Question

Which of the following statements about interrupts are true?

1) Interrupts are used to temporarily halt the execution of a program.
2) Interrupts can be generated by external devices or internal events.
3) Interrupts allow for the handling of time-sensitive tasks.
4) Interrupts can be prioritized to determine the order in which they are processed.

Answer 1

All statements about interrupts are true: they halt program execution temporarily, come from external or internal sources, handle time-sensitive tasks, and can be prioritized.

Step-by-step explanation:

The question relates to interrupts, which are a fundamental concept in computer systems and operating systems. To answer the student's question:

1. Interrupts are indeed used to temporarily halt the execution of a program to allow the CPU to address an urgent task or event.
2. They can be generated either by external devices, such as a mouse or keyboard (hardware interrupts), or by internal events within the system, such as software instructions that execute an interrupt command (software interrupts).
3. Managing interrupts does allow for the handling of time-sensitive tasks by enabling the system to respond to immediate needs, thereby maintaining efficient operation.
4. Furthermore, interrupts can be prioritized, which means that the system can determine the order in which these are processed based on their urgency or importance.