Q: 1 A sender wants to compute the checksum for the ASCII text "RPSC". Which of the following is the correct 16-bit checksum (in hexadecimal) for the string "RPSC"? Given that each character's ASCII hexadecimal equivalent ('R' → 0x52, 'P' → 0x50, 'S' → 0x53, 'C' → 0x43).
5A6C
5B6D
A593
6A5C
[ Option A ]
A Checksum is a simple method used in data communication to detect errors in transmitted messages. The basic idea is to sum the numerical values of all data units using one’s complement arithmetic (end-around carry) , and then taking the one’s complement of the final sum.
End-around carry means add MSB carry-out back into LSB for one’s-complement addition.
Q: 2 Why is parity bit used in data transmission and analysis?
For Error Detection
For Error Correction
Power Level Check-Up
Diagnostic Monitor
[ Option A ]
A Parity Bit is an extra bit added to binary data during transmission to check whether the data has been transferred correctly or not. It is mainly used for error detection in communication systems. There are two types of parity:
Even Parity Example:
Data = 1011001 contains 4 ones, which is already even. Therefore, parity bit 0 is added at the end to keep the total number of ones even. Transmitted data becomes 10110010.
Odd Parity Example:
Data = 1011001 contains 4 ones, which is even. Therefore, parity bit 1 is added at the end to make the total number of one’s odd. Transmitted data becomes 10110011.
Q: 3 Hamming distance of a binary code is 5. Which of the following is true:
It can detect upto 5 bit errors, but cannot correct any errors.
It can detect and correct upto 4 bit errors.
It can detect upto 4 bit errors and correct upto 2 bit errors.
It can detect upto 4 bit errors and correct upto 3 bit errors.
[ Option C ]
In digital communication and error control coding, the Hamming Distance between two binary codewords is defined as the number of bit positions in which they differ. The minimum Hamming Distance (d) of a code determines its ability to detect and correct errors during data transmission. A larger distance means better error handling capability.
There are two important rules associated with Hamming distance:
Here, hamming distance d is given as 5. So,
Q: 4 Which of the following Multiple Access Protocols is not suitable for wired networks?
CSMA/CA
CSMA/CD
TGMA
TDMA
[ Option A ]
In networking, multiple access protocols are used to manage how devices share the same communication medium.
In wired networks (Ethernet), devices can easily detect collisions, so CSMA/CD is used. But in wireless networks, devices cannot detect collisions properly because they cannot listen while transmitting. Therefore, CSMA/CA is used in Wi-Fi, and it is not suitable for wired networks.
Q: 5 What network property is achieved through the use of the Automatic Repeat reQuest (ARQ) mechanism?
Reliability
Availability
Confidentiality
Scalability
[ Option A ]
Automatic Repeat reQuest (ARQ) is a network protocol used to achieve Reliability in data transmission. Its primary function is to ensure that data packets sent from a sender are correctly received by the receiver. If an error is detected in a transmitted packet or if an acknowledgement is not received within a specified timeout period, ARQ triggers the retransmission of that packet until it is correctly received and acknowledged.
This mechanism helps to maintain data integrity and overcome issues such as lost or corrupted packets in unreliable communication channels.
Q: 6 For Stop-and-Wait ARQ, for 10 data packets sent, ________ acknowledgements are needed?
11
9
10
20
[ Option C ]
Stop-and-Wait ARQ is a protocol in which the sender transmits one data packet and waits for an acknowledgement before sending the next packet. Each data packet requires exactly one acknowledgement to confirm its successful receipt. Hence, if 10 data packets are sent, the receiver must send 10 acknowledgements.
Q: 7 Error detection at the data link level is typically achieved by
Bit Stuffing
Cyclic Redundancy Codes
Hamming Codes
XOR Checksum
[ Option B ]
At the Data Link Layer, error detection is used to check whether data has been corrupted during transmission. The most commonly used technique for this purpose is CRC (Cyclic Redundancy Check).
CRC works by treating data as a binary polynomial and dividing it by a predefined generator polynomial. The remainder is attached to the frame and checked at the receiver side.
Q: 8 Select the correct option on error control protocols present in data link layer.
1. Stop and Wait ARQ
2. Go Back N ARQ
3. Selective Repeat ARQ
4. Non-Selective repeat ARQ
1,2,3
1,3,4
1,2,4
1,4
[ Option A ]
In the Data Link Layer, error control protocols are used to ensure reliable data transmission over an unreliable channel. This is mainly done using ARQ (Automatic Repeat reQuest) techniques.
Types of ARQ Protocols:
Stop-and-Wait ARQ:
In Stop-and-Wait ARQ, the sender sends one frame at a time and waits for an acknowledgement before sending the next. If the ACK is not received, the frame is retransmitted. It is simple but inefficient due to waiting time.
Go-Back-N ARQ:
In Go-Back-N ARQ, the sender sends multiple frames continuously. If an error occurs, it retransmits the erroneous frame and all subsequent frames. It is more efficient than Stop-and-Wait but causes some redundant retransmissions.
Selective Repeat ARQ:
In Selective Repeat ARQ, only the erroneous frames are retransmitted, and the receiver can accept out-of-order frames. It is the most efficient but more complex to implement.
