What is software?

What is software?

• A. The set of programs that tell a computer what to do
• B. A plug-in device used to store information
• C. A type of computer memory
• D. A group of connected computers

Answer: (A)

Software is the set of programs that tell a computer what to do. It consists of the instructions and data that the processor executes to perform tasks, from the operating system to everyday applications. Unlike hardware—the physical parts of the computer—software is intangible and lives on storage, loaded into memory to run. That’s why this description is the best fit. The other options point to hardware or networks: a plug-in device used to store information is hardware; a type of computer memory is hardware; a group of connected computers describes a network.

Software is the set of programs that tell a computer what to do. It consists of the instructions and data that the processor executes to perform tasks, from the operating system to everyday applications. Unlike hardware—the physical parts of the computer—software is intangible and lives on storage, loaded into memory to run. That’s why this description is the best fit. The other options point to hardware or networks: a plug-in device used to store information is hardware; a type of computer memory is hardware; a group of connected computers describes a network.