Advanced Memory Management in Operating Systems – 30 MCQs

Explore 30 intermediate-level MCQs on memory management in operating systems, covering topics like virtual memory, paging, segmentation, allocation algorithms, fragmentation and TLB. Perfect for deepening your understanding of OS fundamentals.

Questions (30)


  1. What is the primary purpose of virtual memory?

    • a) To increase physical memory
    • b) To allow a program to execute even if it is not entirely in memory
    • c) To speed up disk I/O operations
    • d) To create a backup of memory
    View Answer
    Correct To allow a program to execute even if it is not entirely in memory
  2. What is paging in memory management?

    • a) Dividing physical memory into fixed-sized blocks
    • b) Splitting a process into variable-sized blocks
    • c) Allocating memory on-demand
    • d) Storing data in cache memory
    View Answer
    Correct Dividing physical memory into fixed-sized blocks
  3. What is a page fault?

    • a) An error in the CPU's cache memory
    • b) An error in program execution
    • c) A condition when a requested page is not in memory
    • d) A disk I/O failure
    View Answer
    Correct A condition when a requested page is not in memory
  4. What is the role of a memory management unit (MMU)?

    • a) To manage CPU scheduling
    • b) To handle I/O devices
    • c) To translate virtual addresses to physical addresses
    • d) To allocate memory to processes
    View Answer
    Correct To translate virtual addresses to physical addresses
  5. What is internal fragmentation?

    • a) Wasted memory within a partition
    • b) Wasted memory outside allocated partitions
    • c) Memory wasted due to paging
    • d) Memory fragmentation due to segmentation
    View Answer
    Correct Wasted memory within a partition
  6. What is the purpose of a page table?

    • a) To store disk I/O information
    • b) To translate logical addresses into physical addresses
    • c) To store process scheduling information
    • d) To manage virtual memory faults
    View Answer
    Correct To translate logical addresses into physical addresses
  7. Which of the following is a dynamic memory allocation algorithm?

    • a) First Fit
    • b) Quick Sort
    • c) Depth First Search
    • d) Bubble Sort
    View Answer
    Correct First Fit
  8. What does segmentation in memory management involve?

    • a) Dividing a program into fixed-size blocks
    • b) Dividing a program into variable-sized segments
    • c) Allocating equal-sized memory blocks
    • d) Storing all data in a single memory partition
    View Answer
    Correct Dividing a program into variable-sized segments
  9. What is external fragmentation?

    • a) Memory wasted due to incomplete usage of allocated partitions
    • b) Memory wasted within allocated partitions
    • c) Memory wasted due to process termination
    • d) Memory wasted in cache memory
    View Answer
    Correct Memory wasted due to incomplete usage of allocated partitions
  10. What is the term for the swapping of processes between main memory and secondary storage?

    • a) Paging
    • b) Segmentation
    • c) Swapping
    • d) Fragmentation
    View Answer
    Correct Swapping
  11. Which memory allocation technique causes the least fragmentation?

    • a) First Fit
    • b) Worst Fit
    • c) Best Fit
    • d) Paging
    View Answer
    Correct Best Fit
  12. What is the optimal page replacement algorithm?

    • a) FIFO
    • b) LRU
    • c) Optimal (Belady's Algorithm)
    • d) Second-Chance
    View Answer
    Correct Optimal (Belady's Algorithm)
  13. What is thrashing in virtual memory?

    • a) A process continuously swapping pages in and out of memory
    • b) Allocating more memory than required
    • c) A sudden increase in CPU usage
    • d) A type of fragmentation
    View Answer
    Correct A process continuously swapping pages in and out of memory
  14. Which technique divides memory into partitions of different sizes?

    • a) Paging
    • b) Segmentation
    • c) Compaction
    • d) Contiguous Allocation
    View Answer
    Correct Segmentation
  15. What does LRU stand for in page replacement?

