This 200-301 practice question tests your understanding of ip routing. Read the scenario carefully and evaluate each option against the stated constraints before committing to an answer. A key principle to apply: cisco routers select the route with the longest matching prefix to forward packets to the destination IP address.. Once you have made your selection, read the full explanation to reinforce the concept and understand why each distractor is designed to mislead on exam day.
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?
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
A
The static route to 10.1.1.64/26
This is correct because 10.1.1.70 matches the more specific /26 route.
B
The OSPF route to 10.1.1.0/24
Why wrong: This is wrong because the /24 route is less specific than the /26.
C
The OSPF route to 10.1.0.0/16
Why wrong: This is wrong because the /16 route is even less specific.
D
The default route
Why wrong: This is wrong because a more specific matching route exists.
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.
Key principle: Cisco routers select the route with the longest matching prefix to forward packets to the destination IP address.
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.
Related concept
Cisco routers select the route with the longest matching prefix to forward packets to the destination IP address.
✗
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?”
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
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.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Routing decisions in Cisco networks rely heavily on the concept of longest prefix match, which means the router selects the route with the most specific subnet mask that matches the destination IP address. In this scenario, the destination IP 10.1.1.70 falls within multiple routes: a static route to 10.1.1.64/26, an OSPF route to 10.1.1.0/24, and an OSPF route to 10.1.0.0/16. The /26 subnet mask is more specific than /24 and /16, so the router prefers this route regardless of the routing protocol or administrative distance, assuming the static route is valid and reachable.
The routing table lookup process begins by filtering routes that match the destination IP address and then comparing their subnet masks to find the longest prefix match. Cisco routers prioritize routes with the longest subnet mask because they represent a smaller, more precise network segment. Even if the static route and OSPF routes coexist, the static route with the /26 mask is chosen because it narrows down the destination network more accurately than the broader OSPF routes.
A common exam trap is to assume that dynamic routing protocols like OSPF always take precedence over static routes or that administrative distance alone determines the route selection without considering prefix length. In reality, the longest prefix match rule is the primary factor in route selection. Practically, this means network engineers must carefully design subnetting and route summarization to avoid unintended routing behaviors and ensure traffic follows the most efficient path.
KKey Concepts to Remember
Cisco routers select the route with the longest matching prefix to forward packets to the destination IP address.
Static routes with more specific subnet masks override less specific dynamic routing protocol routes when both match the destination.
OSPF advertises routes with varying prefix lengths, but routers prefer the most specific subnet mask regardless of routing protocol.
Routing decisions prioritize prefix length before considering administrative distance or metric values in Cisco devices.
A route to 10.1.1.64/26 is more specific and preferred over routes to 10.1.1.0/24 and 10.1.0.0/16 for destination 10.1.1.70.
Default routes are only used when no more specific matching route exists in the routing table.
Subnetting precision directly impacts route selection and traffic forwarding in Cisco routing environments.
Understanding longest prefix match helps avoid misinterpretation of routing table entries and ensures correct path selection.
TExam Day Tips
→Watch for words such as best, first, most likely and least administrative effort.
→Review why wrong options are wrong, not only why the correct option is correct.
Key takeaway
Cisco routers select the route with the longest matching prefix to forward packets to the destination IP address.
Real-world example
How this comes up in practice
A network engineer at a university connects two campus buildings via a fibre link. Both routers run OSPF, but no adjacency forms — even though both routers can ping each other. The engineer finds one router is in area 0 and the other in area 1. OSPF adjacency requires matching area numbers, hello/dead timers, and network type. IP reachability alone is not enough.
Related glossary terms
Concepts from this question explained
These glossary pages explain the core terms tested in this 200-301 question in full detail.
Review cisco routers select the route with the longest matching prefix to forward packets to the destination IP address., then practise related 200-301 questions on the same topic to reinforce the concept.
IP Routing — This question tests IP Routing — Cisco routers select the route with the longest matching prefix to forward packets to the destination IP address..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: 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.
What should I do if I get this 200-301 question wrong?
Review cisco routers select the route with the longest matching prefix to forward packets to the destination IP address., then practise related 200-301 questions on the same topic to reinforce the concept.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Cisco routers select the route with the longest matching prefix to forward packets to the destination IP address.
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