This LPIC-1 practice question tests your understanding of gnu and unix commands. Compare every option against the stated constraints before choosing — the best answer satisfies all requirements, not just the most obvious one. 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.
A system administrator wants to list all files in a directory that have been modified in the last 24 hours. Which command would be most appropriate?
Clue words in this question
Noticing these words before you look at the options changes how you read each choice.
Clue: "which command"
Why it matters: Tests specific CLI syntax. Recall the exact command and its required context — near-synonyms and partial matches are common distractors.
ls -l --time=mod
Why wrong: This shows modification time but does not filter by time range.
find . -mmin 1440
Why wrong: While technically correct, -mmin 1440 is less standard and -mtime -1 is more common.
ls -lt
Why wrong: ls -lt sorts files by modification time but does not filter to the last 24 hours.
find . -mtime -1
-mtime -1 finds files modified less than 1 day ago, which is the last 24 hours.
Answer choices
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
find . -mtime -1
Option D is correct because the `find` command with `-mtime -1` searches for files whose modification time is less than 1 day ago (i.e., within the last 24 hours). The minus sign before the number means 'less than' that many days, so `-mtime -1` matches files modified in the last 24 hours. This is the standard, precise way to list files by modification time in a directory tree.
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.
ls -l --time=mod
Why it's wrong here
This shows modification time but does not filter by time range.
find . -mmin 1440
Why it's wrong here
While technically correct, -mmin 1440 is less standard and -mtime -1 is more common.
ls -lt
Why it's wrong here
ls -lt sorts files by modification time but does not filter to the last 24 hours.
find . -mtime -1
Why this is correct
-mtime -1 finds files modified less than 1 day ago, which is the last 24 hours.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "which command" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Common exam traps
The trap here is that candidates confuse `-mtime` with `-mmin` and forget that the minus sign in `-mtime -1` is required to mean 'less than', or they mistakenly think `ls -lt` filters by time when it only sorts.
Trap categories for this question
Command / output trap
This shows modification time but does not filter by time range.
Detailed technical explanation
The `find` command's `-mtime` argument uses a 24-hour period measured from the current time, with fractional days rounded down. The `-mtime -1` matches files modified less than 1 day ago (i.e., within the last 24 hours), while `-mtime 0` matches files modified between 0 and 1 day ago (effectively the same). For finer granularity, `-mmin` uses minutes, and `-mmin -1440` would correctly match files modified within the last 1440 minutes (24 hours). This distinction is crucial in scripting and automation where exact time windows matter.
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 LPIC-1 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
GNU and Unix Commands — This question tests GNU and Unix Commands — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
The correct answer is: find . -mtime -1 — Option D is correct because the `find` command with `-mtime -1` searches for files whose modification time is less than 1 day ago (i.e., within the last 24 hours). The minus sign before the number means 'less than' that many days, so `-mtime -1` matches files modified in the last 24 hours. This is the standard, precise way to list files by modification time in a directory tree.
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
Yes — watch for: "which command". Tests specific CLI syntax. Recall the exact command and its required context — near-synonyms and partial matches are common distractors.
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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Last reviewed: Jun 25, 2026
This LPIC-1 practice question is part of Courseiva's free LPI 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 LPIC-1 exam.
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