HEC USAT-CS (Computer Science) computer science Operating Systems — Set 3

Operating Systems MCQs set 3 for HEC USAT-CS (Computer Science) computer science — 20 solved questions.

HEC USAT-CS (Computer Science) computer science Operating Systems — Set 3

  1. Question 1

    Q1. What is the purpose of a 'Translation Lookaside Buffer' (TLB)?

    • A) Improve memory access time
    • B) Increase memory capacity
    • C) Reduce page faults
    • D) Enhance security

    Answer: Improve memory access time

    Explanation: TLB is a cache that improves memory access time by storing frequently accessed page tables.

  2. Question 2

    Q2. What is 'internal fragmentation'?

    • A) Unused space in a partition
    • B) Unused space in a page
    • C) Unused space in a file
    • D) Unused space in a directory

    Answer: Unused space in a page

    Explanation: Internal fragmentation refers to unused space within a page or block due to allocation granularity.

  3. Question 3

    Q3. Which of the following is a disk scheduling algorithm?

    • A) FCFS
    • B) SSTF
    • C) SCAN
    • D) All of the above

    Answer: All of the above

    Explanation: FCFS, SSTF, and SCAN are all disk scheduling algorithms used to optimize disk access.

  4. Question 4

    Q4. What is the primary function of a 'file system'?

    • A) Manage files and directories
    • B) Manage memory allocation
    • C) Handle I/O operations
    • D) Control network access

    Answer: Manage files and directories

    Explanation: File system manages files and directories, providing a hierarchical structure for data storage.

  5. Question 5

    Q5. What is 'context switching'?

    • A) Switching between user and kernel mode
    • B) Switching between processes
    • C) Switching between threads
    • D) All of the above

    Answer: All of the above

    Explanation: Context switching involves saving and restoring the state of processes or threads.

  6. Question 6

    Q6. Which of the following is a synchronization technique?

    • A) Semaphore
    • B) Mutex
    • C) Monitor
    • D) All of the above

    Answer: All of the above

    Explanation: Semaphore, Mutex, and Monitor are all synchronization techniques used to coordinate access to shared resources.

  7. Question 7

    Q7. What is 'virtual memory'?

    • A) A combination of physical and secondary memory
    • B) A type of cache memory
    • C) A type of main memory
    • D) A type of secondary memory

    Answer: A combination of physical and secondary memory

    Explanation: Virtual memory combines physical and secondary memory, providing a larger address space.

  8. Question 8

    Q8. What is 'cache coherence'?

    • A) Ensuring data consistency across multiple caches
    • B) Improving cache hit rate
    • C) Reducing cache miss penalty
    • D) Increasing cache size

    Answer: Ensuring data consistency across multiple caches

    Explanation: Cache coherence ensures that data is consistent across multiple caches, preventing stale data.

  9. Question 9

    Q9. What is 'interrupt handling'?

    • A) Handling interrupts generated by hardware devices
    • B) Handling software interrupts
    • C) Handling exceptions
    • D) All of the above

    Answer: All of the above

    Explanation: Interrupt handling involves managing interrupts generated by hardware devices, software, and exceptions.

  10. Question 10

    Q10. What is 'process synchronization'?

    • A) Coordinating access to shared resources
    • B) Managing process creation
    • C) Handling process termination
    • D) All of the above

    Answer: Coordinating access to shared resources

    Explanation: Process synchronization involves coordinating access to shared resources, preventing conflicts and inconsistencies.

  11. Question 11

    Q11. What is the primary function of the operating system's kernel?

    • A) Managing computer hardware
    • B) Providing user interface
    • C) Executing application code
    • D) Managing file systems

    Answer: Managing computer hardware

    Explanation: The kernel manages computer hardware resources and provides services to applications, acting as a layer between hardware and software.

  12. Question 12

    Q12. Which memory management technique involves dividing memory into fixed-size blocks?

    • A) Paging
    • B) Segmentation
    • C) Swapping
    • D) Fragmentation

    Answer: Paging

    Explanation: Paging divides memory into fixed-size blocks called frames, and programs are divided into pages of the same size.

  13. Question 13

    Q13. In which type of operating system is the response time a critical factor?

    • A) Real-Time Operating System
    • B) Time-Sharing Operating System
    • C) Batch Operating System
    • D) Multi-User Operating System

    Answer: Real-Time Operating System

    Explanation: Real-Time Operating Systems are designed to provide predictable and fast responses to events, making response time critical.

  14. Question 14

    Q14. What is the primary purpose of a system call?

    • A) To invoke kernel services from user space
    • B) To execute a new program
    • C) To manage file systems
    • D) To handle interrupts

    Answer: To invoke kernel services from user space

    Explanation: System calls provide a way for user-space applications to request services from the kernel, such as process creation or I/O operations.

  15. Question 15

    Q15. What is the difference between a logical address and a physical address?

    • A) Logical addresses are translated to physical addresses
    • B) Physical addresses are translated to logical addresses
    • C) Logical addresses are used for I/O operations
    • D) Physical addresses are used for memory allocation

    Answer: Logical addresses are translated to physical addresses

    Explanation: Logical addresses are generated by the CPU and translated to physical addresses by the Memory Management Unit (MMU).

  16. Question 16

    Q16. Which of the following is a characteristic of a multi-threaded process?

    • A) Threads share the same memory space
    • B) Threads have separate memory spaces
    • C) Threads are scheduled independently
    • D) Threads are not preemptible

    Answer: Threads share the same memory space

    Explanation: Threads within a process share the same memory space, allowing for efficient communication and data sharing.

  17. Question 17

    Q17. In a Round Robin scheduling algorithm, what is the role of the time quantum?

    • A) To determine the order of process execution
    • B) To allocate a fixed time slice to each process
    • C) To prioritize processes based on their burst time
    • D) To handle interrupts

    Answer: To allocate a fixed time slice to each process

    Explanation: The time quantum determines the maximum time a process can execute before being preempted and context-switched.

  18. Question 18

    Q18. Which operating system component is responsible for managing input/output operations?

    • A) Device Driver
    • B) Interrupt Handler
    • C) System Call Interface
    • D) I/O Scheduler

    Answer: Device Driver

    Explanation: Device Drivers manage input/output operations between devices and the operating system, providing a standardized interface.

  19. Question 19

    Q19. What is the primary goal of the 'working set' concept in memory management?

    • A) To minimize page faults
    • B) To maximize memory utilization
    • C) To reduce the number of context switches
    • D) To improve I/O performance

    Answer: To minimize page faults

    Explanation: The working set concept aims to keep the most frequently accessed pages in memory, minimizing page faults and improving performance.

  20. Question 20

    Q20. Which of the following is a benefit of using a microkernel architecture?

    • A) Improved performance
    • B) Simplified kernel development
    • C) Enhanced security
    • D) All of the above

    Answer: All of the above

    Explanation: Microkernel architectures provide benefits like improved security, simplified kernel development, and potentially improved performance due to a more modular design.