CCNA IP Routing Practice Question
Exhibit
R1# show ip route O 10.1.1.0/24 [110/20] via 192.0.2.2 S 10.1.1.64/26 [1/0] via 192.0.2.6 O 10.1.0.0/16 [110/30] via 192.0.2.10 S* 0.0.0.0/0 [1/0] via 198.51.100.1 Destination being tested: 10.1.1.70
Based on the exhibit, which route will be used for destination 10.1.1.70?
⚠ Common exam trap
A frequent exam trap is to incorrectly assume that dynamic routing protocols like OSPF always override static routes or that administrative distance alone determines the chosen route. Candidates might see multiple routes to the destination and pick the OSPF route with a broader subnet mask, ignoring that the static route has a longer prefix match. This mistake overlooks the fundamental Cisco routing rule that longest prefix match takes precedence over administrative distance when multiple routes exist. Misreading subnet masks or ignoring prefix specificity leads to selecting less optimal or incorrect routes in the exam scenario.
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 static route to 10.1.1.64/26
The route used will be the one with the longest matching prefix. In practical terms, 10.1.1.70 falls inside 10.1.1.64/26, and that prefix is more specific than both 10.1.1.0/24 and 10.1.0.0/16. Route selection begins with specificity, so the /26 route wins regardless of the broader alternatives. This is a clean simulation-style routing-table interpretation question and very close to real exam thinking.
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 static route to 10.1.1.64/26
Why this is correct
This is correct because 10.1.1.70 matches the more specific /26 route.
- ✗
The OSPF route to 10.1.1.0/24
Why it's wrong here
This is wrong because the /24 route is less specific than the /26.
When this WOULD be correct
In a different scenario where the question asks which route would be used if the static route to 10.1.1.64/26 was removed from the routing table, option B could be correct as the OSPF route to 10.1.1.0/24 would then be the best match for the destination IP.
- ✗
The OSPF route to 10.1.0.0/16
Why it's wrong here
This is wrong because the /16 route is even less specific.
When this WOULD be correct
In a scenario where the question specifies that the routing table only contains the OSPF route to 10.1.0.0/16 and there are no more specific routes for 10.1.1.70, this option would be correct as it would be the only available route to reach the destination.
- ✗
The default route
Why it's wrong here
This is wrong because a more specific matching route exists.
When this WOULD be correct
If the question specified that there were no other routes available or if the routing table was configured such that all other routes were down, then the default route would be the only viable option for reaching 10.1.1.70.
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 static route to 10.1.1.64/26Correct answer▾
Why this is correct
This is correct because 10.1.1.70 matches the more specific /26 route.
✗The OSPF route to 10.1.1.0/24Wrong answer — click to see why▾
Why this is wrong here
The OSPF route to 10.1.1.0/24 covers addresses 10.1.1.0 to 10.1.1.255, which includes .70, but it is less specific than the /26 route. The router will prefer the longer prefix (/26) over the /24.
★ When this WOULD be the correct answer
In a different scenario where the question asks which route would be used if the static route to 10.1.1.64/26 was removed from the routing table, option B could be correct as the OSPF route to 10.1.1.0/24 would then be the best match for the destination IP.
Why candidates choose this
Students might think that because 10.1.1.70 falls within the 10.1.1.0/24 range, this route would be used, but they overlook the existence of a more specific /26 route.
✗The OSPF route to 10.1.0.0/16Wrong answer — click to see why▾
Why this is wrong here
The OSPF route to 10.1.0.0/16 covers a much larger range (10.1.0.0 to 10.1.255.255), but it is the least specific among the matching routes. The router will always choose the most specific match, so this route is not used.
★ When this WOULD be the correct answer
In a scenario where the question specifies that the routing table only contains the OSPF route to 10.1.0.0/16 and there are no more specific routes for 10.1.1.70, this option would be correct as it would be the only available route to reach the destination.
Why candidates choose this
Students may confuse administrative distance or metric with prefix length, or they might think that OSPF routes are always preferred over static routes, but prefix length takes precedence.
✗The default routeWrong answer — click to see why▾
Why this is wrong here
The default route (0.0.0.0/0) matches any destination, but it is the least specific route. Since there are more specific matching routes (the /26, /24, and /16), the default route will not be used for 10.1.1.70.
★ When this WOULD be the correct answer
If the question specified that there were no other routes available or if the routing table was configured such that all other routes were down, then the default route would be the only viable option for reaching 10.1.1.70.
Why candidates choose this
Students might think that if no other route matches, the default route is used, but here other routes do match, so the default is not selected.
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.
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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.