What is a buffer?

• A. A small picture that represents a program or file
• B. An area of RAM used to store programs permanently
• C. An area of memory that stores data and information waiting to be sent to an input or output device
• D. A server that stores web pages for quick access

Answer: (C)

Buffers are temporary holding areas in memory used to smooth data transfer between parts of a computer that run at different speeds. When data is moving from one place to another, it often arrives in bursts or at a speed the receiving device can’t instantaneously match. The buffer stores this data so the sending process can continue without waiting, and the receiving device can pull data from the buffer at its own pace. This is why a buffer is described as memory that stores data waiting to be sent to an input or output device.

The other descriptions don’t fit a buffer: an icon is just a small graphic symbol; RAM that permanently stores programs isn’t accurate because RAM is volatile and not permanent storage, while permanent storage is usually disk space; and a server that stores web pages is a web server or cache, not a buffer.