CCNA IP Routing Practice Question
Exhibit
R1# show ip route O 172.20.10.0/24 [110/20] via 192.0.2.2 S 172.20.10.32/27 [1/0] via 192.0.2.6 S* 0.0.0.0/0 [1/0] via 198.51.100.1 Destination being tested: 172.20.10.33
Based on the exhibit, which route will be used to reach 172.20.10.33?
⚠ Common exam trap
A common exam trap is to select the OSPF route or the default route instead of the static route with the longer prefix. Candidates often mistakenly believe that dynamic routing protocols like OSPF always take precedence or that default routes are used when any route exists. However, Cisco routers first evaluate the longest prefix match before considering administrative distance. Ignoring this can lead to incorrect answers because the more specific /27 static route will always be preferred over the broader /24 OSPF route or the default route for the destination 172.20.10.33.
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 172.20.10.32/27
The route used will be the one with the longest matching prefix. In practical terms, 172.20.10.33 matches both the /24 and the /27 shown, but the /27 is more specific. That means the router selects the /27 route before considering the broader /24 or any default route. This is exactly the kind of route-table interpretation the CCNA exam likes because it rewards precise thinking about prefix boundaries.
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 172.20.10.32/27
Why this is correct
This is correct because 172.20.10.33 falls in the more specific /27 prefix.
- ✗
The OSPF route to 172.20.10.0/24
Why it's wrong here
This is wrong because the /24 is less specific than the /27.
When this WOULD be correct
In a different scenario where the question asks which route is preferred for all traffic destined for the 172.20.10.0/24 network, the OSPF route would be correct, as it encompasses the entire subnet including 172.20.10.33.
- ✗
The default route
Why it's wrong here
This is wrong because a more specific matching route exists.
When this WOULD be correct
In a different question setup where the routing table only contains a default route (0.0.0.0/0) and no specific routes for the destination IP, the default route would be the only option available to reach 172.20.10.33.
- ✗
No route, because the destination does not match any prefix.
Why it's wrong here
This is wrong because the destination clearly matches both prefixes shown.
When this WOULD be correct
In a different scenario, if the question specified that the routing table had no entries for 172.20.10.33 or that the routing protocols were disabled, then option D would be correct, indicating that the destination cannot be reached due to the absence of any matching route.
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 172.20.10.32/27Correct answer▾
Why this is correct
This is correct because 172.20.10.33 falls in the more specific /27 prefix.
✗The OSPF route to 172.20.10.0/24Wrong answer — click to see why▾
Why this is wrong here
The OSPF route to 172.20.10.0/24 has a prefix length of /24, which is less specific than the /27 static route. Since 172.20.10.33 matches both prefixes, the router will choose the longer prefix (/27) over the shorter one (/24).
★ When this WOULD be the correct answer
In a different scenario where the question asks which route is preferred for all traffic destined for the 172.20.10.0/24 network, the OSPF route would be correct, as it encompasses the entire subnet including 172.20.10.33.
Why candidates choose this
Students may think that OSPF, being a dynamic routing protocol, is always preferred over static routes, or they may overlook the importance of prefix length in route selection.
✗The default routeWrong answer — click to see why▾
Why this is wrong here
A default route (0.0.0.0/0) is the least specific route and is only used when no other more specific route matches the destination. Since 172.20.10.33 matches both the /27 and /24 routes, the default route will not be used.
★ When this WOULD be the correct answer
In a different question setup where the routing table only contains a default route (0.0.0.0/0) and no specific routes for the destination IP, the default route would be the only option available to reach 172.20.10.33.
Why candidates choose this
Students might assume that if a destination is not explicitly listed, the default route will be used, but here the destination does match explicit routes, so the default is not considered.
✗No route, because the destination does not match any prefix.Wrong answer — click to see why▾
Why this is wrong here
The destination 172.20.10.33 clearly matches both the 172.20.10.32/27 and 172.20.10.0/24 prefixes, so a route exists. The router will use the longest prefix match to forward the packet.
★ When this WOULD be the correct answer
In a different scenario, if the question specified that the routing table had no entries for 172.20.10.33 or that the routing protocols were disabled, then option D would be correct, indicating that the destination cannot be reached due to the absence of any matching route.
Why candidates choose this
A student might incorrectly think that because 172.20.10.33 is not exactly the network address or broadcast address, it does not match the prefix, but any IP within the range matches.
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
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Key term
Router
A router is a networking device that connects different networks together and directs data traffic between them by choosing the best path for data to travel.
Key term
Cisco Discovery Protocol
A proprietary Layer 2 network protocol used by Cisco devices to discover information about directly connected neighbor devices.
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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.