The chapters in this document are displayed in reversed order, with the last chapter
appearing first. This change ensures all chapters are included in the test bank.
Chapter 29 Questions
Multiple Choice
1. A file contains ______ that are organized into blocks.
a. records
b. locations
c. names
d. addresses
Answer: A
2. The number of records in a block is a function of what?
a. the programming language
b. the size of the records in the file
c. the brand of the computer
d. implementation of the data structure
Answer: B
3. A location which temporarily stores data is called a
a. bucket
b. bag
c. buffer
d. record
Answer: C
4. When considering an algorithm’s efficiency when working with external data, what is the
dominant factor?
a. the brand of the computer
b. the programming language
c. the skill of the programmer
d. the time required for block access
Answer: D
5. Which of the following is the most appropriate for sorting external data?
a. merge sort
b. radix sort
c. selection sort
d. bubble sort
Answer: A
6. Hashing implementation is not good for which of the following operations on external data?
a. retrieval
b. sorted traversal
c. addition
d. removal
Answer: B
7. An external data collection can be organized as a balanced search tree. What are the pointers to
the child pointers?
a. search keys
b. index values
c. block numbers
© 2025
, Chapter 29 Questions
d. hash numbers
Answer: C
8. If searching an external data collection organized as a balanced search tree, what is actually
organized as the external search tree?
a. the data file
b. the hash index
c. the blocks
d. the index file
Answer: D
9. If a node N in a search tree is to have m children, how many key values must the node contain?
a. m – 1
b. m + 1
c. 2m – 1
d. log2 (n - 1)
Answer: A
10. What is a good motivation for having multiple index files for external data?
a. to save external file space
b. allows multiple data organizations
c. splits up the data easier
d. save internal data storage
Answer: B
© 2025
, Chapter 29 Questions
True or False
1. External storage exists after program execution.
Answer: True
2. Generally there is less external storage than internal memory.
Answer: False
3. Without direct access files, it would be impossible to support the data-management operations
efficiently in an external environment.
Answer: True
4. A file of integer records will have less records per block than a file of student records.
Answer: False
5. According to the text, you can read and write a block of records, but you cannot read or write an
individual record.
Answer: True
6. To need to operate on only a single record of the file, there is no need to access an entire block
from the file.
Answer: False
7. Some programming languages have commands that make it appear that you are accessing one
record at a time, not a whole block.
Answer: True
8. Even if records are stored in a sorted file, it is still not possible to use a binary search algorithm to
retrieve a specified record.
Answer: False
9. An index to a data file is conceptually similar to an index to an array.
Answer: True
10. In general an index record is larger than a data record.
Answer: False
11. It is possible (and can be useful) to keep multiple index files on a single data file.
Answer: True
12. Use of an index file increases the number of required block accesses of the data file, especially
for adds and removals.
Answer: False
13. When external hashing is used, you hash the index file instead of the data file.
Answer: True
14. It is not possible to organize an index file as an external 2-3 tree.
Answer: False
© 2025
, Chapter 29 Questions
15. In an external environment, the advantage of keeping a search tree short far outweighs the
disadvantage of performing extra work, such as comparisons, at each node.
Answer: True
16. Never access the search keys of the index records without accessing the data record.
Answer: False
17. If a traversal must display the entire data record (and not just the search key), the B-tree
implementation is less attractive.
Answer: True
© 2025
appearing first. This change ensures all chapters are included in the test bank.
Chapter 29 Questions
Multiple Choice
1. A file contains ______ that are organized into blocks.
a. records
b. locations
c. names
d. addresses
Answer: A
2. The number of records in a block is a function of what?
a. the programming language
b. the size of the records in the file
c. the brand of the computer
d. implementation of the data structure
Answer: B
3. A location which temporarily stores data is called a
a. bucket
b. bag
c. buffer
d. record
Answer: C
4. When considering an algorithm’s efficiency when working with external data, what is the
dominant factor?
a. the brand of the computer
b. the programming language
c. the skill of the programmer
d. the time required for block access
Answer: D
5. Which of the following is the most appropriate for sorting external data?
a. merge sort
b. radix sort
c. selection sort
d. bubble sort
Answer: A
6. Hashing implementation is not good for which of the following operations on external data?
a. retrieval
b. sorted traversal
c. addition
d. removal
Answer: B
7. An external data collection can be organized as a balanced search tree. What are the pointers to
the child pointers?
a. search keys
b. index values
c. block numbers
© 2025
, Chapter 29 Questions
d. hash numbers
Answer: C
8. If searching an external data collection organized as a balanced search tree, what is actually
organized as the external search tree?
a. the data file
b. the hash index
c. the blocks
d. the index file
Answer: D
9. If a node N in a search tree is to have m children, how many key values must the node contain?
a. m – 1
b. m + 1
c. 2m – 1
d. log2 (n - 1)
Answer: A
10. What is a good motivation for having multiple index files for external data?
a. to save external file space
b. allows multiple data organizations
c. splits up the data easier
d. save internal data storage
Answer: B
© 2025
, Chapter 29 Questions
True or False
1. External storage exists after program execution.
Answer: True
2. Generally there is less external storage than internal memory.
Answer: False
3. Without direct access files, it would be impossible to support the data-management operations
efficiently in an external environment.
Answer: True
4. A file of integer records will have less records per block than a file of student records.
Answer: False
5. According to the text, you can read and write a block of records, but you cannot read or write an
individual record.
Answer: True
6. To need to operate on only a single record of the file, there is no need to access an entire block
from the file.
Answer: False
7. Some programming languages have commands that make it appear that you are accessing one
record at a time, not a whole block.
Answer: True
8. Even if records are stored in a sorted file, it is still not possible to use a binary search algorithm to
retrieve a specified record.
Answer: False
9. An index to a data file is conceptually similar to an index to an array.
Answer: True
10. In general an index record is larger than a data record.
Answer: False
11. It is possible (and can be useful) to keep multiple index files on a single data file.
Answer: True
12. Use of an index file increases the number of required block accesses of the data file, especially
for adds and removals.
Answer: False
13. When external hashing is used, you hash the index file instead of the data file.
Answer: True
14. It is not possible to organize an index file as an external 2-3 tree.
Answer: False
© 2025
, Chapter 29 Questions
15. In an external environment, the advantage of keeping a search tree short far outweighs the
disadvantage of performing extra work, such as comparisons, at each node.
Answer: True
16. Never access the search keys of the index records without accessing the data record.
Answer: False
17. If a traversal must display the entire data record (and not just the search key), the B-tree
implementation is less attractive.
Answer: True
© 2025
