LFCS Operation of Running Systems Practice Question

A system administrator wants to view the last 10 lines of the system log file '/var/log/syslog' and continue to watch for new lines as they are appended. Which command should be used?

⚠ Common exam trap

Many exam-takers confuse `tail -n 10` (static view) with `tail -f` (follow mode), or mistakenly think `less` with its Shift+F feature is the default answer, but the question explicitly requires a single command that both shows the last 10 lines and continuously watches for new lines.

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

✓

tail -n 10 -f /var/log/syslog

The `tail -n 10 -f /var/log/syslog` command first displays the last 10 lines of the file and then uses the `-f` (follow) flag to continuously monitor the file for new appended lines, outputting them in real time. This matches the requirement to both view the last 10 lines and watch for new entries.

Answer analysis

Option-by-option breakdown

For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.

✗
tail -n 10 /var/log/syslog
Why it's wrong here
Displays only the last 10 lines once, does not follow.
✗
less /var/log/syslog
Why it's wrong here
Opens file in pager, but does not automatically follow; pressing 'F' would follow.
✓
tail -n 10 -f /var/log/syslog
Why this is correct
Shows last 10 lines and follows new entries.
✗
head -n 10 /var/log/syslog
Why it's wrong here
Displays the first 10 lines, not what is needed.

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LFCS Operation of Running Systems Practice Question

Why each option matters

Option-by-option breakdown

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