quizඋසස් පෙළ තොරතුරු හා සන්නිවේදන තාක්ෂණය 2026 — I ප්‍රශ්න පත්‍රය

A/L ICT 2026 Paper I (MCQ) — all 50 questions and answers

1. 1. Which of the following tasks requires real-time processing?

   1. Printing monthly bank statements for account holders
   2. Generating water bills for customers
   3. Verifying fingerprints and approving entry at an office entrance door ✓
   4. Printing name badges for participants before a conference
   5. Compiling an annual leave summary for employees

2. 2. A student registration system verifies its inputs using: (i) "Date of Birth" must not be blank, (ii) "Telephone Number" must consist exclusively of numeric characters, (iii) "Grade" must be strictly between 1 and 13. Which sequence of validation methods correctly corresponds to these three rules, in order?

   1. Range check, Logic check, Format check
   2. Logic check, Range check, Format check
   3. Format check, Logic check, Range check
   4. Logic check, Format check, Range check ✓
   5. Range check, Format check, Logic check

3. 3. Which of the following storage media cannot be written to or deleted by users?

   1. CD-ROM ✓
   2. CD-RW
   3. Floppy disk
   4. Hard disk
   5. Flash drive

4. 4. In which of the following operation(s) does the control bus intervene? A - Sending a read signal from the CPU to main memory. B - Transferring a data word from main memory to the CPU. C - Carrying the memory address of the data word to be accessed.

   1. A only ✓
   2. B only
   3. A and B only
   4. A and C only
   5. All of A, B, and C

5. 5. During the execution of a program, which of the following stores the memory address of the next instruction to be executed?

   1. Accumulator
   2. Arithmetic and Logic Unit (ALU)
   3. Instruction register
   4. Program counter ✓
   5. Data bus

6. 6. What is the 8-bit 2's complement representation of -1?

   1. 11111111 ✓
   2. 00000000
   3. 00000001
   4. 10000000
   5. 11111110

7. 7. If the hexadecimal Unicode code point for 'A' is 41, what does 4E414D45 represent?

   1. NAVY
   2. NAME ✓
   3. FOOD
   4. GAME
   5. CAPE

8. 8. Which of the following is/are correct? A - 9A₁₆ = 10011010₂. B - 93₁₀ = 1011101₂. C - 645₈ = 110100111₂.

   1. A only
   2. A and B only ✓
   3. A and C only
   4. B and C only
   5. All of A, B, and C

9. 9. What is the correct binary equivalent of the decimal number 14.3125₁₀?

   1. 1101.0101₂
   2. 1101.1010₂
   3. 1111.0110₂
   4. 1110.0101₂ ✓
   5. 1110.1010₂

10. 10. A two-input X-OR gate has inputs A and B, producing output F. If A = 1, the output F will be:

    1. 1
    2. 0
    3. A
    4. B
    5. B̅ (NOT B) ✓

11. 11. The Boolean expression AB + AB' + A'C is equivalent to:(replacement question — see disclaimer)

    1. A
    2. B
    3. C
    4. A + B
    5. A + C ✓

12. 12. Which of the following media is most susceptible to electromagnetic interference?

    1. UTP ✓
    2. Microwaves
    3. STP
    4. Co-axial cable
    5. Fibre optic

13. 13. What is the network mask when the full IPv4 address space is divided equally into 4 subnets?

    1. /2 ✓
    2. /4
    3. /8
    4. /24
    5. /26

14. 14. In a school laboratory's LAN, in what form does a switch forward data between computers?

    1. Messages
    2. Segments
    3. Packets
    4. Frames ✓
    5. Bits

15. 15. FTP uses TCP instead of UDP as the transport layer protocol, because TCP: A - Ensures reliable data delivery. B - Delivers data in the correct sequence. C - Uses encryption to secure data. Which of the above is/are correct?

    1. A only
    2. A and B only ✓
    3. A and C only
    4. B and C only
    5. All of A, B, and C

16. 16. When a user enters a URL and accesses a website: A - The DNS client sends a query for the domain name to the DNS server. B - Using the received IP address, the browser sends its page request to the web server. C - The DNS server provides the IP address to the browser. D - The browser gives the domain name to the DNS client on the user's computer. E - The DNS server sends the matching IP address to the DNS client. What is the correct sequence?

