ITPEC IP October 2023 Question 15

Topic: System ComponentAlso asked in November 2021 and April 2025

Among the descriptions A through D concerning measures in a client/server system, which of the following is the list that contains all and only the appropriate items for reducing the response time?

A:Establishing a high-speed line between the client and the server, and reducing the time taken to transmit dataB:Increasing the number of clients, and reducing the waiting time for users before using clientsC:Reducing the time taken for data entry by users on the client’s input screenD:Making the server high-performance, and reducing the server’s processing time

Explanation

A and D — response time runs from the end of the user's input to the start of the reply, and only a faster line and a faster server shorten it.

After the user sends a request, the time until the result appears is made of transmitting the request to the server, processing it on the server, and transmitting the result back:

  • •A: a high-speed line shortens both transmissions: appropriate
  • •B: more clients shortens the wait to get a terminal, which happens before any request is sent; more clients can even load the server more: not appropriate
  • •C: faster data entry shortens the time before the request is sent, which is not part of response time: not appropriate
  • •D: a high-performance server shortens the processing: appropriate

Answer (b)

Why not others:

  • •(a) — includes B and C, which act before the request is sent, and misses D
  • •(c) — B and C are exactly the two items outside the response time
  • •(d) — includes C and misses A, the transmission time

Key rule: Response time is measured from the end of input to the start of output: it covers transmission and processing, not the user's entry time or waiting for a terminal.

System Component · AI-written, may contain errors

This question comes from an official ITPEC past paper. ITPEC Practice is an independent study tool and is not affiliated with ITPEC. See the official IP past-paper collection or Report an issue.