In computer history, the name UNIVAC stands for which of the following?

Introduction / Context:
UNIVAC is a famous name in the early history of electronic computers. It was one of the first commercial computers sold in the United States and is frequently mentioned in computer history timelines. Knowing the full form of the acronym UNIVAC is a common question in general knowledge and IT fundamentals exams.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• The acronym UNIVAC refers to an early computer system.
• Options expand the letters into different phrases involving Universal, Unique, Array, and Automatic.
• We assume standard historical accounts of early computing.
• We must select the phrase that correctly matches the original name.

Concept / Approach:
UNIVAC stands for Universal Automatic Computer. It was developed by J. Presper Eckert and John Mauchly, who also worked on ENIAC. The term Universal reflects the goal of designing a general purpose computer, while Automatic highlights its ability to run stored programs automatically. The other expansions listed in the options are distractors and do not match the official name used in historical documents and marketing materials.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Recall that UNIVAC was intended as a general purpose commercial machine, which fits the word Universal. Step 2: Remember that early electronic computers were often described as Automatic Computers, emphasising their automatic operation of sequences of instructions. Step 3: Combine these ideas into Universal Automatic Computer, the known expansion of UNIVAC. Step 4: Evaluate Universal Array Computer and note that array does not appear in standard historical descriptions of UNIVAC. Step 5: Evaluate Unvalued Automatic Computer and Unique Automatic Computer and see that they do not match documented names. Step 6: Choose Universal Automatic Computer as the correct expansion.

Verification / Alternative check:
Computer history books and museum exhibits explicitly state that UNIVAC stands for Universal Automatic Computer. Photographs of the original machine and marketing material from the 1950s use this full form. Articles describing the transition from ENIAC to UNIVAC also repeat this expansion. None of these sources refer to arrays, unique, or unvalued in the name, confirming that Universal Automatic Computer is the right answer.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Universal Array Computer: The word Array does not appear in the historical name of UNIVAC. Unvalued Automatic Computer: This phrase is not meaningful in this context and has no historical basis. Unique Automatic Computer: While UNIVAC was notable, the official name did not use the word Unique.

Common Pitfalls:
Because UNIVAC is an older term, students sometimes guess expansions that sound plausible but have no historical support. Another pitfall is to mix up the names of different early computers, such as ENIAC (Electronic Numerical Integrator and Computer). To avoid confusion, it helps to memorise a few key expansions and associate them with their roles: ENIAC for early electronic numerical calculation and UNIVAC for one of the first universal automatic commercial computers.

Final Answer:
UNIVAC stands for Universal Automatic Computer.