When an external device becomes ready to be serviced by the processor the device sends a(n) _________ signal to the processor.
A) access
B) halt
C) handler
D) interrupt

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

When an external device becomes ready to be serviced by the processor, it interrupts the processor by sending an interrupt signal. This prompts the processor to stop its current task and switch its attention to the external device that needs attention. Therefore, the best choice is D - interrupt. The other options, including access, halt, and handler, do not accurately describe the signal sent by the external device to the processor.

When an External Device Becomes Ready to Be Serviced by the Processor