Question 1

What Is a Processor?  Select the most accurate definition of a processor in computer systems.

Accepted Answer

Introduction / Context: The processor (CPU) is the core computational engine of a computer. Distinguishing it from memory, programs, and operating-system policies prevents common misconceptions. Given Data / Assumptions: Stored-program model (instructions reside in memory). CPU executes instruction cycles (fetch–decode–execute). Concept / Approach: A processor interprets machine instructions and manipulates data using its ALU, registers, and control unit. It is hardware that runs programs; it is neither the program itself nor the memory that stores data/code. Step-by-Step Solution: Fetch: read instruction from memory at PC.Decode: determine opcode, addressing modes, and operands.Execute: perform ALU operations, memory access, or control transfer.Update PC and repeat; microarchitecture may pipeline these steps. Verification / Alternative check: Observing CPU performance counters and pipeline stages confirms that the processor is an execution engine, not a storage component or policy mechanism. Why Other Options Are Wrong: Option B: Describes storage devices (RAM/SSD), not the processor.Option C: A program is a sequence of instructions; the processor is the hardware that executes it.Option D: Describes a time-sharing OS characteristic, not the CPU itself.Option E: Not applicable because Option A is correct. Common Pitfalls: Calling the whole computer “the processor”. Confusing cores/threads with separate processors. Final Answer: A device that executes a sequence of operations specified by instructions stored in memory.

Question 2

Software licensing and distribution: What is the term for software that the author has released for legal free use and compilation (often with source available for modification and redistribution under permissive terms)?

Accepted Answer

Introduction / Context: This question checks your understanding of software licensing categories frequently encountered in computer science and IT support. Knowing the difference between public domain, shareware, freeware, firmware, and open-source style releases helps you choose, compile, redistribute, or legally deploy software in academic and commercial environments. Given Data / Assumptions: We are asked for a term describing software that can be legally compiled and often used for free. The options include common but distinct categories (shareware, public domain, firmware). We assume a general computing context where compilation and redistribution rights matter. Concept / Approach: Public domain software is placed by the author into the public domain (or has its copyright expired), granting anyone the right to use, copy, modify, compile, and redistribute without restriction. Although not identical to “open source,” public domain software typically permits compiling and free use without licensing constraints. Shareware is try-before-buy software that is usually proprietary and may require payment after evaluation. Firmware is low-level software embedded in hardware and is not a licensing class regarding free compilation or redistribution. Step-by-Step Solution: Identify the key requirement: legally compile and often use for free.Map each option to its definition (shareware = trial; public domain = unrestricted; firmware = hardware-resident code; “mindware” = not a standard type).Select the category that permits unrestricted use and compilation: public domain program.Confirm that other options do not meet the “legal free compilation” criterion. Verification / Alternative check: Consult standard software licensing guides: public domain grants the broadest freedoms. Open-source licenses (not listed) also allow compilation, but the exact term in the options that best matches “legally compiled and often used for free” is public domain program. Why Other Options Are Wrong: Shareware: often free to try, not to keep; compilation rights not granted. Firmware: describes software location (in ROM/flash), not a license type. Mindware: not a recognized licensing term. None of the above: incorrect because public domain matches. Common Pitfalls: Confusing freeware with public domain (freeware can still be copyrighted). Assuming “open source” equals “public domain” (they differ legally). Ignoring that “free download” does not imply compilation rights. Final Answer: Public domain program

Question 3

Foundations of algorithms: Which option best describes an algorithm in computer science and programming practice?