    • a) Last Recently Updated
    • b) Least Recently Used
    • c) Last Ready Update
    • d) Least Required Unit
    View Answer
    Correct Least Recently Used
  16. Which of the following can resolve external fragmentation?

    • a) Paging
    • b) Segmentation
    • c) Compaction
    • d) Thrashing
    View Answer
    Correct Compaction
  17. What is demand paging?

    • a) Loading pages into memory only when needed
    • b) Preloading all pages into memory
    • c) Allocating memory in fixed partitions
    • d) Dividing memory into variable-sized segments
    View Answer
    Correct Loading pages into memory only when needed
  18. What is the term for memory allocated dynamically during runtime?

    • a) Static Memory
    • b) Dynamic Memory
    • c) Virtual Memory
    • d) Physical Memory
    View Answer
    Correct Dynamic Memory
  19. Which of the following is a non-preemptive page replacement policy?

    • a) Optimal
    • b) FIFO
    • c) LRU
    • d) Clock
    View Answer
    Correct FIFO
  20. What does Belady's Anomaly refer to?

    • a) Decreased page faults with increased pages
    • b) Increased page faults with increased pages
    • c) No page faults occur
    • d) Reduced memory usage
    View Answer
    Correct Increased page faults with increased pages
  21. What is the main disadvantage of the First Fit memory allocation algorithm?

    • a) High time complexity
    • b) Internal fragmentation
    • c) External fragmentation
    • d) Reduced memory usage
    View Answer
    Correct External fragmentation
  22. Which register stores the base address of the page table?

    • a) Program Counter
    • b) Stack Pointer
    • c) Page Table Base Register
    • d) Memory Management Register
    View Answer
    Correct Page Table Base Register
  23. What is the primary purpose of a translation lookaside buffer (TLB)?

    • a) To store process control blocks
    • b) To improve virtual-to-physical address translation speed
    • c) To reduce memory fragmentation
    • d) To prevent page faults
    View Answer
    Correct To improve virtual-to-physical address translation speed
  24. Which type of memory allocation uses a bit map or free list?

    • a) Contiguous Allocation
    • b) Indexed Allocation
    • c) Linked Allocation
    • d) Non-Contiguous Allocation
    View Answer
    Correct Non-Contiguous Allocation
  25. In which situation is the Best Fit allocation method most effective?

    • a) When memory blocks are of equal size
    • b) When there is a high chance of large blocks being required
    • c) When minimizing internal fragmentation is the priority
    • d) When external fragmentation needs to be reduced
    View Answer
    Correct When minimizing internal fragmentation is the priority
  26. Which memory protection mechanism uses a base and limit register?

    • a) Segmentation
    • b) Paging
    • c) Contiguous Allocation
    • d) Dynamic Partitioning
    View Answer
    Correct Segmentation
  27. What does compaction in memory management involve?

    • a) Relocating processes to eliminate fragmentation
    • b) Reducing the size of memory blocks
    • c) Allocating memory in variable partitions
    • d) Preloading pages into memory
    View Answer
    Correct Relocating processes to eliminate fragmentation
  28. What is the primary goal of memory compaction in operating systems?

    • a) To reduce the number of processes in memory
    • b) To merge free memory blocks to create a larger continuous space
    • c) To allocate more memory to the CPU
    • d) To decrease page faults
    View Answer
    Correct To merge free memory blocks to create a larger continuous space
  29. Which memory management technique is used to allow a process to be executed even when it is partially loaded into memory?

    • a) Paging
    • b) Segmentation
    • c) Virtual Memory
    • d) Contiguous Allocation
    View Answer
    Correct Virtual Memory
  30. What is the primary purpose of virtual memory?

    • a) To increase physical memory
    • b) To allow a program to execute even if it is not entirely in memory
    • c) To speed up disk I/O operations
    • d) To create a backup of memory
    View Answer
    Correct To allow a program to execute even if it is not entirely in memory

Ready to put your knowledge to the test?

Start Exam