Management Information System (MIS) Practice Exam

Which software utility allows more data to be stored on a disk by substituting short code for repeatedly used data patterns?

1. File defragmentation

2. Data compression

3. Device drivers

4. File conversion

The correct answer is: Data compression

Data compression is a technique that reduces the size of a file or database by encoding data in a way that uses fewer bits than the original representation. It substitutes short codes or symbols for frequently occurring data patterns, which effectively minimizes the amount of space required to store the data. This utility is particularly useful in managing disk space and improving the efficiency of data storage and transmission. The process involves analyzing a file's content, identifying patterns, and representing these patterns using shorter forms. By doing so, it allows a greater amount of data to be stored on a disk without increasing its physical capacity. This utility is commonly used in various applications, ranging from file storage to multimedia content, where efficient data storage is crucial. Other options provided, such as file defragmentation, focus on rearranging fragmented data on disks to improve read/write efficiency rather than compressing data. Device drivers serve as intermediaries between the operating system and hardware, allowing them to communicate without necessarily affecting data storage. File conversion pertains to changing a file from one format to another, which does not inherently reduce the data size. Therefore, data compression is the only option that directly relates to storing more data by using shortened representations of data patterns.