Accepted Answer

Introduction / Context: An algorithm is a central concept in computing, underpinning tasks from sorting and searching to routing and cryptography. Clarity about what the term means enables better design, testing, and communication of solutions across languages and platforms. Given Data / Assumptions: The question asks for a definition, not an implementation or language. Options include language, mathematical branch, and the procedural definition. We assume the general CS definition used in textbooks and standards. Concept / Approach: An algorithm is a finite, well-defined, step-by-step procedure that transforms inputs to outputs to solve a specific class of problems. It is language-independent and can be expressed in pseudocode, flowcharts, or any programming language. While algorithm analysis uses mathematics, the algorithm itself is not a programming language nor a mathematical branch; it is a procedure or recipe. Step-by-Step Solution: Identify the essential attributes: finiteness, definiteness, input, output, and effectiveness.Compare each option: “computer language” describes a notation, not the procedure; “branch of mathematics” describes a field, not the stepwise method; “step by step procedure” matches the established definition.Select the option that directly defines an algorithm.Confirm that algorithms can be implemented in many languages but are not themselves languages. Verification / Alternative check: Introductory CS texts define algorithm as a finite procedure to solve a problem; this matches the chosen option exactly. Why Other Options Are Wrong: Computer language: a tool to express algorithms, not the algorithm itself. Branch of mathematics: related in analysis, but not the definition. “All of the above”: overbroad and incorrect because the first two are not definitions. Common Pitfalls: Confusing implementation (code) with design (algorithm). Believing algorithms must be mathematical formulas—many are heuristic or procedural. Final Answer: A step by step procedure for solving a problem

Question 4

High-level programming languages: What is the principal advantage profile of high-level languages compared to low-level coding?

Accepted Answer

Introduction / Context: Choosing an implementation level affects productivity, maintainability, and portability. High-level languages (HLLs) abstract hardware details, enabling faster development and easier maintenance than assembly or microcode for most applications. Given Data / Assumptions: We compare high-level languages to lower-level alternatives. We value debugging tools, documentation clarity, and portability. We assume modern compilers and development environments. Concept / Approach: HLLs provide richer syntax, type systems, libraries, and tooling (IDEs, debuggers, linters). They reduce cognitive overhead and are generally machine-independent, targeting multiple architectures through compilers or virtual machines. This typically shortens onboarding and reduces the number of specialists required per feature delivered. Step-by-Step Solution: Evaluate the benefits listed: team scaling (fewer people), learning curve, debugging, documentation, and machine independence.Map each benefit to HLL characteristics: abstractions improve readability and maintainability; standardized ecosystems support debugging and docs; compilers abstract ISA differences.Conclude that all listed advantages hold for HLLs in general practice.Choose the option that aggregates these benefits. Verification / Alternative check: Industry case studies and software engineering principles (e.g., cost of defects vs. abstraction level) support the claim that HLLs improve productivity and portability. Why Other Options Are Wrong: Each individual statement is true, but the best answer encompasses them all; selecting a single item unnecessarily narrows the advantages. Common Pitfalls: Believing performance trumps all; in most domains, HLLs deliver adequate performance with tremendous productivity gains. Final Answer: All of the above

Question 5

Operating systems 101: An operating system is best described as which of the following?

Accepted Answer

Introduction / Context: The operating system (OS) is the foundational software layer that manages hardware and provides services to applications. It is not hardware itself, but rather software that coordinates resources and enforces policies such as scheduling, memory protection, and I/O control. Given Data / Assumptions: The OS abstracts CPU, memory, storage, and devices. It exposes APIs and system calls to user programs. The question seeks the category that correctly describes an OS. Concept / Approach: Operating systems consist of software routines: kernels, drivers, file systems, network stacks, and user-space utilities. These routines orchestrate hardware but are not themselves physical components. The OS interacts with I/O devices, but it is not the devices; it is the controlling software layer. Step-by-Step Solution: Identify the nature of an OS: software.Map options: hardware components (wrong), I/O devices (wrong), software routines (correct), all of the above (overinclusive).Select the statement that matches the software nature of OS.Verify by examples: Linux kernel, Windows NT kernel, device drivers are software modules. Verification / Alternative check: OS textbooks define the OS as system software that manages hardware and provides services; this matches “collection of software routines.” Why Other Options Are Wrong: Hardware components and I/O devices are managed by, but are not part of, the OS. “All of the above” incorrectly mixes categories. Common Pitfalls: Confusing firmware or embedded control logic with the OS; conflating peripherals with the software stack that controls them. Final Answer: A collection of software routines

Question 6

Linking and relocation: Which component provides the linker with the list of external symbols and relocation information used to build an executable?

