Management Information System (MIS) Practice Exam

Data stored on disks is easier and faster to locate than data on magnetic tapes because ________.

1. the data on disks is stored in binary form

2. disks have larger and more efficient storage capacities

3. disks have both mechanical and electronic parts

4. computers do not have to scan an entire tape to find a specific data file

The correct answer is: computers do not have to scan an entire tape to find a specific data file

Data stored on disks is indeed easier and faster to locate than data stored on magnetic tapes due to the way each storage medium is accessed. With disks, data can be accessed randomly, allowing immediate retrieval of information without the need to go through other data sequentially. This means that when a computer needs to find a specific file, it can go directly to the location of that file on the disk, significantly reducing the time required for retrieval. In contrast, magnetic tapes store data sequentially. To locate a specific file, the tape must be wound forward or backward until the desired data is reached. This sequential access can be time-consuming, particularly if the data is positioned towards the end of a long tape. Therefore, the fundamental difference in access methods between disks (random access) and tapes (sequential access) directly leads to the greater ease and speed of data retrieval from disks. The other choices do not directly address the key factor of data retrieval speed. The binary form of data storage is common to both disks and tapes, while the larger capacities and the combination of mechanical and electronic parts in disks do contribute to performance, they are not the primary reason that affects the ability to locate data efficiently.