Question:medium

The Dining Philosopher problem can be solved by:

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In the Dining Philosopher problem, semaphores are used to avoid deadlock and ensure mutual exclusion while sharing resources.
Updated On: Mar 7, 2026
  • Use of semaphores
  • Use of overlays
  • Mutual exclusion
  • Bounded waiting
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The Correct Option is A

Solution and Explanation

Step 1: Define the Dining Philosopher Problem.
The Dining Philosopher problem illustrates a synchronization challenge where multiple philosophers share resources (like forks). The goal is to prevent deadlock and ensure fair access for eating.

Step 2: Explain Semaphore Usage.
Semaphores are OS synchronization tools. For the Dining Philosopher problem, they control fork access, ensuring only one philosopher uses a fork at a time, thus preventing deadlock and enforcing mutual exclusion.

Step 3: Evaluate Alternative Options.
- (2) Overlays: A memory management technique, irrelevant to this problem.
- (3) Mutual exclusion: Essential for deadlock prevention, but semaphores are the specific mechanism used here.
- (4) Bounded waiting: Guarantees no indefinite waiting but isn't the core solution.

Step 4: State the Conclusion.
The correct solution is (1) Use of semaphores, which enables safe fork acquisition and release, thereby avoiding deadlock.

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