Accepted Answer

Introduction / Context: In the compile–link–load pipeline, each tool has a specific role. Understanding who produces symbol tables and relocation records clarifies how separate compilation works and how the linker resolves references across modules and libraries. Given Data / Assumptions: Source code is first processed by a translator (compiler/assembler) into object modules. Object modules contain relocation entries and external symbol information. The linker consumes these records to produce a final executable or library. Concept / Approach: The translator (compiler for high-level languages, assembler for assembly) emits object code plus metadata: symbol tables, relocation entries, and unresolved external references. The linker uses this information to place code/data at final addresses and to bind externals to definitions. The loader then places the finished image into memory for execution. Macro processors and editors do not produce relocation data. Step-by-Step Solution: Translate source to object: the translator outputs .obj/.o files with relocation and symbol info.Linker reads all objects and libraries, resolves externals, and relocates sections.Loader maps the linked image into memory at run time.Confirm that the relocation information originates from the translator’s object output. Verification / Alternative check: Object file formats (COFF, ELF, Mach-O) clearly specify relocation and symbol sections produced by translators and consumed by linkers. Why Other Options Are Wrong: Macro processor: performs textual substitution before translation. Loader: consumes the linked image, does not provide relocation to the linker. Editor: text editing only. Common Pitfalls: Confusing dynamic loader relocations (at run time) with static relocation records generated by the translator for the linker. Final Answer: Translator

Question 7

System software categories: In computer organization, a “translator” (compiler or assembler) is best classified as which type of software?

Accepted Answer

Introduction / Context: Software is commonly grouped into system software and application software. Translators such as compilers and assemblers convert human-readable code into machine code and therefore belong to the system layer that supports application development and execution. Given Data / Assumptions: “Translator” refers to compilers/assemblers/interpreters. System software serves the computer system and other software. Applications solve end-user problems (word processing, spreadsheets, etc.). Concept / Approach: Translators enable application creation by converting high-level or assembly code into executable binaries. They interact closely with the OS, runtime libraries, and linkers—classic hallmarks of system software. They are not end-user applications, and certainly not hardware components. Step-by-Step Solution: Define categories: system vs. application software.Place translators within the development toolchain supporting the system environment.Eliminate hardware as a category, since translators are programs, not devices.Choose “system software.” Verification / Alternative check: Operating systems textbooks list compilers, assemblers, linkers, loaders, and debuggers as system software tools. Why Other Options Are Wrong: Application software: targets end-user tasks. Hardware component: not software. “All of the above”: mutually inconsistent categories. Common Pitfalls: Equating “used by users” with “application”; developer-facing tools are still system software. Final Answer: a system software

Question 8

Disk scheduling strategies: Which disk scheduling algorithm moves the disk arm back and forth (like an elevator) to service all requests in its path?

Accepted Answer

Introduction / Context: Disk scheduling algorithms aim to reduce seek time and improve throughput. Understanding their mechanics helps predict performance under different workloads and prevents pathological delays for requests at far tracks. Given Data / Assumptions: Rotational latency is ignored; focus is on head movement (seek time). Multiple outstanding requests are queued. We compare common policies: FCFS, SSTF, SCAN. Concept / Approach: The SCAN algorithm, also known as the “elevator algorithm,” sweeps the disk arm in one direction, servicing requests along the path, then reverses direction and repeats. This provides better fairness than SSTF (which can starve distant requests) and better average seek time than FCFS under load. Step-by-Step Solution: Identify the behavioral cue: “back and forth across the disk.”Map the description to SCAN (elevator behavior).Eliminate FCFS/FIFO, which process strictly by arrival order and do not imply arm sweeping.Eliminate SSTF, which picks the nearest next request and can oscillate locally, not necessarily sweep. Verification / Alternative check: Compare with LOOK/C-SCAN variants: LOOK turns where the last request in that direction exists; C-SCAN moves in one direction and returns quickly to the beginning without servicing on the way back. Why Other Options Are Wrong: FCFS/FIFO: no directed arm sweep. SSTF: greedy nearest-seek choice, not guaranteed back-and-forth sweeping. “None of the above”: incorrect because SCAN matches perfectly. Common Pitfalls: Confusing SCAN with C-SCAN/LOOK; assuming SSTF equals SCAN under certain loads (they can coincide but are distinct algorithms). Final Answer: Scan

