This EX200 practice question tests your understanding of essential tools. 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.
A junior administrator is tasked with finding all files in the /var/log directory that have been modified within the last 24 hours and are owned by the 'root' user. The administrator runs the command: find /var/log -user root -mtime 0. However, the command returns no output, even though there are files that meet the criteria. What is the most likely issue with the find command?
Clue words in this question
Noticing these words before you look at the options changes how you read each choice.
Clue: "most likely"
Why it matters: Probability qualifier — the question wants the most probable cause or outcome, not a guaranteed one. Eliminate low-probability options.
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
The -mtime 0 argument is incorrect; it should be -mtime -1 to find files modified in the last 24 hours.
Option D is correct because `-mtime 0` matches files modified exactly 24 hours ago (i.e., between 0 and 24 hours ago, but not including the current 24-hour window). To find files modified within the last 24 hours (i.e., less than 24 hours ago), the correct argument is `-mtime -1`, which matches files modified less than 1 day ago. The administrator's command returns no output because no files have a modification time that falls exactly in the 24-hour-old window.
Key principle: Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
✗
The /var/log path is not accessible; the administrator should use sudo.
Why it's wrong here
If the path were inaccessible, find would output permission denied errors, not simply no output.
✗
The -user root argument is invalid; it should be -uid 0.
Why it's wrong here
-user root is valid and works correctly; it is not necessary to use -uid 0.
✗
The find command requires the -type f argument to search for files only.
Why it's wrong here
find works on all file types by default; adding -type f is optional and would not cause no output.
✓
The -mtime 0 argument is incorrect; it should be -mtime -1 to find files modified in the last 24 hours.
Why this is correct
Correct: -mtime -1 finds files modified less than 24 hours ago; -mtime 0 finds files exactly 24 hours ago.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "most likely" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates confuse `-mtime 0` with 'modified within the last 24 hours' when it actually means 'modified exactly 24 hours ago', leading them to choose a different wrong option or think the command is correct.
Trap categories for this question
Command / output trap
If the path were inaccessible, find would output permission denied errors, not simply no output.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
The `-mtime` option in `find` uses a 24-hour cycle measured from the current time, where `-mtime 0` matches files modified between 0 and 24 hours ago (i.e., exactly 1 day ago), while `-mtime -1` matches files modified less than 24 hours ago (i.e., within the last day). This behavior is defined by POSIX and is often misunderstood because `-mtime +1` matches files older than 48 hours, `-mtime 1` matches files modified between 24 and 48 hours ago, and `-mtime -1` matches files modified less than 24 hours ago. In real-world scenarios, using `-mtime 0` for 'last 24 hours' is a common mistake that leads to missing recent files.
KKey Concepts to Remember
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Find the constraint that changes the correct option.
Eliminate answers that are true in general but not in this case.
TExam Day Tips
→Watch for words such as best, first, most likely and least administrative effort.
→Review why wrong options are wrong, not only why the correct option is correct.
Key takeaway
Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Real-world example
How this comes up in practice
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
Got this wrong? Here's your next step.
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
Essential Tools — This question tests Essential Tools — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: The -mtime 0 argument is incorrect; it should be -mtime -1 to find files modified in the last 24 hours. — Option D is correct because `-mtime 0` matches files modified exactly 24 hours ago (i.e., between 0 and 24 hours ago, but not including the current 24-hour window). To find files modified within the last 24 hours (i.e., less than 24 hours ago), the correct argument is `-mtime -1`, which matches files modified less than 1 day ago. The administrator's command returns no output because no files have a modification time that falls exactly in the 24-hour-old window.
What should I do if I get this EX200 question wrong?
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
Are there clue words in this question I should notice?
Yes — watch for: "most likely". Probability qualifier — the question wants the most probable cause or outcome, not a guaranteed one. Eliminate low-probability options.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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Question Discussion
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