Quick Answer
The answer is sda3. This partition contains the root filesystem because it is mounted at the / (root) directory, which is the top of the Linux filesystem hierarchy. In Linux, partitions are numbered sequentially starting from 1 for each disk device—sda1, sda2, sda3—while sda alone refers to the entire disk, not a partition. On the LPIC-1 exam, this concept tests your ability to interpret partition layouts and identify which device holds the root filesystem, often using clues from /etc/fstab entries or kernel boot parameters like root=. A common trap is confusing the whole disk (sda) with a partition, or assuming the root filesystem must be on the first partition. To avoid this, remember that the root filesystem is always the partition whose mount point is simply a forward slash. A useful memory tip: “Root is just a slash, not the first dash”—meaning look for the / mount point, not partition number one.
This LPIC-1 practice question tests your understanding of system architecture. Read the scenario carefully and evaluate each option against the stated constraints before committing to an answer. 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.
Refer to the exhibit. $ lsblk NAME MAJ:MIN RM SIZE RO TYPE MOUNTPOINT sda 8:0 0 223.6G 0 disk ├─sda1 8:1 0 512M 0 part /boot ├─sda2 8:2 0 16G 0 part [SWAP] └─sda3 8:3 0 207.1G 0 part /
Refer to the exhibit. The system has a single disk with three partitions. Which partition contains the root filesystem?
Refer to the exhibit. $ lsblk NAME MAJ:MIN RM SIZE RO TYPE MOUNTPOINT sda 8:0 0 223.6G 0 disk ├─sda1 8:1 0 512M 0 part /boot ├─sda2 8:2 0 16G 0 part [SWAP] └─sda3 8:3 0 207.1G 0 part /
sda
Why wrong: sda is the whole disk, not a partition.
sda1
Why wrong: sda1 is mounted as /boot.
sda2
Why wrong: sda2 is swap space.
sda3
sda3 is mounted at / (root).
Answer choices
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
sda3
The root filesystem is mounted from the partition that contains the / (root) directory. In Linux, partitions are numbered starting from 1 (e.g., sda1, sda2, sda3). The device sda itself refers to the entire disk, not a partition. Since the system has three partitions and the correct answer is sda3, partition sda3 must be the one designated as the root filesystem, typically identified by the mount point '/' in /etc/fstab or by the kernel boot parameter root=.
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.
sda
Why it's wrong here
sda is the whole disk, not a partition.
sda1
Why it's wrong here
sda1 is mounted as /boot.
sda2
Why it's wrong here
sda2 is swap space.
sda3
Why this is correct
sda3 is mounted at / (root).
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Common exam traps
The trap here is that candidates often confuse the entire disk device (sda) with a partition (sda1, sda2, sda3), or assume the root filesystem is always on the first partition (sda1), ignoring that it can be on any numbered partition based on system design.
Detailed technical explanation
Under the hood, the Linux kernel uses the root= kernel parameter (e.g., root=/dev/sda3) to specify the root device, which is then mounted at / during boot. The partition numbering follows the standard MBR or GPT scheme, where sda1, sda2, sda3 are primary partitions; the root filesystem can be any of them, but it is commonly placed on the last partition for logical separation. In real-world scenarios, misidentifying the root partition can lead to boot failures, and tools like lsblk or blkid are used to verify partition UUIDs and mount points.
Key takeaway
Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Real-world example
A small business has 20 workstations on the 192.168.1.0/24 network and one public IP from its ISP. The router uses PAT (NAT overload) so all 20 devices share one public address using different source ports. NAT questions test whether you understand the four address terms and which direction each translation applies.
What to study next
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FAQ
System Architecture — This question tests System Architecture — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
The correct answer is: sda3 — The root filesystem is mounted from the partition that contains the / (root) directory. In Linux, partitions are numbered starting from 1 (e.g., sda1, sda2, sda3). The device sda itself refers to the entire disk, not a partition. Since the system has three partitions and the correct answer is sda3, partition sda3 must be the one designated as the root filesystem, typically identified by the mount point '/' in /etc/fstab or by the kernel boot parameter root=.
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 11, 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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