The answer is that the secondary monitor’s resolution is set to 1440p instead of its native 1080p. This is the most likely cause because when a monitor receives a signal at a resolution higher than its native panel resolution, the display driver must scale the image down to fit the physical pixels, which introduces distortion and stretching. In a dual monitor setup with a resolution mismatch, each display must be configured to its own native resolution in Windows Display Settings; the 1080p monitor should be set to 1920x1080, not the 1440p resolution intended for the primary display. On the CompTIA A+ Core 1 220-1201 exam, this scenario tests your understanding of display configuration and scaling, often appearing as a troubleshooting question where the technician must identify that a stretched image on a secondary monitor is not a cable or driver fault but a simple resolution misconfiguration. A common trap is assuming the stretched image is caused by a bad HDMI cable or incorrect aspect ratio setting, but the core issue is always matching the resolution to the monitor’s native specs. Memory tip: “Native resolution, no distortion—set each screen to its own proportion.”
220-1101 Display Devices Practice Question
This 220-1201 practice question tests your understanding of display devices. Read the scenario carefully and evaluate each option against the stated constraints before committing to an answer. After answering, compare your reasoning against the explanation and wrong-answer breakdown below. 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.
A technician is configuring a dual-monitor setup for a stock trader. The primary monitor is a 27-inch 1440p display connected via DisplayPort, and the secondary is a 24-inch 1080p display connected via HDMI. The user notices that windows dragged to the secondary monitor appear stretched. What is the most likely cause?
Clue words in this question
Noticing these words before you look at the options changes how you read each choice.
Clue: "most likely"
Why it matters: Probability qualifier — the question wants the most probable cause or outcome, not a guaranteed one. Eliminate low-probability options.
Clue: "primary"
Why it matters: Asks for the main purpose or function, not a secondary benefit. Eliminate answers that describe side-effects or partial functions.
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
The secondary monitor's resolution is set to 1440p instead of 1080p
Mismatched resolutions cause scaling issues; the secondary monitor's native 1080p resolution should be set in display settings. Stretching occurs when the resolution is set incorrectly, not matching the monitor's native resolution.
Key principle: NAT direction and interface roles matter as much as the IP address mapping. Inside/outside designation controls which traffic is translated.
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 HDMI cable is not version 2.0 or higher
Why it's wrong here
HDMI 1.4 supports 1080p, so cable version is not causing stretching.
✓
The secondary monitor's resolution is set to 1440p instead of 1080p
Why this is correct
If the 1080p monitor is set to a higher resolution, the OS scales it, causing stretching.
Clue confirmation
The clue words "most likely", "primary" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Static NAT maps one inside address to one outside address.
✗
The graphics card cannot support two different resolutions
Why it's wrong here
Modern GPUs easily support multiple resolutions.
✗
The secondary monitor is set to extend mode instead of duplicate
Why it's wrong here
Extend mode is correct for dual monitors; duplicate would mirror, not stretch.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: NAT rules depend on direction and matching traffic
NAT is not only about the public address. The inside/outside interface roles and the ACL or rule that matches traffic are just as important.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
NAT questions usually test address translation, overload/PAT behaviour, static mappings and whether the right traffic is being translated. Read the interface direction and address terms carefully.
KKey Concepts to Remember
Static NAT maps one inside address to one outside address.
PAT allows many inside hosts to share one public address using ports.
Inside local and inside global describe the private and translated addresses.
NAT ACLs identify traffic for translation, not always security filtering.
TExam Day Tips
→Identify inside and outside interfaces first.
→Check whether the scenario needs static NAT, dynamic NAT or PAT.
→Do not confuse NAT matching ACLs with normal packet-filtering intent.
Key takeaway
NAT direction and interface roles matter as much as the IP address mapping. Inside/outside designation controls which traffic is translated.
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.
Related glossary terms
Concepts from this question explained
These glossary pages explain the core terms tested in this 220-1201 question in full detail.
Review the four NAT address types (inside local, inside global, outside local, outside global), PAT port overload, and static vs dynamic NAT use cases. Then practise related 220-1201 NAT questions on configuration and troubleshooting.
Display Devices — This question tests Display Devices — Static NAT maps one inside address to one outside address..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: The secondary monitor's resolution is set to 1440p instead of 1080p — Mismatched resolutions cause scaling issues; the secondary monitor's native 1080p resolution should be set in display settings. Stretching occurs when the resolution is set incorrectly, not matching the monitor's native resolution.
What should I do if I get this 220-1201 question wrong?
Review the four NAT address types (inside local, inside global, outside local, outside global), PAT port overload, and static vs dynamic NAT use cases. Then practise related 220-1201 NAT questions on configuration and troubleshooting.
Are there clue words in this question I should notice?
Yes — watch for: "most likely", "primary". Probability qualifier — the question wants the most probable cause or outcome, not a guaranteed one. Eliminate low-probability options.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Static NAT maps one inside address to one outside address.
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 →
These questions test the same concept from different angles. Work through them to make sure you can recognise it however the exam phrases it.
Variation 1. A user reports that their external monitor connected via HDMI shows a blurry image and the text is hard to read. They have tried a different HDMI cable and the issue persists. What is the most likely cause?
easy
A.The HDMI cable is defective.
B.The monitor's refresh rate is set too low.
✓ C.The display resolution is set below the monitor's native resolution.
D.The graphics driver is corrupted.
Why C: This scenario tests understanding of display resolution settings. The most common cause of blurry text on an external monitor is incorrect resolution scaling, not a cable or driver issue. Adjusting the display resolution to the monitor's native resolution will usually fix the problem.
Last reviewed: Jun 18, 2026
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