CompTIA A+ Study Guide — 244 High-Yield Terms & Concepts

244 High-Yield Terms & Concepts for CompTIA A+ (220-1201 Core 1 + 220-1202 Core 2)

Pass the CompTIA A+ certification — Core 1 (220-1201) and Core 2 (220-1202), the current 1200-series exams (V15, launched March 25, 2025) — with a focused, high-yield concept review built on verified facts from comptia.org. Each exam allows up to 90 questions and 90 minutes, mixing multiple-choice, drag-and-drop, and performance-based questions (PBQs). Scoring: Core 1 passing score 675 and Core 2 passing score 700 on the 100–900 scale; you must take both exams from the same version (no mixing 1100/1200 series); recommended (not required) experience is 12 months hands-on in an IT support specialist role. Exams are administered through Pearson VUE testing centers; A+ is accredited by ANSI (ISO/IEC 17024). The certification is valid for 3 years from the date it is earned, renewable with 20 continuing education units (CEUs) or by retaking current exams, and it maps to DoD 8140 approved roles including technical support specialist, system administrator, and cyber defense infrastructure support. This guide teaches 244 high-yield terms and concepts (with a strategy tip and a worked example for each) across 16 parts — exam fundamentals (two-exam V15 structure, up to 90 questions and 90 minutes per exam, 675 vs 700 passing scores, same-version rule, Pearson VUE delivery, 3-year validity, 20-CEU renewal, DoD 8140 roles), Core 1 domains (mobile devices 13%, networking 23%, hardware 25%, virtualization and cloud computing 11%, hardware and network troubleshooting 28%), and Core 2 domains (operating systems 28%, security 28%, software troubleshooting 23%, operational procedures 21%), plus test-day logistics. This guide is an independent study aid. It is NOT affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by CompTIA or any of CompTIA’s programs. A+, Core 1, Core 2, and 220-1201/220-1202 refer to CompTIA’s certification exams. Exam format, fees, domains, and policies can change — confirm current details on the official comptia.org website before registering.