Multiple choice

Magnetic tape is not practical for applications where data must be quickly recalled because tape is

  1. a random-access medium

  2. a sequential-access medium

  3. a read-only medium

  4. fragile and easily damaged

  5. an expensive storage medium
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
B Correct answer
Explanation

Magnetic tape is a sequential-access medium, meaning data must be read in order - to reach a specific point, you must fast-forward through all preceding data. This makes it impractical for applications requiring quick random access to specific data items. Random-access media (like disks) can directly access any location, while sequential nature is tape's fundamental limitation for quick data retrieval.

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