    1. A-E-D-C-B
    2. B-D-A-E-C
    3. D-A-C-E-B
    4. D-A-E-C-B ✓
    5. D-C-A-E-B

17. 17. Which of the following is true regarding Asymmetric Key Encryption?

    1. Encrypting data with a public key ensures the sender's identity.
    2. The public key and the private key are identical.
    3. A message encrypted using a private key can only be decrypted using that exact same private key.
    4. A public key cannot be used for decryption.
    5. A message encrypted using a private key can only be decrypted by using the corresponding public key. ✓

18. 18. For which of the following is Network Address Translation (NAT) required? A - Server computers exist within the LAN. B - The LAN is wireless. C - The LAN uses private IP addresses.

    1. A only
    2. B only
    3. C only ✓
    4. A and B only
    5. A and C only

19. 19. Match systems A1–A3 with descriptions B1–B3. A1 - Expert Systems (ES). A2 - Management Information Systems (MIS). A3 - Content Management Systems (CMS). B1 - Lets authorized employees with no programming knowledge modify what's shown on the organization's website. B2 - Converts records from daily business activities into summaries used for routine decision-making. B3 - Suggests the course of action to take in a given situation, based on accumulated expert experience within the system.

    1. A1-B1, A2-B2, A3-B3
    2. A1-B2, A2-B3, A3-B1
    3. A1-B3, A2-B1, A3-B2
    4. A1-B3, A2-B2, A3-B1 ✓
    5. A1-B1, A2-B3, A3-B2

20. 20. A team is developing a small system with low technical risk. The client cannot clearly state requirements but gives useful feedback once shown sample interfaces, and does not need the system very quickly. Which development model is most suitable?

    1. Waterfall model
    2. Spiral model
    3. Agile model
    4. Prototyping ✓
    5. Rapid Application Development (RAD)

21. 21. Regarding system classification: A - A sealed chemical flask in a laboratory can be considered a closed system. B - A school is a man-made open system because it interacts with its environment. C - Every natural system is a living system. Which statement(s) is/are correct?

    1. A only
    2. B only
    3. A and B only ✓
    4. B and C only
    5. All of A, B, and C

22. 22. A school plans to computerize attendance and term-test marks. Feasibility study found: A - Entering each student's attendance separately every morning delays the first period. B - The cost of proposed equipment exceeds the annual budget. C - Keeping records only at the school violates the ministry's policy of centralized storage. Which correctly matches the feasibility types?

    1. A-Operational, B-Economic, C-Organizational ✓
    2. A-Technical, B-Economic, C-Operational
    3. A-Operational, B-Technical, C-Organizational
    4. A-Organizational, B-Economic, C-Operational
    5. A-Technical, B-Operational, C-Organizational

23. 23. Which of the following is a functional requirement of an online cinema ticket reservation system?

    1. The system must be operational 99.9% of the total time.
    2. The system must respond to any search within 2 seconds.
    3. The system must allow the spectator to choose their seat from a seating plan. ✓
    4. The system interface must be easy to use for a new user.
    5. The system must support up to 5000 concurrent users.

24. 24. In A ......... testing, a programmer prepared test data to ensure every IF condition is executed. In B ......... testing, data exchanged between integrated modules was tested. In C ......... testing, office workers used the software for daily tasks and decided whether to approve it. Correct combination for A, B, C?

    1. A-white-box, B-integration, C-acceptance ✓
    2. A-black-box, B-integration, C-system
    3. A-white-box, B-system, C-acceptance
    4. A-black-box, B-white-box, C-integration
    5. A-white-box, B-system, C-integration

25. 25. A bank replaces its core banking software with a Commercial Off-The-Shelf (COTS) package. A - Since failure is highly risky, parallel installation is recommended. B - Using a COTS package may involve recurring license fee costs. C - A COTS package always matches the bank's existing business processes with no customization. Which are correct?