Question 9

Compiler construction tables: Which permanent compiler table contains an entry for every terminal symbol of the language grammar?

Accepted Answer

Introduction / Context: Compilers maintain several symbol and support tables during lexical, syntax, and semantic analysis. Distinguishing between tables helps in understanding tokenization, parsing, and code generation phases in language processing. Given Data / Assumptions: The language has a formal grammar with terminals (tokens) and nonterminals. We seek a table that catalogs terminals (keywords, operators, punctuation). Tables like literal and identifier tables store program-specific entries. Concept / Approach: The terminal table lists all terminal symbols defined by the language: reserved words (if, while), operators (+, *), delimiters (;, ,), and so forth. It is part of the compiler’s static knowledge. By contrast, the literal table records constants from the current program (like 3.14), and the identifier table stores names declared by the program (variables, functions). “Reductions” is an action in parsing, not a static table of terminals. Step-by-Step Solution: Identify what “terminal symbols” means: basic tokens of the grammar.Select the table that is language-defined and permanent: terminal table.Eliminate program-dependent tables: literals and identifiers vary per source.Confirm reductions are parser operations, not a catalog. Verification / Alternative check: Compiler design texts describe token sets and reserved word/operator tables as part of the language specification embedded in the compiler. Why Other Options Are Wrong: Literal/identifier tables depend on the specific program being compiled. “Reductions” denote grammar actions in bottom-up parsing. “None of the above” is incorrect. Common Pitfalls: Confusing tokens seen in the current program with the full set of possible terminals defined by the language. Final Answer: Terminal table

Question 10

Front end of a compiler: The action of parsing a source program into proper syntactic classes is known as what stage of compilation?

Accepted Answer

Introduction / Context: The front end of a compiler typically consists of lexical analysis, syntax analysis (parsing), and semantic analysis. Understanding which phase groups tokens into grammatical structures is critical for designing grammars and parser generators. Given Data / Assumptions: Source code first becomes a stream of tokens (identifiers, keywords, operators). Those tokens are then organized into parse trees according to a grammar. The question explicitly uses the word “parsing.” Concept / Approach: Lexical analysis classifies character sequences into tokens. Syntax analysis (parsing) takes those tokens and assembles them into syntactic constructs (expressions, statements, declarations) according to context-free grammar rules. The output is typically a parse tree or abstract syntax tree used by later phases. Step-by-Step Solution: Distinguish phases: lexing (characters → tokens) vs. parsing (tokens → grammar structures).Identify the operation “parsing into syntactic classes” as the parser’s job.Select “syntax analysis.”Eliminate alternatives that describe other or nonstandard phases. Verification / Alternative check: Compiler textbooks and tools (Yacc/Bison/ANTLR) explicitly label this phase syntax analysis. Why Other Options Are Wrong: Lexical analysis: tokenization, not parsing. “Interpretation analysis” and “general syntax analysis” are not standard phase names; the precise term is syntax analysis. Common Pitfalls: Using “parsing” to mean tokenization; they are separate steps with different formalisms (regular vs. context-free languages). Final Answer: syntax analysis

Question 11

Operating systems – I/O strategies: What is the term for staging data for a peripheral device on disk so it can be transferred later at a convenient time or in bulk?

