Information Technology

(i) Digital footprints are the traces or records left behind when a person uses the internet.
They include all the data generated by online activities such as websites visited, emails sent, social media posts, online purchases, and searches made.
They are created every time Ravi logs into websites, fills out forms, clicks on ads, likes posts, or comments online.
Digital footprints can be tracked by websites, advertisers, and third-party companies to analyze user behavior and target advertisements.
(ii) Two net etiquettes that Ravi should follow are:
1. Always be respectful and polite while communicating online.
Ravi should avoid using offensive language and should respect others’ opinions during online discussions.
2. Protect personal information and privacy.
He should not share sensitive details like passwords, home address, or phone numbers on social media or public platforms.
Following these etiquettes helps maintain a safe and positive online environment.
(iii) Ravi can protect himself from cyberbullying by blocking or reporting bullies on social media platforms.
Most social media websites provide options to block, mute, or report abusive users.
Additionally, Ravi should talk to trusted adults like teachers or parents if he faces repeated bullying.
This helps him stay safe and reduces the emotional impact of cyberbullying.

When e-waste like old computers, phones, and electronic devices is thrown carelessly into landfills or dumping grounds, it creates serious environmental problems.
1. E-waste often contains hazardous materials like lead, mercury, and cadmium that can leak into the soil and contaminate groundwater.
This toxic contamination affects plants, animals, and can enter the human food chain causing health issues.
2. Improper disposal of e-waste releases harmful chemicals and heavy metals into the air and water.
Burning e-waste to recover metals can produce poisonous fumes and pollute the atmosphere.
This pollution contributes to air and water pollution, harms biodiversity, and damages ecosystems.
Thus, careless dumping of e-waste creates long-lasting environmental and health risks for communities.

A router is a networking device that connects multiple computer networks together and routes data between them.
Its main job is to receive incoming data packets, examine their destination IP address, and determine the best path to forward them.
Routers use routing tables and protocols to decide how to send packets efficiently from one network to another.
In a home network, a router connects local devices like laptops and phones to the Internet Service Provider’s network.
In larger networks, routers connect multiple LANs (Local Area Networks) and WANs (Wide Area Networks) to create an internetwork.
Routers can also provide security features like firewall filtering, NAT (Network Address Translation), and traffic management.
By managing traffic, they help prevent congestion and ensure data reaches the correct destination reliably.
Thus, routers play a vital role in directing network traffic, maintaining connectivity, and enabling communication across networks globally.

Open source software provides many benefits, especially for startups with limited budgets.
One key benefit is cost-effectiveness — most open source software is free to use, which saves money on licensing fees.
This allows a startup to allocate funds to other important areas like development, marketing, or hiring skilled developers.
Open source also offers great flexibility and freedom to customize the software according to specific project requirements.
Because the source code is publicly available, developers can modify it, add new features, fix bugs, and adapt it for unique needs.
Another advantage is that open source software is supported by a large global community of developers who share updates, patches, and security fixes regularly.
This helps maintain the tool’s reliability and security without heavy costs.
Therefore, using open source helps startups build strong tools faster and with fewer expenses.
Two popular examples of open source software are:
1. Linux — an open source operating system widely used for servers and desktops.
2. Apache HTTP Server — a free, open source web server used to host websites and applications.
Other examples include MySQL for databases, LibreOffice for office tasks, and Mozilla Firefox for web browsing.

A Static web page is a simple web page whose content remains the same for every user and every visit.
It is created using basic HTML and CSS and does not require server-side processing.
When a user requests a static page, the server simply sends the same pre-written HTML file to the browser.
On the other hand, a Dynamic web page is generated in real-time and can change content based on user interaction, preferences, or other factors.
Dynamic pages use server-side scripting languages like PHP, ASP, or Python to generate content dynamically.
1. Static web pages are faster to load because they do not involve database queries or server-side processing,
while dynamic web pages may take slightly longer because they fetch data and build the page on the fly.
2. Static pages are easier and cheaper to host and maintain but are less flexible for large or interactive websites,
whereas dynamic pages provide a personalized experience and are essential for modern web applications like e-commerce sites, forums, and dashboards.
Thus, static pages are suitable for simple websites, while dynamic pages are used where frequent content updates are needed.

Each web page on the Internet can be uniquely identified using its web address.
This unique web address is called a Uniform Resource Locater, commonly known as URL.
A URL specifies the location of a resource on the Internet and the protocol used to access it.
For example, in the URL https://www.example.com/page,
- https is the protocol.
- www.example.com is the domain name.
- /page specifies the specific path or resource on that server.
Therefore, the entire address together is known as the URL.
Option Domain Name only refers to the name of the website, not the complete address.
Protocol refers to the rules used for communication, like HTTP or HTTPS, but not the full address.
Network Topology refers to the structure of a network and has nothing to do with a web page address.
Therefore, the correct answer is Uniform Resource Locater (URL).

In Pandas, the drop() method is commonly used to remove rows or columns from a DataFrame.
By default, drop() removes rows, but by setting the axis parameter, you can choose to remove columns instead.
If axis=0, it means rows will be dropped.
If axis=1, it means columns will be dropped.
For example, df.drop('row_label') will drop a row.
df.drop('column_name', axis=1) will drop a column.
Therefore, the Assertion is true.
The Reason correctly explains how the axis parameter controls what is dropped.
Hence, both Assertion (A) and Reason (R) are true, and Reason (R) is the correct explanation for Assertion (A).

