200-901 Network Fundamentals Practice Question
A developer is building a Python application that must discover the IP address of a service registered in DNS. The application needs to resolve a domain name to an IPv4 address. Which DNS record type should the application query?
⚠ Common exam trap
The trap here is mixing up A and AAAA records, or thinking that a CNAME directly returns an IP address, when it only points to another name.
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
✓
A
To resolve a domain name to an IPv4 address, the correct DNS record type is A. AAAA records are for IPv6, CNAME records provide aliases, and PTR records are for reverse lookups. The application needs forward resolution to an IPv4 address, which is exactly what an A record provides.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
AAAA
Why it's wrong here
An AAAA record maps a domain name to an IPv6 address, not an IPv4 address. The scenario explicitly requires an IPv4 address, so querying for AAAA would return IPv6 addresses and not satisfy the requirement. Using AAAA would be incorrect for this purpose.
- ✓
A
Why this is correct
An A record maps a domain name to an IPv4 address. When an application needs to resolve a hostname to an IPv4 address, it queries for the A record. This is the standard and correct record type for IPv4 address resolution. The scenario specifically asks for an IPv4 address, so the A record is the right choice.
- ✗
CNAME
Why it's wrong here
A CNAME record creates an alias from one domain name to another. It does not directly provide an IP address. While a CNAME can ultimately lead to an A record, the application would need to follow the alias and then query for the A record. The question asks which record type to query to resolve to an IPv4 address, so CNAME is not the direct answer.
- ✗
PTR
Why it's wrong here
A PTR record is used for reverse DNS lookups, mapping an IP address to a domain name. It does not resolve a domain name to an IP address. The scenario requires forward resolution from a domain name to an IPv4 address, so PTR is the opposite of what is needed.
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JA
Written and reviewed by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
Last reviewed September 2026 · checked against the official Cisco exam blueprint
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