    1. A only
    2. B only
    3. A and B only ✓
    4. B and C only
    5. All of A, B, and C

26. 26. Model X: data organized as a collection of interconnected records, where a record can participate in multiple parent-child relationships. Model Y: data organized in parent-child relationships, where every child node has only one parent node. Model Z: data organized as a set of logically linked records connected by shared attribute values. Which correctly identifies X, Y, Z respectively?

    1. Hierarchical, Network, Relational
    2. Relational, Hierarchical, Network
    3. Network, Relational, Object-relational
    4. Object-relational, Hierarchical, Relational
    5. Network, Hierarchical, Relational ✓

27. 27. Which of the following is always true regarding the PRIMARY KEY and UNIQUE constraint of a relational database?

    1. Although both a primary key and a unique constraint enforce uniqueness, only a primary key can be used to identify tuples in a relation.
    2. A relation can have several unique constraints, but it can have only one primary key. ✓
    3. A unique constraint is used to establish relationships between relations, while a primary key is used only to enforce uniqueness.
    4. A primary key must consist of only a single attribute, while a unique constraint can consist of multiple attributes.
    5. A relation can consist of multiple primary keys, but it can have only one unique constraint.

28. 28. COURSE(CourseID PRIMARY KEY, CourseName UNIQUE, Credits CHECK (Credits BETWEEN 1 AND 4)). Which of the following statements is correct?

    1. A course can be inserted with Credits = 0, provided there is no other course with the same CourseID.
    2. The UNIQUE constraint on CourseName does not allow the use of NULL values for CourseName.
    3. Two courses can have the same CourseName provided they have different CourseID values.
    4. The CHECK constraint on Credits ensures the same credit value is not assigned to two courses.
    5. Although both CourseID and CourseName are unique attributes, only CourseID does not allow NULL values. ✓

29. 29. STUDENT(StudentID VARCHAR(10) PRIMARY KEY, NIC VARCHAR(12) UNIQUE, Age INTEGER CHECK(Age >= 18), Name VARCHAR(50) NOT NULL). One record already exists: StudentID='S001', NIC='200012345678', Age=20, Name='Saman'. Which subsequent INSERT violates exactly two constraints?

    1. ('S002', '200012345678', 20, 'Amal')
    2. (NULL, '200012345678', 16, 'Nimal')
    3. ('S004', '200078945612', 20, NULL)
    4. ('S003', '200078945612', 17, 'Sunil')
    5. (NULL, '200012345678', 20, 'Kamal') ✓

30. 30. EMPLOYEE table: E01 Kasun 85000 D01; E02 Dilini 72000 D02; E03 Ruwan 75000 D01; E04 Amaya 68000 D03. Query: SELECT Name, Salary FROM EMPLOYEE WHERE DeptID='D01' AND Salary > 80000; What is the output?

    1. Kasun — 85,000 ✓
    2. Ruwan — 75,000
    3. Kasun — 85,000; Ruwan — 75,000
    4. Kasun — 85,000; Dilini — 72,000; Ruwan — 75,000
    5. Kasun — 85,000; Ruwan — 75,000; Amaya — 68,000

31. 31. A student can enrol in many courses; a course can have many enrolled students; every student-course enrolment date must be recorded. Which correctly represents all these requirements?

    1. Student [1] — Course [M], with EnrollmentDate as an attribute of the Enroll relationship
    2. Student [M] — Course [N], with EnrollmentDate as an attribute of the Enroll relationship ✓
    3. Student [M] — Course [N], with EnrollmentDate as an attribute of the Course entity
    4. Student [1] — Course [1], with EnrollmentDate as an attribute of the Enroll relationship
    5. Student [M] — Course [1], with EnrollmentDate as an attribute of the Student entity

32. 32. Consider BORROW(MemberID, BookID, BorrowDate, MemberName, DueDate), with primary key (MemberID, BookID). Which dependency violates 2NF?(replacement question — see disclaimer)

    1. (MemberID, BookID) → BorrowDate
    2. (MemberID, BookID) → DueDate
    3. MemberID → MemberName ✓
    4. BookID → BorrowDate
    5. DueDate → BorrowDate

33. 33. Match Normal Forms 0–3 with descriptions A–D. 0-0NF, 1-1NF, 2-2NF, 3-3NF. A - No transitive dependencies. B - All attributes are atomic. C - No partial dependencies on the primary key. D - Repeating records/groups exist.

