Difficulty: Easy
Correct Answer: Tianhe-2 (also known as MilkyWay-2)
Explanation:
Introduction / Context:
Global rankings of supercomputers highlight which countries invest heavily in high performance computing. China, the United States, Japan, and several other nations maintain powerful systems for scientific research, weather forecasting, and complex simulations. This question checks whether you can correctly identify a Chinese supercomputer among several famous systems from different countries.
Given Data / Assumptions:
Concept / Approach:
Tianhe-2, also called MilkyWay-2, is a supercomputer developed by China and installed at the National Supercomputer Center in Guangzhou. It held the top position in the TOP500 list for several years. BlueGene or Q systems are from IBM in the United States. The K computer was developed by a Japanese team led by Fujitsu and RIKEN. Shaheen II is located at King Abdullah University of Science and Technology in Saudi Arabia. By matching each name to its country, we can see that Tianhe-2 is the only clearly Chinese system listed.
Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Recall that Tianhe-2 or MilkyWay-2 is widely cited as a Chinese supercomputer in news and technical reports.Step 2: Note that Tianhe in Chinese means Heavenly River, and the system was built by China’s National University of Defense Technology.Step 3: Recognise that BlueGene or Q is part of IBM’s supercomputer family designed and manufactured in the United States.Step 4: Remember that the K computer is a Japanese project, placed at the RIKEN Advanced Institute for Computational Science.Step 5: Understand that Shaheen II is based in Saudi Arabia at KAUST, making it a Middle Eastern system, not Chinese. Therefore, Tianhe-2 is the correct answer.
Verification / Alternative check:
If you consult historical TOP500 lists, you will find Tianhe-2 listed under China with its location and sponsoring institutions clearly indicated. The same lists show BlueGene or Q systems under the United States, K computer entries under Japan, and Shaheen II under Saudi Arabia. This independent verification confirms the country associations and supports selecting Tianhe-2 as the Chinese machine.
Why Other Options Are Wrong:
BlueGene or Q, although very powerful, is an IBM architecture and is deployed in several countries but is generally associated with United States development rather than China. The K computer is a flagship Japanese project and is not Chinese. Shaheen II is a national resource of Saudi Arabia and is clearly identified with that country. None of these fit the requirement of being a Chinese supercomputer.
Common Pitfalls:
Some candidates may not remember the exact country for each system and may guess based on unfamiliar names. Another pitfall is assuming that any non English sounding name must automatically be Chinese, which is not correct. The safest method is to remember at least one famous Chinese system such as Tianhe-2 or Sunway TaihuLight and associate those names firmly with China for examination purposes.
Final Answer:
The correct choice is Tianhe-2 (also known as MilkyWay-2), which is a well known Chinese supercomputer that has appeared prominently in international performance rankings.
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