Question 210 of 1,389
CCNA IP Routing Practice Question
Exhibit
R1# show ip route R 172.31.80.0/24 [120/1] via 192.0.2.2 S 172.31.0.0/16 [1/0] via 192.0.2.6 Destination being tested: 172.31.80.10
Why does traffic to 172.31.80.10 use the RIP route (172.31.80.0/24) instead of the static route (172.31.0.0/16)?
⚠ Common exam trap
A frequent exam trap is assuming that static routes always take precedence over RIP routes because static routes have a lower administrative distance. This misconception ignores the critical role of longest-prefix match in route selection. The router first selects the route with the most specific subnet mask before considering administrative distance. Therefore, a RIP route with a /24 mask will override a static route with a /16 mask for matching traffic. Another trap is thinking that enabling RIP disables or removes static routes, which is incorrect; static routes remain active unless explicitly removed or overridden by a more specific route.
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
✓
Because the RIP /24 route is more specific than the static /16 route.
Traffic uses the RIP route because the static route is less specific than the RIP route. In practical terms, longest-prefix match is always evaluated first. Even though the static route is manually configured, the more specific RIP prefix wins because it describes the destination more precisely. This is a strong route-selection item because it tests whether you can prioritize specificity ahead of route source preference.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✓
Because the RIP /24 route is more specific than the static /16 route.
Why this is correct
Longest-prefix match dictates that the route with the greatest number of matching bits is always used for forwarding, regardless of administrative distance or route source. The /24 prefix 172.31.80.0/24 exactly matches 172.31.80.10, whereas the /16 prefix 172.31.0.0/16 is less specific and covers a broader range. Therefore, the RIP-advertised /24 route is chosen for this destination because it provides a more precise match.
- ✗
Because RIP always overrides static routing.
Why it's wrong here
RIP does not override static routing based on protocol precedence; rather, administrative distance governs route selection, with static routes typically having an AD of 1 and RIP an AD of 120. For identical prefix lengths, the static route would be preferred because of its lower AD. In this scenario, the RIP /24 route is chosen solely because it offers a longer prefix match, not because RIP overrides static routing.
When this WOULD be correct
In a scenario where a question states that a routing protocol has a lower administrative distance than static routes, and asks why a specific route is being used, option B would be correct. For example, if the question indicated that RIP had a lower administrative distance than the static route, then this option would accurately describe the behavior.
- ✗
Because static routes cannot be used for private IPv4 space.
Why it's wrong here
Static routes are manually configured forwarding entries that function identically for any IPv4 address space, including private RFC 1918 ranges such as 172.16.0.0/12. The address class or private nature of an IP prefix has no bearing on whether a static route can be used. The /16 static route here is perfectly valid, and the RIP /24 route wins because of a more specific prefix, not because static routes are disallowed in private space.
When this WOULD be correct
In a different exam scenario, if the question asked whether static routes can be used with specific routing protocols in a network design involving public IPs only, option C could be correct if the context specified that static routes were not permitted for private addressing due to policy or design constraints.
- ✗
Because the static route is automatically removed whenever RIP is enabled.
Why it's wrong here
Enabling RIP does not automatically purge static routes from the routing table; routes from different sources can coexist, and the routing table only selects the best match for each unique prefix. The static /16 route remains available and would still be used for any destination within its range that does not have a more specific RIP route. Thus, the static route persists, but the /24 RIP route is preferred for 172.31.80.10 because of longest-prefix match.
When this WOULD be correct
In a different scenario where a question states that static routes are configured with a specific command to be removed when a dynamic routing protocol like RIP is enabled, option D would be correct. For example, if the question specifies that the static route is configured with a 'remove' command upon RIP activation, then this option would apply.
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.
✓Because the RIP /24 route is more specific than the static /16 route.Correct answer▾
Why this is correct
Longest-prefix match dictates that the route with the greatest number of matching bits is always used for forwarding, regardless of administrative distance or route source. The /24 prefix 172.31.80.0/24 exactly matches 172.31.80.10, whereas the /16 prefix 172.31.0.0/16 is less specific and covers a broader range. Therefore, the RIP-advertised /24 route is chosen for this destination because it provides a more precise match.
✗Because RIP always overrides static routing.Wrong answer — click to see why▾
Why this is wrong here
RIP does not always override static routes; the route selection is based on prefix length and administrative distance. If the static route had a longer prefix or lower administrative distance, it would be preferred over RIP.
★ When this WOULD be the correct answer
In a scenario where a question states that a routing protocol has a lower administrative distance than static routes, and asks why a specific route is being used, option B would be correct. For example, if the question indicated that RIP had a lower administrative distance than the static route, then this option would accurately describe the behavior.
Why candidates choose this
Students may mistakenly think that dynamic routing protocols always take precedence over static routes, but in reality, static routes can be preferred if they are more specific or have a lower administrative distance.
✗Because static routes cannot be used for private IPv4 space.Wrong answer — click to see why▾
Why this is wrong here
Static routes can be used for any IP address space, including private IPv4 addresses. There is no restriction that prevents static routes from being used with private addressing.
★ When this WOULD be the correct answer
In a different exam scenario, if the question asked whether static routes can be used with specific routing protocols in a network design involving public IPs only, option C could be correct if the context specified that static routes were not permitted for private addressing due to policy or design constraints.
Why candidates choose this
Some test-takers might confuse private addressing with the fact that certain routing protocols (like BGP) have restrictions on private addresses, but static routes have no such limitation.
✗Because the static route is automatically removed whenever RIP is enabled.Wrong answer — click to see why▾
Why this is wrong here
Enabling RIP does not automatically remove static routes from the routing table. Static routes remain in the table unless they are manually removed or overridden by a more specific route.
★ When this WOULD be the correct answer
In a different scenario where a question states that static routes are configured with a specific command to be removed when a dynamic routing protocol like RIP is enabled, option D would be correct. For example, if the question specifies that the static route is configured with a 'remove' command upon RIP activation, then this option would apply.
Why candidates choose this
Students might think that enabling a dynamic routing protocol clears all static routes, but in Cisco IOS, static routes persist and can coexist with dynamic routes.
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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Last reviewed: May 17, 2026
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.
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