Voice Over Internet Protocol (VoIP) is a technology that enables the transmission of voice and multimedia content over Internet Protocol (IP) networks like the internet.
It is the fundamental protocol for services like video calls, voice calls, and video conferencing.
VoIP converts audio and video signals into digital data packets, which are transmitted over the internet.
- Video Over Internet Protocol and Video Audio Over Internet Protocol are not standard terms or protocols.
- Internet Protocol (IP) is the underlying protocol for routing data but does not specifically handle real-time audio/video communication alone.
Therefore, the correct protocol that enables video calls is VoIP.

Spending too much time in front of screens and maintaining poor posture can have negative impacts on health.
Some common problems include:
- Eye strain or digital eye strain, also called Computer Vision Syndrome (CVS).
- Headaches, dry eyes, and blurred vision.
- Neck and back pain due to poor sitting posture.
- Long-term poor posture can affect spine alignment and cause musculoskeletal issues.
Options like faster internet speeds, better vision, or improved physical health are incorrect.
Therefore, the correct answer is Eye strain and other health issues.

Phishing is a type of cybercrime where attackers trick individuals into revealing sensitive information, like usernames, passwords, or bank details, by posing as legitimate institutions through emails, messages, or fake websites.
In this case, Priya received an email that looked like it was from her bank and was asked to click a link and submit her confidential details.
This is a classic example of a phishing scam.
- Cyber stalking involves harassing or stalking someone online.
- Fishing is unrelated; it means catching fish — often confused with phishing due to similar spelling.
- Cyber bullying refers to online harassment or bullying behavior, especially on social media.
Therefore, the correct answer is Phishing.

In the Python Pandas library, when you create a Series without providing an explicit index, Pandas automatically generates a default index.
This default index is always numeric, starting at 0 and incrementing by 1 for each element.
For example:

import pandas as pd
s = pd.Series([100, 200, 300])
print(s)

Output:

0 100
1 200
2 300
dtype: int64

As shown, the index is 0, 1, 2.
This numeric index makes it easy to reference elements by their position.
String, List, or Boolean are not used by default as index types in a Pandas Series.
Therefore, the default index type is always Numeric.

A computer software program is considered a literary work and is protected under copyright law in most countries.
Copyright gives the creator exclusive rights to copy, distribute, and modify the software.
This means others cannot legally reproduce or use the software without the creator’s permission.
Plagiarism is an unethical act of copying someone’s work without acknowledgment but is not a legal form of intellectual property protection.
Trademark protects brand names, logos, and symbols used to identify goods and services, not the software code itself.
Lease is not a type of intellectual property right — it is a contractual agreement to rent property or services.
Therefore, to legally safeguard his software from unauthorized use, Raheem should apply for Copyright protection.

(i) Suggested topology and cable layout:
The most suitable topology for connecting all divisions in this office would be a Star topology.
In a Star topology, each division’s network is connected to a central device such as a switch.
This ensures that if one link fails, the other divisions remain connected.
Given the distances and layout, the central point can be placed close to the ADMIN division since it is centrally located with shortest average distances to other divisions (60m to SERVICE, 69m to SALES, 84m to PRODUCTION).
The cabling can then run from the switch at ADMIN to all other divisions with separate cables.
This minimizes disruption and allows easy fault detection.
A diagram should show ADMIN at the center connected directly to SALES, PRODUCTION, and SERVICE.
(ii) Type of network for Hyderabad–USA connection:
The Hyderabad branch and the USA head office are geographically distant and located in different countries.
To connect two offices over such large distances, a Wide Area Network (WAN) is required.
A WAN connects computers or networks across cities, countries, or even continents using leased lines, satellite links, or the internet.
A LAN is limited to a single building or campus, while a MAN covers a city, but only a WAN can cover countries.
Hence, the Hyderabad office and USA HQ will use a WAN for secure, reliable communication.
(iii) Suitable division for server placement:
The best division to place the main server is PRODUCTION.
This is because PRODUCTION has the highest number of computers (120) and likely the highest network load.
Placing the server close to the largest number of users reduces network latency and traffic congestion.
It ensures faster access for users doing frequent data transfers, backups, or project work.
Moreover, centralizing the server in the division with the maximum demand improves overall network efficiency.
(iv) Suitable placement of Switch/Hub:
The Switch or Hub should be placed in the ADMIN division for optimal connectivity.
The ADMIN division is the most central point in the layout based on the given distances to other divisions.
By placing the switch here, cable lengths to other divisions are minimized, which reduces cost and signal loss.
A centrally placed switch also simplifies management, monitoring, and troubleshooting.
It provides an efficient connection point for all divisions with minimal cabling.
(v) Placement of Repeater with justification:
A repeater is needed when the cable length between two points exceeds the maximum cable length supported without signal degradation.
The maximum segment length for twisted pair Ethernet is about 100 meters.
In the given layout, the longest distance is between SALES and SERVICE at 135 meters.
Therefore, a repeater should be placed between SALES and SERVICE to boost the signal over the long distance.
The repeater should be installed approximately halfway between the two divisions to amplify the signal effectively.
This ensures clear and uninterrupted data transfer without loss or errors due to signal weakening.