    1. 0-D, 1-B, 2-C, 3-A ✓
    2. 0-B, 1-D, 2-C, 3-A
    3. 0-D, 1-C, 2-B, 3-A
    4. 0-A, 1-B, 2-D, 3-C
    5. 0-D, 1-B, 2-A, 3-C

34. 34. A: Assembler → Translates object code into assembly language and produces an executable file. B: Linker → Combines object files and library routines into a single executable program. C: Loader → Executes the program line by line during translation. Which statement(s) correctly describe the tool's function?

    1. A only
    2. B only ✓
    3. A and B only
    4. A and C only
    5. All of A, B, and C

35. 35. What could be the output of: print(5 + 2 * 3 ** 2 // 5 <= 8)

    1. 0
    2. 1
    3. 7
    4. True ✓
    5. False

36. 36. What could be the output? x=2; y=0; for i in range(1,3): j=i; while j>0: y+=x; j-=2; x+=1; print(x, y)

    1. 3 5
    2. 4 4
    3. 4 5 ✓
    4. 4 6
    5. 5 9

37. 37. def update(quantities): quantities[1]=50. def restock(quantities): for i in range(2): quantities[i]+=10. stock=[5,10,15]; update(stock); restock(stock); print(stock)

    1. [5, 50, 15]
    2. [15, 20, 25]
    3. [15, 60, 15] ✓
    4. [15, 60, 25]
    5. An error occurs during execution.

38. 38. student=("Saman",17,20); record={"ICT":student[2],"Age":student[1],"Name":student[0]}; record["ICT"]+=50; mark_list=[record["Name"],record["ICT"]]; new_list=mark_list.copy(); new_list.clear(); new_list.append(100); print(mark_list, new_list)

    1. ['Saman', 70] [100] ✓
    2. ['Saman', 67] [100]
    3. ['Saman', 20] []
    4. [] [100]
    5. ['Saman', 70] ['Saman', 70, 100]

39. 39. Match Python values A-D with data structures 1-4. A - "My Name". B - [10, 20, 30]. C - (10, 20, 30). D - {"B": 85, "A": 90}. 1-List, 2-Dictionary, 3-Tuple, 4-String.

    1. A-1, B-4, C-3, D-2
    2. A-2, B-1, C-3, D-4
    3. A-4, B-3, C-1, D-2
    4. A-4, B-1, C-3, D-2 ✓
    5. A-4, B-1, C-2, D-3

40. 40. Pseudocode: START; n:=5; REPEAT PRINT n; n:=n-2; UNTIL n<1; STOP. Which Python code correctly represents this?

    1. n=5\nwhile n<1:\n print(n)\n n-=2
    2. n=5\nwhile True:\n print(n)\n n-=2\n if n>1: break
    3. n=5\nwhile n>=1:\n n-=2\n print(n)
    4. n=5\nfor i in range(5): print(i)
    5. n=5\nwhile n>=1:\n print(n)\n n-=2 ✓

41. 41. Four client websites: P - view restaurant menu & location. Q - purchase products online by credit card. R - view daily weather forecasts. S - university students check exam results after logging in. In which must BOTH secure authentication and encrypted communication be primary requirements?

