Which protocol is an example of a routed protocol?

• A. IP
• B. TCP
• C. ARP
• D. ICMP

Answer: (A)

Routed protocols are those that carry data across network boundaries and are forwarded by routers from one network to another. IP fits this role because it provides the addressing and routing information routers use to deliver packets toward their destination across multiple hops. Without IP, a packet wouldn’t know how to reach networks beyond its local one.

The other options serve different purposes. TCP operates at the transport layer and relies on IP to move data across the network; it isn’t itself responsible for routing packets between networks. ARP is a local-network protocol used to map an IP address to a physical MAC address and is not forwarded by routers. ICMP is used for diagnostic and control messages within the IP framework and does not carry user data across networks.