Question 1,614 of 1,389
CCNA IP Routing Practice Question
Exhibit
show ip route 10.50.0.0 O 10.50.0.0/24 [110/30] via 192.0.2.2 S 10.50.0.0/24 [130/0] via 198.51.100.2
Exhibit: R1 has learned 10.50.0.0/24 through OSPF and also has a floating static route to the same prefix with administrative distance 130. Which route is installed while OSPF is healthy?
⚠ Common exam trap
Remember that administrative distance determines route preference. A lower value means higher preference.
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 OSPF route because its administrative distance is lower than the floating static route
A floating static route is meant to stay out of the table until the preferred route disappears. OSPF has administrative distance 110, which is lower than the static route AD 130, so the OSPF route is installed while the OSPF path is still present.
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 because static routes always win over dynamic routes
Why it's wrong here
A static route does not automatically override a dynamic route. The router compares administrative distance, and the default static route AD is 1, but a floating static route is deliberately set with a higher AD (e.g., 130) so that it yields to a more preferred dynamic route like OSPF (AD 110). Static routes only win when their AD is lower than the competing route's AD.
When this WOULD be correct
In a different scenario, if the static route had an administrative distance of 90 or lower, the static route would be preferred over OSPF. For example, a question could state that R1 has a static route to 10.50.0.0/24 with an administrative distance of 90, making this option correct.
- ✓
The OSPF route because its administrative distance is lower than the floating static route
Why this is correct
The OSPF route is preferred because Cisco routers select the route with the lowest administrative distance when multiple routing protocols or static routes provide the same prefix. OSPF has an AD of 110, while the floating static route is intentionally configured with an AD of 130 (higher than the default static AD of 1) to act as a backup. Since 110 < 130, the router installs the OSPF route in the routing table and keeps the static route in standby until OSPF fails.
- ✗
Both routes because the prefix length matches
Why it's wrong here
Even when two routes share the same prefix length, the router installs only the single best route in the routing table. Route selection depends primarily on administrative distance, not just the subnet mask. Since the OSPF route has a lower AD than the floating static route, the router ignores the static route for this prefix and does not install both; both routes would be installed only if they had the same AD and metric.
When this WOULD be correct
In a different scenario where the routing table allows for multiple routes to the same prefix, such as when using policy-based routing or specific configurations that permit multiple routes, both routes could be installed. For example, a question could specify that equal-cost multi-path (ECMP) routing is enabled.
- ✗
Neither route until equal-cost load balancing is configured
Why it's wrong here
Equal-cost load balancing requires two or more routes to the same destination with identical administrative distance and identical metric. Here the OSPF route and the floating static route have different ADs (110 vs. 130), so they are not equal-cost candidates. The router does not wait for load balancing to be configured; it immediately selects the OSPF route as the best path.
When this WOULD be correct
In a different scenario where both OSPF and static routes have the same administrative distance and prefix length, and equal-cost load balancing is not enabled, the router would not install either route until load balancing is configured, as it cannot choose between the two equal routes.
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 OSPF route because its administrative distance is lower than the floating static routeCorrect answer▾
Why this is correct
The OSPF route is preferred because Cisco routers select the route with the lowest administrative distance when multiple routing protocols or static routes provide the same prefix. OSPF has an AD of 110, while the floating static route is intentionally configured with an AD of 130 (higher than the default static AD of 1) to act as a backup. Since 110 < 130, the router installs the OSPF route in the routing table and keeps the static route in standby until OSPF fails.
✗The static route because static routes always win over dynamic routesWrong answer — click to see why▾
Why this is wrong here
This option is incorrect because static routes do not always win over dynamic routes; the route with the lowest administrative distance is preferred. In this case, OSPF has a lower administrative distance (110) than the floating static route (130).
★ When this WOULD be the correct answer
In a different scenario, if the static route had an administrative distance of 90 or lower, the static route would be preferred over OSPF. For example, a question could state that R1 has a static route to 10.50.0.0/24 with an administrative distance of 90, making this option correct.
Why candidates choose this
Candidates may be tempted by this option due to the common belief that static routes are always prioritized over dynamic routes, leading to confusion about the role of administrative distance in route selection.
✗Both routes because the prefix length matchesWrong answer — click to see why▾
Why this is wrong here
This option is incorrect because only one route can be installed in the routing table for a specific prefix, and in this case, OSPF has a lower administrative distance than the floating static route, so only the OSPF route will be installed.
★ When this WOULD be the correct answer
In a different scenario where the routing table allows for multiple routes to the same prefix, such as when using policy-based routing or specific configurations that permit multiple routes, both routes could be installed. For example, a question could specify that equal-cost multi-path (ECMP) routing is enabled.
Why candidates choose this
Candidates may choose this option because they might assume that matching prefix lengths automatically allow for multiple routes to coexist, reflecting a common misunderstanding of routing table behavior.
✗Neither route until equal-cost load balancing is configuredWrong answer — click to see why▾
Why this is wrong here
This option is incorrect because OSPF is healthy and has a lower administrative distance than the floating static route, meaning the OSPF route will be preferred and installed in the routing table.
★ When this WOULD be the correct answer
In a different scenario where both OSPF and static routes have the same administrative distance and prefix length, and equal-cost load balancing is not enabled, the router would not install either route until load balancing is configured, as it cannot choose between the two equal routes.
Why candidates choose this
Candidates may choose this option due to a misunderstanding of how routing protocols prioritize routes, mistakenly believing that routes are only installed under load balancing conditions or that static routes always take precedence.
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.
About these practice questions
Courseiva creates original exam-style practice questions with explanations and wrong-answer analysis. It does not publish real exam questions, exam dumps, or protected exam content. Learn why practice questions differ from exam dumps →
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.
Question Discussion
Share a tip, memory trick, or ask about the reasoning behind this question. Do not post real exam questions, leaked content, braindumps, or copyrighted exam material. Comments are moderated and may be removed without notice.
Sign in to join the discussion.