Management Information System (MIS) Practice Exam

Which task is primarily performed by systems software?

1. Managing a stock portfolio

2. Writing a business letter

3. Printing documents

4. Updating the system clock

The correct answer is: Printing documents

The correct choice revolves around understanding the primary functions of systems software, which is designed to manage and control computer hardware and provide a platform for running application software. Systems software includes operating systems, device drivers, and utility programs. Printing documents falls under the purview of systems software because the operating system coordinates the communication between applications (like word processors) and the printer hardware, managing the print job and ensuring the data is correctly transmitted to the printer. This process requires systems software to function properly, making it an essential task associated with this type of software. In contrast, managing a stock portfolio and writing a business letter are tasks typically handled by application software, which is designed for specific uses rather than for managing the overall operation of the computer. Updating the system clock is a function more related to operating system utilities, but the task of printing documents is distinctly tied to systems software as it deals with hardware management.