CCNA IP Routing Practice Question
Exhibit
Routing information sources: O 172.16.50.0/24 [110/20] via 10.1.1.2 S 172.16.50.0/24 [5/0] via 192.0.2.1
A router has learned route 172.16.50.0/24 from OSPF with cost 20 and also has a static route to the same prefix with administrative distance 5. Which two statements are correct about route selection?
⚠ Common exam trap
A common exam trap is to incorrectly assume that the OSPF route with a lower cost metric will be preferred over a static route. Many candidates mistakenly compare OSPF cost directly against the static route’s metric or ignore administrative distance entirely. This leads to the wrong conclusion that OSPF wins because 20 is less than 0 or some assumed static metric. However, Cisco routers always compare administrative distance first when routes come from different sources. Ignoring this rule causes confusion and incorrect answers in routing questions involving multiple protocols.
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 is installed because it has the lower administrative distance
When the same prefix is learned from different routing sources, the router first compares administrative distance (AD). The static route with AD 5 wins over OSPF with AD 110, so option A is correct. Option C is correct because if the static route is removed, the OSPF route becomes the next best candidate and is installed. Option B is wrong since AD is compared before metrics like OSPF cost; a lower cost does not override a lower AD. Option D is wrong because only one route is installed per destination based on AD, not both.
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 is installed because it has the lower administrative distance
Why this is correct
The router selects routes based on administrative distance (AD) when multiple sources provide paths to the same prefix. The static route in this scenario has an explicitly configured AD of 5. This value is lower than OSPF's default administrative distance of 110. Therefore, the static route is installed into the routing table, as it satisfies the crucial criterion of having the lowest administrative distance for the 172.16.50.0/24 network.
- ✗
The OSPF route is installed because cost 20 is lower than metric 0
Why it's wrong here
This statement incorrectly compares OSPF's cost (20) to the static route's metric (0) and assumes a lower number wins. In Cisco IOS, a router first compares administrative distance when multiple routing sources provide a path to the same network; only if AD values are equal are metrics compared. Since the static route's AD of 5 is much lower than OSPF's default AD of 110, the static route is installed into the routing table despite OSPF having a lower metric value. The OSPF cost is irrelevant until the static route is removed, at which point OSPF becomes the active route by default, not because its cost is lower.
When this WOULD be correct
If the question stated that both routes were learned via the same routing protocol (e.g., both OSPF) and the static route was actually an OSPF route with a lower cost, then the route with the lower cost would be installed.
- ✓
If the static route is removed, OSPF can become the active route
Why this is correct
When the static route with an administrative distance of 5 is present, it is always preferred over the OSPF route (AD 110). If that static route is removed, the routing table no longer has the lower-AD entry, so the OSPF-learned route for 172.16.50.0/24 is now the only and best source and is installed as active. This fallback behavior is precisely how administrative distance works: the router keeps the next-best route ready to take over when the preferred route disappears.
- ✗
Both routes are installed as equal-cost paths automatically
Why it's wrong here
Equal-cost multipath (ECMP) only applies when multiple routes to the same prefix have the same administrative distance and the same metric, and they are usually from the same routing protocol. Here the static route has an AD of 5 while OSPF has an AD of 110, so they are not equal from the router's perspective. Moreover, their metrics—0 for the static and 20 for OSPF—are not comparable across different protocols. Therefore, the router does not install both; it selects only the static route as the single best path.
When this WOULD be correct
If both routes had the same administrative distance (e.g., both from OSPF with equal cost, or both static with metric 0) and equal metric, then both would be installed as equal-cost paths for load balancing.
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 is installed because it has the lower administrative distanceCorrect answer▾
Why this is correct
The router selects routes based on administrative distance (AD) when multiple sources provide paths to the same prefix. The static route in this scenario has an explicitly configured AD of 5. This value is lower than OSPF's default administrative distance of 110. Therefore, the static route is installed into the routing table, as it satisfies the crucial criterion of having the lowest administrative distance for the 172.16.50.0/24 network.
✗The OSPF route is installed because cost 20 is lower than metric 0Wrong answer — click to see why▾
Why this is wrong here
OSPF cost and static route metric are not directly comparable; route selection is based on administrative distance, not metric, when routes are from different sources. The static route has AD 5, which is lower than OSPF's AD 110, so OSPF is not installed.
★ When this WOULD be the correct answer
If the question stated that both routes were learned via the same routing protocol (e.g., both OSPF) and the static route was actually an OSPF route with a lower cost, then the route with the lower cost would be installed.
Why candidates choose this
Candidates often confuse administrative distance and metric, thinking that a lower metric always wins regardless of route source, or they mistakenly believe OSPF cost is directly comparable to a static route's metric.
✗Both routes are installed as equal-cost paths automaticallyWrong answer — click to see why▾
Why this is wrong here
Equal-cost multipath (ECMP) requires the same administrative distance and equal metric. Here, the static route (AD 5) and OSPF route (AD 110) have different administrative distances, so only the best route is installed, not both.
★ When this WOULD be the correct answer
If both routes had the same administrative distance (e.g., both from OSPF with equal cost, or both static with metric 0) and equal metric, then both would be installed as equal-cost paths for load balancing.
Why candidates choose this
Candidates may confuse the concept of ECMP with the idea that any two routes to the same destination are automatically installed, forgetting that administrative distance and metric must be equal.
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
Related to this question
Learn chapter
Interpreting HSRP and VRRP Operational Status
Key term
Administrative distance
Administrative distance is a number that a router uses to decide which routing protocol's route to trust when it learns about the same destination from multiple different routing protocols.
Key term
Route
A route is a path that data takes through a network from one device or network to another, determined by routing protocols and configured rules.
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JA
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.