: A debugger helps find and fix errors in programs.

Correct answer: Index key. An index key identifies entries so records can be located quickly.

• Record: A record is a complete set of data about one item.
• Field: A field is a single column of data.
• Row: A row is another name for a record.

Correct answer: Charles Babbage. Charles Babbage designed the mechanical Difference Engine in the 1820s.

• Alan Turing: Alan Turing is known for theoretical computing and the Turing machine.
• Bill Gates: Bill Gates co-founded Microsoft.
• John Von Neumann: John von Neumann is known for the stored-program architecture.

Correct answer: Review Tab. The Compare command is in the Review tab.

• Home Tab: The Home tab is for formatting and editing.
• Insert Tab: The Insert tab adds objects such as tables and pictures.
• View Tab: The View tab changes how the document is displayed.

Correct answer: None of these. A drop cap is a large decorative first letter of a paragraph that drops down across two or more lines.

• Caps: “Caps” is not the meaning of a drop cap.
• Title caps: Title caps means capitalising the first letter of each word.
• All caps: All caps means writing every letter as a capital.

Correct answer: Shift+F3. Shift+F3 cycles the selected text between lowercase, UPPERCASE, and Title Case.

• Ctrl+Shift+C: Ctrl+Shift+C copies formatting.
• Alt+F3: Alt+F3 creates a new building block.
• Ctrl+F3: Ctrl+F3 cuts the selection to the Spike.

Correct answer: My Documents. The default save location is the Documents folder (called My Documents in older versions of Windows).

• Desktop: The Desktop is not the default save location.
• Recycle Bin: The Recycle Bin holds deleted files and is not a save location.
• My Computer: My Computer is a place for browsing drives, not the default save folder.

Correct answer: Low level. Machine language, written in binary, is the lowest-level language, closest to the hardware.

• High level: High-level languages such as Python and Java are closer to human language.
• Middle level: “Middle level” is not the standard classification for machine language.
• None of these: “None of these” is incorrect because machine language is low level.

Correct answer: Capitalize Each Word / Title Case. “Capitalize Each Word” (Title Case) capitalises the first letter of every word.

• Lowercase: Lowercase makes every letter small.
• Uppercase: Uppercase makes every letter a capital.
• Sentence case: Sentence case capitalises only the first letter of each sentence.

Correct answer: Main Memory. RAM is the main (primary) memory where the CPU keeps the programs and data currently in use.

• Secondary Memory: Secondary memory means storage devices such as hard disks.
• Cache Memory: Cache is a small, faster memory between the CPU and RAM.
• Virtual Memory: Virtual memory uses disk space to extend RAM.

Correct answer: Links. A master document holds links to its subdocuments, which remain separate files.

• Placeholders: Placeholders are reserved positions in templates and slides.
• Files: The subdocuments are separate files that the master document links to; it does not contain them.
• Header & Footer: A header and footer are repeated page areas, not part of the master document structure.

Correct answer: Operating System. The operating system manages and controls the computer’s hardware resources.

• Application Software: Application software performs user tasks such as word processing.
• Utility Software: Utility software maintains and optimises the system.
• Drivers: Drivers only let the operating system communicate with a particular device; they do not control the whole computer.

Correct answer: Ctrl+S. Ctrl+S saves the current document.

• Ctrl+P: Ctrl+P opens the print dialog.
• Ctrl+A: Ctrl+A selects all content.
• Ctrl+V: Ctrl+V pastes copied content.

Correct answer: Average. The AVERAGE function returns the arithmetic mean of a range of numbers.

• Sum: SUM adds the numbers.
• Count: COUNT counts the cells that contain numbers.
• MAX: MAX returns the largest value.

Correct answer: Ctrl+C. Ctrl+C copies the selected item to the clipboard.

• Ctrl+X: Ctrl+X cuts the item.
• Ctrl+V: Ctrl+V pastes the item.
• Ctrl+Z: Ctrl+Z undoes the last action.

Correct answer: Chart. A chart (such as a bar, line, or pie chart) represents data graphically.

• Table: A table arranges data in rows and columns.
• Graph Paper: Graph paper is a printed grid used for hand plotting, not a representation of data itself.
• Diagram: A diagram illustrates a structure or process rather than plotting data.