Advanced Placement (AP) Computer Science

What is the World Wide Web comprised of?

1. A network of isolated websites

2. Interlinked websites and documents

3. A collection of server addresses

4. Stand-alone HTML files

The correct answer is: Interlinked websites and documents

The World Wide Web is fundamentally composed of interlinked websites and documents. This structure allows users to navigate from one page to another seamlessly through hyperlinks. The interconnectivity among different websites enables a rich and cohesive browsing experience, where information can be accessed from myriad sources with just a few clicks. Each website consists of multiple documents, typically HTML files, which are often rich with multimedia content such as images, videos, and interactive elements. When these documents are interconnected through hyperlinks, they create a vast, navigable network of information that represents the essence of the Web itself. This design promotes information sharing and accessibility, making the vast expanse of content easily reach every user. In contrast, the other responses present limited or incorrect views of the Web's structure. For example, a network of isolated websites would negate the very principle of interlinking that defines the Web. Similarly, a collection of server addresses does not capture the interactive nature of the content hosted on those servers, and stand-alone HTML files fail to highlight their connection to wider networks and other documents on the Web. These distinctions help clarify why the chosen answer accurately reflects the nature of the World Wide Web.