Question

Which one of the following is a machine-dependent language?

• A. Java
• B. C++
• C. Assembly language
• D. Python

Hint:

The closer a programming language is to the hardware, the more likely it is to be machine-dependent. Assembly language is just one step above binary machine code, making it highly dependent on the CPU architecture.

Answer 1

The Correct Option is C

Step 1: Differentiate between high-level and low-level languages. 
High-level languages (like Java, Python, C++) are designed to be easier for humans to read and write. They provide strong abstraction from the details of the computer's hardware. Low-level languages provide little or no abstraction and are very close to the machine's native instruction set.

Step 2: Define machine dependence. 
A language is machine-dependent if its programs can only be executed on the specific type of computer hardware for which they were written. Machine-independent languages can be run on many different types of hardware.

Step 3: Evaluate the options. 
(A), (B), (D): Java, C++, and Python are high-level languages. They are designed to be portable (machine-independent). Code written in these languages is compiled or interpreted into machine code for the target platform, but the source code itself is not tied to a specific machine. 

(C) Assembly language is a low-level language that is a human-readable representation of a specific computer's machine code. Each processor family (e.g., x86, ARM) has its own unique assembly language. Therefore, it is machine-dependent.