Which of the following is true about software?

• A. The physical components that you can touch
• B. The operating system that manages hardware
• C. The programs and applications that run on a computer
• D. The data stored on storage devices

Answer: (C)

Software is the set of instructions that tell the computer hardware what to do. It consists of the programs and applications that run on a computer, from word processors to games to web browsers. The operating system is a type of software, but software isn’t limited to the OS; there are many other programs that perform different tasks. The other options describe physical hardware (things you can touch) or data stored on devices, which are different from software. So the statement that software is the programs and applications that run on a computer is the best description.