Certified Medical Assistant Practice Exam

Which of the following is a pointing device that notifies the user where the next letter, number, or symbol will be placed?

1. Touchscreen

2. Trackball

3. Cursor

4. Joystick

The correct answer is: Cursor

The cursor is indeed the correct answer because it visually indicates the location on the screen where the next character, number, or symbol will appear when typing or entering data. It allows users to know exactly where their input will be registered, enhancing the efficiency of text entry and navigation on a computer. In contrast, a touchscreen allows users to interact with the screen directly via touch but does not specifically indicate where text input will occur until the input is activated. A trackball, while it serves as a pointing device, primarily facilitates navigation rather than indicating input placement. A joystick is typically used for gaming or controlling movement within a space, and it does not signify text entry locations at all. Overall, the cursor's role as a marker for text input placement is what makes it the most suitable choice in this context.