CompTIA A+ Practice Test: 90 IT Fundamentals Questions
The CompTIA A+ certification is the entry point for IT careers. According to CompTIA's own workforce data, A+ certified technicians earn 5-10% more than non-certified peers in help desk and desktop support roles. The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects 6% growth in computer support specialist jobs through 2032, representing roughly 56,400 new positions annually.
Commercial prep courses from providers like CertMaster charge $500 to $700. Boot camps run $1,500 to $3,000. Our CompTIA A+ practice test delivers 90 questions across all exam domains with every answer explained for $99 one-time.
To be clear: this is an authentic practice test built using the ALA Mirror Method to replicate the real A+ exam's structure, domain distribution, and difficulty curve. Every question is 100% original, written by Guinness World Records Puzzle Master Timothy E. Parker.
What Is the CompTIA A+ Exam?
The CompTIA A+ certification requires passing two exams: Core 1 (220-1101) and Core 2 (220-1102). Together they cover the foundational skills every IT support professional needs. Core 1 focuses on hardware, networking, and mobile devices. Core 2 covers operating systems, security, software troubleshooting, and operational procedures.
- Mobile Devices — laptop hardware, displays, accessories, wireless connectivity
- Networking — TCP/IP, DNS, DHCP, ports, protocols, wireless standards
- Hardware — motherboards, CPUs, RAM, storage, power supplies, peripherals
- Virtualization & Cloud — hypervisors, cloud models, client-side virtualization
- Operating Systems — Windows, macOS, Linux, command-line tools
- Security — malware types, authentication, encryption, physical security
- Software Troubleshooting — application crashes, OS issues, malware removal
- Operational Procedures — ticketing, documentation, change management, backup
Each exam contains a maximum of 90 questions with a 90-minute time limit. Passing scores are 675 (Core 1) and 700 (Core 2) on a scale of 100 to 900. The exam fee is $358 per attempt.
How the ALA Mirror Method Works
The ALA Mirror Method is the framework behind every practice test on US Testing Center. For the CompTIA A+ practice test, it operates on three principles:
- Exact structural replication. The test contains exactly 90 questions distributed across all tested domains in the same proportions as the real exam. Each topic area carries the same weight here as it does on test day.
- Calibrated difficulty curve. Approximately 30% of questions are classified as easy, 50% as medium, and 20% as hard. This mirrors the real exam's distribution philosophy, blending straightforward recall questions with multi-layered analytical problems.
- 100% original content. Every question is written by Guinness World Records Puzzle Master Timothy E. Parker—the same author behind over 30 years of nationally syndicated test content. No recycled questions, no unlicensed material.
The result: a practice experience that measures the same skills the real A+ exam measures, without requiring you to spend thousands on a commercial prep course to access quality questions.
Sample Questions with Full Explanations
The following three questions come directly from the practice test. They span three difficulty levels—easy, medium, and hard—and demonstrate the kind of teaching explanation included with every question in your report.
A user reports that their desktop computer powers on but the display shows no image. The power LED on the monitor is amber. Which of the following should a technician check FIRST?
An amber LED on a monitor typically indicates the display is in standby mode and not receiving a video signal. The first troubleshooting step is always the simplest: verify the physical cable connection between the computer and the monitor. Replacing the motherboard (A) or power supply (C) are invasive steps that should only follow systematic diagnosis. Updating the graphics driver (D) is impossible without a working display, and driver issues rarely cause a complete loss of signal at POST.
A technician needs to assign a static IP address to a network printer. The network uses the subnet 192.168.1.0/24 with DHCP serving addresses 192.168.1.100 through 192.168.1.200. Which of the following addresses should the technician assign to avoid conflicts?
The DHCP range occupies 192.168.1.100 through 192.168.1.200, so any static assignment should fall outside that range to prevent IP conflicts. 192.168.1.50 (B) sits below the DHCP pool and is a valid host address. 192.168.1.150 (A) falls within the DHCP range and could conflict with a dynamically assigned address. 192.168.1.256 (C) is invalid because the maximum value for any octet in IPv4 is 255. 192.168.1.0 (D) is the network address and cannot be assigned to a host.
