Which file extension is typically associated with a compressed archive?
.zip is a widely used compressed archive format.
Why this answer
The .zip file extension is the standard for compressed archives, using algorithms like DEFLATE (RFC 1951) to reduce file size and bundle multiple files into a single container. This makes it the correct answer for identifying a compressed archive format.
Exam trap
The trap here is that candidates may confuse file types that contain compressed data (like .docx, which is a ZIP-based format) with actual compressed archives, leading them to incorrectly select .docx instead of .zip.
How to eliminate wrong answers
Option B (.pdf) is wrong because .pdf is the Portable Document Format, used for presenting documents with fixed layout, not for compression or archiving. Option C (.exe) is wrong because .exe is an executable file format for Windows programs, not a compressed archive. Option D (.docx) is wrong because .docx is a Microsoft Word document format that uses ZIP compression internally but is not itself a compressed archive; it is a document file.