Computer Knowledge

Computer Memory and Storage

2,121 Questions

Computer memory and storage questions test foundational knowledge of hardware, cache mapping, and data transfer mechanisms. Key areas include Direct Memory Access, analog recording, and RAID levels. This section is essential for candidates preparing for banking and government computer proficiency tests.

Cache memory mappingDirect memory accessRAID storage levelsHard disk technologyOptical media storageMemory addresses

Computer Memory and Storage Questions

Multiple choice

Which of the following memory access techniques divides the system into a number of modules and arranges them so that successive words in the address are placed in different modules?

  1. Paging

  2. Segmentation

  3. Memory interleaving

  4. None of these
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
C Correct answer
Explanation

This is a memory access technique that divides the system into a number of modules and arranges them so that successive words in the address are placed in different modules.

Multiple choice

The register which keeps track of the program and which contains the memory address of the instruction currently executing is known as

  1. index register

  2. program counter

  3. memory address register

  4. instruction registers
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
B Correct answer
Explanation

The program counter is a specific CPU register that keeps track of execution by holding the memory address of the next instruction to be executed. Index registers and memory address registers serve different functions in address calculation and data transfer.

Multiple choice

The CPU of a computer transfers print output to a temporary disk memory at high speed and get back to processing another job without waiting for the output to go to the printer. In this way, the CPU does not remain idle due to its own high speed as compared to the low speed of the printer. What is the name of this memory?

  1. External Memory

  2. I/O Memory

  3. ROM

  4. Buffer Memory
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

Buffer memory temporarily stores data being transferred between devices of different speeds. The CPU quickly sends print output to the buffer, then immediately continues processing other tasks while the buffer slowly feeds data to the printer. This prevents CPU idle time.

Multiple choice

The computer memory holds data and

  1. bytes

  2. program

  3. registers

  4. bits
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
B Correct answer
Explanation

Computer memory stores both data and programs (instructions). The CPU fetches program instructions from memory to execute operations. Bytes and bits are units of measurement, while registers are CPU components, not memory contents.

Multiple choice

In modern computers, bipolar semiconductor chips are often used in the arithmetic-logic unit. Which material is used for the slower and less expensive primary storage section?

  1. Gallium arsenide (GaAs)

  2. Metal-oxide semiconductor (MOS)

  3. Silicon

  4. Germanium
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
B Correct answer
Explanation

Bipolar semiconductor chips (using ECL or TTL logic) are fast but expensive and power-hungry, making them suitable for ALU operations where speed is critical. MOS (Metal-Oxide Semiconductor) technology is slower but much cheaper, allows high-density integration, and is ideal for large primary memory (RAM) storage. Silicon and Germanium are raw materials, not specific technologies.

Multiple choice

The smallest unit of information stored on a hard disk is

  1. track

  2. sector

  3. cluster

  4. None of these
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
B Correct answer
Explanation

A sector is the smallest addressable unit on a hard disk, typically 512 bytes. Tracks are concentric circles, clusters are groups of sectors, making sectors the fundamental storage unit.

Multiple choice

RAM is a

  1. file

  2. network

  3. memory

  4. disk
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
C Correct answer
Explanation

RAM (Random Access Memory) is a type of computer memory that stores data and machine code currently being used. It is volatile memory, not a file, network, or disk storage.

Multiple choice

A disk where the number of sectors are fixed is called

  1. floppy

  2. CD

  3. hard sectored

  4. soft sectored
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
C Correct answer
Explanation

Hard sectored disks have sector markings physically encoded on the disk surface, fixing the number and position of sectors. Soft sectored disks determine sector boundaries magnetically during formatting, allowing more flexibility. The question asks for fixed sectors, which describes hard sectored disks.