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GATE CSE 2024 Session 2 Q53: Time to read 3000 randomly placed disk sectors

Question

Consider a disk with the following specifications: rotation speed of 6000 RPM, average seek time of 5 milliseconds, 500 sectors/track, 512-byte sectors.

A file has content stored in 3000 sectors located randomly on the disk. Assuming average rotational latency, the total time (in seconds, rounded off to 2 decimal places) to read the entire file from the disk is _________

Try it: numerical answer: type the value

Numerical answer. No negative marking.
Show answer and explanation

Answer: 29.5 to 30.5 (official GATE 2024 final answer key)

Concept used: Each random sector costs seek + average rotational latency + one sector's transfer time.

First step: One rotation takes 10 ms, so average latency is 5 ms and one sector transfers in 10/500=0.0210/500 = 0.02 ms.

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Source: official GATE 2024 Session 2 CS question paper and final answer key, organised by IISc Bangalore. Question paper · Answer key

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