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Quiz about Can You Crack the Code
Quiz about Can You Crack the Code

Can You Crack the Code? Trivia Quiz


Fear not: this is not a brain teaser quiz. It's a mishmash of questions about different types of codes.

A multiple-choice quiz by timence. Estimated time: 4 mins.
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Author
timence
Time
4 mins
Type
Multiple Choice
Quiz #
362,343
Updated
Dec 03 21
# Qns
10
Difficulty
Average
Avg Score
6 / 10
Plays
388
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Question 1 of 10
1. The barcode is something most people see on a daily basis, but there was, of course, a time before barcodes existed. What was the main difference between the early patent developed by Joseph Woodland and Bernard Silver in 1952 and the ones we see today? Hint


Question 2 of 10
2. Morse code is named after its creator, Samuel Morse. It uses two basic features known as dots and what? Hint


Question 3 of 10
3. Which of the following is NOT a meaning of the phrase "code red"? Hint


Question 4 of 10
4. In the USA, they are known as ZIP codes. What do other countries, including the UK and Australia, call them instead? Hint


Question 5 of 10
5. The enigma machine was a one-off invention and refers to a single code-breaking device used during World War II.


Question 6 of 10
6. Which of the following is an international programming competition, first run in 2003? Hint


Question 7 of 10
7. What was the name given to the Navajo Indians that were recruited by the US military to help with secret communications during World War II? Hint


Question 8 of 10
8. If someone is called a "code monkey", they are likely to be a highly skilled computer programmer.


Question 9 of 10
9. In which sport would a "Code Zero" come in handy? Hint


Question 10 of 10
10. In business and government, which of the following terms is NOT generally used to describe expected behaviours of a group? Hint



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Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts
1. The barcode is something most people see on a daily basis, but there was, of course, a time before barcodes existed. What was the main difference between the early patent developed by Joseph Woodland and Bernard Silver in 1952 and the ones we see today?

Answer: It was circular rather than flat.

The 1952 patent looked very much like a bulls-eye target, consisting of a number of concentric circles. The idea was first floated to Bernard Silver when he was approached by a supermarket owner who wanted to know if there was a way of automatically 'reading' food products.

It went on to become a commercial reality in the early 1970s and took off from there, with barcodes being on the majority of products in supermarkets today.
2. Morse code is named after its creator, Samuel Morse. It uses two basic features known as dots and what?

Answer: Dashes

Samuel Morse sent the first ever Morse code message in 1844, which was: "What hath God wrought?". Interestingly, Morse had quite a successful painting career before turning to his interest in codes and telegraphs.
3. Which of the following is NOT a meaning of the phrase "code red"?

Answer: An environmental organisation from Tasmania, Australia

There is an environmental organisation from Tasmania, Australia named "code green", indicating their link to green politics. The code red computer worm was reputedly named after the Mountain Dew the developers were drinking at the time they unleashed it. "A Few Good Men" is famous for the code red that ends up being the key to the legal case in dispute.
4. In the USA, they are known as ZIP codes. What do other countries, including the UK and Australia, call them instead?

Answer: Postcodes

The word 'ZIP' is actually an acronym, meaning Zone Improvement Plan. This was a plan developed by the US Postal Service in the 1960s to improve mail sorting and delivery. While ZIP codes in the US have five digits, Australian postcodes only have four.

In both countries, the first digit refers to the state (or territory) that the code belongs to. For example, a '2' at the start of a ZIP code could be one of the Carolinas or Washington, DC (among others). A '2' at the start of an Australian postcode refers to New South Wales or the Australian Capital Territory.
5. The enigma machine was a one-off invention and refers to a single code-breaking device used during World War II.

Answer: False

The enigma machine was actually a family of devices, used to break codes primarily during World War II. Invented at the end of the First World War by a German engineer, the enigma machines were also used commercially.
6. Which of the following is an international programming competition, first run in 2003?

Answer: Code Jam

The rules of Code Jam, hosted by Google, are quite simple: solve a particular algorithm using coding in a given amount of time. The competition grew quickly since its launch: in 2008, over 35,000 people competed for the $10,000 prize.
7. What was the name given to the Navajo Indians that were recruited by the US military to help with secret communications during World War II?

Answer: Code talkers

While the Navajo group is probably most famous for this, the practice was actually thought to have been originally instigated by the Choctaw Indians in World War I. They served in the US military and were bilingual.
8. If someone is called a "code monkey", they are likely to be a highly skilled computer programmer.

Answer: False

A code monkey is in fact a derogatory term used to describe an unskilled programmer, generally one that does repetitive coding work. It is sometimes (but not always) used to describe people who are forced to do this kind of work for large corporations.
9. In which sport would a "Code Zero" come in handy?

Answer: Sailing

A code zero is a type of sail, best used in conditions of light wind. It is specifically designed to be light in weight, but able to maximise the amount of wind available.
10. In business and government, which of the following terms is NOT generally used to describe expected behaviours of a group?

Answer: Code of morals

A moral code is the more general term about the behaviour and principles of individuals, while the other three terms describe the general phrases used by professional organisations, including governments, to suggest what is acceptable in terms of the way they operate both as individuals and a group. Codes of conduct are often very vaguely worded because there are many 'grey' areas around human behaviour and interaction. Rudyard Kipling also wrote a poem called 'Code of Morals'.
Source: Author timence

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