Question:easy

Overflow occurs when:

Show Hint

Overflow is an arithmetic problem, not a memory problem. It occurs when the result is too large (or too small) to fit into the allotted bits.
Updated On: Jun 8, 2026
  • Result exceeds storage
  • Memory is full
  • CPU stops
  • Program ends
Show Solution

The Correct Option is A

Solution and Explanation

Step 1: Recall how numbers are stored.
A computer keeps each number in a fixed number of bits. That fixed size sets a highest value it can hold.

Step 2: Take a simple example.
Suppose a register uses $8$ bits. The largest unsigned value it can store is $11111111$ in binary, which is $255$.

Step 3: Try to go past the limit.
If we compute $255 + 1$, the true answer is $256$.

Step 4: See why this is a problem.
The value $256$ needs more than $8$ bits, so it cannot fit in the storage we have.

Step 5: Name this situation.
When the result of a calculation is bigger than the storage can hold, we call it overflow.

Step 6: Match to the options.
So overflow happens when the result exceeds storage, which is option (A). The other options describe full memory or stopping, which are different things.
\[ \boxed{\text{Result exceeds storage}} \]
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