A small group of computers and peripherals linked together within a limited geographic area such as a room, building or campus is known as what type of network?

Introduction / Context:
This question tests your understanding of basic network types based on geographic coverage and scale. Computer networks are classified into categories like PAN, LAN, MAN and WAN depending on how large an area they cover and how many devices they usually connect. A small group of computers and peripherals in a limited area such as an office floor or school building is a classic example of one of these network types. Knowing the correct term helps you interpret diagrams, network descriptions and exam questions accurately.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• The network connects a small group of computers and peripherals.
• The coverage area is limited to a small geographic region such as a room, building or campus.
• Options include WAN, PAN, LAN, CAN and MAN.
• We assume standard textbook definitions of these network categories.

Concept / Approach:
A Local Area Network, or LAN, is defined as a network that connects computers and devices within a relatively small geographic area, such as a single building, office, laboratory or small campus. LANs typically use Ethernet or Wi Fi and are owned and managed by a single organisation. A PAN is smaller and focuses on very short range personal connectivity, such as between a phone and a headset. A WAN covers very large areas, linking cities or countries. A MAN covers a city or metropolitan region, and CAN is sometimes used for campus level networks. In most exam oriented definitions, the phrase small group of computers and peripherals in a small geographic area points directly to LAN as the correct answer.

Step-by-Step Solution:

Verification / Alternative check:
Networking textbooks describe LANs as connecting devices in homes, schools and offices, often citing examples like office LAN, laboratory LAN or school computer lab. They nearly always use diagrams showing a small number of computers connected to a switch or wireless router under the LAN heading. By contrast, WAN diagrams show multiple LANs connected through routers across great distances, and PAN diagrams show devices like phones and headsets around a single person. These consistent descriptions across multiple references confirm that the generic phrase small group of computers in a small geographic area refers to a LAN rather than to other network types.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:

• WAN (Wide Area Network): Too large in scope, typically covering countries or continents and interconnecting multiple LANs.
• PAN (Personal Area Network): Focused on devices around one person, such as mobile phones and wearable gadgets, rather than a full office of computers and peripherals.
• CAN (Campus Area Network): Sometimes used for networks that span multiple buildings across a larger campus, which is wider than the small area described.
• MAN (Metropolitan Area Network): Covers an entire city or metropolitan region and is much larger than the small local network in the question.

Common Pitfalls:
Students sometimes confuse PAN and LAN because both can appear in relatively small spaces. A useful distinction is that a PAN is centred on an individual user and their personal devices, while a LAN is centred on an organisation or location with multiple users and shared resources like printers and file servers. When the question mentions a small group of computers and peripherals in a small geographic area, it is almost always referring to a Local Area Network in exam terminology.

Final Answer:
A small group of computers and peripherals linked together in a limited geographic area is called a LAN (Local Area Network).