- A
Longest prefix match: Router selects route with the most specific subnet mask
This is correct because LPM selects the most specific route (with the longest subnet mask) from the routing table, ensuring the most precise path to a destination.
- B
Administrative distance: Priority of routing protocol (lower is more preferred)
This is incorrect because AD is used to select the most trustworthy route when multiple routing protocols provide routes to the same destination, not to select the most specific route.
- C
Metric: Value used to compare routes within the same routing protocol
This is incorrect because metric is used to select the best route within a single routing protocol (e.g., OSPF cost, EIGRP composite metric), not to select the most specific route.
- D
Equal-cost load balancing: Traffic distributed across multiple routes with same metric
This is incorrect because ECMP is a feature that allows load balancing across multiple equal-cost paths, not a method to select the most specific route.
CCNA IP Routing Practice Question
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 prefix length as the most specific and preferred path to a destination.. 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.
Match each route-selection concept to the description that best fits it.
Clue words in this question
Noticing these words before you look at the options changes how you read each choice.
Clue:
"best"Why it matters: Signals that multiple options may be partially correct. Choose the option that most directly solves the exact problem described, not the one that sounds most complete.
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
Longest prefix match: Router selects route with the most specific subnet mask
Longest-prefix match selects the most specific matching route. Administrative distance compares trust between route sources. Metric compares candidate paths within a protocol or route source. Default route serves as a fallback when no more specific route exists.
Key principle: Cisco routers select the route with the longest prefix length as the most specific and preferred path to a destination.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✓
Longest prefix match: Router selects route with the most specific subnet mask
Why this is correct
This is correct because LPM selects the most specific route (with the longest subnet mask) from the routing table, ensuring the most precise path to a destination.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "best" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Cisco routers select the route with the longest prefix length as the most specific and preferred path to a destination.
- ✓
Administrative distance: Priority of routing protocol (lower is more preferred)
Why this is correct
This is incorrect because AD is used to select the most trustworthy route when multiple routing protocols provide routes to the same destination, not to select the most specific route.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "best" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Cisco routers select the route with the longest prefix length as the most specific and preferred path to a destination.
- ✓
Metric: Value used to compare routes within the same routing protocol
Why this is correct
This is incorrect because metric is used to select the best route within a single routing protocol (e.g., OSPF cost, EIGRP composite metric), not to select the most specific route.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "best" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Cisco routers select the route with the longest prefix length as the most specific and preferred path to a destination.
- ✓
Equal-cost load balancing: Traffic distributed across multiple routes with same metric
Why this is correct
This is incorrect because ECMP is a feature that allows load balancing across multiple equal-cost paths, not a method to select the most specific route.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "best" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Cisco routers select the route with the longest prefix length as the most specific and preferred path to a destination.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
Do not confuse the order of route selection: LPM is always checked first, before AD or metric. Many candidates mistakenly think AD or metric determines specificity, but they only come into play after LPM is applied.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Route selection in Cisco routing protocols is governed by a hierarchy of criteria that determine the best path to a destination. The first and most important factor is prefix length, which defines how specific a route is. A longer prefix length means a more specific route, and routers always prefer the most specific route available. If multiple routes have the same prefix length, the router then compares the administrative distance, which is a value representing the trustworthiness of the route source. Lower administrative distance values indicate more reliable sources, so routes with lower AD are preferred. After administrative distance is considered, if multiple routes from the same routing protocol remain, the router compares the metric values associated with those routes. Metrics vary by protocol; for example, OSPF uses cost, EIGRP uses composite metrics based on bandwidth and delay, and RIP uses hop count. The route with the lowest metric is selected as the best path. If no specific route matches a destination, routers use a default route (0.0.0.0/0) as a fallback to forward packets, ensuring connectivity even when no explicit route exists. Understanding these concepts is critical in CCNA routing questions because candidates often confuse administrative distance and metric or overlook prefix length specificity. Cisco routers strictly follow this order: prefix length, administrative distance, then metric. Misapplying these rules can lead to incorrect route selection answers. In practical networks, this hierarchy ensures predictable routing behavior and helps troubleshoot routing issues by clarifying why a particular route is chosen over others.
KKey Concepts to Remember
- Cisco routers select the route with the longest prefix length as the most specific and preferred path to a destination.
- Administrative distance compares the trustworthiness of routes learned from different routing protocols or sources.
- Metric values compare multiple paths within the same routing protocol to determine the lowest-cost route.
- A default route acts as a fallback route when no more specific routes exist in the routing table.
- Routers always prioritize prefix length over administrative distance and metric during route selection.
- Lower administrative distance values indicate more reliable routing sources and are preferred over higher values.
- Within a single routing protocol, the route with the lowest metric is installed in the routing table.
- Default routes have the lowest specificity and are only used when no other matching routes are found.
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 prefix length as the most specific and preferred path to a destination.
Real-world example
How this comes up in practice
A small business has 20 workstations on the 192.168.1.0/24 network and one public IP from its ISP. The router uses PAT (NAT overload) so all 20 devices share one public address using different source ports. NAT questions test whether you understand the four address terms and which direction each translation applies.
What to study next
Got this wrong? Here's your next step.
Review cisco routers select the route with the longest prefix length as the most specific and preferred path to a destination., then practise related 200-301 questions on the same topic to reinforce the concept.
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FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this 200-301 question test?
IP Routing — This question tests IP Routing — Cisco routers select the route with the longest prefix length as the most specific and preferred path to a destination..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Longest prefix match: Router selects route with the most specific subnet mask — Longest-prefix match selects the most specific matching route. Administrative distance compares trust between route sources. Metric compares candidate paths within a protocol or route source. Default route serves as a fallback when no more specific route exists.
What should I do if I get this 200-301 question wrong?
Review cisco routers select the route with the longest prefix length as the most specific and preferred path to a destination., then practise related 200-301 questions on the same topic to reinforce the concept.
Are there clue words in this question I should notice?
Yes — watch for: "best". Signals that multiple options may be partially correct. Choose the option that most directly solves the exact problem described, not the one that sounds most complete.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Cisco routers select the route with the longest prefix length as the most specific and preferred path to a destination.
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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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