WGU D446 OPERATING SYSTEMS FOR
PROGRAMMERS COMPREHENSIVE
EXAM QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
1. Which of the following is the primary objective of a multiprogramming operating system?
A. To minimize the CPU utilization by reducing process overhead
B. To maximize CPU utilization by keeping the CPU busy at all times
C. To provide interactive computing for multiple users simultaneously
D. To allow a single process to use all system resources without interruption
Answer: B
Conceptual Explanation: Multiprogramming increases CPU utilization by organizing jobs
so that the CPU always has one to execute.
2. In the context of process management, what does a context switch involve?
A. Changing the priority of a running process
B. Moving a process from the ‘ready’ state to the ‘blocked’ state
C. Saving the state of the current process and loading the state of the next process
D. Terminating a process that has exceeded its time slice
,Answer: C
Conceptual Explanation: A context switch is the process of storing the state of a CPU so
that it can be restored and execution resumed from the same point later.
3. Which scheduling algorithm is most likely to result in process starvation?
A. Priority Scheduling
B. First-Come, First-Served (FCFS)
C. Round Robin (RR)
D. Shortest Job First (SJF) non-preemptive
Answer: A
Conceptual Explanation: Priority scheduling can leave low-priority processes waiting
indefinitely if higher-priority processes are constantly entering the system.
4. Which of the following describes the ‘Shortest Remaining Time First’ (SRTF) scheduling
algorithm?
A. A non-preemptive version of Round Robin
B. A preemptive version of Shortest Job First (SJF)
C. An algorithm that prioritizes processes with the most I/O operations
D. An algorithm that allocates fixed time slices to all processes
Answer: B
, Conceptual Explanation: SRTF is the preemptive version of SJF, where the current
process is preempted if a new process arrives with a shorter remaining burst time.
5. What is the purpose of the Translation Lookaside Buffer (TLB)?
A. To store the entire page table in high-speed memory
B. To manage disk I/O operations for virtual memory
C. To handle the communication between the CPU and the GPU
D. To act as a cache for recently used page table entries to speed up address translation
Answer: D
Conceptual Explanation: The TLB is a specialized hardware cache used to reduce the time
taken to access a user memory location by storing recently used virtual-to-physical address
mappings.
6. Internal fragmentation occurs in which of the following memory management schemes?
A. Overlays
B. Segmentation
C. Dynamic Partitioning
D. Paging
Answer: D
PROGRAMMERS COMPREHENSIVE
EXAM QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
1. Which of the following is the primary objective of a multiprogramming operating system?
A. To minimize the CPU utilization by reducing process overhead
B. To maximize CPU utilization by keeping the CPU busy at all times
C. To provide interactive computing for multiple users simultaneously
D. To allow a single process to use all system resources without interruption
Answer: B
Conceptual Explanation: Multiprogramming increases CPU utilization by organizing jobs
so that the CPU always has one to execute.
2. In the context of process management, what does a context switch involve?
A. Changing the priority of a running process
B. Moving a process from the ‘ready’ state to the ‘blocked’ state
C. Saving the state of the current process and loading the state of the next process
D. Terminating a process that has exceeded its time slice
,Answer: C
Conceptual Explanation: A context switch is the process of storing the state of a CPU so
that it can be restored and execution resumed from the same point later.
3. Which scheduling algorithm is most likely to result in process starvation?
A. Priority Scheduling
B. First-Come, First-Served (FCFS)
C. Round Robin (RR)
D. Shortest Job First (SJF) non-preemptive
Answer: A
Conceptual Explanation: Priority scheduling can leave low-priority processes waiting
indefinitely if higher-priority processes are constantly entering the system.
4. Which of the following describes the ‘Shortest Remaining Time First’ (SRTF) scheduling
algorithm?
A. A non-preemptive version of Round Robin
B. A preemptive version of Shortest Job First (SJF)
C. An algorithm that prioritizes processes with the most I/O operations
D. An algorithm that allocates fixed time slices to all processes
Answer: B
, Conceptual Explanation: SRTF is the preemptive version of SJF, where the current
process is preempted if a new process arrives with a shorter remaining burst time.
5. What is the purpose of the Translation Lookaside Buffer (TLB)?
A. To store the entire page table in high-speed memory
B. To manage disk I/O operations for virtual memory
C. To handle the communication between the CPU and the GPU
D. To act as a cache for recently used page table entries to speed up address translation
Answer: D
Conceptual Explanation: The TLB is a specialized hardware cache used to reduce the time
taken to access a user memory location by storing recently used virtual-to-physical address
mappings.
6. Internal fragmentation occurs in which of the following memory management schemes?
A. Overlays
B. Segmentation
C. Dynamic Partitioning
D. Paging
Answer: D
