CompTIA A+ Performance-Based Questions (PBQs): How to Answer Them + Free Practice
Performance-based questions are the part of the CompTIA A+ exams that candidates worry about most. They show up early, they take longer than multiple choice, and they ask you to do something - match connectors, order the troubleshooting steps, read command output - instead of just recognizing a definition. The good news: A+ PBQs are predictable and, honestly, simpler than the Security+ ones. There are only a few formats and a short list of topics, and once you've rehearsed them, they stop being scary. This guide breaks down the formats, gives you a repeatable strategy, and ends with 5 free PBQ-style practice questions covering Core 1 (220-1201) and Core 2 (220-1202).
In This Guide
What an A+ PBQ actually is
A performance-based question presents a scenario and a small interactive task, then grades what you produce. Instead of "Which port does RDP use?", a PBQ hands you a workstation with a network problem and says "Read the ipconfig output and identify why it can't reach the network." You're being tested on whether you can apply the concept, not just name it.
That's why they feel harder - and why they're a great way to study. If you can work an A+ PBQ, you almost certainly understand the underlying concept well enough to answer any multiple-choice question about it too. On Core 1, PBQs cluster in hardware, networking, and the troubleshooting methodology; on Core 2, they lean toward operating-system tools, the malware-removal process, and security settings.
The 4 PBQ formats you'll see
Almost every A+ PBQ is one of these four shapes. Recognizing the shape immediately tells you what kind of answer is expected.
1. Drag-and-drop matching
Drag labels into slots - matching connectors to uses, ports to protocols, or RAID levels to descriptions. The most common and usually the fastest A+ PBQ format.
2. Ordering / sequence
Put steps in the right order: the 6-step troubleshooting methodology, a laptop teardown, or the malware-removal process. A+ loves testing whether you follow a process in order.
3. Simulation / GUI
A simplified interface (Windows Settings, a SOHO router page, a BIOS/UEFI panel) where you click to reach the correct end state. Slower - take your time clicking.
4. Command / output analysis
Read command output (ipconfig, ping, an error message) or a symptom, then identify the cause or the next action. Pure reading-comprehension once you know the indicators.
Here's what a command-output PBQ looks like in raw form - one line gives away the whole problem once you recognize the address range:
And a matching PBQ - connectors to their correct use:
How to answer PBQs: a 5-step strategy
This is the exact routine I give people I mentor. It turns PBQs from a source of panic into the most reliable points on the exam.
- Flag them and skip first. PBQs appear early, but you don't have to do them first. Flag each PBQ, blow through the multiple-choice questions to bank the fast points, then come back. You'll return calmer and with a known time budget.
- Read the entire scenario before touching anything. PBQs hide the constraint in the last sentence ("...without losing the user's data"). Read it all once, identify exactly what "done" looks like, then act.
- Answer every sub-part - partial credit is real. Most PBQs grade each blank, match, or step independently. Never leave a part empty. Fill the ones you know, make a reasoned best guess on the rest.
- Use the process order you memorized. A huge share of A+ PBQs are ordering or "what's FIRST" tasks. If you've memorized the 6-step troubleshooting method and the malware-removal steps cold, these become free points.
- Don't over-spend - cap your time and move on. If a simulation is eating minutes, lock in your best partial answer, flag it, and return at the end if time allows. A perfect PBQ isn't worth failing three MCQs you didn't reach.
The A+ PBQ topics that show up most
A+ PBQs are drawn from a short, predictable list. Drill these and you've covered the overwhelming majority of what you'll be asked to do:
- The 6-step troubleshooting methodology - identify, establish a theory, test the theory, establish a plan, verify functionality, document. Ordering and "what's FIRST" PBQs live here (Core 1). See the hardware troubleshooting guide.
- Connectors, ports, and cables - match RJ45, SATA, HDMI, DisplayPort, USB-C, and Thunderbolt to their uses, and common TCP/UDP ports (443, 3389, 445, 22) to their protocols (Core 1).
- Command output analysis - read
ipconfig(spot APIPA 169.254.x.x),ping, and error messages to diagnose a connectivity or boot problem (Core 1). - RAID and storage - match RAID 0/1/5/10 to their descriptions, minimum drive counts, and trade-offs (Core 1).
- Windows command-line tools - map the tool to the symptom:
sfcandDISMfor system files,chkdskfor disk errors,gpupdatefor policy,ipconfig /flushdnsfor DNS (Core 2). - The malware-removal process - order the seven steps: investigate, quarantine, disable System Restore, remediate, schedule scans/updates, re-enable System Restore, educate the user (Core 2).
- Security and OS settings - choose the secure or correct value in a simulated settings panel: NTFS permissions, user account control, wireless encryption (WPA3), or a SOHO router configuration (Core 2).
Rehearse A+ PBQs in a full practice exam - both cores
FigigExams A+ practice exams build PBQ-style drag-and-drop, ordering, and command-output items into every version - and the Exam Coach tells you which concepts your misses came from. The first full exam for each core is free, no credit card.
Want to go deeper?
A+ PBQ-Style Practice Questions
These 5 questions are drawn from the most common A+ PBQ topics - connector matching, the troubleshooting order, command output, Windows tools, and the malware-removal process - across Core 1 and Core 2. Each has a detailed explanation. (On the real exam these are interactive; here they're multiple choice so you can self-check the reasoning.)
Ready for More?
You've just covered how A+ PBQs work. Here's how to keep preparing:
Frequently Asked Questions
How many performance-based questions are on the CompTIA A+ exam?
CompTIA doesn't publish a fixed number, but candidates typically see a few performance-based questions (often near the start) on each core, out of a maximum of 90 questions per exam. Each A+ exam (Core 1 and Core 2) is a maximum of 90 questions in 90 minutes. A+ PBQs are generally simpler than Security+ PBQs, but they still carry more weight than a single multiple-choice item.
Are A+ PBQs scored with partial credit?
Most performance-based questions award partial credit, so you should answer every sub-part even if you're unsure of one. On matching and ordering PBQs, place every item - a wrong placement can't score worse than a blank one, and the parts you get right still count.
Should I do the A+ PBQs first or last?
Most test-takers do better by flagging the PBQs, banking the fast multiple-choice points first, then returning to the PBQs with the time and confidence that remain. PBQs are time sinks, and starting the exam stuck on a simulation can rattle you. You can flag a question and come back to it before you submit.
What topics do A+ performance-based questions cover?
Common A+ PBQ topics include matching connectors, ports, and protocols; ordering the troubleshooting methodology or a laptop teardown; reading command output such as ipconfig or ping; choosing the correct Windows command-line tool for a symptom; the malware-removal process order; and picking correct settings in a simulated interface. Core 1 leans hardware and networking; Core 2 leans operating systems, security, and procedures.
How can I practice A+ PBQs before the real exam?
The best preparation is a full, timed practice exam for each core that includes PBQ-style items, followed by a concept-level review of every miss. FigigExams builds PBQ-style drag-and-drop, ordering, and command-output items into every A+ practice exam, and the first full exam for each core is free with no credit card. Weighing paid options? Compare against CompTIA CertMaster.