Accepted Answer

Introduction / Context: Operating systems often decouple the production of data from its consumption by slow peripherals (like printers). A classic technique is to queue output to disk and process it later, improving throughput and user responsiveness. Given Data / Assumptions: The task involves writing to an intermediate store (usually disk) before the peripheral uses the data. The transfer happens later or in batches. We distinguish this from memory caching or CPU scheduling. Concept / Approach: SPOOL stands for Simultaneous Peripheral Operations On-Line. The OS writes jobs (for example, print jobs) to a spool directory on disk. A background service (spooler) then feeds the device at its own pace. This design prevents applications from blocking on slow device operations and allows job reordering or prioritization. Step-by-Step Solution: Identify the pattern: producer writes to disk queue, consumer device drains the queue later.Map to the OS mechanism named “spooling.”Eliminate “multiprogramming” (running multiple programs), “caching” (keeping data in fast storage to reduce access time), and “virtual programming” (nonstandard term).Select “spooling.” Verification / Alternative check: Printer queues and mail queues are standard examples of spooling; system administration tools show jobs in the spool directory being processed asynchronously. Why Other Options Are Wrong: Multiprogramming: CPU scheduling concept. Caching: performance optimization in fast memory, not disk queuing for devices. Virtual programming: not a recognized OS concept. Common Pitfalls: Confusing caching with spooling because both improve responsiveness; caching is about read performance, spooling is about deferred writes/outputs. Final Answer: spooling

Question 12

Historical OS release (IBM PC):  When did IBM release the first version of its disk operating system (PC-DOS) version 1.0 for the original IBM PC?

Accepted Answer

Introduction / Context: Knowing key milestones in operating-system history helps contextualize how personal computing evolved. IBM’s first disk operating system for the IBM PC, called PC-DOS 1.0 (MS-DOS licensed from Microsoft), marked the beginning of mainstream DOS on x86 desktops. Given Data / Assumptions: The question is about the initial public release of IBM’s DOS for the IBM PC. Options cover early 1980s years which map to IBM PC launch history. We assume the standard timeline used in computing history references. Concept / Approach: The original IBM PC (Model 5150) and its disk operating system arrived together. Identifying the PC launch year pinpoints the DOS 1.0 introduction, since PC-DOS 1.0 shipped with early machines and with the first compatible software ecosystem. Step-by-Step Solution: Recall IBM PC (Model 5150) introduction: early 1980s era.IBM announced and shipped the IBM PC in 1981.PC-DOS 1.0 accompanied this launch as the IBM-branded DOS.Therefore, the correct year for DOS 1.0 release is 1981. Verification / Alternative check: Contemporary IBM and trade-press records place both the IBM PC debut and bundled PC-DOS 1.0 in 1981. Subsequent versions, such as DOS 1.1 and 2.0, were released later in 1982–1983, which supports 1981 as the first edition. Why Other Options Are Wrong: 1982 and 1983: correspond to later DOS updates (e.g., 1.1 and 2.0), not the first DOS 1.0 release. 1984: aligns with later DOS and PC families (e.g., AT era), not the original PC-DOS 1.0. None of the above: unnecessary because 1981 is correct. Common Pitfalls: Confusing IBM’s PC-DOS numbering with MS-DOS release numbers; assuming the first mass-market MS-DOS appeared later with the IBM PC/AT (actually introduced in 1984). The inaugural DOS paired directly with the 1981 IBM PC. Final Answer: 1981

Question 13

Software engineering strategy:  What is the development strategy called in which the executive control modules (high-level control and interfaces) of a system are coded and tested first, followed by lower-level modules?

