Question

In __________ file access, the contents of a file may be read in any order.

Short answer

Answer: Random access.

Step-by-step solution

Identify the file access methods

There are two primary file access methods: sequential access and random access. Sequential access is when the contents of a file are accessed in a linear, sequential manner. In this method, if you need to access a specific data item, you have to read through the entire file from the beginning to reach that data item. This is similar to how a cassette tape works. Random access, on the other hand, allows the contents of a file to be read in any order. This means that you can directly access a specific data item without going through the entire file. This is similar to how CDs or DVDs work.

Determine the correct file access method

From the given description, we can determine that the file access method which allows reading the contents of a file in any order is random access. So, in __random access__ file access, the contents of a file may be read in any order.