ITPEC IP April 2025 Question 11
ITPEC IP April 2025 — Question 11 of 100
The CPU checks primary cache before secondary cache — the cache hierarchy is searched from the fastest, closest level outward.
Primary cache, commonly L1, is small and very fast. If the requested data is not there, the processor checks the larger but somewhat slower secondary cache, commonly L2, before resorting to main memory. This makes option (c) the correct access sequence.
Answer (c)
Why not others:
- (a) reverses the usual capacities; primary cache is normally smaller than secondary cache
- (b) reverses the speed relationship; secondary cache is faster than main memory
- (d) is unnecessary because cache contents are loaded as needed; an entire process need not fit in cache at startup
Key rule: Memory hierarchies trade capacity for speed: registers, L1, L2, later cache levels, main memory, then secondary storage.
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