Accepted Answer

Introduction / Context: Choosing a development strategy influences testing order, integration risk, and feedback loops. In systems and firmware projects, teams often decide whether to start from user-visible control logic or from low-level utilities and drivers. This question checks understanding of the classic top-down approach. Given Data / Assumptions: Executive control modules are created and validated first. Lower-level components are integrated afterward. We are identifying the strategy name used in software engineering literature. Concept / Approach: Top-down development begins with the overall architecture and high-level flow, building stubs for unimplemented services. As lower-level modules (drivers, utilities) are completed, the stubs are replaced and the system becomes fully functional while preserving the high-level control structure designed at the outset. Step-by-Step Solution: Interpret “executive control modules first” as starting from system top.Recognize that stubs and mock interfaces are common during this phase.Associate this process with the term “top-down development.”Select “Top-down development” as the correct option. Verification / Alternative check: Standard SE texts define top-down vs bottom-up: top-down proceeds from abstract control logic to concrete implementations; bottom-up starts from utilities and data structures and composes them upward. Why Other Options Are Wrong: Bottom-up development: the inverse strategy, building from low-level modules first. Left-Right development: not a recognized strategy name in this context. All of the above / None of the above: distractors; only top-down fits the description. Common Pitfalls: Confusing top-down with incremental or spiral models; assuming top-down forbids concurrent bottom-up prototyping (hybrids are common, but the definition remains top-down). Final Answer: Top-down development

Question 14

Systems software property:  System programs such as compilers are typically designed to be what kind of code so they can be shared safely by multiple processes in memory?

Accepted Answer

Introduction / Context: Operating systems often allow multiple processes to use the same program code in memory to save RAM and improve performance. For this to work safely, the code must satisfy specific constraints so that simultaneous entries do not corrupt state. Given Data / Assumptions: System programs include compilers, assemblers, linkers, and utilities. Multiple invocations may run concurrently or be interruptible. The desired property allows safe sharing and re-entry into the same code. Concept / Approach: Reenterable (pure) code is position-independent, contains no self-modifying instructions, and keeps mutable data in separate data segments or per-process stacks. This allows the OS to map one copy of the executable code pages into many processes, reducing memory footprint and avoiding interference among them. Step-by-Step Solution: Identify property needed for safe concurrent execution: reentrancy.Recall that reenterable code does not modify its text segment.Recognize that compilers and system tools are designed as such to be shared.Choose “reenterable.” Verification / Alternative check: Modern shared libraries and OS loaders rely on reentrancy and relocation to share code segments and keep writable state separate (copy-on-write data pages if needed). Why Other Options Are Wrong: Non reusable / serially usable: contradict sharing and concurrency goals. Recursive: refers to an algorithmic technique, not a memory-sharing property. Common Pitfalls: Confusing “thread-safe” with “reenterable” (related but not identical); assuming all code can be shared without considering writable static data or global state. Final Answer: reenterable

Question 15

Security fundamentals:  What are Trojan-Horse programs in the context of computer security?

Accepted Answer

Introduction / Context: A Trojan horse is a classic category of malware that masquerades as a useful or legitimate program while secretly performing malicious actions. Understanding how Trojans work helps users avoid social-engineering traps and administrators harden systems. Given Data / Assumptions: The program appears legitimate or desirable to the user. Hidden payload executes without the user’s informed consent. Goal can include creating backdoors, data theft, or privilege escalation. Concept / Approach: The defining feature of a Trojan is deception: it gets installed and run because it looks benign (e.g., a utility, game, or installer). Once executed, it may install backdoors, change security settings, or open command-and-control channels, thereby allowing unauthorized access or control. Step-by-Step Solution: Identify key trait: a seemingly legitimate program with malicious intent.Note common outcomes: backdoors, credential theft, unauthorized remote access.Map this description to the option that explicitly mentions unauthorized access.Select the option stating “legitimate programs that allow unauthorized access.” Verification / Alternative check: Security glossaries define Trojans as deceptive software delivering a hidden payload; antivirus vendors categorize them distinctly from worms (self-replicating) and viruses (code-injecting into other files). Why Other Options Are Wrong: Do not usually work: untrue; many Trojans are effective precisely because they work. Hidden programs that do not show up: partial and vague; Trojans can show as normal apps. Immediately discovered: incorrect; Trojans aim to evade detection. Common Pitfalls: Confusing Trojans with viruses or worms; assuming code must be invisible to qualify as a Trojan; ignoring that user consent is manipulated via deception. Final Answer: are legitimate programs that allow unauthorized access

Question 16

Operating systems concept:  What is the name of the technique in which the operating system executes multiple programs seemingly at the same time by rapidly switching the CPU among them?

