A+ Core 1 Master Terms Match

Module 24.5 // Hardware & Infrastructure Matrix

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Fused Hardware Pairs (Click for Intel)

Step 1: Select Term. Step 2: Select Definition.

Component Terms

Functional Logic

What You Practiced

Core 1 terminology is not trivia by itself. On the exam, terms become repair symptoms, connector choices, command output, port mappings, printer defects, cloud responsibility questions, and mobile-device support clues.

PBQ Strategy

Identify the category first: hardware, networking, mobile, cloud, or troubleshooting.
Pair each term with what it does, what problem it solves, or what symptom points to it.
Watch for near-matches. CompTIA often gives two answers that sound useful, but only one fits the evidence.

Hardware Thinking

Storage terms usually test performance, failure tolerance, connector type, or form factor.
Printer terms usually test the defect: loose toner, repeating marks, multipart forms, receipts, or filament.
Power and motherboard terms often show up as boot, stability, time/date, or compatibility problems.

Network / Cloud Thinking

Ports reveal services: DNS resolves names, DHCP assigns addresses, SMB shares files, and RDP provides remote desktop.
Wireless choices are usually about range, speed, interference, density, or coverage.
Cloud terms are about responsibility: finished app, developer platform, rented infrastructure, or mixed on-prem/cloud.

Mobile Thinking

Separate screen image, touch input, power, physical connectors, wireless pairing, and security controls.
Mobile support questions often ask for the least invasive fix first: verify settings, pair again, sync, update, or locate before replacing hardware.

Troubleshooting Thinking

Tools answer physical-layer questions: cable continuity, cable location, PSU voltage, or wireless signal quality.
Commands answer network path questions: local IP configuration, reachability, or route/hop failure.
The troubleshooting methodology is an order-of-operations question. Do not skip directly to the fix.

Fast PBQ Clue Table

Exam Clue	Think	Why
169.254.x.x address	APIPA / DHCP failure	The client self-assigned an address because it did not receive a DHCP lease.
Text or toner rubs off paper	Fuser assembly	Toner was placed on the page but was not melted into the paper.
Repeating dots, spots, or ghost images	Imaging drum	A rotating imaging component is repeating the same defect down the page.
Date/time resets after unplugging	CMOS battery	The system is losing firmware clock/settings when standby power is gone.
Name does not resolve, IP works	DNS	Connectivity exists, but hostname-to-IP translation is failing.
Automatic IP assignment	DHCP / DORA	The client receives address settings from the DHCP lease process.
Shared folders or mapped drives	SMB 445	Windows file sharing commonly uses SMB.
One cable provides network and power	PoE	Power over Ethernet supports devices such as phones, cameras, and access points.
Touch does not respond but image displays	Digitizer	The display can show video while the touch-input layer fails separately.
Find an unlabeled cable in a bundle	Tone generator and probe	The tool traces cable location by tone, not by data testing.

Common Distractors

RAID 0 is speed, not redundancy. RAID 1 mirrors. RAID 5 uses parity. RAID 10 combines mirrored sets with striping.
NVMe M.2 is PCIe-based storage. SATA SSD is flash storage on the older SATA bus. HDD RPM describes spinning media speed.
Ping tests reachability. Ipconfig reviews local addressing. Tracert shows where the path breaks.
A cable tester checks wiring. A tone generator locates a cable. A loopback plug tests a port.

How To Review Misses

If two answers felt right, ask which one matches the exact symptom instead of the general topic.
Write down the trigger phrase that would make you choose that term again.
For ports and commands, connect the term to a real technician action instead of memorizing only the number or name.

BB A+ Core 1 Master Terms Lab