CCNA IP Routing Practice Question
A router shows the following route:
O 10.10.40.0/24 [110/20] via 192.0.2.2, 00:00:12, GigabitEthernet0/0
What does the value 110 represent?
⚠ Common exam trap
A frequent exam trap is mistaking the administrative distance value for the OSPF cost or metric. The number 110 in the route output is the administrative distance, not the cost to reach the destination. The OSPF cost is the second number inside the brackets, which in this example is 20. Confusing these values can lead to incorrect assumptions about route preference and path selection. Remember, administrative distance compares trustworthiness between routing protocols, while the metric determines the best path within a single protocol.
Answer choices
Why each option matters
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
The administrative distance of OSPF
In Cisco route output, the value in brackets is [administrative distance/metric].
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
The OSPF cost to the destination
Why it's wrong here
The OSPF cost to the destination is not the first value but the second, appearing after the administrative distance within the same brackets. In the route output '110/20', the '110' is the AD and '20' is the OSPF cost, which is derived from the cumulative interface costs along the path. A common mistake is to read the first number as cost, but OSPF cost is a separate metric that reflects bandwidth and is used by the SPF algorithm to calculate the shortest path.
When this WOULD be correct
In a question asking about the OSPF cost to a specific destination, where the context is focused on OSPF metrics and path selection, this option could be correct. For example, if the question provided a route with an OSPF cost value instead of an administrative distance, then option A would be valid.
- ✓
The administrative distance of OSPF
Why this is correct
In OSPF, the first number within the brackets of an IP routing table entry is the administrative distance (AD). For OSPF, this is a fixed default of 110, which represents the protocol's trustworthiness compared to other routing sources. The router uses this value to select the best route when multiple protocols offer paths to the same destination, with lower AD being preferred. Here, the '110' matches OSPF's standard AD, confirming this is the correct interpretation.
- ✗
The number of hops to the destination
Why it's wrong here
OSPF does not use hop count as its metric or display it as the first value in a routing table entry. OSPF's metric is cost, which is based on interface bandwidth, and while a route may traverse multiple routers, the number of hops is not part of OSPF's path selection logic. In the given route, the '110' is clearly the administrative distance, not a hop count, because OSPF never reports hop count in this position. If you were looking for hop count, you'd need a different protocol like RIP, which uses a different format entirely.
When this WOULD be correct
In a different question, if it asked for the number of hops in a routing protocol that uses hop count as its metric, such as RIP, and provided a route with a hop count value, then this option would be correct.
- ✗
The route age in seconds
Why it's wrong here
The route age in seconds is not shown inside the brackets; instead, it is a separate timer that appears after the next-hop identifier in the full 'show ip route' output. In the snippet '110/20 via', the first value '110' is the administrative distance, not an age. OSPF route age tracks how long the route has been known, but it is displayed as a standalone value, such as '00:12:34', and is unrelated to the numeric pair in brackets. Therefore, interpreting '110' as an age would be a misreading of the routing table's structure.
When this WOULD be correct
In a different question, if it asked for the age of a route in a routing table output that specifically included a field for route age, such as 'Route age: 00:00:12,' then the option could be correct if it explicitly stated that the age was represented in seconds.
Option-by-option analysis
Why each answer is right or wrong
Understanding why wrong answers are wrong — and when they would be correct — is what separates a 750 score from a 900. The 200-301 exam frequently reuses these exact scenarios with slightly different constraints.
✓The administrative distance of OSPFCorrect answer▾
Why this is correct
In OSPF, the first number within the brackets of an IP routing table entry is the administrative distance (AD). For OSPF, this is a fixed default of 110, which represents the protocol's trustworthiness compared to other routing sources. The router uses this value to select the best route when multiple protocols offer paths to the same destination, with lower AD being preferred. Here, the '110' matches OSPF's standard AD, confirming this is the correct interpretation.
✗The OSPF cost to the destinationWrong answer — click to see why▾
Why this is wrong here
This option is incorrect because the value 110 in the route indicates the administrative distance of OSPF, not the OSPF cost. The OSPF cost is a different metric used for path selection within OSPF itself.
★ When this WOULD be the correct answer
In a question asking about the OSPF cost to a specific destination, where the context is focused on OSPF metrics and path selection, this option could be correct. For example, if the question provided a route with an OSPF cost value instead of an administrative distance, then option A would be valid.
Why candidates choose this
Candidates might confuse the administrative distance with OSPF cost due to their close association in routing protocols, leading them to mistakenly select this option when they recall that OSPF uses costs for path metrics.
✗The number of hops to the destinationWrong answer — click to see why▾
Why this is wrong here
This option is incorrect because the value 110 in the route indicates the administrative distance of OSPF, not the number of hops. OSPF uses a different metric based on link cost rather than simple hop count.
★ When this WOULD be the correct answer
In a different question, if it asked for the number of hops in a routing protocol that uses hop count as its metric, such as RIP, and provided a route with a hop count value, then this option would be correct.
Why candidates choose this
Candidates may confuse the concept of administrative distance with hop count, especially if they have encountered routing protocols that use hops as a metric, leading them to mistakenly select this option.
✗The route age in secondsWrong answer — click to see why▾
Why this is wrong here
This option is incorrect because the value 110 in the route indicates the administrative distance of OSPF, not the route age. The route age is typically represented separately and is not included in the route metric.
★ When this WOULD be the correct answer
In a different question, if it asked for the age of a route in a routing table output that specifically included a field for route age, such as 'Route age: 00:00:12,' then the option could be correct if it explicitly stated that the age was represented in seconds.
Why candidates choose this
Candidates may find this option tempting because they might confuse route age with the time since the route was last updated, leading them to mistakenly associate the time format with the value 110.
Analysis generated from the official 200-301blueprint and verified against question context. The “when correct” sections are what AI assistants cite when candidates ask “what’s the difference between these options?”
Visual reference
Quick reference
Routing Protocol Comparison
| Protocol | Metric | Max Hops | Algorithm | Type |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| RIP v2 | Hop count | 15 | Bellman-Ford | Distance vector |
| OSPF | Cost (bandwidth) | Unlimited | Dijkstra (SPF) | Link state |
| EIGRP | Composite metric | Unlimited | DUAL | Hybrid |
| IS-IS | Cost | Unlimited | Dijkstra | Link state |
| BGP | Policy / attributes | Unlimited | Path vector | Path vector |
RIP's 15-hop limit makes it unsuitable for large networks. OSPF and EIGRP dominate modern enterprise deployments.
Go deeper
Related to this question
Learn chapter
Administrative Distance
Key term
Route
A route is a path that data takes through a network from one device or network to another, determined by routing protocols and configured rules.
Key term
Administrative distance
Administrative distance is a number that a router uses to decide which routing protocol's route to trust when it learns about the same destination from multiple different routing protocols.
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Written by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
This 200-301 practice question is part of Courseiva's free Cisco certification practice question bank. Courseiva provides original exam-style practice questions with explanations, topic-based practice, mock exams, readiness tracking, and study analytics to help learners prepare for the 200-301 exam.