Accepted Answer

Introduction / Context: Modern operating systems manage numerous concurrent activities. Even on a single CPU, users experience simultaneity because the OS slices time and shares processor resources across tasks. This foundational concept underpins responsiveness and throughput. Given Data / Assumptions: Single or multi-core CPU environment. Goal is to run several programs “at once.” Time slicing and context switching are available. Concept / Approach: Multitasking schedules processes or threads using a dispatcher that performs context switches. With preemptive multitasking, the scheduler interrupts tasks to enforce fairness and latency bounds. Cooperative multitasking relies on tasks yielding control. Either way, rapid switching creates the illusion of parallelism on single-core systems. Step-by-Step Solution: Recognize that “switching back and forth” describes context switching.Associate that with the OS’s scheduling of processes/threads.Identify the established term: multitasking.Select “Multitasking.” Verification / Alternative check: OS textbooks describe round-robin, priority, and multilevel feedback queues as standard multitasking schedulers that time-slice CPU access among runnable tasks. Why Other Options Are Wrong: Partitioning: divides memory or disks; not CPU time sharing. Windowing: user-interface metaphor, not scheduling. Paging: virtual memory mechanism; unrelated to CPU task switching directly. Common Pitfalls: Confusing multithreading (within a process) with multitasking (across processes); conflating paging with swapping; assuming true parallelism requires multiple cores (time slicing suffices for perceived concurrency). Final Answer: Multitasking

Question 17

Assembly toolchains:  In which way(s) can a macro processor for an assembly language be implemented within a toolchain or assembler workflow?

Accepted Answer

Introduction / Context: Macro processors expand parameterized templates into concrete assembly code, improving readability and reuse. Toolchain designers choose different integration points for macro expansion depending on performance and complexity requirements. Given Data / Assumptions: We are considering macro expansion relative to an assembler’s passes. Possible approaches include separate preprocessors or integration into an assembler pass. All listed approaches are technically feasible. Concept / Approach: A macro system need only ensure that by the time symbol resolution and code generation occur, macros have been expanded. This can be done in a distinct one-pass or two-pass macro stage, or embedded in the first pass of a traditional two-pass assembler so that symbols introduced by expansions are properly recorded. Step-by-Step Solution: Option 1: Run an independent two-pass macro processor before assembly.Option 2: Use a one-pass macro expander with streaming output to the assembler.Option 3: Integrate macro expansion into pass 1 of a two-pass assembler to register symbols early.Since all three are viable, select “all of the above.” Verification / Alternative check: Historical assemblers and modern toolchains document each approach (e.g., separate macro preprocessors versus integrated macro facilities in MASM/NASM/AS). Why Other Options Are Wrong: Each single option alone is incomplete; multiple designs exist and are common. None of the above is incorrect because these are well-established methods. Common Pitfalls: Assuming macro expansion must be a separate preprocessor; overlooking symbol scope and forward reference handling which motivates integration with pass 1. Final Answer: all of the above

Question 18

I/O performance engineering:  Block caches (buffer caches) in an operating system are primarily used for what purpose?