Non-Selective Repeat ARQ is not a standard ARQ protocol. It is just another informal way of referring to Go-Back-N.
| PROTOCOL | FRAMES SENT | RETRANSMISSION | EFFICIENCY |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stop-and-Wait | 1 at a time | Only that frame. | Low |
| Go-Back-N | Multiple | From error onward. | Medium |
| Selective Repeat | Multiple | Only error frames. | High |
Q: 9 Which of the following can work as error detecting and correcting code?
Cyclic Redundancy Checks
Hamming codes
Checksum
1D parity
[ Option B ]
In data communication, error detection and correction are essential for ensuring that transmitted data reaches the destination accurately. Most error control methods can only detect errors, while some can also correct them.
Hamming Code is a special type of code that can both detect and correct single-bit errors. It adds redundant bits called parity bits at specific positions in the data.
| CODE TYPE | PURPOSE | DESCRIPTION |
|---|---|---|
| Parity Bit / 1D Parity | Error Detection. | Detects single-bit errors only. |
| Checksum | Error Detection. | Detects most errors in blocks of data. |
| Cyclic Redundancy Check (CRC) | Error Detection. | Detects burst errors effectively. |
| Hamming Code | Error Detection & Correction. | Detects and corrects single-bit errors. |
Q: 10 To guarantee correction of upto t errors, the minimum Hamming Distance in a block code must be _________.
t+1
t-2
2t-1
2t+1
[ Option D ]
In error control coding, Hamming Distance is the number of bit positions in which two code words differ. It helps in detecting and correcting errors during data transmission.
To correct up to t errors, the code must be able to distinguish between all possible error patterns. For this, the minimum Hamming distance must be sufficiently large.
Q: 11 Checksum is used for—
Error Correction
Error Detection
Both (a) and (b)
None of these
[ Option B ]
A checksum is used in networking to verify data integrity. It works by adding binary values of data segments and sending the result with the packet. At the receiver’s end, the same calculation is done and compared. If they do not match, an error is detected. However, checksum only supports error detection, not correction.
| Checksum | CRC (Cyclic Redundancy Check) |
|---|---|
| Uses simple addition of data words. | Uses polynomial division (modulo-2 arithmetic). |
| Simple, fast, low overhead. | More complex, requires extra computation. |
| Detects single-bit errors and some small errors. | Detects burst errors, multiple bit errors, and more complex patterns. |
| Less reliable. | Highly reliable and accurate. |
| IP, TCP, UDP headers in networking. | Ethernet frames, storage devices, advanced communication protocols. |
Q: 12 Choose the method used for error detection.
Parity Method
Cyclic Redundancy Check
Hamming Code
All of the above
[ Option D ]
Error Detection techniques are used in data communication to identify whether data has been corrupted during transmission. There are several methods used for this purpose.
| METHOD | EXPLANATION | PURPOSE |
|---|---|---|
| Parity Method | Adds an extra bit to make total number of 1s even/odd. | Error Detection. |
| Cyclic Redundancy Check (CRC) | Uses polynomial division to detect errors. | Error Detection. |
| Hamming Code | Adds multiple parity bits. | Error Detection and Correction. |
Q: 13 The message 1001 is to be transmitted using the CRC polynomial x3+x+1 to protect it from errors. The message that should be transmitted is—
1001000
1001100
1001110
1001011
[ Option C ]
Given,
Message : 1001
CRC Polynomial (CRC Generator) : x3+x+1, binary 1011 (Degree 3)
Append 3 zero to the message because degree of polynomial is 3 or n-1 times (if n is CRC Generator).
Now perform Binary Division (Modulo 2):
Divide 1001000 by 1011 (Binary Division, XOR for Subtraction)
1001000 ÷ 1011, Remainder is 110.
This remainder is CRC bit.
Transmitted Message : Original Message + CRC Bits = 1001 + 110 = 1001110

Q: 14 A communication system is designed using the following three 5 bit words as the only valid codewords and uses error correction using hamming distance.
Codeword A : 00000
Codeword B : 01110
Codeword C : 11000
During operation, receiver gets the word 01000. What would the system conclude?
It will correct to codeword A
It will correct to codeword B
It will correct to codeword C
It will be unable to correct the error
[ Option D ]
Error correction uses Hamming distance, which counts the number of differing bits between two words.
Received word: 01000
| Codeword | Hamming Distance |
|---|---|
| 00000 (A) | 1 |
| 01110 (B) | 2 |
| 11000 (C) | 1 |
The received word is at equal minimum distance (1) from codeword A and codeword C. Since two valid codewords are equally close, the receiver cannot uniquely determine the correct codeword.
Therefore, the system cannot correct the error.
Q: 15 If the errors are more in the ethernet frame, bandwidth loss is minimal in
Go-Back-N ARQ
Selective Repeat ARQ
Non-Selective Repeat ARQ
None of the above
[ Option B ]
When errors are frequent in Ethernet frames, the goal is to minimize bandwidth loss by avoiding unnecessary retransmissions.
Selective Repeat ARQ retransmits only the frames that are actually corrupted or lost, instead of sending all frames again. This makes it highly efficient because:
Thank you so much for taking the time to read my Computer Science MCQs section carefully. Your support and interest mean a lot, and I truly appreciate you being part of this journey. Stay connected for more insights and updates! If you'd like to explore more tutorials and insights, check out my YouTube channel.
Don’t forget to subscribe and stay connected for future updates.