    1. P and Q only
    2. P and S only
    3. Q and R only
    4. Q and S only ✓
    5. R and S only

42. 42. A web form checks that a "phone number" field contains only digits before the form is submitted, giving instant feedback with no page reload. Why is this best done with client-side scripting (e.g. JavaScript)?(replacement question — see disclaimer)

    1. Client-side scripting is more secure, so all validation should happen there instead of on the server
    2. It runs in the browser, giving instant feedback without a server round trip — though the server must still re-validate the same data ✓
    3. Server-side scripts cannot read form field values at all
    4. Client-side scripting permanently stores the validation rules in the site's database
    5. Client-side validation removes any need for server-side processing

43. 43. A site has a login form (username + password) and a public catalogue search (the term appears in the URL, e.g. ?q=laptop). Which HTTP method choice is correct?(replacement question — see disclaimer)

    1. Login should use GET, since GET is encrypted by default; search should use POST
    2. Both should use GET, since GET is faster for all requests
    3. Login should use POST, since sensitive data shouldn't appear in the URL/history; search can use GET, since a shareable URL is expected there ✓
    4. Both should use POST, since POST always encrypts data over HTTP
    5. The choice of GET or POST has no effect on where submitted data appears

44. 44. An online store must remember a shopper's cart across pages, keeping the actual cart data on the server, with only a small identifier in the browser. Best approach?(replacement question — see disclaimer)

    1. Store the entire cart inside a cookie, with no server-side storage
    2. Store a unique session ID in a cookie, and keep the actual cart data in server-side session storage linked to that ID ✓
    3. Store the cart contents inside the page's HTML source, one copy per visitor
    4. Store the cart contents only in the URL of every page visited
    5. Disable cookies and identify the cart by the shopper's IP address

45. 45. A former employee copied the customer database (names, phone numbers, purchase history) to a personal USB drive before leaving, and now uses it to contact those customers for a personal business, without consent. This is primarily a violation of:(replacement question — see disclaimer)

    1. Freedom of Information
    2. Data protection / privacy ✓
    3. Net neutrality
    4. Open source licensing
    5. Digital divide

46. 46. $conn = mysqli_connect("1", "2", "3", "4", "5"); What is the correct parameter sequence for mysqli_connect?

    1. 1-server's name, 2-password, 3-database name, 4-username
    2. 1-server's name, 2-username, 3-database name, 4-password
    3. 1-database name, 2-username, 3-password, 4-server's name
    4. 1-username, 2-password, 3-database name, 4-server's name
    5. 1-server's name, 2-username, 3-password, 4-database name ✓

47. 47. Match components A1-A3 with board features B1-B3. A1 - LDR. A2 - LED. A3 - Reed switch fixed to a door. B1 - Analog input. B2 - Digital input. B3 - Digital output.

    1. A1-B1, A2-B2, A3-B3
    2. A1-B1, A2-B3, A3-B2 ✓
    3. A1-B2, A2-B3, A3-B1
    4. A1-B2, A2-B1, A3-B3
    5. A1-B3, A2-B1, A3-B2

48. 48. Which of the following is correct regarding embedded systems and IoT?

    1. A piezo buzzer can be used as an actuator in an IoT application. ✓
    2. A reed switch can be used as both a sensor and an actuator in an IoT application.
    3. An ethernet shield connected to an Arduino Uno communicates with it via the A0 to A4 analog pins.
    4. An LDR is a type of diode that changes its resistance based on the light intensity falling on it.
    5. A microprocessor is a single chip that includes a CPU, memory, input/output ports, and other peripherals.

49. 49. Conventional computers store data as bits (0 or 1). Quantum computers use 'qubits'. Compared to a standard bit, what gives a qubit its distinction and uniqueness?

    1. Because a qubit is physically larger and heavier, it allows fast storage of massive files like movies.
    2. Because a qubit operates entirely without electricity, a quantum computer needs no power supply.
    3. A qubit can exist in a state known as superposition — representing 0, 1, or a combination of both at the same time. ✓
    4. A qubit can automatically erase any virus present in a computer before it executes.
    5. Depending on the user's mood, a qubit can physically change the colour of the computer screen.

50. 50. In a multi-agent system, which of the following describes the core characteristic of how these agents operate?

    1. They all use a single central computer that instructs every agent exactly what to do at every microsecond.
    2. They are not allowed to talk to each other and automatically shut down if another agent is detected nearby.
    3. Each agent senses its surroundings, makes independent decisions, and communicates with others as needed. ✓
    4. They can only function if a human manager gives them manual commands for every step they take.
    5. They are designed to physically take over the user's keyboard and mouse in an emergency.