Cengage Computer Forensics Practice Test

A compound question is a prompt that contains more than one question within a single item, requiring you to address several related points in one answer. In this item, the prompt asks for multiple pieces of information together, so the term that best describes it is compound.

This label fits because it signals that you must respond to multiple parts within one question, rather than providing a single, standalone answer. A simple question asks for just one idea or fact. A complex question usually implies a tricky or multi-layered problem but not necessarily multiple distinct sub-questions within one prompt. A multi-part description can be used similarly, but in many assessment contexts the standard term for a single prompt that contains several questions is compound.

For example, a prompt that asks you to identify the file type and explain how its metadata supports authenticity combines two related questions in one item, which is characteristic of a compound question.