Accepted Answer

Introduction / Context: Disks are orders of magnitude slower than CPU and DRAM. Operating systems use buffer caches (block caches) to reduce I/O latency and increase throughput by keeping recently accessed disk blocks in memory and coalescing writes efficiently. Given Data / Assumptions: We refer to OS-level caches of disk blocks, not CPU caches. Goal is to understand their primary role. Disk latencies include seek and rotational delays. Concept / Approach: The buffer cache stores frequently used blocks, enabling read hits from RAM and delayed, batched writes (write-back or write-through depending on policy). It also allows read-ahead and elevator scheduling to reduce seek overhead, dramatically improving perceived disk performance. Step-by-Step Solution: Identify the bottleneck: disk I/O latency.Use RAM to cache blocks and satisfy repeat accesses at memory speed.Apply write buffering and scheduling to reduce random I/O.Conclude purpose: improve disk performance. Verification / Alternative check: Performance monitoring shows higher cache hit rates correlate with lower average I/O times and fewer physical disk operations. Why Other Options Are Wrong: Handle interrupts: role of interrupt handlers, not buffer caches. Increase main memory capacity: caching uses memory; it does not add capacity. Speed up main memory reads: DRAM accesses do not need a buffer cache; CPU caches handle that layer. Common Pitfalls: Confusing buffer cache with page cache versus CPU L1/L2 caches; ignoring write-ordering and durability trade-offs in write-back policies. Final Answer: to improve disk performance

Question 19

Core OS responsibilities:  Which of the following best describes a primary function provided by an operating system for end users and applications?

Accepted Answer

Introduction / Context: The operating system mediates between hardware and applications, exposing services and abstractions (files, processes, sockets) and presenting a user interface (shells, GUIs). Understanding what is and is not the OS’s job helps clarify toolchain roles. Given Data / Assumptions: The OS provides user and program interfaces and resource management. Linking is a build-time toolchain function, not a runtime OS task. Flowchart creation is a design activity supported by separate tools. Concept / Approach: Among the choices, the OS’s defining role is to offer a layered, user-friendly interface (command interpreters, desktops) and system call APIs that abstract devices and resources. Linkers resolve external references at compile/link time, and diagramming tools are unrelated to core OS functions. Step-by-Step Solution: Identify tasks generally owned by the OS: UI, process and memory management, file systems.Recognize that “linking” is performed by the linker, not by the OS kernel.Note that drawing flowcharts is outside the OS domain.Select the OS-appropriate answer: provides a layered, user-friendly interface. Verification / Alternative check: Any OS overview lists UI subsystems and system services as core deliverables, while compilers/linkers are separate development tools. Why Other Options Are Wrong: Links a program: responsibility of the linker at build time. Enables drawing flowcharts: an application feature, not the OS. All of the above: includes incorrect statements, hence wrong. Common Pitfalls: Conflating OS distribution contents (which may bundle tools) with the kernel’s responsibilities; assuming anything that ships with an OS is part of the kernel. Final Answer: provides a layered, user-friendly interface

Question 20

Deadlock theory:  Dijkstra’s banker’s algorithm is a classic solution for which operating-system problem related to resource allocation?

Accepted Answer

Introduction / Context: Deadlocks occur when processes wait cyclically for resources. The banker’s algorithm is a resource-allocation strategy that prevents unsafe states by simulating allocations and only granting requests that keep the system in a safe state. Given Data / Assumptions: Finite, reusable resources (e.g., devices, locks). Processes declare maximum resource needs. The OS can check safety before granting requests. Concept / Approach: Deadlock avoidance aims to ensure the system never enters a state from which deadlock is possible. The banker’s algorithm models future requests and releases, and approves only those resource grants that leave at least one safe sequence to completion for all processes. Step-by-Step Solution: Model current allocation, maximum demand, and available resources.For a request, pretend to allocate and test for a safe sequence.If the state remains safe, commit; otherwise, defer the request.Thus the algorithm implements deadlock avoidance, not detection or recovery. Verification / Alternative check: OS texts distinguish prevention, avoidance, detection/recovery. Banker’s fits the “avoidance” category by safety checks prior to allocation. Why Other Options Are Wrong: Mutual exclusion: a required condition for deadlock, not what banker’s solves. Deadlock recovery: handles deadlock after it occurs; banker’s tries to avoid it. Cache coherence: multiprocessor memory consistency, unrelated to deadlocks. Common Pitfalls: Assuming the algorithm detects deadlocks post-hoc; forgetting it needs declared maximums and can be conservative or costly for large systems. Final Answer: deadlock avoidance

Operating Systems Concepts Questions