A company discovers that an attacker gained access to the internal network by sending a crafted email that redirected a finance employee to a cloned banking portal. The portal captured the employee's credentials and session tokens. Which of the following BEST describes this attack chain?
This scenario describes a targeted email (spear phishing) that directed the victim to a cloned portal (credential harvesting). Capturing session tokens enables session replay, where the attacker reuses the stolen token to impersonate the victim. A brute-force attack (A) involves automated password guessing, which did not occur here. An on-path attack with ARP poisoning (C) requires network-level interception, not email-based social engineering. SQL injection (D) targets application databases through input fields and is unrelated to the phishing vector described.
Every question in the full 90-question test includes this level of explanation—not just the correct answer, but the reasoning behind each wrong answer and the conceptual framework you need to internalize.
What Your Report Includes
When you complete the CompTIA A+ practice test, you receive a comprehensive results package:
- Every question reviewed — all 90 questions displayed with your answer and the correct answer
- Teaching explanation per question — 80 to 150 words explaining the concept, why the correct answer is correct, and why each distractor fails
- Searchable results portal — filter by topic area, dimension, or result (correct/incorrect) to focus your review
- 5-dimension radar chart — visual breakdown of your performance across the five scoring dimensions
- Crown Tier ranking — your score placed within the 9-tier system used across all US Testing Center assessments
- PDF export — download your complete report for offline study or printing
- IBM Quantum verified Credential ID — tamper-proof score verification
- 1-year access — return to your results portal anytime within 12 months
5 Dimensions Scored
Your results are broken down across five analytical dimensions that map to the core topic areas of the CompTIA A+ exam:
Hardware & Mobile Devices
Networking & Connectivity
Operating Systems & Software
Security & Risk Management
Troubleshooting & Procedures
This dimension structure tells you more than a single score ever could. A test-taker scoring 80% overall but only 55% in Security & Risk Management has a clear, actionable target for improvement. The radar chart in your report makes these gaps immediately visible.
Pricing and Retests
- Full test: $99 — one-time payment, no subscription, no recurring charges
- Retest: $49.50 — exactly half price, unlimited retakes using your Credential ID
- No hidden fees — your $99 covers the test, every explanation, the searchable portal, the PDF export, and 1-year access
CertMaster's A+ prep costs $500 to $700. Dion Training's practice exams run $30 to $50 per set but include fewer questions and shorter explanations. Professor Messer's paid course notes are $20 but offer no interactive practice component. At $99, this practice test delivers the core diagnostic component at a fraction of what commercial prep courses charge.
Take the Full CompTIA A+ Practice Test 90 questions · every answer explained · searchable results · PDF export $99Frequently Asked Questions
Is this the actual CompTIA A+ exam?
No. This is an authentic practice test created using the ALA Mirror Method. It mirrors the structure, domain distribution, and difficulty curve of the real CompTIA A+ exam but is not the official certification exam administered by CompTIA. US Testing Center is not affiliated with or endorsed by CompTIA.
Does this cover both Core 1 and Core 2?
Yes. The 90 questions span all domains from both Core 1 (220-1101) and Core 2 (220-1102), proportionally weighted to match the real exam's domain breakdown.
How accurate is the ALA Mirror Method?
The method replicates the exact domain structure and proportional weighting of the real A+ exams with a calibrated difficulty curve of approximately 30% easy, 50% medium, and 20% hard. All questions are 100% original, written by Guinness World Records Puzzle Master Timothy E. Parker.
What does IBM Quantum verification mean?
Every completed test generates a unique Credential ID verified through IBM Quantum processing. This provides a tamper-proof record of your score for the full 1-year access period.
Can I retake the test?
Yes. Retake at exactly half price ($49.50) using your original Credential ID. There is no limit on retakes, and each generates a fresh report to track improvement. Learn more about retests.
How long do I have access to my results?
Your searchable results portal, teaching report, and PDF export remain accessible for 1 full year from the date you complete the test.
Do I need to finish in one sitting?
No. You can start, pause, and resume the test at any time on any device. Every answer is auto-saved instantly.
Start Your CompTIA A+ Practice Test
Ninety questions. Every domain covered. Every answer explained. One price.
Take the Full CompTIA A+ Practice Test 90 questions · complete report · every answer explained · start, pause and resume anytime $99Retests at exactly half price ($49.50). Learn more
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