Which statement correctly contrasts static and dynamic routing?

• A. Static routes are manually configured; dynamic routes are learned and adapt to changes
• B. Static routes are always preferred to dynamic routes
• C. Dynamic routes never require protocol updates
• D. Static routes automatically adjust to topology changes

Answer: (A)

Understanding how routes are learned and updated is the core idea here. Static routes are configured by an administrator, defining exactly where to send packets for a specific destination. Because they’re set manually, they don’t change on their own if the network topology shifts or a link fails. Dynamic routing, on the other hand, uses routing protocols that learn routes from neighboring routers and continuously exchange information. When a topology change happens, the protocol recalculates the best paths and updates the forwarding table automatically, so traffic can adapt without manual edits.

That’s why the statement linking static routes to manual configuration and dynamic routes to learning and adapting to changes is the best description. The other ideas don’t fit: static routes aren’t automatically adjusting to changes; dynamic routes do require protocol updates to reflect the current network; and static routes aren’t always preferred—the choice depends on the network’s size, stability, and requirements.