Operating System Questions and Answers – Classic Synchronization Problems

This set of 1000+ Operating System MCQs focuses on “The Classic Synchronization Problems”

1. The bounded buffer problem is also known as ____________
a) Readers – Writers problem
b) Dining – Philosophers problem
c) Producer – Consumer problem
d) None of the mentioned
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2. In the bounded buffer problem, there are the empty and full semaphores that ____________
a) count the number of empty and full buffers
b) count the number of empty and full memory spaces
c) count the number of empty and full queues
d) none of the mentioned
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3. In the bounded buffer problem ____________
a) there is only one buffer
b) there are n buffers ( n being greater than one but finite)
c) there are infinite buffers
d) the buffer size is bounded
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4. To ensure difficulties do not arise in the readers – writers problem _______ are given exclusive access to the shared object.
a) readers
b) writers
c) readers and writers
d) none of the mentioned
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5. The dining – philosophers problem will occur in case of ____________
a) 5 philosophers and 5 chopsticks
b) 4 philosophers and 5 chopsticks
c) 3 philosophers and 5 chopsticks
d) 6 philosophers and 5 chopsticks
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6. A deadlock free solution to the dining philosophers problem ____________
a) necessarily eliminates the possibility of starvation
b) does not necessarily eliminate the possibility of starvation
c) eliminates any possibility of any kind of problem further
d) none of the mentioned
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7. All processes share a semaphore variable mutex, initialized to 1. Each process must execute wait(mutex) before entering the critical section and signal(mutex) afterward.
Suppose a process executes in the following manner.

signal(mutex);
.....
critical section
.....
wait(mutex);

In this situation :
a) a deadlock will occur
b) processes will starve to enter critical section
c) several processes maybe executing in their critical section
d) all of the mentioned
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8. All processes share a semaphore variable mutex, initialized to 1. Each process must execute wait(mutex) before entering the critical section and signal(mutex) afterward.
Suppose a process executes in the following manner.

wait(mutex);
.....
critical section
.....
wait(mutex);

a) a deadlock will occur
b) processes will starve to enter critical section
c) several processes maybe executing in their critical section
d) all of the mentioned
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9. Consider the methods used by processes P1 and P2 for accessing their critical sections whenever needed, as given below. The initial values of shared boolean variables S1 and S2 are randomly assigned. (GATE 2010)

Method used by P1 :
while(S1==S2);
Critical section
S1 = S2;
 
Method used by P2 :
while(S1!=S2);
Critical section
S2 = not(S1);

Which of the following statements describes properties achieved?
a) Mutual exclusion but not progress
b) Progress but not mutual exclusion
c) Neither mutual exclusion nor progress
d) Both mutual exclusion and progress
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Sanfoundry Global Education & Learning Series – Operating System.