Multiple choice

Which of the following options has the maximum average capacity in bytes and requires more average time to access a byte?

  1. Memory

  2. Cache

  3. Main memory

  4. Magnetic tape
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

Magnetic tape provides the highest storage capacity (often terabytes) among storage media but has the slowest access time due to sequential access requiring physical tape movement. This creates a fundamental trade-off in storage hierarchy: tape maximizes capacity and minimizes cost per GB, while cache and RAM prioritize speed over capacity. The storage pyramid places tape at the bottom for bulk archival.

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