IPA IP 2025 Question 62
A question IPA Japan published in 令和7年度 ITパスポート試験 公開問題 問62, translated into English. ITPEC is based on the same exams.
Which of the following is an appropriate combination of terms to be inserted into blanks A through C in the description below concerning the virtual memory system of an OS?
When a program is executed, it provides, without being restricted by the B capacity of the A unit of the computer, a C address space.
Explanation
A: main storage, B: physical, C: logical — virtual memory gives a program a logical address space that is not limited by the physical size of main memory.
A program is written and run against virtual (logical) addresses. The OS keeps only the parts in use, pages, in main memory and the rest in auxiliary storage, swapping pages in and out as needed, and the hardware translates each logical address into a physical one. So a program can use an address space larger than the main memory actually installed: the limit it escapes is the physical capacity of main storage.
Answer (a)
Why not others:
- •(b) and (d) — swap physical and logical: the capacity that limits a computer is physical, and the address space the program sees is logical
- •(c) and (d) — name auxiliary storage as the limit, but auxiliary storage is where virtual memory puts the pages that do not fit in main storage; it is main storage whose capacity is overcome
Key rule: Virtual memory = a logical address space larger than physical main memory, backed by auxiliary storage through paging.
Software · AI-written, may contain errors
This question comes from the past questions IPA Japan publishes, translated into English by ITPEC Practice. ITPEC Practice is an independent study tool and is not affiliated with IPA or ITPEC. See the original paper (PDF) or Report an issue.