The number of connections equals the total number of computers minus one. Which topology does this describe?

• A. Star
• B. Mesh
• C. Ring
• D. Bus

Answer: (B)

This pattern describes a star topology: there is a central hub that all computers connect to directly. With N computers, you need one cable from each computer to the hub, so the total number of connections is N minus one. In a ring, each device connects to two neighbors, giving N connections. In a mesh, devices are interconnected with many links, typically N(N-1)/2 for a fully connected mesh, which is far more than N-1. In a bus, all devices share a single backbone, and the connector count is effectively on the order of N. So the described count aligns with a star topology.