LFCS Essential Commands Practice Question
A system administrator needs to list all files in the current directory, including hidden files, in a long listing format sorted by modification time (oldest first). Which command achieves this?
⚠ Common exam trap
The trap here is that candidates often remember `-lt` for time-sorted listing but forget that `-a` is required to include hidden files, or they confuse the order and omit `-r` to reverse to oldest first.
Answer choices
Why each option matters
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
ls -lart
`ls -lart` combines the `-l` (long listing), `-a` (include hidden files starting with dot), `-r` (reverse order), and `-t` (sort by modification time, newest first). The reverse flag flips the sort to oldest first, meeting the requirement exactly.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
ls -lihrt
Why it's wrong here
Includes inode and human-readable but missing -t, sorts by name.
- ✓
ls -lart
Why this is correct
Correct: long, all, reverse, time.
- ✗
ls -lat
Why it's wrong here
The -t flag sorts newest first, so -lat reverses the required oldest-first order; -r is missing. It is tempting because -lat does list hidden files in long format with timestamps, which suits finding recently changed files, but the stem explicitly demands oldest first.
- ✗
ls -lrt
Why it's wrong here
Lacks -a, so hidden files not shown.
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Written by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
This LFCS practice question is part of Courseiva's free Linux Foundation 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 LFCS exam.