This XK0-005 practice question tests your understanding of system management. The scenario asks you to isolate a root cause — eliminate options that address a different problem before choosing. After answering, compare your reasoning against the explanation and wrong-answer breakdown below. Once you have made your selection, read the full explanation to reinforce the concept and understand why each distractor is designed to mislead on exam day.
An administrator is troubleshooting a slow system. Which two commands can be used to identify processes consuming excessive CPU or memory? (Choose two.)
free -m
Why wrong: free shows memory usage but not per-process.
iostat -x
Why wrong: iostat shows CPU and I/O statistics, not per-process.
ps aux --sort=-%mem
ps with sorting shows processes by memory usage.
df -h
Why wrong: df shows disk space usage.
top
top displays processes sorted by CPU or memory usage.
Answer choices
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
ps aux --sort=-%mem
Option C is correct because `ps aux --sort=-%mem` lists all processes with their memory usage, sorted by memory consumption in descending order, making it easy to identify processes consuming excessive memory. Option E is correct because `top` provides a real-time, dynamic view of system processes, including CPU and memory usage, and allows sorting by these metrics interactively.
Key principle: Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Answer analysis
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
free -m
Why it's wrong here
free shows memory usage but not per-process.
iostat -x
Why it's wrong here
iostat shows CPU and I/O statistics, not per-process.
ps aux --sort=-%mem
Why this is correct
ps with sorting shows processes by memory usage.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
df -h
Why it's wrong here
df shows disk space usage.
top
Why this is correct
top displays processes sorted by CPU or memory usage.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Common exam traps
CompTIA often tests the distinction between system-level resource commands (like `free`, `df`, `iostat`) and process-level monitoring commands (`ps`, `top`), leading candidates to choose commands that show overall usage rather than per-process details.
Trap categories for this question
Command / output trap
free shows memory usage but not per-process.
Detailed technical explanation
The `ps` command reads process information from the `/proc` filesystem, and `--sort=-%mem` sorts by the `%MEM` field, which is calculated as the process's resident set size (RSS) divided by total physical memory. The `top` command uses the `procps-ng` library to continuously poll `/proc` for process statistics, updating every few seconds by default, and supports interactive sorting via keys like `M` for memory or `P` for CPU. In real-world scenarios, `top` is preferred for ongoing monitoring, while `ps` with sorting is useful for a one-time snapshot or scripting.
Key takeaway
Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Real-world example
A practitioner preparing for the XK0-005 exam encounters this exact type of scenario on the job. The correct answer here is not the most general option — it is the best answer for the specific constraint described. Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option. Real exam questions reward reading the full scenario before eliminating options, because the constraint defines which answer fits.
What to study next
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
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FAQ
System Management — This question tests System Management — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
The correct answer is: ps aux --sort=-%mem — Option C is correct because `ps aux --sort=-%mem` lists all processes with their memory usage, sorted by memory consumption in descending order, making it easy to identify processes consuming excessive memory. Option E is correct because `top` provides a real-time, dynamic view of system processes, including CPU and memory usage, and allows sorting by these metrics interactively.
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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Last reviewed: Jun 30, 2026
This XK0-005 practice question is part of Courseiva's free CompTIA certification practice question bank. Courseiva provides original exam-style practice questions with explanations, topic-based practice, mock exams, readiness tracking, and study analytics to help learners prepare for the XK0-005 exam.
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