Operating system capability: If you want to run more than one program seemingly at the same time on a single system, which systems software capability is required?

Introduction / Context:
Modern operating systems allow users to run multiple programs concurrently. Recognizing the OS feature that enables this behavior is essential for understanding scheduling, responsiveness, and system throughput.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• Single machine running multiple processes.
• Time-sharing of CPU among tasks.
• We are not focusing on memory extension techniques or compilers.

Concept / Approach:
Multitasking allows the OS scheduler to interleave CPU time across processes or threads, giving the illusion of simultaneous execution on single-CPU systems (or true parallelism on multi-core systems). Virtual memory extends address space; compiling transforms code; word processing is an application, not a system capability.

Step-by-Step Solution:

Verification / Alternative check:
Process lists (e.g., Task Manager, ps/top) show many tasks running—evidence of multitasking.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Virtual memory addresses space limits; compiling builds programs; word processing is just an app.

Common Pitfalls:
Assuming virtual memory implies multitasking; they address different OS concerns.

Final Answer:
multitasking