Bird
0
0

Why does the free command show a difference between 'used' memory and 'available' memory?

hard📝 Conceptual Q10 of 15
Linux CLI - System Administration
Why does the free command show a difference between 'used' memory and 'available' memory?
A'Used' includes cached and buffered memory, 'available' is memory ready for new apps
B'Used' is only memory used by apps, 'available' is total free memory
C'Used' is swap memory, 'available' is physical memory
D'Used' and 'available' are always the same on Linux
Step-by-Step Solution
Solution:

  1. Step 1: Understand free memory terms

    free shows 'used' memory including cache and buffers, which Linux uses to speed up operations.

  2. Step 2: Explain 'available' memory meaning

    'Available' memory is what can be given to new applications without swapping.

  3. Final Answer:

    'Used' includes cached and buffered memory, 'available' is memory ready for new apps -> Option A

  4. Quick Check:

    Used vs available memory = cache included vs ready memory [OK]
Quick Trick: Available memory excludes cache and buffers [OK]
Common Mistakes:
  • Thinking used excludes cache
  • Confusing swap with physical memory
  • Assuming used equals available

Want More Practice?

15+ quiz questions · All difficulty levels · Free

Free Signup - Practice All Questions
More Linux CLI Quizzes
Cron and Scheduling - crontab syntax - Quiz 7medium Cron and Scheduling - Editing crontab (crontab -e) - Quiz 1easy Environment and Configuration - History command and search - Quiz 9hard Package Management - apt (Debian/Ubuntu) basics - Quiz 5medium Package Management - apt (Debian/Ubuntu) basics - Quiz 6medium Package Management - Building from source basics - Quiz 14medium SSH and Remote Access - SSH connection basics - Quiz 8hard SSH and Remote Access - SCP for file transfer - Quiz 15hard System Administration - journalctl for systemd logs - Quiz 2easy System Administration - Firewall basics (ufw, iptables) - Quiz 12easy