This EX200 practice question tests your understanding of essential tools. 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.
An administrator notices that the /tmp directory is filling up quickly. They want to find all files in /tmp that are larger than 100 MB and owned by user 'ftp', then delete them. The administrator runs: find /tmp -type f -size 100M -user ftp -exec rm {} \;. However, this command deletes only files that are exactly 100 MB, not larger. Which find expression should be used instead?
Option B is correct because the `find` command uses `+` before a size value to match files larger than that size, not exactly equal. The original command omitted the `+`, so it matched only files exactly 100 MB. Adding `+100M` correctly selects files larger than 100 MB.
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.
✗
find /tmp -type f -size 100M -user ftp -exec rm {} \;
Why it's wrong here
This matches only files exactly 100 MB, not larger.
This contradictory expression matches no files because a file cannot be both larger than and smaller than 100 MB.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
Red Hat often tests the subtle difference between exact size matching and size range matching using the `+` and `-` prefixes, trapping candidates who assume `-size 100M` means 'greater than or equal to' instead of 'exactly equal to'.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
The `find` command's `-size` predicate uses `+` and `-` prefixes to indicate 'greater than' and 'less than' respectively; without a prefix, it matches exact size. This syntax applies to all size units (e.g., `k`, `M`, `G`). In real-world scenarios, administrators often need to clean up files exceeding a threshold, and forgetting the `+` prefix is a common mistake that leads to incomplete cleanup.
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 practitioner preparing for the EX200 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
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: find /tmp -type f -size +100M -user ftp -exec rm {} \; — Option B is correct because the `find` command uses `+` before a size value to match files larger than that size, not exactly equal. The original command omitted the `+`, so it matched only files exactly 100 MB. Adding `+100M` correctly selects files larger than 100 MB.
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.
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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